Jim Gaspard

Front drums almost fall off when you remove the cotter pin and nut. Rear drums, that's another story. Mine would not come off even with a little help from a BFH. I finally had to break down and buy a drum puller. The local auto parts stores rent them for $20 to $25, but I bought one in an e-Bay auction for $35. I have another truck I will eventually use it on so I figuered I was ahead owning one instead of two rentals. The drum comes off with snap with the right tool.

Does anyone know of Pilothouse replacement rubber mats similar to factory original. My driver still has a fairly good mat but I would like to find another for my frame-off project, also a 1951-2 B3B. Here is the mat from my driver, but I don't know if it was OEM or after market. It would be nice if we could find someone to copy the print and make a few dozen for the members. I would be willing to offer my mat as a pattern.

I have two B3B's like Reg, both low beds. One is a frame off restoration but my driver is pretty much all original. Here are photos of the bed wood plank in profile as well as the worn but still distinguishable black bed paint. I've also repainted my tailgate and Dodge emboss. Taped it off and spray painted with Chrysler Red model paint from a craft shop. Its a fairly good match to the red on our hubcaps and hood badge emblems.

..And the contact information:

Contact Info

Peter Adam Krell

Pete's Classic Cars

7211 Valley View Place

DALLAS ,TX 75240

email: Peteradamkrell@aol.com

Phone 972 458-2004

fax 972 458-8414

All photos and details are included here.

Call 7 days a week 9am - 10pm with more specific questions.

Cars viewed by prior appointment only...

World Wide References Available.

I'll bet that Tony West, our Perth, West Austalia DPETCA correspondent can answer that question. Here is the Fargo description and phone number from the seller.

hi jim. here are the photos 972-458-2004 thanks

1952 DODGE-FARGO UNIBODY $9500 MILEAGE-34K ORIGINAL ENGINE 218-6 CYLINDER TRANS- 3 SPD MANUAL EXTERIOR- BLUE GREY INTERIOR-WHITE VIN# 108AF326 1952 FARGO UNIBODY PICKUP- THIS IS A VERY RARE TRUCK, THE ONLY ONE KNOWN IN THE USA. IT WAS BUILT BY CHRYSLER OF AUSTRALIA . IT IS CALLED A PILOT HOUSE DUE TO THE WINDOES IN THE CAB. IT WAS IMPORTED TO THE USA ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO BY A COLLECTOR IN CALIFORNIA. IT HAS 34,000 ORIGINAL MILES AND IS RUST FREE. IT HAS ITS ORIGINAL 218 6CYLINDER. RUNS AND DRIVES. RIGHT HAND DRIVE- FUN TO SEE PEOPLES FACES WHEN I DRIVE IT AROUND. YOU WILL NOTICE THE BED IS UNIBODY AND HIGHER ON THE SIDES WITH SOME UNIQUE INNER STRUCTURE. NICE INTERIOR. NEEDS A LITTLE PAINT WORK. $9500

...and as it turns out, the truck is in Dallas as part of an imported Aussie collection from California. $9500. Unusual Fargo unibody. I can see a few part similarities to the Pilothouse, but definitely not the bed. Here are a few photos. If you wnat to see the entire 31 shots he sent to me, shoot me an e-mail.

They show up on e-Bay ocassionally. Also look for one with the key or you will be set back another $25 to have it keyed.

Mr G's in Fort Worth has a vast inventory of fasteners, including our J-nuts found in the floor board pans.

http://www.mrgusa.com/

JimG in BigD

...and tell us where you're from. We have members all over the USA and abroad who are ready to help with questions.

http://dodgepilothouseclub.org/info/info.htm

Jim in Dallas

There a numerous sources listed in each issue of Hemmings. I have run across a Texas company who rebuilds vintage vacuum tube radios for cars/trucks. Try http://www.SouthTexasAntiqueElectronics.com in Portland, Texas

Rene van Gaalen 361-739-4181

Jim in Dallas

Oh n-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o! Tim, I was glad to see another PilotHouse in Texas even if it was Rocket country. It was great following your project posts, and you were moving fast. If I didn't already have three B3's in Dallas, I would be interested. Yours is too good to be a parts truck so someone will surely come along to carry it forward. Good luck on your sale and be sure to pass the PilotHouse Forum on to the buyer. Come back to visit when you can.

Jim in Mavericks country

For what years? I believe the B1 and B2's are different than B3's.

Jim in Dallas

Don, this weekend is the LaGrave Field Swap Meet in Fort Worth nea the stockyards. If you want to go, I can pick you up early Saturday morning for four to five hours and back early afternoon. If not, I can give you directions. Like for you to see my project also while you're in Dallas.

Jim in Dallas

I am interested in your grill pieces if in decent shape. two uppers and two lowers that house parking lights.

Jim in Dallas

I agree Mario. It appears to be a canned ham trailer from the fifties. I have a 15 foot ham I am restoring along with my B3B frame-off. They are from the same era. I should be complete somewhere around 2013 at my current pace. We are forecast to hit our first 100 degree day today, and with humidity in the 50' to 60's, it is unbearable even in the shade.

Jim in Dallas

Dabba dabba doo!

Your just down the road, so if you want to trade out with a little incentive, let me know.

I just reworked my metal set, they are smooth, primed and ready for glossy black paint & topcoat this weekend.

Jim in Dallas

I guess if you had good steel pieces, you (or I) could go the route of choming them. It's only money.

Jim

I owened this one about 4 or 5 years ago. It may have been a spring special guessing from the bright grill pieces. Not sure if they were chrome or stainless though.

From the looks of several colors peaking through, it has undergone many mods. Chome or stainless, I would be interesed in tracking down those pieces.

The stainless option was brought on by a war materials restriction. Funny, after 58 years those Koreans are still giving us fits.

Jim in Dallas

It always was and still is $25.00 for trucks. The cars cost $45.00 because Chrysler offers some breakdown for them. With a truck all you get is a photocopy of their microfilm copy of your trucks build record. The Chrysler Archives is still alive although with a new website found here.

Has anyone had success obtaining truck build-cards for B3 trucks. Sounds like the cut-off was 1950 which would include B1's and B2's.

Jim in Dallas

Don Bunn's book shows several B3 Series trucks with the optional stainless grill pieces, but I have never seen stainless on a forum member's truck. I scanned the gallery again and nada.

Has anyone run into a B3 truck with stainless grills. Everytime I visit a junk yard I get anxious about finding this rare part. I love the hunt but not the odds.

Jim in Dallas

I have two low box B3's and there seems to be fewer of them around than the high box bed. Don Bunn notes in his book that the low box was a rare option. I've always heard they were special ordered for 'job rated' grocery and product deliveries where boxes could be lifted easier over the side. Yours probably had a city-fy-ed use.

There is a link on the site for writing Chrysler (hope someone is still employed there) to obtain the build card for your truck. It used to be $40 or $50 bucks. You will need your Vin number off your door frame plate, or get the number stamped in your frame behind your left front wheel. It will show the options that came with the truck and generally information as to the dealer, delivery date, etc.

Your rear bumper is rare and is probably factory ordered. Most of the trucks of this vintage came from the factory without the rear bumper and the dealer would have a heavy duty one fabricated for your special use or hauling.

I don't believe your truck came with an OEM right rear brake light, so that was probaly added to meet some later safty requirement in your state.

Great looking truck and find. Welcome to the site. You'll find just about all the answers here, but it looks like you have been able to improvise well so far.

Jim in Dallas

Bud, your grill design will add yet another variation to B-Series grill mods. Good job!

http://dodgepilothouseclub.org/dodge/grilles/grills.html

Jim in Dallas

There has been lots of discussion on the color, and more on the paint code. Don Bunn's B-Series Restoration book seems to indicate the cream yellow was the OEM standard after 1950. But, I believe anyone purchasing from the dealer could order wheels of a different color.

Go here:

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=9386&highlight=yellow+color

Jim in Dallas

Try these two Forum threads about Pilothouse waterpumps:

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=6119&highlight=water+pumps

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=6316&highlight=water+pump

There are numerous other posts, use the "Search" feature in masthead.

Jim in Dallas