about to be my new pickup.....

[Guest anthony83]

Okay, so after much debating with myself whether to purchase a b2c or take for free what the guy believes to be a 51 or 53 1/2 ton, I have decided to take the 51 or 53. Here's the thing, I've been looking at these pictures and trying to figure out where to start and what year it is. I am not sure if I am mistaken, but it looks to me like this might be a 1950 or earlier. I'll add the pictures and see what you guys think. Also this is my first restoration project and I want to completely re-do it from the ground up, so any suggestions on where I should start judging by the pictures would be helpful. Thanks. Gabe.

[Steven Hood]

Okay, so after much debating with myself whether to purchase a b2c or take for free what the guy believes to be a 51 or 53 1/2 ton, I have decided to take the 51 or 53. Here's the thing, I've been looking at these pictures and trying to figure out where to start and what year it is. I am not sure if I am mistaken, but it looks to me like this might be a 1950 or earlier. I'll add the pictures and see what you guys think. Also this is my first restoration project and I want to completely re-do it from the ground up, so any suggestions on where I should start judging by the pictures would be helpful. Thanks. Gabe.

I would say it is a '51-'53, by looking at the dash. I can just make out the speaker bump on the passenger side...I think! Is there a plate riveted to the hinge post of the driver's door? That would say for sure, at least what the cab is from. Yes, the nose panel is a '48-50, but the doors look like late model (partial crease), as do the hoods (flat rim at bottom). Pending serial number verification, I would say you have a '51-'53. Very good looking sheet metal. You wouldn't be interested in selling your extra fenders would you?

Steve

[Merle Coggins]

You've got a lot of work cut out for you, but it looks like you may have a few spare parts already.

Steve may be right about the dash, but it's hard to tell. Do you have any better pics of the interier? The front clip is 48-50, including the hood. It has the notch for the upper stainless piece. It looks like your spare hood panels are the same way. I've never noticed any differences with the doors between 48-50 and 51-53, I always thought they were the same, but I won't argue the point.

If you take a wire brush to the side of the frame just above and slightly forward of the left front wheel, you should find the serial number. Then go to http://www.t137.com/registry/help/decode.php and type on your serial #. It will tell you what year it actually is. It's possible that someone changed the front clip with an earlier version sue to a wreck, or it could have been a newer version cab replacement onto an earlier chassis.

As for what to do first... Take lots of pictures, label parts as you dissassemble. Using freezer bags to keep the hardware works great. You can write on the bags with a Sharpie to remind you what the bolts are for.

I also highly recommend this book

Good luck, and welcome aboard.

Merle

[MBF]

Yup-you've got a lot of work, but it looks like you've got a lot of very solid pcs and a good assorment of spare parts. Good luck-looks like a great project. Mike

[Vintrader]

Gabe, Truck vehicle numbers are located on a metal plate on the left side door post. If that is missing the number should also be repeated on the frame near the front spring hanger. Here is a picture of where it should be on the Frame. Dutch

[bach4660]

I would say it is a '51-'53, by looking at the dash.

wow thats observent! I had to scroll back to the photos just to see.

There was an article in CT mag about 2 years ago, in addition to deliberating slamming your fingers in the door twice before you start to make sure you want to start, the author talks about taking a binder and breaking it up into sections like chassis, electrical, drivetrain etc, then you start keeping track of serial numbers, parts, part numbers, you print off alot the help given here and keep it on file, instead of searching through 20 past forums (btw, thats a compliment that the guys running this are so organized). Bottom line think of the build just like the Detroit assembly line, and work in reverse when disassembling, and in order for the assemble.

[Paul Beard]

The hood and the grill are not for a "52" or "53".

[Vintrader]

The hood and the grill are not for a "52" or "53".

This is getting interesting the Grill / Front Clip. It is a 48-50. But the Flat Horizontal Section at the bottom edge of the hood make it a 51-53 same for the doors. The crease on the 48-50 went all the way across the panel from where it meet the fender. The 51-53 only went half way. I did not know this myself until I started going through pictures of trucks. Here are some to look at, Left to Right 48-49-50-51-53 I could only upload 5 . I wonder what the 2 holes behind the hood latch handle on each side are for? Dutch

[Frank Ollian]

51- 53 cab / hood / doors. 48 - 50 grill panel.

Where in oregon are you located? Looks like Willamette Valley. I'm in Albany.

Frank O.

[Mike Meade]

Hey Frank O. I am just up the road in Salem. Mike Meade

[Ken_Hart]

Looks like a great project, with decent sheetmetal to start with and the price is right. before you get going, you need to decided what your end goal is.

A. A full restoration

B. a weekend driver (but stock)

C. A modify truck (different motor, tranny, running gear)

I would also try to identify the parts you have and those that you will need.

once you know what you have and where you are going, you can put together a plan of attack. To me start with the susp and running gear (as you can always drive it around before paint and body work (throw it in primer) and work out the bugs before going to the next level.

[Guest anthony83]

i think the guy i got it from originally got the truck from another guy in shady cove, but he lives between medford and ashland in phoenix. i however live in bremerton, wa. luckily i have an old roommate who is from ashland and who was home for the holidays so i drove down friday and stayed in ashland. anyway, i have an 05' quad cab hemi now and what i would like to do is kind of an old generation/ new generation type thing by fitting a hemi in this truck. now this is just an idea early in the stages, but this would be how i would "like" to do it. i understand that keeping it all original would be worth more and so on and so forth, but this isn't about the money, i don't plan on getting rid of it, this is purely for me. with that being said... i would guess that first off i need to strip everything down and clean up the frame and get it sandblasted and powdercoated. or do i need to find a rear end for it? if i can do the hemi idea i am guessing i will need a rear end other than the stock one, does anyone have any suggestions for me? how would i be able to do something like a 4.56 gear rear end? also i will get pictures up of the spare parts i'm not going to use so you guys can figure out if you need them. thanks everyone for the time and help.

-gabe.

ps.- it came with the title too.

[Guest anthony83]

sooo today i set out to identify this truck and it turns out that this is a 1952. i found the riveted tag on the doorr frame. B3B-108, and it turns out that the title I have is for a 1953. hahaha, so if any of you guys have a 53 from ashland, oregon, i might just have your title. I wanted to take pictures of that spare parts, but the weather was bad and I just had time to get it cleaned out and covered up. hopefully later this week though. thanks. gabe.

[Steven Hood]

Your title is probably correct. Your truck is probably a late in the model year '52, and was sitting on the lot still when the '53's came out. So when it sold, it was titled as a '53. Happened all the time back in the day, not that I actually was around "back in the day". You may be able to get your DMV to correct it, but I don't think I would go through the hassle.

Steve

[IanT_Qld]

"Back in the Day" my current car (Landrover) has a build date August 1998 and was sold in January 1999 so the RTA (DMV equilivant) consider it a 1999 build. Probably took that long to get here from England (Japan, USA or Korea thus incorrect build years are common in Australia)

[Guest anthony83]

well also the license number on the title doesn't match the license plate on the truck. hahahhaha.

[Merle Coggins]

Does the serial number match?

My '50 B2C is registered as a "51 and the serial number has a typo in it. The last 5 is printed as an S. I'm hoping to get it corrected when I finally get around to transfering the title to my name.

Merle

[Guest anthony83]

no the serial numbers aren't even close. also, does anyone know the dimensions of the the engine compartment and if i would have enough room for a 354 hemi? i know a 318 fits, but i'm not sure how close it is and i found a good deal on a 354 long block hemi i would like to drop in. woohoo. thanks. gabe.

[Guest Dave Claussen]

It would probably fit but you may have to modify the firewall and move the radiator to the front of it's mounting brackets. I have read several accounts on the forum about moving the radiator forward to gain more room in the engine compartment. There may be other issues you would need to solve as well such as steering linkage, exhaust pipe routing, and it should go without saying that a change in transmission, drive shaft and rear end would almost definetly be in order. But I think it would all be worth it for the possibility of having a hemi under the hood.

[Guest mikeys toy]

I remember an article in MoPaR magazine where a guy took a '53 cab and clip and mounted it on a '90s Dakota s/b chassis.

[Young Ed]

I might have a dakota chassis available shortly if someone is interested in trying that.