Hood latches?(newbie qusetions)

[Herr Otto]

Hello, I am new to this forum and new to MOPARs. I just purchased a 1949 "Pilothouse" pick up. It was originally a 1 ton dually flat bed but now is on a 116" wheelbase chasis that I believe is a 3/4 ton but the last owner says is a 1/2 ton. It has 5 lugs. The truck is somewhat together but many parts in boxes and baggies. I am currently putting the slant six back together that the past owner put in the truck. The hoods have the handles on them with the rods on the inside but I am not sure what they are supposed to lock into. Could someone explain this to me or take a picture of the components I need to be looking for? I am sure this is the first of many questions to come.

Thank you in advance,

Otto

[coW52Dodge]

Welcome, Otto. Name's Rem and I'm in SW CT.

The hood has this mechanism that moves these two bars into these hooks that are mounted onto the inner fender. Hope these pictures make it clear. Let us know if you need more detail - I can take lots more pictures, if you need them.

Hook towards the front:

Hook towards the cab:

[Herr Otto]

Rem, thank you for your reply and pictures. Now I know what parts to be looking for and where to mount them.

Thanks again,

Otto

[Merle Coggins]

Welcome aboard Otto. Rem did a good job on the hood latch question for you. I'll also add that I've seen some hooks that were more flat with rolled edges. I think these were the earlier ones. Mine on my '50 B2C 3/4 ton look like what Rem showed.

If you think you have a 3/4 ton chassis now, you are probably right. Unless it is a '53 chassis, which I believe was the first year a 116" chassis was offered for the 1/2 ton, your 116" chassis is from a 3/4 ton truck. Also for reference, the 3/4 ton trucks used a 5 x 5" wheel bolt pattern with studs. The 1/2 ton trucks used 5 x 4 1/2" wheel bolt pattern and also used wheel bolts instead of studs. I've also found that the 3/4 ton trucks used 11" brakes for and aft whereas the 1/2 tonners used 10"ers up front and 11"ers out back.

I find it hard to believe that someone swapped out a 1 ton chassis for a 3/4 ton chassis. That's a lot of work when there's nothing different with the cabs and other body panels. I suspect that it may have just been a flat bed 3/4 ton truck, which was also common.

Is the serial number tag still on the A pillar between the door hinges? You can also find the serial number stamped in the frame. It's on the left frame rail just behind the front spring perch. Right about here;

You'll have to clean it up very good. You may even have to sand it smooth to see the numbers. Then when you have the serial number(s) go to this site to see exactly what you have.

http://www.t137.com/registry/help/decode.php

Merle

[Herr Otto]

Merle, thank you for your reply. In the boxes of extra parts there are both round and flat style hooks for the hood. Also in the extra parts I found a loose stamped tag that may have come off either truck. Does the frame have the number stamped right into it or is it a seperate stamped tag attached to it? The frame that the cab is currently sitting on was sandblasted and painted and I do not find any numbers in the area that you have circled in your picture. From what you are saying, I believe I have a 3/4 frame as I have wheel studs and not bolts. Later I will measure the bolt pattern. Thanks again for your help. I feel lucky to have found this site.

Otto

[Merle Coggins]

The numbers are stamped right into the frame. If your frame is painted you probably can't see them. The picture I posted earlier was borrowed from the DEPTCA site. (another very good source of info if you haven't found it yet. http://dodgepilothouseclub.org/index.htm ) Here is a close up of mine when I finally found it. I had to use a paint stripping/sandind drum on a drill to get down to bare metal before I could see the numbers. I was planning to repaint the frame anyway so I wasn't concerned about the original coating.

I guess you'll just have to go by what's on your title, unless they used the engine number like some DMV's tended to do.

Merle

[Herr Otto]

I found a receipt today stating that the current frame under the 49 cab is a 1946. Still not sure if 1/2 ton or 3/4.

Otto

[Merle Coggins]

Interesting. '46 was a different generation chassis. There were many improvements to the chassis in '48, specifically in the steering geometry. That sounds like an interesting swap. I'd be curious to know more about that.

Merle

[Young Ed]

Same statements regarding bolt pattern apply to a 46 frame. However I'm not sure that a 46 3/4 ton had studs.

[Herr Otto]

I will measure the bolt pattern today and also try to find the code on the frame without scraping the paint down to bare metal. I am positive they are studs though. Whem measuring the bolt pattern, is it stud center to stud center? Though the receipt states this is a 46 frame I would not bet my life on it.

Thank you,

Otto

[olddodgeguy]

Generally 5 lugs are measured center of one lug to outside of the nearest to straight across. Skip one and then measure to the second one around the circle. The 3/4 ton is usually 5 on 5 and the 1/2 ton 5 on 4.5. Good luck! Mike

[Herr Otto]

If it is a 1946 frame will it also have the numbers stamped in the same area?

[Young Ed]

A 46 frame will have it in about that same spot. Might have to clean a little extra area but its the same general idea

[Herr Otto]

Finally stripped the paint from the area on the frame you suggested. I used a paint stripper so not to remove any metal by sanding. It appears that only the tops of the numbers can be seen. I used a piece of paper over the numbers and ran a pencil over the indentations of the numbers. From what I am guessing the numbers are 83383297 which makes it a 1952 3/4 ton 116'' wheel base. I am not positive my interpetation of the numbers on the frame is correct but that is my best guess.

Thank you,

Herr Otto

[townwagon]

Can you take a picture of the rubbing? I have looked at a lot of frame numbers, and I know when it is a 6 not an 8, or a 3, most of the time. But it sounds to me like your numbers make sense as a serial number, so you most likely have it right.

Sometimes it takes checking the frame of other trucks of the same year to get an idea of the font, and other times you just get lucky. I was checking a pair of trucks yesterday here in Rusty WI, and the 1958 frame cleaned up well enough for me to be 98% sure it was L6D2L08085, but the 1954 frame only had a couple numbers left readable. Luckily someone had stamped the frame number into the engine number pad, and a couple of the numbers that I could find on the frame matched. So with that help I IDed the truck.

Since you have a 1952 3/4 ton frame, what other tags do you have in your pile of parts to help ID the cab, etc?

Eric

[Herr Otto]

I am not sure how well a picture will turn out but I will give it a shot.

Herr Otto

[Herr Otto]

The pictures are not turning out of the numbers. I am purchasing a scanner in the near future and will try that.

Herr Otto