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[1949P17BC]

We pulled my 1948 Dodge 1/2 ton into the garage (I have had it for about five years, sitting patiently in a shed) to get ready to tear it down for a body off restoration. Whats nice about this truck is that it has a stake bid on it. Does anyone know if these where a factory option, or aftermarket. The install looks to be very well done, and the rear wheel openings look good and are positioned well?

[MBF]

My 49/52 1 ton has a factory stakebed on it. Looks like it belongs there-because it does. Any pics of your truck you can post? Mike

[oldmopar]

Here is a 1 ton stake truck as shown in a B1 parts manual

[MBF]

Isn't that a ton and a half? My 1 ton has the 6 lug Budd duals, the one in the photo has the 5 lug 20" wheels. But it sure is a factory stakebody!

[oldmopar]

Could be 20" wheels I think they were a option. If you count the front there are 6 wheel studs. I cropped the other photo here is the full page

[1949P17BC]

Thanks for the pictures, mine is a 1/2 ton, so is the flatbed a factory option

[Merle Coggins]

I believe all 1/2 ton trucks were "Pickups" with a box. 3/4 and 1 ton trucks were available as "Express" models with a pickup box, or with Flat beds (stake bed), or as a cab/chassis to mount whatever you wanted on the back. I don't know if there was a Dodge factory flat bed or if they sourced them from another supplier.

Merle

[Young Ed]

Not sure about the pilot house ones but the 39-47 1/2 ton trucks were available without a box. You could even order a cowl and chassis unit to put your own cab on. I don't think they offered a 1/2 ton stake/flat bed for them though. You would have ordered no box and then gone to an aftermarket place for the flatbed.

[Merle Coggins]

Yes, cowl/chassis trucks were also available. I believe that's where the woodies and busses come from. I suppose it was possible to order a 1/2 ton truck without a box, then mount a flatbed on it. But if you want a flatbed for hauling larger items, why not upgrade to a 3/4 tonner?

1949P17BC, are you sure your truck is a 1/2 ton? What's your wheel base length?

Merle

[Young Ed]

Ya probably better. The 1/2 ton ones were probably better suited to being fitted with a utility company box or something. I've thought it would be fun to find a period correct box like that to put on a truck.

[Zeke1953]

My truck is a '53 3/4 ton stake body with a 7 1/2 foot bed. There is a "before" picture with my profile. As far as I know, the stakes and supports are all original. Dodge sold 9 and 12 foot stake bodies as well. I believe that all these trucks came directly from the factory, but the stakes and supports were manufactured by several other companies, one of which was the Gerstenslanger Co. I've never heard of a 1/2 ton factory stakebody, so if that is what you have, it may be an aftermarket modification. Your VIN tag will tell you if you have a 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck. Zeke

[oldmopar]

My 48 B1d has a body tag 4712 which was a cab and chassis. The dump bed a Galion GH56 was then added. If there is a body # tag on the firewall by the cowl it may give you a little more information about the body

[1949P17BC]

I know its a 1/2 ton, it also has a 3 speed floor mounted shifter. which I also know is orginal. The good news about the bed is it is well built, installed nice and it looks right. but I agree you could really haul much... Inits new life it will only haul peopl in parades

[Frank Ollian]

One of my trucks, B1D has the factory stake bed. I have the stakes but not the hardware, I know the connectors are available new but I dont have the gate hinges and haven't seen this new any where. How does the gate work?

Do you lift it out of the stake pockets and open? What is the solid piece, what is its function? How does it work?

Thanks.

Frank

[grey beard]

Back in 1951 - I was ten years old - our farmer neighbor bought a new Pilothouse with a stake bed. I well remember sitting in that truck and dreaming of owning one some day - likely the genesis of my enthusiasm for Pilothouse trucks today. Lotsa' good memories there . . .

I really thought they did make factory half ton stake bed trucks. Page 41 of Don Bunn's book sez the 3/4 ton was the smallest stake bed. Check out pg. 41, 43, 113, 123. Since he appears to have been the man with the best access to factory archives, guess he knows best.

[Zeke1953]

On the 7 1/2 foot stake beds, the left rear stake panel lifts out for access to the platform. There is a latch on the bottom that must be released when you do this. Any of the sections can be removed by lifting them out of the pockets in the bed rails. The front section is one piece, but all the rest are in two pieces, each connected by a single bolt and nut. The nine and twelve foot models have a swing out section on the side. Zeke

[Fernando Mendes]

I shoted this B3-? in Taquarembo-Uruguai.

[Jim Gaspard]

Isn't this a 1953 B-4, last of the Pilothouse B series? The 1954 C-1 has the same front grill set-up but went to a one piece front windshield among other more distinct model year changes.

[Fernando Mendes]

""The 1954 C-1 has the same front grill set-up but went to a one piece front windshield"" Jim, the 1954 don't have the same front medallion "Job Rated" from 1953.