Which vehicle to use??

[austinsailor]

I have a 48 pilothouse panel truck, a 42 Plymouth 2 door sedan and a 2000 Durango with a 318 and automatic overdrive. I plan to put one of the first two on the chassis of the Durango. Which to use is the question.

Panel needs more bodywork and the Durango frame shortened.

Plymouth needs little and frame lengthened.

Panel will haul more and can be slept in at meets, etc.

Plymouth will haul guests.

In either case I plan to use the firewall, floors and seats from the Durango, along with all the electrical.

Wife and I are discussing it and at this point seem like a coin toss type decision.

What would you do and why?

Thanks.

[Frank Elder]

I would do the panel just because an unmolested 42 of any make is so very rare.

[Reg Evans]

I would do the panel just because an unmolested 42 of any make is so very rare.

Ditto !

[austinsailor]

Very good point. Even though the 42 would make an interesting ride on a late model chassis, it also would be easy to restore to original.

The panel would have been crushed by most if it wasn't a panel. It certainly isn't in a shape to be a normal choice for restoration.

We probably won't decide for sure for some time, and I won't start until I get my 3 ton on the road this spring, but I tend to see it your way.

My wife has pointed out that we can easily haul a lot of stuff to meets - tables, supplies, whatever - which would be more difficult in the car. The panel would be more work because there would be rust repair. And - due to the fact that I would chop the top and maybe section it, but it would be more of a hot rod all around when done.

Gene G.

[pflaming]

I would do the panel for reasons already stated, then I would find some appropriate side windows and some seats and have a vehical you can haul your grandkids and their toys in. :)Put a rack and a surf board on top and your grandson will be fighting off the girls (and you will feel younger too)

[BobT-47P15]

Here's a 48 panel, from the carnut.com website........

[BobT-47P15]

Here's a side view of a plain panel.....do you have any friends with

Photoshop - they could create a modified version.

Link to a Dodge Truck Gallery site.......http://dodgepilothouseclub.org/dodge/dodge.htm

[austinsailor]

After doing some searching and finding this Hemmings article about 1942 Plymouths, I think it would be a crime to cut mine up.

http://www.hemmings.com/hcc/stories/2005/11/01/hmn_feature4.html

I thought that the previous owner was just cheap to have painted all the chrome with silver paint. Well, he was cheap, but I found that this was the original factory method.

I guess it's going to be a Durango/Panel. Be a month or two before we can start, but it'll probably be in the works this summer.

Durango doner has 115K miles, looks new, all works/runs/drives very well, except the air conditioner evaporator leaks. I'm glad the previous owner thought that made it not worth fixing. :^)

Now if I can just get to Canada and pick up the one ton Fargo I bought.....

Gene G.

[John Reddie]

Please keep the '42 original, please.

John R

[JIPJOBXX]

I would keep this car and restore the others. Nothing like a million dollar car to cruse down to Mickey D's place and drive pick up a dollar burger.