JBNeal Posted June 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2017 (edited) The cursory reading of this build card has yielded some interesting information. This Dodge had spent almost its entire existence in the Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma before I dragged it home in 2001. The story I was told of its origins went back to the original owner in Western OK, who passed away in the 90s, and his widow never drove the truck so it sat for years before she passed away. Their son sold it to the man I bought it from in Shamrock, who never got around to fixing it up and had to downsize due to health issues. The build date of February 4, 1949 is 3 years to the day prior to Mom's birthday...she found that amusing. The body numbers match, and the truck still has its original engine. column 29: Dodge Truck Green appears to be color code 5 column 31: 4.1 axle ratio appears to be ratio code 4 column 32: full-floating axle appears to be axle code 3 column 34-38: the wheels are 16 x 5.5 lock ring for single wheel one tons, so the tires are probably 7.00-16 or 7.50-16 for tire code 19 column 39: could be SHIP VIA punched out; I am guessing this is a mode of shipment code for truck, train or ship column 44: rear spring code D appears to be an optional rear spring setup for the single wheel one ton column 48: shock absorber code 3 appears to be an optional shock absorber package for the optional springs column 49: transmission code 1 appears to be the 4 speed spur gear option column 54: code 3 punched for bumpers; I am unsure if this means front bumper with grill guards or no rear bumper column 55: code 1 punched for delux.body; this truck has cab corner windows, door vent windows, vacuum windshield wipers, and driver visor; no dome light nor arm rest column 60: code 5 punched for mirrors; this truck has the driver side telescoping mirror arm column 63: code 5 punched for air cl. o. f.; this truck has a 1 quart fluid capacity oil-bath air filter No codes are punched for optional generator, visor, battery, or special accessories, so this truck appears to be a work truck model with a deluxe cab. The custom rear bumper that has been attached to this buggy for over half a century will probably be replaced with a nicer looking unit, and I will have to do something with the aftermarket heater as it probably needs a good cleaning and leak-tested...I plan on adding functional seat belts and maybe some sort of radio, but that's a little ways off yet. So another piece of the puzzle has been found and a picture of what my goals are for this project have become clearer. Edited August 22, 2021 by JBNeal revised pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dozerman51 Posted June 18, 2017 Report Share Posted June 18, 2017 4,3 is the axle ratio. My WC 1/2 ton Military has the same type build card and in the axle ratio box 4.8 is written there. The ratio on my truck was originally 4.89. Guess CC just used abbreviations in some instances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dozerman51 Posted June 18, 2017 Report Share Posted June 18, 2017 The 4.1 ratio on 1 ton PH trucks not available until 1952 or 53 I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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