KaptainRiktastik Posted August 3, 2011 Report Posted August 3, 2011 I havent found the right combo of searching keywords yet, but i'm looking to find out what are the names and strengths, and maybe even swappability(?) of transmissions in 51-52 Dodge trucks. I've seen a parts list that was for a "series 21" trans but am not sure if that's right- what names do the pilothouse trans go by? I'm picking a truck up in a week or two from a coworkers' late parent's farm. I've been told it's a 4 speed since it's on the floor, and not a column shift. I've been told it's gonna be a crashbox, being from 50-52, which is fine with me, but others have said it might be synchro'd. Will these trans hold some decent power, if i was to juice up the flatty, or even swap in another mill? thanks, rick Quote
Don Coatney Posted August 3, 2011 Report Posted August 3, 2011 Will these trans hold some decent power, if i was to juice up the flatty, or even swap in another mill? thanks, rick What is decent power and what is indecent power in your opinion? What is your goal? Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted August 3, 2011 Report Posted August 3, 2011 I suggest you wait till you have the vehicle in question on hand and take a some time to pour over the truck trying to assess it's strengths and weakness and then step back..visualize where you want to be with this truck as a completed project..it is easy to get hyped with this and that and want to know all you can about the vehicle..this is a good place to start..do read read read the archives, Amazon will sell books on these trucks that will have at your finger tip a lot of information and readily available to look back on later as will an owners manual prove invaluable and if you luck into a parts book..even better.. If you wish/consider upgrades..do it all the way through as mix and matching the old with the new is a headache at times..don't get me wrong..it can be done but do explore all option before making a change.. Quote
KaptainRiktastik Posted August 4, 2011 Author Report Posted August 4, 2011 (edited) I guess I should elaborate- i'm fairly well versed in hot rodding (not really interested in 100pt restorations). Currently my son and I are in the middle of one project right now- 61 Ford Falcon Gasser with a solid front axle from 65 Chevy G10 Van 360 LA Dodge mill bored/stroked to 415 (my own build-462hp/520lbft) 727 trans (full reverse manual vb) Frankland quickchange rear axle that was in a funny car back in the day, before being put into a circle track dirt car. This is for 90% street, 10% strip. We have a bottle and a centrifugal blower to use, as well. I've been looking for as old a truck as we could find locally on a budget for a vintage themed race car hauler- Ideally we wanted a 30's heavy truck to make either a ramp truck or tilt bed. A COE would be Holy Grail. A lady at work approached me to ask if i knew anyone interested in an old truck- her folks had both passed this last year and she wanted Dad's old truck to go to a good home-she didn't even know what it was. We went to visit it, and found a 51 or 52 crusty bucket that my son wanted for his own. We assume it's the 218" mill. We'll try to revive the engine-they took Dad's keys in '96, so we'll just have to see. currently we're thinking either: Shaved head, cam, twin pot, split manifolds, and possibly a 230 crank/rods. or: If we can find a stronger crank (70's industrial, maybe?) then we may look towards a small blow through turbo or paxton. If the mill is fragged, then we may lean towards a modern efi engine. I suppose it's foolish to think that the factory 4 speed would be able to handle more than 300, nevermind 400hp in a supercharged, or efi application. I think we'd be happy with as close to 200hp traditionally with 230", and maybe 250hp if we can find a crank that will hold some boost. If we end up using a modern engine, I'm thinking my son is leaning towards efi, lots of boost and a big tire in the back. We're just now in the planning stages and i'm not even sure what the names of the transmissions are, or the model of rear axle lol... Oh we've also been building a couple of Gasbikes for scooting around town during the summer. This is a 1960 Columbia Firebolt with a Grubee 66cc kit just in mock up phase, working the bugs out. anyway, thanks for looking. Rick Edited August 4, 2011 by KaptainRiktastik Quote
Merle Coggins Posted August 4, 2011 Report Posted August 4, 2011 I can't see the bed well enough in that picture to tell if it's a 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck, but the drive trains are the same either way. A floor shift in a B3 model would generally indicate a 4 speed trans, and it should be a synchronized trans if it's original. From what I've found the New Process 4 speed transmissions were spur gear type in the B1 and B2 models ('48-'50) and syncro-mesh in the B3's up ('51- ). It's a pretty stout transmission but I don't know it would match up to a more modern high HP engine, let alone bolt upto it. You'l never over power it with the original engine no mater what you do to it. It's essentially a big truck trans used in light trucks. Merle Quote
Niel Hoback Posted August 4, 2011 Report Posted August 4, 2011 Would this thread be better on the Pilot House forum? Quote
KaptainRiktastik Posted August 4, 2011 Author Report Posted August 4, 2011 Would this thread be better on the Pilot House forum? I thought this was the right one, oops, if someone wants to move it, that's fine by me... thanks Rick Quote
KaptainRiktastik Posted August 4, 2011 Author Report Posted August 4, 2011 I can't see the bed well enough in that picture to tell if it's a 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck, but the drive trains are the same either way. A floor shift in a B3 model would generally indicate a 4 speed trans, and it should be a synchronized trans if it's original. From what I've found the New Process 4 speed transmissions were spur gear type in the B1 and B2 models ('48-'50) and syncro-mesh in the B3's up ('51- ). It's a pretty stout transmission but I don't know it would match up to a more modern high HP engine, let alone bolt upto it. You'l never over power it with the original engine no mater what you do to it. It's essentially a big truck trans used in light trucks.Merle Thanks for the info- I believe the bed to be a farmer-built unit- you see most of what's left- I think it was a homemade flat-stakebed, but there's no bed floor anymore. rick Quote
Cpt.Fred Posted August 5, 2011 Report Posted August 5, 2011 nice toys! do you really mean 90% street 10% strip with that gasser or vice versa? if you should decide to try squeezing 200hp out of the 230 block (or stroked 218), please make a big thread here on the board because i really want to see that! same goes for the blower plans... best from berlin, fred Quote
KaptainRiktastik Posted August 5, 2011 Author Report Posted August 5, 2011 nice toys!do you really mean 90% street 10% strip with that gasser or vice versa? if you should decide to try squeezing 200hp out of the 230 block (or stroked 218), please make a big thread here on the board because i really want to see that! same goes for the blower plans... best from berlin, fred thanks! yup- closer to 98% street- Lawrence has a fair vintage rodding crowd but we're only 30 minutes from Kansas City. On weekends, we'll go into KC, hook up with the turbo/blower/nitrous late model guys and put 200miles on the clocks moving from spot to spot testing traction coefficients of the pavement. Lots of industrial areas completely empty over the weekends. Lots of front drive import squids that could learn a thing or two about weight transfer from a Gasser. We'll just have to see what the ol' flattie is capable of when we get her home. -rick Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.