TheMoose Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 (edited) Howdy, I'm Dave & am From Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.This is my 1953 Pilot House.Not my first 53.In 1967 my Dad & I took a stock 53 Pilot House 5 window & installed a 273 V8 from a 1964 Plymouth Barracuda & a push button automatic transmission & rear end from a Plymoth station wagon.It was sold in 70 when my dad bought a 1969 Dodge truck (still have) & in 1975 when I turned 16 I tracked it down & bought it back as my first truck & drove it all through high school.I foolishly sold it & if any one knows where it is I want it back!Antway, I bought the 1953 pictured here to turn in to a street rod but it was just too nice to chop up so this won't be my last pilot house either.Looking forward to getting a lot of info from these forums, Looking for old Dodge parts sources too, I know about Roberts, Quiet ride & Ebay but please put links in for any you know of.Thanks. Edited July 17, 2013 by TheMoose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff_DuBois Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Very Nice truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 wow truck! how about some interior pictures? What's the trucks story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Looking good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoose Posted October 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 wow truck! how about some interior pictures? What's the trucks story? As for the story there isn't much of one, I bought it from a used car dealer who bought it from a guy who bought it from a guy who bought it from the family of the guy who started the restoration. I have some old pictures of the tear down & starting the restoration & they are dated but...... It appears the date was not set correctly on the camera, I have pictures that say they are from 1997 through 2006 & then nothing. I have a Roberts catalog from 2001 (Issue #13) that has been well used & that's about it. I'm guessing the guy died before finishing the truck & it sat for 5 years while the will was settled & then sold. It appears to have barely been driven since the restoration but since most people have never seen a "3 on the tree" let alone know how to drive one so that's not surprising. I've been searching for a 1953 Dodge truck for sale every few months for the last several years & I just got lucky & found this truck right after it hit the internet. Here's some other shots including interior. And just for grins, my 2003 Cummins Ram hauling the 1953 home. 2 MoPars 50 years apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Nice truck! Looks like you are missing a clutch pedal return spring. Both pedals should return to the same height. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 My pedals appear to be unlevel also. Must be a truck thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1B Keven Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Welcome! Good lookin' rig. What are the wheels off of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoose Posted October 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Yea there is a bit of play in the clutch pedal but even all the way out it's not even with brake pedal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoose Posted October 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Welcome! Good lookin' rig. What are the wheels off of? No Idea what they are from but I like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Evans Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Yeah......the clutch pedal is typically closer to the floor than the brake pedal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Yeah......the clutch pedal is typically closer to the floor than the brake pedal. You truckers must walk funny as one leg must be shorter than the other and it makes you limp. My wife once told me I was asking for favors too much so she put a stone in my shoe and it made me limp.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 You truckers must walk funny as one leg must be shorter than the other and it makes you limp. My wife once told me I was asking for favors too much so she put a stone in my shoe and it made me limp.... Well actually I can't stand straight for very long because my one leg is about an inch longer. If you actually watched me stand up for a long period of time you'd see me switching weight from one leg to the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4852dodge Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 The wheels look like the ones used on Diplomat police cars from the 80's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 Unusual color but very nice. That is another thing I like about restoring trucks, say, as opposed to tractors, the variaty of colors. I like how they trated the grill, clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) Brake and clutch pedal height is not even on the B series trucks from new! 1/2"-1" difference. You get used to it. Very nice truck! Edited October 4, 2011 by Dodgeb4ya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanksB3B Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) Hope you find what you're looking for in life. Dad, Nice Truck! Welcome (really Hank in disguise) Edited October 4, 2011 by HanksB3B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoose Posted October 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 Looks like I've come up with the first couple of projects. The water pump leaks & a couple of squirts of grease in the zerk didn't fix it so I ordered one from Roberts (along with a couple of hundred $ worth of other stuff). I also have a right front brake problem, on occasion the RF will lock up at the slightest touch of the brakes, most of the time it works fine. I'll get these problems fixed & take it to a couple of cruise ins & maybe a show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewdecky Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 Your truck is awesome. Hope you find this forum as hospitable as I have. Many good folks here ready to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1B Keven Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 I also have a right front brake problem, on occasion the RF will lock up at the slightest touch of the brakes, most of the time it works fine. Check for grease/fluids on the shoes. I have the same problem with the right rear on mine. It's got oil soaked shoes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carls 49 Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 hi dave and welcome. thats one good looking truck, have fun with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Roach Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 Hey Dave, Great looking truck. You can tell you spent a lot of time and hard work doing it right. Next time I'm in Broken Arrow to visit my mother and sister I'll have to look you up. My brother-in-law is a cowboy and my sister works at the post office right there in Broken Arrow. I have parts on my 52 that came off of a truck that I drug from Broken Arrow all the way back here to Pa. It was a real haul but worth it for the parts I got. I still have the box if anyone out there needs one. I'll give it to a needy member for a price they can't say no to. Welcome to the club. Jim Roach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoose Posted October 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 Check for grease/fluids on the shoes. I have the same problem with the right rear on mine. It's got oil soaked shoes. I have a water pump on the way, so I'll pull the front drum to check it after I replace the pump. Seems backwards doesn't it? Grease causing wheel to lock up instead of not working at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1B Keven Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 Seems backwards doesn't it? Grease causing wheel to lock up instead of not working at all. It does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gaspard Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 It's an interesting looking grill you have without the side whiskers. I kind of like it. If you need whiskers though, I have some extras down here in Dallas I can part with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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