Izerous_53 Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 I had 1951 Chev quite a few years ago that I had planned on restoring however due to the costs of going to school etc I sold it and the multiple trucks worth of parts I had for it including an already prepped chopped frame etc. Since then I have always wanted to start a new project. Just a couple months ago my father in-law and myself bought a new project, 1953 Dodge 1/2 tonne. Turns out it has matching numbers thus we are going to try and keep as original as possible and the engine block doesn't have signs of cracks nor is it ceased. It as a few extra like the interior roof light that research seems isn't very common among a few other items. There is a surprising lack of rust, it think the multitude of paints that have been put on it over the years helped prevent that. Neither of us expect this to be a quick build by any means but we do look forward to working on it. I intend to spend more time reading over the forums in further detail to avoid asking questions that have been answered a billion times but for the time being we have come up with a parts list of things that we will need to hunt down over time but there doesn't seem to be a nice supplier of parts (like LMC trucks) that supplies parts for dodge trucks this old, thus our current parts list looks as follows. -Signal lights (front) -Dodge emblems -rear bumper, front needs reapirs -Body rubbers - doors, windows, panel separations, etc. -Head light rings -Steering wheel & horn ring -Rear view mirrors (both sides - outside) -Sun visors (both sides) -Arm rests (both doors) -Head liner, door liners -Kick panel liners -Gear shift arm knob -radio -Door & window handles and ring spacers between handles & door panels -battery box (found the plans just need to make it) If someone can point to sources for the above or mention specific threads that cover them in case I miss them as I read over the forums it would be appreciated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl b51 Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 Wecome to the forum there is not , just one place to get parts you will have to look for them. and this is a good place to start. Remember this is Not a Chevy,or any of the others. Have fun Carl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanksB3B Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 You know, that's very close to what mine looked like when I bought it. Black dull paint on top of red-lead. (wish I had a photo) Good Luck with your truck! Hank :oNow Jeff, don't say anything...., 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1B Keven Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 (edited) Welcome. Glad to hear you're going to try and stay original. Upholstery: http://pilothouseinteriors.com/Home.html http://www.quietride.com/catalogpdfs/dodge_truck_catalog.pdf Headlight rings, arm rests, Dodge emblems, escutcheons (rings behind the window cranks and door handles): http://www.robertsmotorparts.com/truck_parts.asp Body rubber: http://www.steelerubber.com/ http://www.clestersauto.com/Pages/default.aspx Keven Edited January 6, 2013 by B1B Keven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanksB3B Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 (edited) ^^^+1 on the helpfulness^^^ Could add: http://www.robertsmotorparts.com/index.html Hank Edited January 5, 2013 by HanksB3B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted January 5, 2013 Report Share Posted January 5, 2013 You know, that's very close to what mine looked like when I bought it. Black dull paint on top of red-lead. (wish I had a photo) Good Luck with your truck! Hank :oNow Jeff, don't say anything...., I guess I am not supposed to say anything......but welcome just the same. I started on one of these trucks about a year ago. The best advice I can give you is to get familiar with using this forum. There is a wealth of knowledge and help here. It is by far your best source. As you dig into your truck you will find that it really isn't anything like a Chevy. Or a Ford for that matter. The parts situation is a completely different animal as you have already begun to realize. It isn't horrible though.......you just need to pay close attention as there is no supermarket like LMC. Some of the things you will need are available from Napa and the like as these engines were in production for a very long time. Stuff like engine and tune up parts are not that big a deal. Body and trim parts are another story. You will get the picture fairly quickly. The stuff you need is out there.......but you will need to diligent and always keep your eyes and ears open. Hope you have fun with it. Jeff ps; to Hank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruffy49 Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 Interior handles and trim plates are Ford, door striker & latch are Ford, window regulators are Ford... Look at your parts and compare them 48-52 F1/F2 parts. Dennis Carpenter has the best diagrams for them. You can also use handles and escutcheons (the funny trim rings under the handles) from OLD R series Mack trucks, I know 1974-91 parts fit. I've tested them on my 49. And I have Ford handles and escutcheons installed right now. Perfect match? Nope. Close enough? Yep... wrong color knobs, truck doesn't know (or care) Try www.memphisequipment.com for some of your lighting parts, they break up and/or overhaul vintage military trucks... A lot of the olive drab is on restorable stainless steel... Long arm stock mirrors are a nice edition, the short arms not so much. I'm replacing mine with a pair of 55-57 Cameo swan necks or I have a set of the ones that clamp to the hood lip (ugly as sin but they work, sort of). Floor shift or column shift? Generic black 4spd floor shift knobs are cheap and easy to find. That should be a fun project. Take lot of pictures as you go. And you might want to buy stock in a penetrating oil manufacturer (so you get some of your money back)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1B Keven Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 I just remembered. Midwest Military has the floor shift knobs for $5. New. Third pic down on the right. http://www.midwestmilitary.net/dodgewc18.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 (edited) welcome! Take and share lots of pictures for us, er, I mean yourself! You have hit the nail on the head, check out member's build threads and threads detailing certain aspects you are looking for (heck, I did a whole thread on just the bed wood). As for sources, there are the ones listed below as well as http://www.vintagepowerwagons.com and http://www.oldmoparts.com/. You'll find these Dodges are a bit more "unique" for parts to be found. If you are looking for stock spare tire carrier hardware check out http://dodgecentralmi.biz/ocart/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=spare&product_id=457, sorry, just gotta plug that again. Forum members alos are a good source for parts as lots of us have extras we found along the way. Just ask! BTW, if you want "correct" metal bed strips the ONLY place to get them is Midwest Military, period! Horkeys is great place for bed parts but the strips from there are more generic for Ferd's and Cheby's (sorry Hank:eek:). Alot of the parts you are looking for are considered "rare" and it WILL take time to find, I looked for over a year on Epay just to get my arm rest pair. Best of luck and keep us in the loop! Edited January 6, 2013 by ggdad1951 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izerous_53 Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 Work has kept me busy and the truck in in an unheated quanset so not much has been done so far, havn't even been able to do the reading I have wanted yet. I did want to say thank you for the already super helpful informaion. Based on all of the links one question does come up. The quiet ride site mentioend that the sound deadening kits are Dynamat Extreme and well when it is on the road queting the cab down some would be a nice touch. There are a lot of compariable products of varying qualities how much of it is actually required to do a full vehicle, and does it interfere with the actuall headliner kits etc. I ask mainly because there are local shops to me that sell Dynamat itself and other products even in 50sqft rolls which even thought they wouldn't be precut would save quite a bit in shipping enough of it to cover a full cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 (edited) There are a number of 52 53 trucks on this forum. Each is unique. I liked my original paint, others have painted some VERY nice looking trucks. View, enjoy, copy, create but keep us informed. Welcome, you are in for a good time. EDIT: If you would put a very good steam cleaner on the surface of the body, I think you will be surprised how much of the 2nd, and 3rd, colors would peal off. Under all that is a red truck, that red with the black over shadow could make a great original patina. You can do that for little money and then paint later. I am getting all kinds of compliments on mine. Just an idea. Edited March 2, 2013 by pflaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1B Keven Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 If you put too much on the cab above the sun visors, you might have trouble sliding the headliner in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanksB3B Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Oh that's such a nice picture of your truck Paul. Either you need to mess up those wheels or paint the truck to match Hank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 (edited) The grill park lights on a 55 / 56 truck fit your grill. That is what I used. My 52 lights were a bad chrome so I used these, besides they fit the decor. ps. Hank, would chevy dog dish caps work? I think you are just envious that I got a fairly good looking truck and I didn't have to spend any money on paint!!!! Edited March 3, 2013 by pflaming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scruffy49 Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Naw, what you need is the nice crusty white 1978 Ramcharger 15" wheels that I'm pulling from my 49... And some beat to crap 70s hubcaps, cop or taxi type... Clean wheels and stock caps on a patina truck? You should be able to see how my Grandpa added turn signals to his 49 B1B in the pic below. Fender crown set and tabs welded to the rearmost stake pockets. The rears are nearly impossible to see, the buckets are the same faded dark blue as the rest of the truck. Separate harness with aftermarket switch on the column, saves some engineering headaches of running turn signals in conjunction with stock lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 The grill park lights on a 55 / 56 truck fit your grill. That is what I used. My 52 lights were a bad chrome so I used these, besides they fit the decor. ps. Hank, would chevy dog dish caps work? I think you are just envious that I got a fairly good looking truck and I didn't have to spend any money on paint!!!! The grill park lights on a 55 / 56 truck fit your grill. That is what I used. My 52 lights were a bad chrome so I used these, besides they fit the decor. ps. Hank, would chevy dog dish caps work? I think you are just envious that I got a fairly good looking truck and I didn't have to spend any money on paint!!!! LOL! Hank is just suffering from patina envy Paul. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izerous_53 Posted May 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2013 Found well not just 1 52 Fargo but 2 of them. One was pretty poor shape with bullet holes and all but had many of the trim pieces origional wheels, all the Fargo hood emblems in good condition and a few other options and goodies that we pulled off like a higher end heater etc. The other however is a running previous licensed in the 90's that mainly needs some paint, some tranny work to what we found out is a actually a fluid drive and a new bed floor. Hoping to have it registered by the end of the year and back on the road by the end of the year. Even an origional radio not sure on the model number however as it is disassembled. There are still some things to hunt down but we sure got lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izerous_53 Posted May 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2013 Meant to ask on that note the transmission does need some attention. Is there a good source for fluid drive transmission parts etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P15-D24 Posted May 10, 2013 Report Share Posted May 10, 2013 Welcome to the site! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted May 10, 2013 Report Share Posted May 10, 2013 Meant to ask on that note the transmission does need some attention. Is there a good source for fluid drive transmission parts etc? Sounds like you found a nice truck. What exactly is wrong with your drivetrain. Is it a transmission issue or a fluid drive issue as they are not one and the same, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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.