So....are Pilothouse trucks really that much better than Chevys?

[Jeff Balazs]

Yesterday an old friend of mine brought a visitor by to checkout my truck.

We had a great visit and hit it off immediately. Besides old trucks and woodworking we are both into old off road bikes. So lots to talk about. Al has had a 53 Chevy 1/2 ton for quite a while. He has put a ton of work and money into the drive train and suspension on it. Finish level though is rat rod. It is his daily driver. His comments to me about the differences between these trucks were quite interesting.

 

Almost the first words out of his mouth was how much more spacious the Dodge cab felt compared to his Chevy. When we went for a ride he was really impressed with the stock ride quality and steering. He has a built 350 in his truck so he is used to more than enough power.... but he was completely blown away by the smoothness and grunt of the old flathead. We are in the middle of a heatwave here so it was quite warm. He was more than just a little bit impressed by the cab ventilation and how much cooler it was in my Dodge than it would be in his Chevy.

 

I think what really got to him though was how quiet I have been able to get my cab. And how much more comfortable the stock seating was compared to his. He kept shaking his head and grinning. We spent quite a bit of time checking that out and talking about a fix for his. I explained that I had gone totally overboard on insulation etc...and that he could probably get similar results if he were to do the same. I don't think he was completely convinced but at least now he has some ideas about what he might try. He sure took a lot of pictures of the interior and insulation details.

 

All in all I think he was being very candid in his comments. I know he left a bit shaken by this experience. He kept saying " I had no idea how nice these truck were" & "Man Dodge really got these trucks right didn't they?".

 

Honestly it didn't make me feel real good. Al is a super nice fellow and someone I hope to know for a long time. We are going to get together and go for a ride in his truck soon. I suppose I will find out then if the difference is really all that great.

 

Jeff

 

 

[Frank Elder]

Did you let him drive? I always find experience in the passenger seat doesn't quite give you a true feel of the ride....no control of the power band, brakes, or feel of the road under your fingertips.......instead of anticipating the next move you have to react to it. 

[JBNeal]

From what I've heard, Dodge trucks cost just a little bit more than Ford or Chevrolet and had less engine power, but Dodges were cheaper to maintain, had better visibility and had a smoother ride with better seats.  I've driven some 50s Fords & Chevys, and the Chevy has more power in the top end, but Dodge beats them in every other category, including turning radius

[Dodgeb4ya]

This all sounds like a Wiseway Tu sales film!

[Jeff Balazs]

This all sounds like a Wiseway Tu sales film!

I suppose it sort of does. And no he did not drive the truck. He is recovering from shoulder surgery and since we had just met I didn't offer him the wheel. I do think though that his comments were genuine and I could tell by his reactions that he was very favorably impressed. Is he going to get rid of his Chevy and get an old Dodge ? Probably not ....but I could see that he had a pretty keen eye for old trucks and liked this one a lot.

 

Jeff

[pflaming]

For a fast comfort test, measure the distance from the bottom of his steering wheel horizontally to the back seat and the distance of the seat to the brake pedal. Dodge cab is 54", others 48"; bed is 6" longer; ease of steering and steering radius incomparable, Dodge hands down.

[NiftyFifty]

I think Dodge is because you DON'T see them at every car show and lots of people find them cool, and more interesting then then 15-20 guaranteed Chevy and Fords that wil be there. I have only ever been to one show where there was two of us up here, even our big Super Run show I believe I had the only PH there.

Unfortunately tho, when it comes to fast and easy replacement and custom parts, their not even close to the best

[Jeff Balazs]

Unfortunately tho, when it comes to fast and easy replacement and custom parts, their not even close to the best

I will "sort of" agree with you that they are not as easy to get certain parts for as a Chevy of the same period.

That shouldn't be confused with an honest assessment of features and characteristics that set them apart from each other though. If as an example one truck clearly has better driver comfort and visibility over the other then that has nothing to do with finding parts. It is just a better design.

 

For the most part I was able to recondition almost all of the parts on my truck for reuse. The overall factory build quality was very impressive. Now my truck had spent a fair amount of it's life here in Southern California so it had not succumbed to killer rust and rot that many of you have had to deal with. But almost everything that was there was reusable or could be reconditioned. And normal wear parts that you would expect to replace are not all that hard to get. That speaks a lot for the longevity of the original design and build.

 

I have made several modifications as I have brought this truck back to life. But they have all been made with an eye towards keeping as much of the original design intact while enhancing it for daily use today. Some of this work probably took more effort than it would have on a Chevy truck of the same period. We all know that there isn't a bunch of prepackaged kits out there for our trucks. None of what I have done was all that difficult......it just requires a bit more thought and planning than just opening up a catalog. To be honest I have enjoyed the challenge and would do it all again. The end result has been well worth the bit of extra thought I had to put into the build.

 

Jeff

[BobK]

I believe an early Dodge Brothers advertising slogan went something like this.....

 

Dodge, when a Ford owner wants a real car.

[48Dodger]

I love Dodge......but I restore Chevy Ford and Dodge in my shop.

 

The 1951 Chevy truck I'm restoring now, reminds me often how great the Dodges are in design and buildability (if its not a word, I claim it! lol ).

 

48D

 

 

 

Update: Aparently the proper word would be "Constructability" but "Buildability" is acceptable in certain uses.

Edited July 28, 2014 by 48dodger

[Jeff Balazs]

Tim;

I don't know about that word....but I agree with the gist.

I think it all boils down to a better design to begin with. Better visibilty....comfort....steering and suspension to name a few. And let's not forget little stuff like the gas tank location. I know when Al and I were looking at all this that he was really focused on all the stuff that I had left pretty much as built and how well it worked.

I know he has put a lot of work and effort into his truck and it was coming up short in a lot of areas that really count. I think most of that is down to differences in the original designs. Some designs just work better than others.

 

It will be interesting to do a closer comparison when we get together in a few weeks. His truck will have the edge in the power dept.......but I can't imagine it is going to be all that usable. He has already told me that the brakes appear to work better in mine and that he only gets about 10 mpg. I am certain I can help him get his cab quieted down but I wonder how much of it is coming from the engine compartment? I didn't have to fight the battle against a noisy engine and exhaust system. He has never even bothered with a sound system as the cab noise is too high. I hate to say it but quite often when something gets over modified it get's ruined for anything other than short drives. Hopefully most of what he has done so far can be salvaged so  that his truck will be fairly comfortable on longer trips. I know that is what he wants.

 

Jeff.