Do you think this is a 1952 Dodge Truck?

[Browncow]

New member and first post!  Trying to determine the year and make of my grandfather's truck in the photo.  Believe it's a 1952 Dodge, but i don't see the distinctive crease below the back window that molded into the doors on the Dodge's.  Any help would be nice.

 

[Phil363]

I would need to see the front grill. Do you have more photos.

Welcome to the forum here ...

[TrampSteer]

I'm stumped. Thought it might have been a Chebby but the rear center window doesn't fit that theory.

 

 

Might be a COE?

http://www.carpictures.com/photos/max/14HR400020878335/Dodge-Deluxe-5-Window-Cab-Restoration-Project-1953#

 

Edited June 2, 2015 by TrampSteer

[Young Ed]

That is an odd one. You are right there isn't a body line that you normally see. However the chevys had taller corner windows than the center window. IH never did the corner windows. From what I can tell the fords were already 1 piece windshields. I do believe its a dodge from 48-53 but I can't explain that missing body line other than its a trick of the photo and you just can't see it.

[ggdad1951]

from the scale of the picture, it doesn't look tall enough for a COE.  Regardless a COE would still have the body crease since the cab's themselves are the same as the smaller trucks.

[Jeff Balazs]

Pretty sure it is a pilothouse. Maybe there was some body work done? With that low bed perhaps the rear of the cab sustained some sort of damage ? I know the low beds have their fans but I think they just look totally out of scale with the cab. Sure does in this photo.

 

Jeff

[Merle Coggins]

Could it be a '54 C-Series cab? It appears to have a split windshield, but could it just be something on the building that lines up to look like the windshield divider?

 

I agree that it looks like a Pilot-House cab, but the step has been smoothed out.

 

Merle

[JBNeal]

I thought it might be a Jeep FC, but after further review, I'd say it's a 50-53 B-series that has had something flatten out the back of the cab, maybe the rump of some livestock if the bed had some sideboards at one time or a shifting load of square bales.  If ya look at the big girl's eyes and draw a horizontal line, the cab break line can be faintly made out.  The driver side corner window appears to have a distortion underneath it, and there appears to be a similar distortion below the other windows.  The windshield division bar & vent windows also have the same shape/location as the 48-53 cabs...anyway, that's my 2¢ 

[Browncow]

Thanks, everyone for all the great advice.  I originally thought it was a 54, and the vertical split you see through the back window was the opening in the garage door, but my aunt swears it was a 52 Dodge.  She is searching old photographs for some different angles and maybe a pic of the front grill.  My grandfather worked at the Co-op and also raised pigs (some as big as 700 lbs), so maybe some of the livestock flattened the crease out, but I doubt it.  I've squinted until my eyes bled looking at the photo, trying to see a crease in the cab, and just can't.  My grandfather died when I was about 7, and now since I'm turning 50 this year, I wanted to find the same make and model pickup and have it restored.  Mayber even recreate the photo with my siblings and cousins...(that's me in the middle of the photo).  He used to give us rides on the sideboards from the street to the garage...it's one of my fondest memories of him.  My grandmother is still alive at 96, but her memory is slipping.  My sister is sharing photos with her daily in hopes of triggering some memories and more info on the truck.  I'll post more photos as soon as I can get them...if any exist.  Thanks to everyone who took time to look and tried to help.

[ggdad1951]

the headboard of the bed looks odd as well.  I'm not convinced it's a PH.

[Don Coatney]

This one is listed as a 50 but sure looks like the one pictured.

 

[Young Ed]

the headboard of the bed looks odd as well.  I'm not convinced it's a PH.

that's because its a low side bed.

[Jeff Balazs]

Well I don't know what else it could with those rear windows and the indents in the sheet metal. Old photos like that don't always show the subtle details too well. Hopefully you will find a few more photos.

 

Jeff

[Todd B]

This might be a long shot but my Dad worked at Segrave "FWD" fire truck builders for 43 years and he always talked about a truck they built that had the same corner windows as our dodges.  He said one day the powers to be said to clean out this old stock and everything went to the local landfill. I can faintly remember the cabs in parades.

[Jeff Balazs]

Looks like they did use those windows......but did they make a pickup?

 

Jeff

[Frank Ollian]

Could be the combinaton of light playing tricks and an old, grainy two deminsional photo.

[Browncow]

The back of the Segrave looks correct for my pic, but I'm told my grandfather only bought Dodge's.  Also, the fire truck pic doesn't have wing windows which I can clearly see in my photograph.  Very interesting though...I'm going to research the possibility of Segrave making a pickup.  And yes, I agree that the old photo could be playing tricks on the eyes.  I know the truck was grey in color, and in the right light and angle, maybe the back of the cab would look flat.  That being said, I've also looked at about 1000 pics of PH cabs on the web in all different colors, to include lots of different shades of grey, and couldn't find one that I didn't see a distinct crease across the back.  The green 50 truck posted earlier is the closest I've seen to the pic...thanks for that one.  I know a lot of people think the low bed doesn't look proportional with the PH cabs, but I prefer the low over the high, because to me it looks sleeker and racier, and the high bed looks more utilitarian.  Still making lots of calls back home to get more info.  I asked my sister (the oldest in the photo) what she remembered most about the truck, and she said the long running boards.  Thanks again to all who chimed in with comments.

[ggdad1951]

The back of the Segrave looks correct for my pic, but I'm told my grandfather only bought Dodge's.  Also, the fire truck pic doesn't have wing windows which I can clearly see in my photograph.  Very interesting though...I'm going to research the possibility of Segrave making a pickup.  And yes, I agree that the old photo could be playing tricks on the eyes.  I know the truck was grey in color, and in the right light and angle, maybe the back of the cab would look flat.  That being said, I've also looked at about 1000 pics of PH cabs on the web in all different colors, to include lots of different shades of grey, and couldn't find one that I didn't see a distinct crease across the back.  The green 50 truck posted earlier is the closest I've seen to the pic...thanks for that one.  I know a lot of people think the low bed doesn't look proportional with the PH cabs, but I prefer the low over the high, because to me it looks sleeker and racier, and the high bed looks more utilitarian.  Still making lots of calls back home to get more info.  I asked my sister (the oldest in the photo) what she remembered most about the truck, and she said the long running boards.  Thanks again to all who chimed in with comments.

 

I agree that it would be hard for the photo to "hide" that prominent of a crease in the cab.  And I can't see how inadvertent damage would look so smooth to have the bump pushed out flat.  Thing to remember is this:  our memory is fallible.  I was always told my truck was a '49, turns out it is a '51...just saying sometimes the story gets mangled.

[Dave72dt]

I'm guessing that photo was taken mid to late 70's maybe 80's judging from the car parked next to it. Taken with a Polaroid? There were a lot of inexpensive cameras on the market at that time and quality wasn't the greatest. A lot of photos from that era and older were grainy, especially after enlargement. We've become spoiled with the clarity of definition in the digitals of today. call it a 52. It probably is.

[Young Ed]

I can't say its a 52 but I certainly agree with Dave that its a pilot house. To me there is no mistaking those indentations in the back of the cab and how they stick out like a sore thumb when you have the low side box.

[Browncow]

All three of you are correct!  The pic was taken around 72 or 73.  Probably with an old camera...maybe even a polaroid.  I, too, am convinced it's a pilot house.  If I can't come up with any other pictures of the truck, I'm calling it a 52 and starting my search for one to restore.  Sister back in Kansas just found a huge bin of old pics of my grandmother's.  Keeping my fingers crossed there are some of the truck!  Thanks again for the interest and posts...you guys are the best.

[Jeff Balazs]

There are a few for sale up in your area on C/L.....Calabassas. Don't know anything about them but one looks fairly complete.

 

Have fun;

Jeff

[Browncow]

Thanks Jeff...Calabassas isn't that far...never thought to look on C/L for vehicles.  I'll check them out today...thanks for the tip.

[TodFitch]

Thanks Jeff...Calabassas isn't that far...never thought to look on C/L for vehicles.  I'll check them out today...thanks for the tip.

Did they change the spelling? When I lived there it was spelled Calabasas.

[Jeff Balazs]

Did they change the spelling? When I lived there it was spelled Calabasas.

My bad. Spelling aside there are a few around the area and listed on C/L. It is how I found mine.

 

Jeff