Posting some pix of the '51 pickup I recently got.

[Dodgeed]

[Dodgeb4ya]

That's a nice looking 53.

It looks like it has the Fluid Drive emblems on the sides of the hood?

[tanda62]

Nice looking truck! I am partial to the red.

[Todd B]

I picked up on the 53 also. Beautiful looking truck

[David A.]

That sure is a nice looking truck!

[Dodgeed]

10 hours ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

That's a nice looking 53.

It looks like it has the Fluid Drive emblems on the sides of the hood?

It does have the emblems saying Fluid Drive on both sides of the hood. Is this wrong? You said nice looking 53, but the title shows it as a 51? Why do you say 53? Thanks for replying. I don't know anything about this truck, other than I like the way it looks!

[bosworth]

What a beautiful truck!  Hope you have many wonderful ,safe miles with it.     

Bill                  

[Young Ed]

32 minutes ago, Dodgeed said:

It does have the emblems saying Fluid Drive on both sides of the hood. Is this wrong? You said nice looking 53, but the title shows it as a 51? Why do you say 53? Thanks for replying. I don't know anything about this truck, other than I like the way it looks!

Those bed fenders didn't come out until 53. 49-52 they used a plain round fender. Personally the 53 is my favorite. On your truck someone either did a bunch of swapping or the title got messed up or swapped

[wallytoo]

47 minutes ago, Dodgeed said:

It does have the emblems saying Fluid Drive on both sides of the hood. Is this wrong? You said nice looking 53, but the title shows it as a 51? Why do you say 53? Thanks for replying. I don't know anything about this truck, other than I like the way it looks!

 

the fluid drive emblems are correct.

 

the dodge lettering on the dash would also hint at a '53 instead of a '51.  here is a photo of the plate a '51 should have (my '52).

Edited August 18, 2018 by wallytoo

[Dodgeed]

2 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

Those bed fenders didn't come out until 53. 49-52 they used a plain round fender. Personally the 53 is my favorite. On your truck someone either did a bunch of swapping or the title got messed up or swapped

Thank you for the info. By "bed" fender, do you mean the rear fender, which is elongated and somewhat flattened? If that is a 53 design, what else would I look for to determine if it is a 51 versus a 53? How about that outside review mirror? I want to install one on the passenger side, but, when I look in the on-line catalogs, and matching the pictures, what matches is a pre B series vintage. I'm okay w/that, but, just wonder what is going on. 

[wallytoo]

lettering on the nose is also '53-only.

[Merle Coggins]

Yup, like they’ve said. Rear fenders, “DODGE” on dash, and “DODGE” name plate on the nose all make it a ‘53. Take your serial number and put in in the decoder at http://t137.com/registry/help/decode.php

[Dodgeed]

7 minutes ago, wallytoo said:

lettering on the nose is also '53-only.

Okay, its getting curiouser & curiouser .

[Dodgeed]

7 minutes ago, Merle Coggins said:

Yup, like they’ve said. Rear fenders, “DODGE” on dash, and “DODGE” name plate on the nose all make it a ‘53. Take your serial number and put in in the decoder at http://t137.com/registry/help/decode.php

Okay, I entered the vehicle ID number, and the decode came back as a 1951. I also then registered it. So, what it looks like is a 1951, w/some 53 parts?

[wallytoo]

could be the data plate from a '51, but the cab/nose is a '53.  also, with the '53 bed, it seems more likely to be mostly a '53, rather than a '51 with some swapped parts.

[Dodgeed]

1 minute ago, wallytoo said:

could be the data plate from a '51, but the cab/nose is a '53.  also, with the '53 bed, it seems more likely to be mostly a '53, rather than a '51 with some swapped parts.

Thx for the info. I've never seen any other early 50's Dodge trucks in this area, so making a comparison isn't gonna happen. At least you've given me some pix, which will help. Happy motoring?

[wallytoo]

mine came from NC; purchased it circa 1984.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Some added info about the 1953 trucks...

The 1953 trucks have the hooked together upper and lower seat frame assembly. This style does not permit moving just  the lower cushion forward or backwards on the two positioning pins on the lower frame.

The park lamp bezels on the 1953 trucks are chrome.

The hub caps shown on the OP's truck look to be 1951-52 caps.

There is the frame serial number stamped on the LF frame rail right behind the bumper towards the front spring hanger too.

All this to help the owner know more about his truck and some tech info.

[Brent B3B]

On 8/18/2018 at 8:56 AM, Dodgeb4ya said:

Some added info about the 1953 trucks...

The 1953 trucks have the hooked together upper and lower seat frame assembly. This style does not permit moving just  the lower cushion forward or backwards on the two positioning pins on the lower frame. 

Visual aid for others 

[Bobacuda]

Dodgeed -

My '53 has the seat frame with the posts that allow the bottom part to be moved forward or backward on the frame.  Real PITA to get them set if the back is already in place.  I generally pull the back up, set the bottom where I want it, then mash the back into position.  That's the same seat and frame that was in the truck in 1975 when I bought it, but that doesn't mean it wasn't changed out before that.

 

The rear fenders and dash plate in yours match my '53, but our wiper buttons are different.  Yours looks like the one we had on our '51 Dodge.  Look at the attached photo of my truck, you will see the rear fenders, the Fluid Drive emblems and the factory rear view mirror.  Maybe someone on here has found the mirror brackets in a boneyard they would be willing to sell you.

 

 

[ggdad1951]

10 hours ago, Bobacuda said:

  Maybe someone on here has found the mirror brackets in a boneyard they would be willing to sell you.

 

 

 

I have a spare driverside mirror arm that is extra, we could talk about it if interested PM me.  Passenger side are rare and hard to find.

[Dodgeed]

10 hours ago, Bobacuda said:

Dodgeed -

My '53 has the seat frame with the posts that allow the bottom part to be moved forward or backward on the frame.  Real PITA to get them set if the back is already in place.  I generally pull the back up, set the bottom where I want it, then mash the back into position.  That's the same seat and frame that was in the truck in 1975 when I bought it, but that doesn't mean it wasn't changed out before that.

 

The rear fenders and dash plate in yours match my '53, but our wiper buttons are different.  Yours looks like the one we had on our '51 Dodge.  Look at the attached photo of my truck, you will see the rear fenders, the Fluid Drive emblems and the factory rear view mirror.  Maybe someone on here has found the mirror brackets in a boneyard they would be willing to sell you.

 

 

I see you've got a passenger side tail light, which I'd like to have too. I've found a tail light in a box in the truck which looks like the original driver's side light, and saw a bracket in the VPW catalog which looks like the one on the driver's side; so, in your opinion, would I be able to use the VPW tail light bracket, attach it to the driver's side light I found in the box, and add the bulb, socket, and related wiring, and be good to go? BTW, the driver's side tail light looks like a replacement w/the word Dodge embedded in the lens. 

[ggdad1951]

you can do that, the bracket should be ok to flip (maybe have to redrill holes or something).  The only thing is the passenger side would not have the down light for the license plate)

 

[Fernando Mendes]

[Bobacuda]

Dodgeed -

My truck's original tail light (just one) got ripped off and the bracket bent to hell in a pasture around 1978.  The current brackets & tail lights are actually replicas of some used on old Ford cars.  My brackets are welded on.  The lenses are just plain old red, no logos.