Bed differences

[fshd4it]

Hello all, finally decided to take part rather than just lurking through your posts (I did pretty well, made it through about 400 pages the last couple months).  Long story short, I've wanted a pilothouse since 1985, when I passed on the chance to buy one. As I was only 18, let's blame it on the ignorance of youth. I figured it was time last winter, and picked up 3 in a 2 week period... a '52 B3B, '52 B3C, and a '53 B4C, all projects. As well as 2 early Dakotas, which will donate their bodies to science (maybe). I've also been grabbing whatever parts I can find, and I've noticed the beds vary somewhat between the years. I'm aware of the Market-side beds (which my 3B has), and the switch to the larger fenders in '53, but was there a change in the early fenders? One pair I've got doesn't have a raised section across the front edge. Also, did they make the beds wider in '53? My '53 (and the '54 bed I bought) is about 4" wider than my '52s. Thankyou for sharing your knowledge, I'm still trying to process and absorb all I can.

[Merle Coggins]

Your B3C and B4C should have the same size bed, but the bed board layout in the B4 will be a bit different. More boards, and narrower each. The B3B would have the narrower, and shorter, bed than the 3/4 ton versions. 

[Bluzhog53]

1 hour ago, fshd4it said:

Hello all, finally decided to take part rather than just lurking through your posts (I did pretty well, made it through about 400 pages the last couple months).  Long story short, I've wanted a pilothouse since 1985, when I passed on the chance to buy one. As I was only 18, let's blame it on the ignorance of youth. I figured it was time last winter, and picked up 3 in a 2 week period... a '52 B3B, '52 B3C, and a '53 B4C, all projects. As well as 2 early Dakotas, which will donate their bodies to science (maybe). I've also been grabbing whatever parts I can find, and I've noticed the beds vary somewhat between the years. I'm aware of the Market-side beds (which my 3B has), and the switch to the larger fenders in '53, but was there a change in the early fenders? One pair I've got doesn't have a raised section across the front edge. Also, did they make the beds wider in '53? My '53 (and the '54 bed I bought) is about 4" wider than my '52s. Thankyou for sharing your knowledge, I'm still trying to process and absorb all I can.

There could be a difference between the 53 & 54...I stop at 53 myself. Someone will know in the forum but if you want a good book to have around this is a good one. Don puts out a couple with detailed history of these trucks....check it out

Dodge Pickups: History and Restoration Guide, 1918-1971 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0879384913/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_tai_5i0rDbJX1F5HT

have fun....you got a lot to work with!

[fshd4it]

Thanks for the replies. Merle- I never considered that the 3/4 ton trucks would have had a wider bed, that explains a lot. Did that change the way the running boards fastened to the fenders? Or the running boards themselves? I'm pretty sure my B3C was a flatbed, as the boards stop at the back of the cab. Bluzhog- I've been meaning to pick up one of Don's books, just haven't got around to it yet. Sounds like tons of information there.

[Merle Coggins]

Yes, a cab/chassis would have short running boards, cab length only.

[JBNeal]

On 8/4/2019 at 2:29 PM, fshd4it said:

... the switch to the larger fenders in '53 ... was there a change in the early fenders? One pair I've got doesn't have a raised section across the front edge. ...

 

the parts book only shows one pair of fenders for the B-4-Bs and -Cs (unlike the B-1s)...looking at my other books for later Dodge stepsides, the fenders appear unchanged...I have seen ford fenders tacked onto Dodge stepsides and it looks OK at a glance but the knowledgeable eye sees that something is a little off...

[Radarsonwheels]

I like the early cabs with the split windshield better and I like the late beds with the big round wheel tubs better. Are you going to restore all 3? Max and match the best parts you have on hand?

 

I agree the ford or chevy tubs on a dodge box look wierd. The later tubs kinda slope down toward the back which I always liked.

Edited December 15, 2019 by Radarsonwheels

[fshd4it]

Sorry guys, been out of the loop for a little while. Last week I got rolling on the '52 C, it's now on a shortened '92 Dakota frame... planning on a 5.9 magnum and 46re overdrive. The '53 C is pretty rusty and beat, so it'll probably become parts. My '52 B is a 3 window with a market-side box, and I'm going to wait 'til I'm done with this one (at least running) before I decide what to do with it. Yes, I need to learn how to post pictures.

[vikingminer49er]

Here id a link to the best information I have found on Dodge truck bed identification and differences:

 

http://www.mar-k.com/_assets/images/instructions/dodgeshortbedidentification.pdf

 

 

dodgeshortbedidentification.pdf

[vikingminer49er]

Hopefully this will help you resize your photos to fit the limit.  Took me a while to figure it out.  I am using a Windows-based computer.

 

Select and click on the photo file in the file directory, and the photo will appear on the Microsoft Photo Viewer that came already installed on my computer. 

 

Right click on the photo and a number of options appear. 

 

Select and click on Resize. 

 

Several size options appear. 

 

Select and click on "M" for medium size best for emails and messages. 

 

Save the resized copy of the photos into another file folder. 

 

I named my folder Resized Photos within the same folder where I keep my truck photos. 

 

Now I have two sets of photos, original and resized.

 

When I want to add a photo on this website, I choose files from the Resized Photos folder.

 

The photo magically appears on the website, instead of the annoying message that there is a size limit on photos.

[fshd4it]

49er... thanks for the link and the pointers on resizing photos. I'll give it a try, and I can always get one of my kids to give me a hand. The only problem is getting them to explain it in terms I can understand. I picked up a good pair of '53-up bedsides from a 116" truck, and I'm going to cut them down to 108" size. I have a short one for a pattern, but it's too rusty to be salvaged.