Keep it stock, or make it driveable?

[Id Jumper]

Hi- this is my first post, thanks for listening.  I have a '51 Pilothouse, pretty much intact--actually seems to be totally stock, an old farm truck from central Idaho.  

It runs, but driving it is like herding geese down the road, and it's never ventured onto a freeway since I've owned it. I think I hit maximum velocity at about 45 mph.  I usually drive it somewhere for parties and play bluegrass out of the back of it.  I'd like to have an old truck as a daily driver, and my neighbor has a 91 Dakota 4x4 he's trying to get rid of.  The question is- is it worth more to keep an old truck stock, and is it blasphemy to swap it onto a frame with an engine that starts the first time no matter how long it sits, with power brakes, steering, AC, et al....?   Thank you! 

[Los_Control]

Only you can make this choice. Going to be a lot of work to do the frame swap. Hey if you like working on cars it is your choice.

 

Would seem to me to be cheaper/easier, to just fix the drive ability issues for the stock truck.

Possibly you need front end work, king pins gear box etc ... get it driving good at slower speeds ... then maybe swap in a different rear end and get better highway speeds.

Maybe add a T-5 transmission later if the rear gearing change is not enough .... then down the road add a different motor.

All the same while you are driving the truck and making improvements .... takes a good fabricator to pull off a frame swap, many projects end up sideways in the weeds.

 

It is all up to you, be nice to see some pics    and welcome to the forum!

 

[JBNeal]

It's your dime so you make the call...

for starters, the steering sounds like it needs adjusting, leaf spring bushings and shocks are probably shot too...that Dakota could be a good frame swap but it is A LOT of work that will take up a lot of space and time, which can also be said for a restoration...I have done mechanical restorations that allowed me to drive my old buggies for more than 10 yrs...several guys have made modifications to their existing powertrains to make daily drivers, such as front disk brakes and 3.73 rear axle (optimum for the original flathead), radial tires too...IMO the novelty of the 6V flathead 6 has its own WOW factor, but a daily driver is nice too, if there are not too many knucklehead uninsured drivers bouncing between the ditches...bottom line, the best approach is to plan ahead and proceed methodically, as tearing everything apart in fits and starts leads to loss of interest and unflattering yard art that causes friction with ppl within spittin' distance

[Id Jumper]

Thanks very much for your input!  I think "fits and starts" describes how my projects go, and the wow factor of a well running 70 year old engine might overpower the urge to tear it apart.  I have a 73 ford truck that is much closer to the vintage daily driver, and it's taking me several months just to install a stereo and cut floor mats to fit, what with all the surfing, kiteboarding, mountain biking, kayaking, banjo picking, barn building, child rearing, and the full time job...So THANK YOU and I'll keep it stock and running as well as I can.  I'll learn a lot from this forum! 

Steve

 

PS I'll post some pics too. 

[kencombs]

I think you are making the right decision.  Here is a thread full of info on the alternative undertaking: 

I suspect reading through it will remove any doubt you may harbor.  LOTS of work and fab, even ignoring the engine change and mods.

[Id Jumper]

Oh my....there's 43 pages of it.  Nice looking truck at the end, but at this stage I definitely don't have the time or the knowledge, skill, or ability to pull that off!  Thanks VERY much for sharing that. 

[Radarsonwheels]

Howdy fellas!

 

Yeah- don’t be like me and spend a whole year making your friends and family tired of hearing about your stupid truck.

 

I had built smallblock motors, put in floors, 1/4s, drivelines, brake upgrades before. Y’know like normal weekend project muscle car stuff. I really just wanted to build a healthy stroker big block but all my other mopars have fresh motors, and my wife will leave me if I buy another car. 
 

I had enjoyed my thrashed abused ‘54 3/4 ton longbed like how you use yours and upgraded/rebuilt the suspension, brakes, driveline etc thru the years but never figured out the steering- it was also like herding geese- too much play. It would hold a curve fine but keeping her straight was sketchy.

 

I went way deeper into fabricating and rebuilding every part of the truck than is necessary to do a chassis swap. 
 

You can do half the work if you leave the Dakota mostly alone and just do the body swap. Tastefully lifted body swap dodge trucks are super cool.

 

Having said all that if your truck is anywhere near being a good restoration candidate just fix what’s wrong with it and enjoy it. They are really fun in stock form.

[Plymouthy Adams]

t

10 hours ago, Radarsonwheels said:

Howdy fellas!

 

Yeah- don’t be like me and spend a whole year making your friends and family tired of hearing about your stupid truck.

 

I had built smallblock motors, put in floors, 1/4s, drivelines, brake upgrades before. Y’know like normal weekend project muscle car stuff. I really just wanted to build a healthy stroker big block but all my other mopars have fresh motors, and my wife will leave me if I buy another car. 
 

I had enjoyed my thrashed abused ‘54 3/4 ton longbed like how you use yours and upgraded/rebuilt the suspension, brakes, driveline etc thru the years but never figured out the steering- it was also like herding geese- too much play. It would hold a curve fine but keeping her straight was sketchy.

 

I went way deeper into fabricating and rebuilding every part of the truck than is necessary to do a chassis swap. 
 

You can do half the work if you leave the Dakota mostly alone and just do the body swap. Tastefully lifted body swap dodge trucks are super cool.

 

Having said all that if your truck is anywhere near being a good restoration candidate just fix what’s wrong with it and enjoy it. They are really fun in stock form.

this reply was typed with bruised fingers and hands from body work and turning wrenches based on an ever thinning wallet.....nicely written...just because you can is not always what should be done.

[Brent B3B]

Welcome ID Jumper, 

Good choice, now start a thread on the truck forum with pics and lets see if we can’t get you over 45mph! ?