Asking the impossible?

[Jim G]

I have a 1949 Fargo 1 ton, before I put it into storage I drove it lots, had lots of fun with it. Biggest problem with it is it was slow. Cruised nicely at 45mph, I could get it to go a mile a minute if I pushed it, but it felt like the end of the world. Which was fine, it wasn't designed for 'high speed' but to haul a 100 bushels of grain no further than the elevator.

 

I have even serious thought to selling it and buying a car of the same vintage. Couple reasons, one I don't need 2 trucks, and for work I need a truck that I can rely on to pull a trailler, go a 1000 miles without a concern etc. and second, I'd love a vintage vehicle I could jump in and drive 100 miles or more comfortabley at the speed limit. 

 

The more I look at it though I love the minimal simplicity of the Fargo, right down to the mechanicalness of physicaly engaging the starter etc. Is it possible to find a more modern faster geared rear end that would allow me to keep the look of the 6 bolt wheels, and let me cruise comfortbley at 60mph?

[Jim G]

And in all reality/practicality . . . I probaly will keep the Fargo as is and just pop around localy, but I can still dream . . .

[stylesadamson]

Put a 3.73 Ford 8.8 and a chev s10 t5 trans and do 75 all day long!

[Plymouthy Adams]

30 minutes ago, Jim G said:

And in all reality/practicality . . . I probaly will keep the Fargo as is and just pop around localy, but I can still dream . . .

difference between dreams and reality is often a bit of human intervention...do your part....determine your bolt pattern, centric register, axle measurements and keep in mind if you wish to retains stock wheels you need flange to flange to match.  Then, go for a walk in the wrecking yard with your tape measure.  Now keep in mind it is not just as simple as that, once a candidate has been located, spring perches, shock and driveshaft to pinion may well be an issue.  Even if you do not get this done, the thrill of the search will be fun and keep you busy a bit.

[Plymouthy Adams]

often times in my replies I forget some folks do not have a wrecking yard that will grant them access to the wrecked/salvaged/disposed vehicles.....this often places these folks at a disadvantage and they are mainly dependent on other folks blazing a trail.  While I have done a number of rear gear swaps for the old cars....I have not not messed with truck as such...issue as listed will be valid for both car and truck.  I wish I could state a make and model for you but I just have no first hand with truck specific.  

 

Trust me in some of my other cars I work where you may have the only example for a couple hundred mile radius....getting data for such as this is quite exasperating at time.....and the forums for these model cars often need a sympathy card sent as they are basically dead for all practical purposes.  I often feel the owners of these cars have pretty much peaked in age and have limited their wrenching greatly.  Parts are slim, information is limited and many that had done this in the past probably do not respond as it has been so long they unsure of the involvement and thus rather than confuse or report wrongly, the question is never addressed.  

[Tooljunkie]

I’m in the same predicament, but i changed the gearing as well as swapped the rear end. But an unforseen issue came up the first time i crested 50 mph. Blowby, and lots of it. 
it will putt away happily at 45 mph if i go easy, but it needs rings. So, i did the right thing and found a 360/727 to put in its place. Then i can re-ring at my leisure as well as replace the timing chain. It will go in a second truck i want to bring back from the dead. 
finding a gearset will be difficult to say the least, so swapping the rear end is the next viable option. 

[Los_Control]

Just my thoughts on it, I talked to a guy who had a 3/4 ton ... not a 1 ton, but I think the widths between a 1/2 ton - 1 ton are the same?

He put a early 90's chevy 1/2 ton rear end in his ... He was able to keep the 5 on 5 bolt pattern to match the front.

It was 2" wider then stock so 1" on each side not terrible.   I am not sure how you would keep the 6 lug wheels though. I can see a 1 ton dually axle under it. But everything would be 8 lug.

 

I just wonder if a T5 5spd trans if the 5th gear would be enough for a little more speed using stock rear end?

[Plymouthy Adams]

given the 5 speed in OD is .72 and the axle is 4.1 the new FD in OD will be 2.95  a HUGE improvement...

[Jim G]

2 hours ago, Los_Control said:

Just my thoughts on it, I talked to a guy who had a 3/4 ton ... not a 1 ton, but I think the widths between a 1/2 ton - 1 ton are the same?

He put a early 90's chevy 1/2 ton rear end in his ... He was able to keep the 5 on 5 bolt pattern to match the front.

It was 2" wider then stock so 1" on each side not terrible.   I am not sure how you would keep the 6 lug wheels though. I can see a 1 ton dually axle under it. But everything would be 8 lug.

 

I just wonder if a T5 5spd trans if the 5th gear would be enough for a little more speed using stock rear end?

I'd have to measure, but the box is 6-8 inches wider on the oneton than a 1/2 ton so I can't say.

[Jim G]

2 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

often times in my replies I forget some folks do not have a wrecking yard that will grant them access to the wrecked/salvaged/disposed vehicles.....this often places these folks at a disadvantage 

 

 

Thankyou for saying this, I was trying to figure how to respectfuly and not sound like a whinger say we don't have such places anymore unfortunatly around here . . . When I was a kid I spent a lot of time at the autowreckers . . .

[Los_Control]

Just now, Jim G said:

'd have to measure, but the box is 6-8 inches wider on the oneton than a 1/2 ton so I can't say.

Is that a 9' box? ... am jealous ... I do not blame  you for wanting to keep the look. When I was dating my wife 35 years ago, I picked her up in a 1960 dodge 1 ton flatbed. She use to drive it grocery shopping.

 

The T-5 is a pretty common swap on these old flatheads. Lots of info if you search for it, I have never done it myself.

I can tell you there are different styles and think there is 2 different set of gear ratios for them. The other difference is where the shifter is located on the bell housing.

That is important if you want the shifter in front of a bench seat or inbetween bucket seats?

 

The swap with the clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing and a adapter seems do-able since it has been done many many times. You would need to figure out some sort of mount or cross member for the 1 ton, then make up a drive line.

You can cut off the T5 shift lever and weld your factory shift lever to it. Would look totally original unless crawl under it.

 

You want that look & style, I think a transmission change is what you want. The T5 is plenty strong enough for your 95 hp motor.

[JBNeal]

I have a '48 B-1-D-116 that the powertrain is kaput, so I've looked at options for this pie-in-the-sky project that has a half dozen other projects in front of it.  The short answer is look at what the Power Wagon guys are doing for modern highway speed and braking

[Jim G]

56 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

Is that a 9' box? ... am jealous ... I do not blame  you for wanting to keep the look. When I was dating my wife 35 years ago, I picked her up in a 1960 dodge 1 ton flatbed. She use to drive it grocery shopping.

 

The T-5 is a pretty common swap on these old flatheads. Lots of info if you search for it, I have never done it myself.

I can tell you there are different styles and think there is 2 different set of gear ratios for them. The other difference is where the shifter is located on the bell housing.

That is important if you want the shifter in front of a bench seat or inbetween bucket seats?

 

The swap with the clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing and a adapter seems do-able since it has been done many many times. You would need to figure out some sort of mount or cross member for the 1 ton, then make up a drive line.

You can cut off the T5 shift lever and weld your factory shift lever to it. Would look totally original unless crawl under it.

 

You want that look & style, I think a transmission change is what you want. The T5 is plenty strong enough for your 95 hp motor.

yes, the 9 foot box, and still has the what I'm assuming are original farmer built sideboards, I had them off for a while when it was my daily driver, but the long low box just looked  . . .off? . . . plus the box was never lifted to put a dump under it. I don't know about a transmission swap . . . for some odd reason I like it not having syncromesh for me, and for me only, I like being able to say I still have the skills to double clutch . . .

[Plymouthy Adams]

1 hour ago, Los_Control said:

in part+++++++++++++++++++When I was dating my wife 35 years ago+++++++++++++++++

I had to read this again....per what I am doing on two cars right now....I read UP-DATING my wife 35 years ago.....apologies to momma

Edited May 22, 2021 by Plymouthy Adams

[Los_Control]

It is funny, I was 22 years old. I belonged to the teamsters union and retreaded truck tires  & punched a time clock.

I use to get so much crap about that from my fellow workers ... "what you going to do, pick her up in the 1 ton truck? Damn straight I did, & we still together today.

 

OK story time     When you are 22 years old & in love, you really do not know much. I bought a piece of property.  I needed a truck to work it.  I then bought a 10'x50' mobile home and parked it on the property. I used the Dodge 1 ton to pull it 40 miles. The old slant 6 / 4 spd worked perfect. My Girlfriend at the time followed me in a 1972 Triumph with a Toyota dual overhead cam 5 spd trans .... she beeped the horn when she saw the  tire on the trailer start to wobble ... I never knew until it passed me on the road.

 

That old Dodge worked perfect, get over 35 mph and front end was so light it would wander, same time last 3 miles was uphill and the truck kept a steady 35 mph. That old truck was seriously overloaded.  So much weight on the rear bumper the front tires barely touched the ground ....

 

These old Dodges are tough. ... Just saying I love the older 1 tons ... they have guts.

 

[Merle Coggins]

I don’t believe you’ll have much luck finding a different real axle that will allow you to maintain your original wheels. That 6 bolt pattern on the 1 ton trucks isn’t a common size that I’m aware of. Your truck likely has a 4.3:1 differential gears. The diff in the 1 ton trucks is larger than what was used in the 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks that can be swapped with car differentials. However, I seem to remember hearing that the 1 ton diff may be the same size as the long wheel base Chrysler and DeSoto limos. Again, not an easy find, but if you could locate a diff from one of those cars, and it will swap with your truck diff, then you may be able to get some more highway friendly gears into your stock axle. 

 

Another option would be to change out the transmission with an overdrive 5 speed, such as the infamous T5. The overdrive should give you a satisfactory overall gear ratio for cruising. 

Edited May 22, 2021 by Merle Coggins

[Steve-L]

maybe the answer isn’t a rear ended/trans swap. Check out the thread on adding an overdrive. 
 

Laycock J-type Overdrive

[Jim G]

12 hours ago, Steve-L said:

maybe the answer isn’t a rear ended/trans swap. Check out the thread on adding an overdrive. 
 

Laycock J-type Overdrive

Thanks Steve, I was wondering if an overdrive might be an option. Would be the best of both worlds maybe? the gearing for when I'm using it like a truck, (I've hauled a lot of firewood in it) a comfortable speed on the highway. Lots to do before I get to that point yet.

[wagoneer]

On 5/22/2021 at 8:11 PM, JBNeal said:

I have a '48 B-1-D-116 that the powertrain is kaput, so I've looked at options for this pie-in-the-sky project that has a half dozen other projects in front of it.  The short answer is look at what the Power Wagon guys are doing for modern highway speed and braking

Could you elaborate please? What are the power wagons doing to solve this problem?

[JBNeal]

I did about 15 minutes of research one evening a few years ago and saw a power 4-wheel disc brake kit, among other things, so I made a mental note to look into it further someday...some guys just do a 4X4 frame swap, some guys do a powertrain swap, some swap out axles...I was going to sell the boat anchor powertrain for scrap and part out the rest as that old truck has seen much better days, but that whole truck is in the back of the house, up on blocks so I can mow around it, waiting its turn to be worked back into usable condition.