First Foray - Just Purchased 1953 Dodge B3B

[Oliver]

Hey folks, as stated in the title I recently purchased a ‘53 Dodge B3B. I don’t really have a lot of experience in this but have been been some research and planning. Appears like the previous owner put a fair amount of work into it already. I’m sure I’ll have a bunch of questions and know there’s a lot of good info on this site. Thanks in advance for your patience. 

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by Oliver

[Brent B3B]

Congrats Oliver! Looks like a great truck from here?

From the rear fenders, I would have guess it a 51 or 52 

enjoy! And keep on truckin 

brent 

[Merle Coggins]

Good looking truck, from the outside. Is it roadworthy? You imply there is still some work that it needs. We’re here to help.

[Oliver]

Thank you Merle and Brent. Yes, it seems to be roadworthy so far. Starts easily, runs, drives, and stops. There is a little more play in the steering wheel than I think there should be, so that will be something to look into. The interior has sound dampening around it from the previous owner(see pictures). I would like to install a headliner and floor covering. Still looking around for those. So far I just focused on small things like window sweeps, hubcaps, clutch and brake draft protectors...etc. 

My goal is to have a truck to take to the occasional nearby car show, or take my daughter around town in. 

heres one question....does it need those quarter windows to be considered a pilot house? Therefore making mine NOT a pilot house. Or was it more about the stance of the cab and those quarter windows were extra options?

[Merle Coggins]

Nice… I recommend Quiet Ride Solutions for headliner and such. https://www.quietride.com/index.html

 

 

[Young Ed]

Still a pilot house either way. Just a cheaper model when new.

[Brent B3B]

4 hours ago, Merle Coggins said:

Nice… I recommend Quiet Ride Solutions for headliner and such. https://www.quietride.com/index.html

 

 

I have one interior from “Pilot House interiors” (no longer in business)

and two interiors from “Vic’s Dodge garage”

but, if I do the one for “Jimbob” I am gonna try Quite Ride 

 

[John Rogers]

Congratulation on your "new" '53. It looks like a great truck that was pretty well taken care my the previous owner. 

                    Enjoy !

                             John 

[Young Ed]

50 minutes ago, Brent B3B said:

I have one interior from “Pilot House interiors” (no longer in business)

and two interiors from “Vic’s Dodge garage”

but, if I do the one for “Jimbob” I am gonna try Quite Ride 

 

Different year trucks but the headliner in my 46 is from quiet ride. I think at least for 39-47s you have to buy them from DCM

[JBNeal]

additional information - Pilot-House definition 

[Oliver]

Thank you Ed and Neal.

[tom'sB2B]

Don't be self conscious about not having quarter windows. It's still a Pilothouse. The original purchaser was just cheap. 

I bet there are fewer trucks without the corner windows ...that's what I keep telling myself anyways ?

Either way, you got a good looking truck.

Edited November 22, 2021 by tom'sB2B

[ggdad1951]

welcome!  Solid PH truck!  Do I see Stainless grill bars or are those painted/chromed?

[Oliver]

Thank you. The PO had painted them a “hammered Steel” color along with the headlight bezels and front bumper, which is actually the rear bumper I believe. I have the front also but it needs to be put back into shape. Anyway, IMHO doesn’t look terrible but something to work on at a later time. I need to figure out how to adjust the grille bars so they align better also. 

[Oliver]

2 more pics from when I went to check it out. 

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by Oliver
PO’s license plate

[ggdad1951]

1 hour ago, Oliver said:

Thank you. The PO had painted them a “hammered Steel” color along with the headlight bezels and front bumper, which is actually the rear bumper I believe. I have the front also but it needs to be put back into shape. Anyway, IMHO doesn’t look terrible but something to work on at a later time. I need to figure out how to adjust the grille bars so they align better also. 

 

Ah, stainless on that style of grill bar are super rare, so....

 

But yah, might need to dismount and bend some bracketry around to get them to align.  Should actually be a little cover strip at the seam.

[JBNeal]

additional information - grille trim cap

[Oliver]

53 minutes ago, JBNeal said:

additional information - grille trim cap

Ahh. Haven’t noticed those in pics before. They clean the look up nicely. I’m sure they’re not in my bucket of parts but I’ll keep an eye out. Thanks!

[Oliver]

What do you guys usually use to line the floors over the sound dampening? Is it carpeting/rubber? Does it get glued down to the dampener? Or am I way off. Lol

[Brent B3B]

Shoot, I don’t have the fancy sound dampening kit but, I bought a floor mat from Vic it came with the “jute” material ?

https://vicsdodgegarage.com/product/48-53-dodge-1-2-ton-truck-pyramid-laser-cut-floor-mat/

[Oliver]

9 minutes ago, Brent B3B said:

Shoot, I don’t have the fancy sound dampening kit but, I bought a floor mat from Vic it came with the “jute” material ?

https://vicsdodgegarage.com/product/48-53-dodge-1-2-ton-truck-pyramid-laser-cut-floor-mat/

Thanks Brent. Fit “like a glove” as they say on the site? And did you just loose lay it or it is adhered?

Thanks again. 

[Brent B3B]

Vic recommended using 3m high strength 90 for “Jute to mat” to me

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/cbgnawus1408/

 

Before he had the jute material available, I bought just the mat and laid it loose.  the floor bolts punched right through the mat under the drivers foot.... Julie tells me I have a “heavy foot”. LOL, guess she is right ?

 

[Jeff Balazs]

Welcome to the group;

There are a lot of different ways to go about sound proofing these cabs. And it all depends on how you intend to use your truck as to how far you should take it. Also as these cabs can be prone to water leaks over time you should be careful about how you do things and the materials you use.

 

My truck is a daily driver.......and I like my tunes. So I have at least 3 layers of soundproofing on the entire interior of my cab. I used Hushmat Ultra along with foil backed insulation and a heavy rubber floor mat on the floor. I even gave the underside of the cab 3 coats of brush on bed liner. The only product that is more or less permanent is the HushMat. All the rest is remove able for maintenance and repairs. Needless to say there are no annoying rattles etc. like most old trucks. You don't need to go to this extreme if you are going to use it just once in a while.......but it does make for a more pleasant driving experience.

 

Hth, Jeff

[John-T-53]

I'd say that removable floor materials are a must to permit maintenance access, as stated. Also, for cleaning and moisture remediation. 

 

I painted my floor, then applied strips of Dynamat between the ribs. Then, laid down a foil-backed jute layer. I think I got this from quiet ride.  On the top is a rubber mat I got online from Farm n' Fleet - bought bulk material and cut to fit. The rubber is chicom and not that great quality, but it's held up ok for about 10 years of regular use. 

 

I have driven the truck with and without the jute under the rubber mat, and the jute definitely makes a difference in sound. It takes the higher frequency road noise out of the cab.

 

I think this is the same mat that @Merle Coggins used....

https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/516709-flexgard-48-x-72-x-1-4-multi-use-utility-mat-100-rubber.html

Edited November 24, 2021 by John-T-53

[Dodgeed]

On 11/21/2021 at 1:13 AM, Brent B3B said:

Congrats Oliver! Looks like a great truck from here?

From the rear fenders, I would have guess it a 51 or 52 

enjoy! And keep on truckin 

brent 

First of all, congratulations on your new truck. Looks great. Secondly, before I saw the BrentB3B comment above, I had the same thought: the rear fenders, and the front of the truck, looks like a '51 or '52. Are you certain it is a '53? My '51 has rear fenders from a '53, so it is something I typically just happen to notice. The '51 came with rear rounded fenders, mine, the '51, has flattened out '53 rear fenders. Either way, both look pretty good, IMHO. ?