Customs Morticia the 1956 Dodge Pickup

Ok... Well, a somewhat update if anyone is still tuned in....

So still waiting on heads, figured I would start working on hood...

Here it is test fitted...


Few things that always bothered me, these two holes for the other v8 emblem with the handlebars. Since I haven't found a good usable one in years. Ill stick with this later style repo... So these holes needed to go... Two little vertical holes at the top...



As you may notice, there are now the 4 holes at the bottom, yes the DODGE is going back on once painted...So here is the sanded and just needed a minor glaze to make them disappear.



Onto the next...This is a stress crack that needed repair, welded both sides...


Minor glaze needed also... But its gone...



Here is the front shot in all its glory... I still hate the right side hood gap but I know these trucks didnt have good gaps from the factory... I will mess with it more as I get some time...



So Here is a real nice change... I got tired of my cheap gauges... Debated on SW or Autometer, Found these kinda art deco gauges... Fell in love... Comparison in before to right and after on left... Got a hole shear coming to make a new panel for the gauges to reside etc. STAY TUNED if your not asleep yet.

 

Oh... Almost forgot, I decided to do the ford semi gloss black on the intake...

M***ey Furgeson grey for the accents...




The mock up with carb and cleaner...

 

Fantastic work. As for a color change just remember what The Rolling Stones said, paint it black.

 

Not much of a update, But the gauges are all installed, wired up, new gauge panel made etc. So here is the dash all back together...

 

Cool truck. Don't give up on that cylinder head. A machine shop with and EDM can get that tap out and save the hole.

 

Yeah, I have been told thats probably the way to go about it.
Appreciate the advice... I had the set of 675 heads that came off this motor to begin with, so had them built and here we are...

 

Alright, finally putting things back together.... WE HAVE A RUNNER...

So I got my 675 heads built back up. Few new valves, new positive lock seals, new Comp 901 springs. Here we are with a coat of paint...



Going on... As you can tell, this motor has remained clean as hell inside with no sludge buildup etc at all.. Cant complain 1 bit.



Finished product.... I am very pleased with the way the bay looks now. Before it was ok, now its alot nicer, motor looks better... Should be golden to get some revs out of it finally...



So Here it sits, the wood resembles the drop attained in flipping the spring eyes. Its a nice 1.5" lower, not stupid low but noticeable. I am now tucking the top of the front tire when I had a gap before... Steering is good and everything feels solid. Don't mind the Dogs **** by the garage door. haha. Now onto body work galore...

 

Nice work.

 

Well, here I am waiting on parts, had a manifold gasket that was the wrong one in the kit, awaiting the proper one to seal up the exhaust.

So decided to finish out the rest of the bed sanding and priming. Then figured why not shoot a photo with it not on blocks...

Over 1" net drop for sure. Now there is a rake more noticeable, she is tucking over 1" of tread now up front. So total drop on this truck is 5" total. Only way to go lower is step the ch***is up front or flip axle on top of springs. This is probably as low as I would want to go static on this truck due to some of the frame and running boards hanging down etc.

 

Stance looks great!

 

Wait, does the hood open to the sides aswell as the front?

 

If it’s like my 56, only from the side. 57 was front only.

 

Last year of a split hood on any production vehicle.

No front opening at all, only sides...

 

Got her out last night, hit the local cruise in... Felt good to get her out and about again.

 

Nice Truck and Great Build Thread.

 

So after driving some over the weekend, I was noticing the truck was a bit lazy, just never felt quite on point... I had not removed distributor in doing all the work. Well timing light showed, 12 degrees of base, 18 deg full advance. Weird thing was the light went Before on the movement before coming back to base setting then went to another 5 degrees. So 18 degrees of full timing just don't cut it. I probably should have now looking at it... It had a little rust in there from this humid environment and being an air conditioned garage. So took it all apart, cleaned, and oiled, so lets hope for better. The stop bushing has a nice coating of rust, so awaiting a new spring and stop bushing kit, cleaned the pickup fingers as they were super crusty. Hopefully we can save this distributor... If this doesn't fix the issue I will be ditching the electronic ignition completely and going back to points..... Maybe find me a good ole mallory dual point...

 

Great thread, I mostly wanted to reply so I could click the follow ****on.

I do have one question though that maybe you might share the answer.
Your Texas truck had more paint on it then mine. .... Some call the rust a "Texas suntan"


You mentioned that you applied some primer to stop the pitting.
I'm just curious on how far you went to remove the rust & what methods you used?

 

thanks man. Yeah she deff had a suntan.

So I sanded orig with 80 grit to knock all the scale off, sprayed some converter on the spots that were not clean metal, so the whole truck. Then laid a few coats of high build primer, and then painted... The high build primer took care of most of the pitting.

 

I did the same on my '56 but put a coat of epoxy over the converter (Ospho) then high build. not all epoxies like acid/converters underneath but Kirker is ok with that

 

Well, a local bud was selling off some old stuff before he moves out of state, figured I might as well go snag it. Banger motor, 59 ab flatty, 2 late 30s transmissions, T rear spring, and A Banjo axle, We tested the weight capacity once again.... Only hit bump stops on large bumps but did fine...

On the freeway for her longest trip since the recent work.





All gauges, A OK...feels good, back to freeway flying.


Here she is all loaded down...

 

The truck looks great, nice score of parts as well.
Bettie Page is a great addition to the dash!

 

So last Thursday I had a slow day at work, so figured I would knock out some sealing of the primer... Its rattle can job and was intended on just sealing things up. Its far from perfect for sure, mainly was just put on as a sealer but everyone that's seen it loves it. Its like having a new truck again... haha. Rustoleum Vintage teal satin is the color, not terrible at all... So here you go on the latest updates...

Cutting in best I can with doors still on.



1st coat down...


After dry and re***embly commenced. Finally get to install the job rated emblems and the dodge on the front, it is one thing I have wanted to put back on for over 10 years but the scallops just didnt work for the job rated logos to be back.



So Nifty 50ees here in houston tx put on their 20th year celebration, so figured what better way to air out the fresh paint than a good 60 mile trip...

 

Love it!

 

Thanks man

 

I really dug the scallops, but she does look good with shiny paint!

 

So here is a major update, so some back story, first time I saw Supremes they were on a buddies car, I loved them at 17 years old and still had a thing for them over all these years, every time I almost bought a set, something came up or things changed and I never got around to getting a set. Well a month ago a buddy reached out after me putting some feelers out, he was willing to sell me his 15x7 Supremes with tires. So, I jumped on it, bought them Saturday, installed same day. This was the last piece of the puzzle I think on the change of look for the truck. Only downfall I have so far is the Rear is 1" shorter than the prior tires I had on, BUT I can now rotate tires if I want.

 

Heeck yeah !!

 

They look great, love them.
Love your post they give me some inspiration. I have been slowly working through mine.
Not restoring it just repairing it to make a daily driver. The Texas suntan has been kicking my ****!
I had the bedside all cleaned off yesterday, ready to weld in my home made shovel strip .... rained all night so will have to clean it again, treat it with ospho Then spray it with Rustoleum rusty metal primer.
Just slowly working through it. .... So it is good to see your post, does give me a push to get up & get some work done.

 

Your cool MOPAR truck is looking great !

 

good job , I like it