This truck and I have a history. My uncles father bought it brand new in 1950. My father and my uncle used to cruise this truck when they were in high school. Then my father, uncle, cousin and I tore it apart in about 1994 and started to build a hot rod out of it. This truck was bad ass for the 360 that was in it back then, it saw the road for about 20 mins for testing and then was literally put in the barn and forgot about. Well things happen, people move away, family looses touch with one another. After my time in the Navy I moved back home to find my cousin also moved back home, and brought the truck with him. I have been trying to get this truck back for 10 years now, he called me up the other day and made me an offer i couldn't refuse, get his 97 Suburban running and he would give me the 50... 20 mins later I was loading the 50 up on the car trailer. This poor truck has been butchered alot on the front end, at one time it had an aspen clip put on (crooked) right now it has a gasser straight axle under it, right now Im not sure on what direction I am going to take with the front end. A quick run through the parts inventory nets me all the door hardware is missing....all of it.. Oh well, here are a few pics of her sitting in her hole waiting for her spot in the shop I cant wait to start working on her again and get her back on the street where she belongs.
glad you got it back. those trucks are awesome. If the frame is toast, the dakota frame is a great option.
Nice! You should check out the pilothouse forum at http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/ Not nearly as many folks as here, but a lot of great info on the old pilothouses. Looks like the front of the frame is still intact, so I'm guessing the Aspen "clip" was just a crossmember add on, since the ends of the frame still look original. I've seen just about everything on these, the aspen/volare clip is pretty popular. Entire Dakota frame swaps have been done too, although its not quite a straight across deal. And of course Mustang II. The stock front end can also be outfitted with later stuff too, I believe some folks have swapped over sweptline era kingpins and spindles onto the original axle. And I believe Rusty Hope or Scarebird both make disk conversions for the front end also. Good luck with the build!
thanks the frames not toast per say, it has been cut several times. I am thinking of just boxing it and putting a Mustang II under the front, since the rear already has the 9 inch. I should mention that the 360 went into the 69 charger before it was totaled and I now have the 318 (with spun Cam bearing) and 727 out of the charger that will most likely end up in the truck.
yes the aspen clip was a cross member add on, my uncle made his own brackets and welded them to the frame, he didn't measure twice and just welded the brackets up, one a little too far forward, that clip is now long gone. Thanks for the link I will be checking it out.
The "gasser" axle under it now may very well be the original axle that belonged to the truck in the first place. Originally these trucks came with a beam axle and leaf springs. Gene
no, this front axle is a tube type axle with aftermarket springs and disc brakes. The original axle was tossed years ago when the aspen front end went under it.
hope you get it rolling again and post some pics as you rebuild it , does it still have the 360 ? nothing like a ride that has some family history
sadly the 360 was in the charger when it was totaled and then pulled and put in my cousins duster that he sold.
cool, glad people are starting to restore/rod them. when l got mine 15 years ago, it seemed l had the only around. Later
all in all I have owned about 4 or 5 of these trucks, but always something came up and had to sell them before I got to work on them, this one isn't going anywhere now.
Love it! I recently picked one up myself. I like it but I'm drawn to the oddballs. I'm not sure of my direction either but it should be fun getting there.
eBay might have the door hardware you're lacking if the Pilot-House guys are a strike out. Lots of info on that Pilot-House forum, if ya can find it...sometimes the "search" function don't try very hard.
It has been a little over a year and I have collected all of the missing parts. I started tearing down the truck last month. The nice thing is 90% of all the bolts are loose due to being mocked up and taken back apart for the last 20 years. Front end being removed. My dad is there just for support, I am doing all the lifting on it. how it is currently sitting until the 22nd because on the 22nd it gets this I had to go the replacement cab route because my uncle had cut out the frame for the stock seat, and I didnt want to screw with the firewall issue. While I was at it I started blasting the doors, found some rust through, so it will need some patch panels made and installed. It will be getting another aspen clip, but this time done right. The rest of the truck will appear stock looking on the outside.
The Jalopy Journal
