I Bit the Bullet and Bought a Dodge

Well, it finally happened. I bought a Dodge. I never thought it would happen, but then this ratty piece came along and I couldn't resist. I found it on Craigslist locally. It looks much smaller in the pictures than it actually is. When I walked into the guy's garage, I was stunned by the size. It turns out that its a 1940 Dodge 2 1/2 ton. Its been chopped six inches (horribly done but fixable), and its huge inside! It has become the only vehicle in my collection that is a Pre-WW2 vehicle, and I'm proud as hell. Its big. Its ugly. And its all mine. I've even named her Sally because I've never met a Sally that wasn't big and ugly (sorry if you're a Sally and hot [please post a pic to prove me wrong]).

My plans include fixing the horrible chop, placing the cab on a full-sized, 3/4 frame that is under another project of mine, and using all my scraps to fix it. Luckily, I'm a pack-rat, and I've got a ton of shit probably just like the rest of you. Its not going to be a rat-rod. I hate that name. FUCKING HATE IT. What it will be is a truck. I plan on using it as a work truck. It won't be perfect, but it won't be junk either. Plus, I love the fact that everybody hates Dodges. Mainly Old Paint And Rust. Love it.

I've posted a picture of what the truck was suppose to look like. My version will look nothing like this one, but it will still be cool.

 

I dont know who you hang out with, but I know alot of people that drive nothing but dodges... I happen to be one of them! Cant wait to see this done, are you going to use the big fenders or will this be a fenderless build?

 

Sally Fields, Sally Kellerman, Sally Hawkins, Meg Ryan (When Harry met Sally - Duh), Mustang Sally

 

I personally love that style on those dodges.
I gotta say its gotta be one of the most under rated truck.
I would take a 41 -47 dodge over any 41-47 ford any time.
will be watching your build.

 

I stand corrected. Awesome.

 

It'll have fenders, but I'm going to make them myself. If I find some off of something else and I like them, then I'll make them fit the Dodge grill (haven't decided which one to use yet) and I'll make my own running boards. I've got a teardrop idea in mind for front and back fenders. I like the flow of the 35 Ford car fenders, but they would have to be extended in order to work well on a long bed platform. I even like the taillights.

I know a few Dodge guys, but honestly there aren't that many in my town. I fucking love Dodges. DeSotos especially. I'm honestly excited though. I'm going to make this one of the best looking old Dodges around. I plan on getting a Cummins for it.

 

Mopar or Cummins power are the only REAL options!

 

I agree buddy.

 

I just found out that the Deuce and a Half that Dodge built during WW2 was the same cab and chassis as the civilian 1940 Dodge large body truck. I've included photos so that you can judge for yourself. I think that's cool.

 

I think it will be a sharp ride when you finish it. Is it going on a Dodge chassis and running gear?

 

Its definitely going to have a Dodge running gear. I've already got a 3/4 chassis under another project that I thought about scrapping originally, but now I think that I'll keep it and put it under the Dodge. It might end up being a hybrid chassis since its a Chevy frame. I might end up using Dodge diffs under it. I don't know yet.

 

I bought a speedometer from an antique store about a year and a half ago. I thought that it was cool, it worked, and it was cheap ($15!). I held it in storage ever since I got it, and I planned on selling it. I actually had just forgotten about it or else I would have posted it. But then I bought this truck cab.... It turns out the dash had the same sized hole, so I got to thinking that maybe the speedo might work. I took the speedo to the truck, and guess what? Perfect fucking fit. The brackets on the speedometer even match the mounting hardware in the dash. I still can't believe it. What are the odds? I had no clue what the speedometer even went to. I say the odds were a billion to one.

 

I got the cab over to my storage from the friend of mine who was holding onto it for me, and we got it rested on a short-wide Chevy frame that I have in storage. Cool thing about it is that the one-ton frame I'm using is the same width as this one.

I finally chose what I'm going after with this build. I'm going for the deuce and a half I have pictured up above. I'm either going to have to find another roof, because the farmer that cut mine did a real shitty job, or try to fix the shit job. I'll figure it out as the days creep on.

 

Gonna be a cool truck when you're done.

Go hunt down a hemi and drop it in.

 

Dodge's rule, rock that dude.

 

Wow another dodge truck! Cool man post up the build pics...good choice...btw...have you seen this other crazy 40 dodge hot rod truck with a blown hemi here?
MOPAR or NOCAR

 

You Mopar people are something else................

 

Lmao!

 

I like Hemi's, but I was thinking about finding a Cummins for it. Its still Dodge, and it would give it that "My Mopar has more balls that your Honda" sound. I like that sound!