Projects Found a '53 Dodge Panel w/ 30K miles

looks great as is, a very nice truck!!!

 

Great find, and I like your idea on what to do with it...
Too bad that Ol' Gal can't talk!!
Good for you,
Cheers.........

 

Perfect name.........

 

Awesome find! Love the old pilothouses.

Based on the grille, its a '51-'53. The trucks were mostly the same from '48-'53, but there were a few body style changes in '51. Biggest change was the grille, plus the body line on the doors. Rear fenders changed in '53, but that's of little consequence to you.

The stainless trim rings on the headlights and the parking lights make me think its probably a '51. That was a one year only deal, in '52 the trim rings were all painted because of the metal requirements for the Korean War.

If you don't have the Don Bunn book on the B-series Dodge trucks, you should get it. Its back in print at the moment, and well worth the money.



Link to the book on Amazon here. You'll notice some of the used retailers haven't realized the book is back in print as of late last year, they were getting a pretty penny for them when it was out of print.

 

i think panel trucks are cool. nice ride

 

awesome find - really cool truck!

 

X2

drop it in the weeds

 

Humm?

 

Awesome truck. Just clean it up, make it safe and reliable and maybe some newer wheels with a tiny bit of chrome. Friend of mine had one when I lived in California. We hauled our dirt bikes around in it. It was two wheel drive but with the real low gearing it had, it would never get stuck. In fact we pulled a brand new (at the time) 4X4 76 Ford out of some mud with it.

 

from looking at your album of your own F-100 truck....its not in the weeds and it dont look like any hot rod to me!

 

Cool truck like it!

 

Love old trucks, and this one is amazing. I showed the pics to Henrietta the '38 Ford pickup--she was impressed, flashed her headlights and gave it 10 horn honks.

 

Herman be WAAYYYY cool, man...that thing is sweet! Looks like it might even buff out nice. Love them panel trucks

Someday, I'll stumble onto one, I can feel it, it's just waiting for me...

EW

 

Got Hermans brakes fixed but he needs a water pump AND a generator. Having the original water pump rebuilt for $80! Generator estimate to repair was a minimum of $150 so I am going with a rebuilt Delco 6v alternator. All these hassles with finding original parts and then paying thru the nose for them just made me remember why I like hot rods with later model engines, drive train, and brakes! It ends up cheaper, better, and safer. But ol' Herman is staying original for now....

 

Eh thats not that costly, the water pump for my OT car is $100 rebuilt and 350 new. It needs a new one every 60k. You got off easy, and that pump will last for a while.

Nice truck!, makes me want to do the 50 dodge 1/2 ton sitting in the yard at my dad's house.

 

Well Herman moved to Columbus,Ohio yesteday but stayed in the family. My oldest son Scott (graphics artist and cool-junk dealer) decided he had to have him. So I sold Herman to Scott for what I had invested and hauled him halfway to Columbus on my trailer. Since Scott doesnt have a trailer AND is younger and braver, so he jumped in Herman and drove him the other 150 miles to his house. Other than flooding the engine on a re-start at the gas station, Herman was great. Scott reported he drove him home at 55 MPH with no issues. So look for Herman running around on the streets of Columbus. And me? I am looking for 30-31 Model A coupe to build....

 

I wish I was Scott right now.

 

Herman rules. Ive used him on a daily basis for a couple weeks now. I can't get over how good it runs, how much stuff it hauls and how warm the heater is. People absolutely love it. It isn't often you see an old car daily driven within the city. Thanks Dad, for letting me have first dibs on the truck, AND with no profit for your hard work. Here is a pic from the way home. It was a fun trip.

 

Herman is awesome, some of the Munster cartoons showed Herman green.

Drive that sucker and enjoy it, just watch the salt in the winter.

 

28th Annual Frankenmuth Auto Fest
September 9-11, 2011
Frankenmuth, Michigan

 

score, dude!

 

Way too much to rebuild the generator, ask around you should be able to get one done for half that.

 

very cool!

 

Nice truck, napa sells brand new waterpumps for your application......plus you don't have to grease them like the original