Just picked up this '55 dodge "job rated" pickup this past weekend. One owner truck.Its all original, except the old guy put a buick 350/th350 under the hood. The buick is a decent runner, so it will stay for now, but it will be going back to mopar power in the near future. Basically my plans are to make it look and run like it just came off the drag strip in the early 60's(there lies the problem with the buick). Anyway, I know nothing about these trucks, and have never owned a dodge. So any info one might have about these trucks I'll gladly take! One thing Ive been wondering about, is the rear end. What did these things come with? and how well would they hold up to some pretty decent flogging?
Congrats on the '55. The drivers side is left hand thread bolts, passenger right hand thread bolts, just like bicycle pedals. Dave
Cross rammed 440 - dressed like a Max Wedge - would make it look like an early 60's racer - jack up the front a little, skinny slicks on the back, I can see it . . . Sweet truck to start with, I would be tempted to just pull the Buick and slide in a 360/727 and run it though, put disc brakes on the front though.
Thats exactly what i want to do. Havent completely decided on engine yet. Figure Id get the suspension, rear axle, brakes, and rolling stock all figured out first, then swap motors.
What you have is an early 55, the late 55 had a wrap a round windshield and the front door posts were straight up and down. Take care of that windshield, they only fit 54 and early 55, they are hard to find and very expensive! Your truck could have come with either a V8 or a flathead 6. A V8 would have had a V8 emblem on the front center part of the hood, while a flathead 6 would have had a round emblem in that location. The truck came with leaf springs on all 4 corners and a beam axle up front. The (1/2 ton, 5 bolt wheels) rear axle would have been the corporate axle similar to an 8 3/4, but a little smaller. The original rear axle can be easily identified by the single nut that holds the brake drum to the axle shaft. Nothing interchanges between it and an 8 3/4. An upgrade to a more modern rear axle will make doing brake work a lot easier. You have to separate the axle from the drum every time you want to do anything with the rear brakes and the original brakes were a pita to set up properly. www.rustyhope.com has a disc brake conversion for the front beam axle, I would recommend it if you intend on driving the truck a lot, the original brakes were a pita to set up properly, and if incorrectly set up they were flat scary. I had a 54 that had a cross torsion bar front suspension (from an early 80s 5th Ave), a 360 auto, 8 3/4 with 3:23 gears. That truck was a great driver and probably the only vehicle I ever sold I'd take back. Gene
Thanks for the info! Yes, its a V8 truck, but like I mentioned it got swapped for buick(ick!). Im going to start looking for a 8 3/4. Which dodges have the closest width? Guessing like a coronet or something along that size. I havent driven the thing yet, but I'll take your word that the brakes are scary. I just sold a 160hp '64 bug that still had stock brakes. I know all about scary brakes hahaha. Yours was a good looker! I'd take it back too!
D series pickups until 72 will have the 8 3/4" you are looking for, usually with 3.21 gears and 10" or 11" brake drums. The later 8 1/4 - 8 3/8" and 9 1/4 rears are tough too and as well usually had 3.21 gears (maybe 3.23 in those I can't remember) with the standard easy to find brakes on them. I have included my often pirated but never bettered rear end spotters guide!
On my 52, swapping in a 96 Jeep Cherokee (not grand) rear end was an easy job. Just cut off the original shock brackets and spring perches and welded new perches in the right spot. I now have 3.55 rear gears and modern drum brakes. It's a lot easier to find those Jeep rear ends in any bone yard than trying to hunt down a vintage one.
Thats a good idea. I also just remember I have a ford explorer rear end in my back yard. Thats the same bolt pattern and width as a jeep and has disk brakes. But do I really wanna put an ugly 8.8 in there?... hmm... I think I'll try to find a 8 3/4.
I just swapped a Chrysler 8.25 rear into my '55,fairly easy swap. We had to rmove the old spring perches and weld new ones atop the axle tube (used Jeep CJ perches) and I was able to use the stock shock mounts and even the drive shaft (with a conversion u-joint)
Thanks for all the info guys! Im now searching for a new rear end. Does anyone know if any of the d series front drum brakes can be adapted to my front beam, or if I can just swap the whole d100 front beam into the '55? I thought about the disk conversion, but would like to keep it drum, to keep it looking period correct.
Cool looking truck, if you decide to do a suspension swap..Fatman makes an awesome kit for that truck, hard to find anything for the coke bottle frame style on that truck, I put the kit in mine and I'm really happy with it....and its alot easier, and better than clipping it
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