I picked up a 1946 Dodge dump truck recently. Pretty clean truck with surface rust but nothing major. Missing a few odds and end parts but I have a coupl parts trucks. I debated on keeping the original drive train since it does still run and drive, but I want something I can hit the highway with. I do want to keep it a work truck that I can pull a loaded trailer behind tho. I'm not into all the subframe/s-10/dakota/SBC/etc stuff. I want to keep it vintage Mopar. I know that's like asking for someone to hit me with a baseball bat, but it's non-negotiable. So long story short I also have a 1968 Dodge d200. 318, 4 speed NP435, 3/4 ton. Body is rusted gone but the drivetrain is perfect for me. However, it is hydraulic clutch and honestly that is daunting to me. I looked around for a 73-79 style 3/4 ton with a mechanical clutch but can't find any nearby for a good price. My question is, how hard is it going to be to attach all the hydraulic clutch stuff to my 46 cab? I've always had mechanical clutches, so I'm in new waters here. Thanks! Also, I attached a few pics of the 46, plus a couple of the 68.
It won't be that big a del to make it work hydraulic, you just have to figure out how you are going to run the peddles, swing peddles from the donor adapted to the old cab and your golden. or you can by all the mechanical clutch stuff new and it should not be that expensive.
If you ditch the flathead drivetrain for the 318 stuff your going to loose the original clutch and brake pedals along with the master cyl, all that stuff gets mounted to the bellhousing. Easy solution would be to cut the section of firewall out of the donor truck for the brake and clutch master cyls with the pedal mounts and weld that into the firewall on the 46, that will get you your pedals and master cyls back and keep that stuff in proper geometry.
That's kind of what I was thinking. I didn't plan on keeping the original pedals. I may use the instrument cluster from the 68 as well if it isn't too hard to fabricate it in since the original 46 gauges don't work. Looks pretty cool. Because of space limitations I may have to remake the firewall anyway which isn't an issue. I don't want to modify the outside of the cab in any way tho if at all possible. I'll be adding a new set of turn signals and that's it.
Are you going to use the 46 axles, tires & brakes, or are you going to swap in the axles and related parts from the 68 also? Gene
Very cool truck. You might want to check out the following forum, it's dedicated to old dodge trucks. http://p15-d24.com/forum/6-mopar-flathead-truck-forum/ -Chris
You can get a kit from vintagepowerwagons.com to put the 318 in your truck keeping the stock frame and using your hydraulic bellhousing. Having owned both a 46 and 66 Dodge truck I can tell you a frame swap is not the easy option.
I'm wanting to make it 3/4 ton is the only issue. I could probably rig up axles to the original frame but that seems like as much work as moving the cab over, plus I would want them to be Dodge axles. I don't expect it to be very easy, but it will be unique for certain. I've got plenty of Chevy stuff laying around that I could do an easy project, but I'm keeping this one pure Mopar.
Should not be that hard to mount the clutch master cyl. Just figure out what the mounting needs to be, along with the donor truck swing pedals. Modify to fit and then you are set. It seems the brake and clutch master cyls are both just flat mount, so hopefully you have a flat area on the 46 firewall that lines up with where they need to be. You can cut and modify the pedal set to work with your cab configuration.
It will be interesting to see your progress. I have a 47 Dodge cab, hood & grill****embly and box sides sitting here along with a 70 Dodge 1/2 ton short box rolling frame. I'm trying to decide if I want to use the 70 frame, or just pick up a Dakota to hijack everything off of. Gene
Well bad news and good news and ugly news. Bad news is that the deal on the 68 fell through. Guy won't sell it to me. I looked everywhere around here and can't find another 3/4 ton dodge of that vintage. Good news is that I do have a 67 Ford 3/4 ton, 360 automatic I was saving for another project. That would eliminate the clutch entirely which is fine by me. I really wanted to go Mopar but I may have to compromise. I've always enjoyed FE engines, I have a 67 thunderbird with a 390, so I can live with a 60s Ford. Also, I may have a lead on a 92 dodge 1 ton with a****mins. That would be awesome, but there is no guarantee of that happening yet. I also have 2 more 46s (not as nice but buildable) now so I can always do a strictly Mopar build later. The ugly news is that on the 46, the column is 10" from center of the cab to center of the column. The 67 is 19". Is there a way to mount a column at 10" and somehow still connect it to the gearbox at 19"? There's not enough room in the cab to move the column over. Other than that, everything else measures fine. I'm sure the****mins has around the same measurements as the ford, so I'll have to figure this issue out no matter what. Any ideas? Edit: I should note that I'm willing to use any column, doesn't have to be anything specific. Whatever works.
Your profile page does not say where you are located so 'we' cannot help you with possibly locating another Dodge donor truck.... As to the engine, I would not consider using a 318 for a build of this sort, a 360 would be my minimum and a B-RB would be first choice. You'll appreciate the grunt. As to the FE, it is a good engine but not exactly compact and the C-6 is quite bulky. Get out your sawz-all..... The GenI****mins would be a good engine. Fairly simple to swap with everything being mechanical but they really are not torque monsters in stock form. In hot-rod trim they can make 1000 lb-ft of grunt but that takes some money. .
After some more research I believe a 1st gen****mins chassis will be a much easier job than the Ford. The ford gear box is simply too close to the cab. That's ok, I really wanted this engine and******* for a 54 Ford F-250 that I'd like to do once I get some debt paid off as it will be a complete resto. The FE is almost a direct bolt in with very little modification as is the rear end. Now I just have to find a dodge****mins chassis for a decent price.
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