Hey folks, I was wondering if anyone could help me ID this truck. Im figuring its a 52, but does anyone know for sure? Im not particular to Dodge, but I found this truck (seems to be a 1 ton, with a 7 or 9 ft bed!) just down the road from parents farm. I had to sell my 64 Merc pickup so Ive been half-heartedly shopping for a work truck, but will be getting serious next year. My dad checked it out and took the photos and he said that it appears to have only surface rust and a bit on the fender. Apart from that the floors are solid. This beast probably never saw a salty road in the last 50+ years. Sorry no engine pics. Ill keep looking up the specs, but if anyone knows off-hand what engines, suspension, straight axle up front ? Or, anything else of interest about these trucks it would be very much appreciated The hard part is finding the owner who now lives on the west coast. The farm and house is all shut down and no one seems to have a forwarding address. I do have a name, so Ill looking. Time moves a little slower up in my parents neck of the woods (the Interlake, Manitoba) seems that one year to everyone else is about seven up there. So suffice to say the truck is going nowhere fast! Any thoughts on possibilities if I were to manage to get a hold of this truck? Considering it probably is a 1-ton, is a frame swap in order or would a newer rear end do the trick? Cosmetically maybe a shorter/different bed, little chop on the cab, rework the grille. Lastly, any thoughts on a fair offering price? I was thinking $700-900 CDN + tractor to winch the sucker out of the mud ha! Thanks a bunch (dont post much but read daily)
... and a few more because it's such a handsome beast ... and what the heck is that thing on the back end?
That truck is either a 52 or a 53, and probably a 3/4 ton pickup. There are web sites for this era dodge truck, do a google search. There is little difference between a 52 and a 53 because we were involved with the Korien conflict at that time. It will have a flat head 6 in it unless someone changed it. It will have a beam axle in the front and dual leaf springs, front and rear. The box should be longer then a 1/2 ton truck, so that could limit your options unless you want to shorten your frame. The thing on the back looks like it might be some kind of a tow bar/lift thing, probably home made. As far as rust, it looks pretty clean. That spot on the fender is at a fender brace, and I don't think I've seen to mant trucks from this vintage (48-53) without that spot rusted out. You will also probably find the bottom of the doors is rusted through, least most are, the door botom is flat,ant water that gets past the outer window seal (which probably lasted until 1955 or 1956) sits in the bottom of the door until it rusts through. The frames under these things are well designed and were well built. Dodge used a front beam axle in the front of pickups until 71, so updating the front axle is one option. Updating the reae axle should be little problem other the posibably having to move the spring perches on what ever axle you choose to use. You can also clip the front frame, or you can mount this cab/front clip onto a different frame. Dakota frames fit decent. My 50 is mounted on an 80 Dodge full sized short box 4x4 frame. Lots of options, solid looking truck, good luck on finding the owner so you can buy it. Gene
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