Hey HAMB, I stopped here and browsed before, watched some of your builds and read about the hot rod/classic car-truck world. I've been wanting to jump back in to this world of wrenching on a project for quite some time (since my oldest was born-17 years ago!) and now seems to be the time! I purchased a '55 Dodge C-3 pickup a couple weeks ago, trailered her home and have begun cleaning, inventory and formulating a plan of attack. The good: she is solid, no rot and have maybe 90-95% of everything, plus some new chromed trim and original emblems. The bad: the previous owner disassembled everything and put parts in coffee cans, boxes and bags then tossed in the bed. Just received a C-series Mopar parts book (never owned a classic Mopar before...) and now begins the fun of hunting down the 5-10% of what was missing (like a bunch bolts and fasteners-argghhh, aggravating to be missing these), getting the 318 running and then tackling the body for paint and interior stuff. I will post updates as I dive back on in and get her back on the road! And I'm sure I will have lots of questions for the more experienced members. Havs
Hi & welcome. Looks like a great beginning. What part of the country are you located? Post more photo's as work progresses. Good luck, Jimmie
I’m in SE Wisconsin outside of Milwaukee. Wiring harness just arrived-now i need to find a source for misc size fasteners for body and other components (hood lever, door latches and window roller assembly, dash, wipers, etc). Anyone got suggestions? I see Auto Body Toolmart has assortment kits.
Hi. A couple of sources I have used for my 50 Plymouth is www.robertsmotorparts.com or www.kanter.com Both have online stores and put out paper catalogs. Good luck, Jimmie
Welcome and a nice project! I would suggest you finish filling out your profile, it is better for finding close help when needed. Gary
So, I've been working on the '55, slowly but surely. I made the decision early on that I would try and keep her as close to original as I could, just because of the rarity of these Dodge era Job Rated trucks. I did a lot of online searching for info on this truck over last winter. With the SN# plate, I was able to contact Chrysler Historical Society in Detroit. As my truck was a very early production '55 (in the first 100 off the line in Detroit that year), they were able to locate the factory data/build card. With this, I was able to get some help from Dodge aficionados who were able to tell me it was a two-tone truck, a long bed, and she was a Job Rated Deluxe w/factory electric wipers, original door switched dome light and heat/defroster. Very cool what they can decipher from an original build card! Now trying to keep her original has been a challenge! In between stripping down the 8-9 layers of paint and primer, I also pulled the 318 poly (I still have it, this will go in next TBD project down the road), swapped in an original era VT334 code 241cid V8 and 3 speed column shift trans. Rewired her using a Rebel Wire basic kit (keeping her 6V pos ground), rebuilt the carb, had starter rebuilt. The generator somehow still charges (knocking on wood...). The exhaust was rusty, and what a nightmare to locate parts! This truck ran a single exhaust with an under the oil pan pipe to a y-pipe and heat exchanger on the pass side. I opted to eliminate the exchanger and got the front exhaust parts from Waldron Exhausts in Michigan (great to deal with). I've been now parts hunting for the better part of 9 months, brake hoses/wheel cylinders were bad, gas tank was horrible, (pinholes and rust around the middle strap. I repaired and resealed it myself. Voltage regulator was bad too...finally found an original gauge cluster, speedo and parking brake handle. Hard to find things like an accelerator linkage firewall bracket was finally located in FLA. Next, the clutch froze up BAD from sitting, this was my latest project-yanked the tranny, fight to get clutch plate loose, clean 'em up, reinstall (Note to self, get alignment tool for next time...it will need a rebuild at some point). Clutch linkage needs some adjust yet, hope to do some shake down test runs before the snow flies. Then, yesterday she wouldn't start. Troubleshooting today came down to somewhere between coil and distributor. Turns out a bad ground wire from coil to distributor was the culprit. Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, points and condenser all replaced (in addition to the pesky ground set up they had). Now she fires up and idles great. I'm still looking for some original parts for her, like a seat frame and riser, horn, rear view mirror, bumpers, and 4-original 5x4.5 rims w/hub cap clips still intact (I have 5-original hub caps, plus the spare tire/rim as well as spare mount). I'd also like to find a chrome steering wheel horn ring (good luck!). If anyone has a line on some of this stuff, let me know! The goal was to get her in epoxy primer this fall, but many things got in the way so this will wait until spring '21. In spring I hope to get to the rest of the bodywork, prime and paint her. The minor details and rest of parts I need will be worked on as I go, but I want to get her to local car shows (when we have shows again) next year. I will update this and post new pics now and again, as I continue on this epic rebuilding journey. I also learned something very important about this great hobby I joined-plan on at least twice as long to finish the project as you anticipated at the start and spending twice as much in expenses (maybe a bit more...).
Hi. Here is another parts source you can try. NEW, NOS Parts for 1930-1970 Chrysler, Dodge, DeSoto and Plymouth and Len Dawson's Deception Pass Motor Parts - NOS Mopar If I can find it I have another for a huge mopar salvage yard. Will see if I can find that one also. Jim
Hi. Just found link for a plating company that has jillions of used bumpers. Jim https://www.tricityplating.com/bumper-cores-price-list/
Thanks for the info, I will give them a look. Shipping is the hangup on these large items like bumpers and seats.
Finally got the clutch linkage sorted out, she moved under her own power for the first time in a VERY long time (early 1980s last I can tell). Whoop! Happy moment! Started mocking the bed back up in place, I think the bed wood will be salvageable. Blew a 30A fuse when using the dash light dimmer on the headlight switch-might need to replace it...or not use the dash light dimmer...
Got her out on the test drive before the snow flies. Yep, it was a good day!https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10218808242252984
Had her out on a longer run today, 40-45mph. Starts, runs, stops and sounds decent. Few more days and she's going to the father-in-law's shop for winter body work...
Welcome ! from the Northwoods, kool project. Enjoy ! A fellow Cheesehead, Beer drinking, Bratwurst eating, Packer fan.
Got most of her back together today, hooked up a new speedo cable and she works! Just about time to park her at my father-in-law's shop for the winter and get on the body work. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10218899646258027
It's been awhile since I posted updates on the 55 C3 B8 project. I'm working on it here and there, when I'm not out fishing. The front end is in epoxy primer, cab is next up. The bed was disassembled (again, 3rd time?) and I'm working on stripping off 8 layers of paint/primer from over the years. Stripping things like the running boards was a real PITA, with the dimpled texture, non-slip surface. I need to reinforce some of the metal along edges that is thin form the years; the front running light/turn signal area, edges along the rear quarters, weld a couple spots on the running board undersides, weld in a couple bungs for bolt attachment points to the running board arms...I've got a list of about 3,572 things to do before this truck is 'done'. I am fortunate this 55 was a solid starting point, no rot or major body damage. I found a front and rear bumper, still working on the seat frame and seat riser (have a lead, 1.5hrs away). Still need to source a few OEM parts; a horn, rearview mirror bracket and mirror, misc. small hood latch parts (Dodge stuff is tough to find). I am going to keep the bed wood and metal strips that were with the truck when I bought it. The wood will be stripped and stained using black Anodyne, as was original. Glass was removed for primer/paint, I will work on polishing it to see how it looks (or might replace with new, TBD, glass is not cheap). You can see the many layers of paint, compared to color swatches of original Chilean Beige (top) and Terra Cota red/rust (lower); the truck was an original two-tone, and that's how I'm keeping her (along with original era VT334 V8, 3spd column shift, 6V and no upgrades, just a rebuild to keep her a 'farm truck' like she was in her first life). Body work will take a ton of time, you can see the dings and dimples, creases and waves showing through the epoxy. Like I said, she was a farm truck and was used as such. Slow and steady wins the race, and gives me a chance to save up for the basecoat/clearcoat...stay tuned for updates at some point. Havs
Work continues. All major panels have epoxy primer, scuffed, and body filler is being spread. The roof was a major PITA, someone had decided it was a good idea to cut a sunroof into her (probably back in the 80s), so the major metal repair, hammer/dolly, and filler work have been substantial. I have about 30hrs in on the scuff, filler/blocking so far, I figure it will be roughly 3x that before it's even close to call 'good'. I built a rolling dolly for the bed, it's an 8-footer and HEAVY, and I'm working in a two car garage so space is at a premium. Still need to blast all small parts, fab 'new' tailgate hinges (to eliminate metal on metal), then wait for another primer window-it's also been HOT, hoping for a cool down at some point soon. Also need to install a new master cylinder and figure out the parking brake at some point. More to follow...
The Jalopy Journal
