I just got a 55 dodge truck from my gramps. He never "improved it" so its all original ...(45K mileage) when we did take it out it was just for ice cream around the corner. He was sick for a VERY long time and just p***ed so I have no one to ask & this thing has been sitting for ever. It runs but...lots of work before I want to go to far from home. I was to young to pay attention to the driving part I was just in love with the "style" Q1 can I take this on the interstate? Q2 what kind of gas milage will I get....I don't want to be to far from gas if I need it. & Q3. how important is it to keep the original tires..they are on it now but I don't really have room to keep them Thank you for your help!!!!!!!!!
I bet it will top out around 55 mph and they were not made for prolonged running at top rpm. As for mileage I would suggest no better than 10 miles per gallon do the math by tank size. To keep any original parts is your decision and may only matter if you want to sell it as an original truck.
Ditch the tires, go through the brakes and clean out the gas tank. Then tune it up, change the oil, carry a spare gas filter and go. Old cars I have had get between 15 and 20 MPG, and I would think you would be ok on the interstate, even if it is a flathead 6. Just stay within the engine's limits. Have fun.
well; it all depends, as they say. everybody's mileage varies depending on how they drive, but a Dodge flathead six should average 20mpg or so maybe better. freeway driving with truck gearing from 1955 might be a challenge, but if i were you i'd be more concerned with making sure the brakes worked perfectly. original tires? as in original from 1955? no damn way i'd trust them even to hold it off the ground. what is it that you intend to do with it? daily driver; weekend toy; restore? these are all different concepts in reality and you need to decide how you want to use it before you start changing things permanently. it's a truck, for one thing; it's going to ride harder than anything modern and be a handful to maneuver at low speeds (i.e. the mall, parking lots, etc) until you're used to it. it's more than likely geared low and won't have any top end speed past 60 or so without a lot of protest and shortened engine life. whatever you've BEEN driving is probably lightyears in difference in these aspects. don't jump into altering a running driving vehicle without a plan of some kind; the cl***ifieds here are full of projects like that.
You can take it on the interstate but don't expect to travel 70mph. More like 55-60 max. These trucks were made to work and haul loads, not for speed. Gas mileage probably won't be great, but so what? You'll have a ton of fun. First thing, If I were you I would go through the brakes and make sure everything is up to snuff and functioning properly. If it truly has the original tires on it then I would definitely replace those before driving around. Tires that old are not safe. I don't see any reason to keep them, unless you want to for some sentimental reason. I would not run them (especially on the interstate). Other than that I would make sure that there is not a bunch of crud in the fuel system, flush the cooling system, change the oil, give it a tune up and drive the **** out of it.
1st sorry to hear about your grampa..lost mine 2 yrs ago. 2nd what motor/******?gonna factor alot on how it runs down the Hyway. 3rd loose those old tires before they loose you, 4th drain out all gas-put 1 gallon in a drive it to see how far ya might have to walk,or carry a couple gallons extra, 5th drive the piss out of it & love it!
1. Slow lane but you would probably be more comfortable on the two lane roads. 2. Can't say for sure but Fill it, drive it X number of miles and fill it again. Like 100 miles so you can figure out the mileage. Put an inline fuel filter in the fuel line between the tank and the fuel pump and carry a couple of extras. Old tank, new gas and crud wants to break loose in the tank. That has happened on every rig I have ever had that has sat for a while. 3. Unless you are wanting to keep them because your grandad bought them I don't see the need for keeping them. Old bias tires are still old tires and if they aren't good enough to make the road trip they aren't good enough to keep but I'd keep the wheels if you didn't change tires on the wheels. If you haven't already check out the brakes and make sure that they are in good condition. You can get someone to tow you the rest of the way home if the engine quits but there may be hell to pay if the brakes quit working. Same with the steering, make sure it works, lube it and check for worn out parts. That tie rod end that was sloppy but didn't matter on the farm might be a killer if it comes loose on the road. Change the oil if you haven't and check the lube and maybe change it in the trans and rear end. Don't ***ume that your grandad kept them full. When you get on the road stay safe and allow yourself plenty of stopping room behind the car in front of you and always look for an out if they jamb on the brakes. New BMW's stop about four times as quick as old Dodge pickups. Have a tow strap in the rig that is following you even if it is the wife's little box with wheels. That may help get it off the freeway and into a parking lot if it does quit. Enjoy the trip and write a story about it so we can enjoy it too.
ZB, 1st off, my condolances on his p***ing...2ndly even though the mileage is low, you have to figure just how solid is everything from sitting. I just tried to buy and drive home a '40 plymouth and was told the brakes were all gone thru, but it turned out the brakes weren't adjusted right and 4 miles out she prettymuch locked up...these things can happen even though you'd ***ume they wouldn't. Add to that if your going to hit any interstate everyone else will be flying by at 65mph or better and the longer you drive the more you'll wish you had overdrive. -How far do you have to move it to get it home? Maybe if it's close enough rent a U-haul and trailer or find a friend with a truck and trailer. -How reliable is it now...take it for a long drive locally where it's at and see for yourself...you don't want things to go wrong half way home on a long drive in the middle of no-where at some odd time of night. I was crazy to try what I did and would hate to see you have the same problems. -Maybe look into transport - open trailer semi truck. I just got quotes for moving my car from lower indiana to upper illinois for around $400...it was a 5hr each way drive and 250ish miles...not bad but not great...I did get to drive the car alittle but I'm kind of glad she had the problems early and not half way home.
Thank so much guys!!!!!!!! I had not thought of some of those things. I will definitely keep you posted on "the dream" it is going to be interesting to say the least..I am a "typical" girl and just last month learned how to change my own oil....I know I am in over my head but every ones has been so nice and helpful so far I can't wait to start getting a little grease under my nails. Now if I could just star getting the lingo down......I might have a shot. ( I understand about 1/2 of a % of what you all are speaking about.....but hey thats what google is all about.....Thanks every one!!!!!!!!!!!
When I start driving a new oldie, I always go for a drive with a can of gas and run them out of gas, just to find out exactly where on the gauge they run out.
sounds like you've got a cool old truck,and welcome to the Hamb.If possible post pics,maybe we can spot problems for you to check out and help pointing you in the rite direction to getting it on the road safely.good luck
sorry to hear about your graps. as for the truck i would say it is similar to mine from what everyone else has said. i drive the slow lane if i get on the highway. usauly i take larger back roads. 60 is the very max. but i dont push it there. my pk is more comfortable 45-50. on a side note we where at a goodguys show in KC and driving around the track. they came up and told us we where going to slow... i am wondering if by tires you mean wheels? the rims? as for fuel. does your fuel guage work? mine does not so i made a point to go to the gas station every few days after work just to be safe. checking the breaks are a must. if you are looking at driving it regularly and want to keep up with traffic. you might look at changing the rearend or at least the differential. changing you gears can make a huge difference. someone else said the ride may be rough. my pk is actaully rated a 1 ton. it is...bouncy, well say. when you look at it i have something like 10 leaf springs. its atleast 4 inches thick. when i pull the engine for the rebuild this winter (i know winter has started, it actually is going to get into the garage today) i am going to remove some of the leafs to make the ride somewhat smoother. but the two most important things to do with your 55 is to be safe and have fun.
Is it a V8 or 6 cylinder? The V8 should be able to go on the interstate if you have to, the 6 best avoid it. The tires, if they are over 5 years old, should be replaced. Tires lose their strength and resiliency over time. If they are 5 years old they have lost half their strength. Or if the sidewalls are cracking they are too old. Good advice to clean the gas tank, change oil and filter, grease the steering etc in other words thoroughly service everything. Make a list of what it needs. Fix the mechanical stuff first (brakes, steering, engine etc) then worry about bodywork and paint, do the upholstery or interior last. It is best to keep it all stock, 6 volt electrics and all. You can have a lot of fun with a truck like that as long as you know its limitations and do not expect too much. Of course if you need to haul something its going to be handy to have around, for cruising around town, on the back roads etc. and going to shows. Gas mileage, probably 15 MPG around town, 18 on the highway. If you tune it up good. First thing you need is a repair manual. It will save you hours of work and frustration, save you from messing up your truck, and answer most of your questions. The factory printed one for every dealer so there are still lots out there, they show up on Ebay and at auto flea markets. Around $50 bucks a good investment. Good luck with your truck. Clean it up and put it in good repair first, with that low mileage it should need nothing but normal maintenance to last another 100,000 miles.
I went on the wheat harvest in 1955 from Texas to Montana. We had two '54 Dodge 1 ton PU's with flat beds and the small duels. Each had a heavy tools box, gas tank and parts storage. The PU's had V8 Poly engines and 4 speed in the floor. The speedometer would wrap around, past the 100 mark to almost zero which we regularly did. We were young and dumb but I remember those PU's running strong, handling well and stopping nicely for those days.
First, I think HUGE congratulations are in order for being a young lady that has the guts to come on a specialty forum like this and straight up ask for advice; excellent decision. Second, my/our sincere sympathies on the p***ing of your grandfather. He'd be touched you cared so much about him you want to keep the truck as a reminder and likely terribly proud you want to take on the work yourself. Third and finally, my advice is to keep this truck forever. If you get it going good there will be those offering you (eventually) a lot of money for it. Try to resist. Just keep plugging at it bit by bit and you'll be VERY glad as you grow older that you stil have it. Last: You don't need to Google things we say. Just post, "What does X mean?" If anyone give you **** for asking a simple question, he's a self impressed idiot. NONE of us was born knowing all the things we talk about here. Please post some photos of the old truck. We LOVE all things old!!
wow you all are soooooooo nice thank you for taking the time to write! sorry about the typos. I had not planned to use the tires but the guy at the tire store kept saying how important it was to keep them so I wanted to make sure. As far as pics go all I have are some hard copies/Polaroids but will try to take some the next time I am over my dads but it looks almost just like the one posted above even the same shade of color with a little extra rust around some edges just for fun. I know everyone thinks I am crazy but I have built houses from the ground up with my 2 little hands for close to 20yrs now so how hard can this really be?????? ok everyone stop laughing!!!!!!! besides my dad was a mechanic back in the day so its gotta be in my blood somewhere?? stop laughing!!!!!! Right now I just need to get it home. This all just happen a short while ago so babysteps......but thank you again and maybe one day I will make to one of the shows and you all can see first hand what you helped me with.
No, laughing here. I think you're right. If you can build a house you can keep and old truck up and running. Granted, it's a different kind of work but it just shows that you have the capacity to work with your hands and learn and figure things out. That's all it takes, in my opinion. I think it's it's especially delightful to find a woman who is this interested in an old truck and has the gumption to come to this site. Good for you! I'm sure your grandpa would be proud. Ask all the questions you need to. Most of us would be happy to help. If you ever get discouraged...well, we all do sometimes. Just keep at it. Good luck!
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