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1953 dodge truck

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:56 pm
by Landreo
Seemed like a good idea until I got it home and really looked at it. It is a B-4 pickup, I am looking for good websites for parts advice and how do I get the fenders and cab off so I can start on the engine.

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:47 pm
by John *.?-!.* cub owner
go to http://www.redpowermagazine.com and sign up, they have an IH truck section.

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 10:10 pm
by Rudi
Landreo:

Try Dodge Talk.com. The have a 1948-1956 B & C Series Dodge Trucks forum. I personally love the old Dodge and Fargo trucks and the Power Wagons of course. They really were some kind of truck.

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:29 pm
by Landreo
Rudi wrote:Landreo:

Try Dodge Talk.com. The have a 1948-1956 B & C Series Dodge Trucks forum. I personally love the old Dodge and Fargo trucks and the Power Wagons of course. They really were some kind of truck.


Thanks, I found a Pilothouse web site with many manuals but does not appear to be active anymore. I had not seen the dodgetalk forum.

Not to bore folks but I have wanted an old truck to restore for a long time. When I was a teenager I bought a $25 IHC model B-3 dump truck. IHC reused their model numbers but this was a 1933 truck, louvered hood, large separate headlights. Borrowed a R model Mack road tractor, used the airlines to air the tires, just like in many stories cut down the tree growing through the rotted wood cab, and towed it home. I did get it running and drove in my yard. Even did my teenager restoration. But my Uncle Sam sent me a letter requesting that I join him for several years and I sold the truck when I went to the Army. The truck had the work "Clutch" cast into the clutch pedal and the work "Brake" in the brake pedal so you would not get confused. I still have a sales sheet for the model B-4 which was a 1 1/2 ton version of the B-3. Somewhere I still have a polaroid photo of my old truck. Sorry now that I sold it.

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:00 pm
by Rudi
You are welcome. Next to IHC, Dodge has to be my favourite truck. Then there would be REO, Chevy/GMC and probably rounded out by Studebaker. Mack has to be in there somewhere but probably cause I like concrete trucks and Mack seems to have the wrap on that market :lol: I guess that kinda dates me as well :P Can you post a scan of that brochure? I would love to see that :!:

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:08 pm
by HitNmiss1923
Had alot of good times "four wheelin" with those International truck guys back in the day. I was always particular to the Willys pick up myself. That ole flat head super hurricane really had some moxie.. On the mention of concrete trucks.. I spent more than a few years pullin chutes behind Macks but my favorite was the crane carrier brand. 10 wheel drive and a front bumper about 5 foot off the ground.. We'd bury up to those headlights on occassion and the "old timer" would come out to tug em.. 1936 International tank retriever, 6 cylinders -flat bed with a huge gear driven winch in the back..Boy what great job that was for young man..

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:15 am
by Landreo
A few months ago I had a 1950 Willys pickup truck in my driveway. The man I bought it from did not want to give me a bill of sale but I insisted, while he was writing the BOS I checked the title and it was not in his name and the number did not match the truck! I still had the money in my pocket so he left and said he would try to find out what was wrong. A day later he call and told me he had to bring the truck to the DMV for them to look at so he picked up the truck and I never saw him again. He must have not been able to get a clean title. Too bad since I wanted that truck, looks like it would have been fun.
I have located another 1953 Dodge pickup nearby so I am trying to get to it before someone else. I may need a spare!

My experience with big road tractors was the R model Macks and old IHC Emeryville cab overs. I just missed getting a 1943 White Super Power single axle road tractor, but still am looking for something similar. Not sure about the need for a CDL, if I was sure I did not need a CDL for the single axle road tractors then I would be looking harder for an old White or Mack B model.

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 7:41 pm
by Dusty B
BTDT ! This is my '55 - several years and ;many$$$ and not finished yet! LOL ! Did most of the work myself though including the motor overhaul. Have fun! Dusty B

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:00 pm
by Former Member

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:27 am
by Landreo


Too bad I did not know about that one a few months ago!

I bought a second, this one a 1952, owner started a restoration 8 years ago and basically got as far as taking it apart. I got the truck a few weeks ago in pieces. Good in some ways since it was too big otherwise for my truck and trailer. Should be done with the frame, new brakes, lines, kingpins, bushings, motor mounts, spring bushing, painted, in a week or so. Then on to the engine. The PO had mounted the cab and engine on wood rails with caster wheels so they are easy to move around.

The latest truck came with alot of spare parts, two transmissions, extra guages and speedometer, owners manual, repair manual, parts manual, and so on. With those parts and the spare truck I should be able to get one good truck out of that mess.

I went to the state DMV to register the truck but not title it at this time. They sent me to several long lines and lots of waiting. They then told me they would have to see the truck since it had an out of state title. Of course there is really no truck just a bunch of parts. Nothing I could do would convince them to bend the rules. I then told them that I had brought cars from out of state, titled them, and never actually had to show anyone the vehicle. They told me if I titled the vehicle then they did not have to see the truck. They only needed to see the truck if it was registered but not titled. So I called my insurance company and now I am paying insurance on a bunch of parts waiting to be a truck. Still need to go back with proof of insurance, wait in long lines, so I can get a title in my name. What fun.

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 11:39 am
by Former Member
Landreo wrote:I went to the state DMV to register the truck but not title it at this time. They sent me to several long lines and lots of waiting. They then told me they would have to see the truck since it had an out of state title. Of course there is really no truck just a bunch of parts. Nothing I could do would convince them to bend the rules. I then told them that I had brought cars from out of state, titled them, and never actually had to show anyone the vehicle. They told me if I titled the vehicle then they did not have to see the truck. They only needed to see the truck if it was registered but not titled. So I called my insurance company and now I am paying insurance on a bunch of parts waiting to be a truck. Still need to go back with proof of insurance, wait in long lines, so I can get a title in my name. What fun.


You need to move to TN. No taxes, no hassle, no inspections, no problems.

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 6:30 pm
by thiggy
Rudy, your comment about Fargo trucks brought to my memory when our family lived in Mexico City in 1967-68. I remember that the Dodge trucks there were tagged "Fargo" rather than Dodge. Was that the name used for Canadian made Dodges too?

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 9:58 pm
by Rudi
Stanley:

Yes and no. Fargo was a line produced by Chrysler originally in the US and when production in the US was halted they were marketed in Canada until 1972, as well Dodge trucks. The Fargo line was essentially replaced by it's twin Dodge models. When I was teaching/examining for DND 404's back in the late 70's and early 80's our primary vehicles for the antenna farms were the Dodge Power Wagons. I liked them but they just didn't have the cooolness factor that the older Fargo PW's had. Now that was a truck :!: I like to think that the current Dodge Ram really has a Fargo as it's granddaddy :lol:

There is a bunch of info on Fargo Trucks - an even better short history - Fargo Trucks and more here - Dodge and Fargo Power Wagons

Re: 1953 dodge truck

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:31 am
by thiggy
Thanks for the information, Rudi. Those URLs were quite interesting.