Long story short...I've recently committed to the purchase of a '56 Dodge truck sight onseen, because it has a 354ci Hemi with two deuces, it has the perfect hot rod look for my '38.
The issue I have, is that the truck is in New Brunswick, I have to pick it up, and it's a 5 ton truck.
I can't find any info on these, as far as weight or even what it looks like. According to the seller, the cab is the same as a pick-up, which I believe the seller.
I've worked out a few side deals, to get it here, before I found out it was a 5 ton.
The first deal, was...I'll pay for fuel and lodging, they supply transportation, they keep the truck, I take the engine. Buuut we initially assumed it was a pick up truck.
Now, I do have a few buddies willing to go down there with me, and pull the engine, and body, and then... scrap the rest, but I'd hate to do that.
I'm thinking this rig could make a sweet car hauler/ fifth wheel rig with a Cummins diesel, etc...
But how do I get it here, without braking the bank?
The owner said it was a K500 model, and I can't find any info on these.
Personally, I would go down there with the intention of bringing it back, but would be prepared to strip it and leave the frame there. A 5 ton truck is a ptretty big truck, even without a box or flatbed on it
I'd be doing a LOT of measuring before I rented a U-Haul car trailer. The U-Haul (open) car trailers look quite small to me for some reason, smaller than most open car trailers.
I'm also thinking a 5 ton probably has dual rear wheels. If that's the case I can't see it fitting on any open trailer I've seen.
-- Edited by Santos L Halper on Saturday 8th of March 2014 04:36:41 PM
I can't find any info on these, as far as weight or even what it looks like. According to the seller, the cab is the same as a pick-up, which I believe the seller.
Santos, no, he's an older gentleman. I can make arrangements for someone I know in New Brunswick to go take pics, that's not a big issue.
It's sometimes really hard to make a judgement call by looking at pics. Specifically when it comes to length, width and weight of....
That's what I had pictured, aside from the rear would likely have tandem axle on a 5 ton? I will call the owner and shoot a few more questions, yet. But whether it has a single or tandem axles, still doesn't tell me what it ways.
I don't want to push a trailer or a flatbed close to it's capacity rating, for a 15-20 hr haul.
I was thinking that it wouldn't fit on an open trailer if it has dual wheels/single axle, but I guess it might be possible to remove the outer rear wheels if you had to, to make it fit.
I have heard that U-Haul can refuse you a truck or trailer if they think the load is more than they like. Make sure to tell them it's a Honda Civic or something similar if you do go that route.
Ok? That's one big flathead six. I was under the assumption that most 6 cylinders where under 300 ci., even a V6. Best of my knowledge, Chrysler never made a flathead V8 413ci.
Some mis-leading info there, is what I'm guessing.
Larger trucks used another family of in-line flathead six cylinder engines. There was a 331 cubic inch and a mammoth 413 cubic inch lugger was available in the T series and up. There may have been another engine in the 370 CID range, but I am not sure about that. The 331 was highly regarded in trucking circles as a durable, hard working engine. The 413 was equipped with two single barrel carburetors and had a very large appetite for gasoline. It was noted for twisting the drive sprocket off the end of the camshaft.
Looks like '54-55-56 where the only years, mostly Canadian, 30" long. I think I have one here, I have to wait for the thaw, to go out and measure it, lol.
Having said this, this engine has to have a long stroke to get it to that CI.
I always figured a 413ci would've be a V8, go figure.
This is being advertised as a 1954 5 ton Dodge. This one definitely has a single rear axle and dual rear wheels. Sorry, no idea what it weighs.
I just acquired one of the above in dark blue. If you look at the VIN, it says 17,000 lbs. That's equal to 5 tons plus your vehicle weight, making the vehicle weight 7000 lbs, assuming that's right. Maybe 6000 if it's actually 5.5.
There seems to be some confusion about these trucks. I bought mine as . . . probably a 1.5 ton. Well . . . maybe a 2-ton. Well . . . maybe even a 3-ton. But it for sure has a flathead 6.
Turns out it was a 5-ton with an in-line 6: bigger than a flathead.
I'm having a flying pig of a time finding the original-colour paint. Only thing close I can find was used on Woodward's delivery trucks.
If the picture above is actually your truck, the body and some area's of paint (assuming what I am looking at IS original paint) look good enough that I would expect you could wet sand and buff a small area then have a paint shop "shoot" the paint with one of those computer camera things that tells them what paint components are needed to custom mix your specific colour. This is assuming that you are trying to be as correct as possible during your restoration.
To be honest, with so few of these still out and about, I'd bet very few people would ever think ... "hey wait a minute, I don't think that's the right colour for that truck".
Just sayin'
I wonder if the original poster ever got the truck from New Brunswick and if the engine was a 354 AND if the engine was even usable. I sure as hell wouldn't travel that distance for something I never even saw pictures of ...
__________________
Actually, in real racing ... it IS how fast you went.
The above picture is my truck, except now I have the box off and bucked up into firewood and a separate pile of scrap metal.
Some local wieners keep telling me that "it's worth more as a parts truck". I know darned well they want to cadge it cheap for parts. Someone already stole one of the Job-Rated emblems, which can sell for as much as $250 on-line. I'm putting a motion-sensor light alarm on top of the cabin at night, now. Damned vultures!
I did think of taking off a door and taking it to the local paint store for colour-matching purposes. Just to bug some of the young clerks I know. :)
Yeah, I agree with you: "sight-unseen" is something I only do with people I know and trust, and even then I'd have to have a look.
I'm living in the prairies now (I used to live in Toronto), and there are a bazillion old vehicles out here. I recently saw a Model T for sale in the Western Producer for $1800 in running condition. Another example: a friend of mine has a 1960 Ford pickup for sale, body in pretty good condition, not running, that he offered me in exchange for getting it off his property.
At the Naicam Bakery which doubles as a coffee shop, us oldsters like to sit around and bloviate. I've found that all of the guys (mostly farmers) have old vehicles, one as old as '38. I've been thinking recently that maybe I should collect info and phone numbers for all the old vehicles. These guys have been sitting on them for years.
BTW, Pete, you aren't originally from Burnaby, BC, are you? It's such an unusual name (peat moss). I went to school with a guy named Pete Moss, brother Robert, back in the 60's.
BTW, Pete, you aren't originally from Burnaby, BC, are you? It's such an unusual name (peat moss). I went to school with a guy named Pete Moss, brother Robert, back in the 60's.
Not me, never been to Burnaby.
__________________
Actually, in real racing ... it IS how fast you went.