Quote:

---

nice looking truck, that is a lot of fabrication to get it all to fit on a newer chassis. Do you think it would have been easier starting off with a 1/2 ton cab instead of a 2 ton?

Thanks, the truck looks better now then in the pictures (imho lol), I refreshed the blue paint and painted the top of the running boards blue as well this last spring. As I understand, Dodge used the same cab for all non-military trucks, 1/2 ton through semi tractor.

Do you have any pictures of the original frame/front suspension or where the stock engine sits.

Sorry, no pictures of the original frame/suspension, it was big and ugly and wasn't in our plans. The original engine was a flathead inline 6 (a v8 wasn't available until mid year 54) and there is a 2"-3" indentation in the firewall where it sat. The flathead sat almost centered over the axle.

The width of the tires and frame looks like it lined up pretty good on your truck, any problems with that?

The 80 4x4 suspension is a bit wider then an 80 2x4 would be, but even then, I narrowed the fender extensions about 2" per side. If you didn't have to modify the extensions openings for the smaller tire size, you might be able to just slide the extensions in a bit. There really isn't much fender below the top crown on the original fenders, those extensions are huge.

It sounds like getting a modern engine/trans to fit the lower body is going to be the hardest part, at least getting it to fit and still being able to actually sit comfortably in the cab. If I wasn't trying to lower this thing so much keeping the straight axle front end and fabbing up mounts for a modern motor/trans would be the easiest route. Although, maybe taking a independent front suspension chassis and moving the motor forward to keep the wheels lined up would work.

Actually, these cabs might fit a Dakota frame much better then they fit on the full size truck frame, and the engine sits above the suspension on a Dakota, where it sits behind the suspension on full size trucks. Also, these cabe have a lot of overhead room, I have a 4 or 5" pedistal under the seats to get me confortable as far as window hight, I like my arm resting on the window sill when I drive. There is at least 12" above my head to the roof, I'm 6'1" and sit pretty much upright in the seat. These cabs are short front to back, but are pretty wide and real tall. Channeling the floor would not be out of the question, set the cab at whatever hight you want over the frame, raise the floor to clear, adjust the seat pedistal to get you where you want to be.

By going with a Dakota frame, you get all the advantages of modern, and can still use it as a truck, and the engine would be in a better relationship to the front wheels. Aftermarket support is pretty good with a Dakota frame.

Sorry for all the rambling, I appreciate the info on your truck, it makes my ideas seem possible.

---