Buddy of mine bought one. He's looking for the front nose section and grill. His is rusted. Wondering if there are any sites out there specific to older Dodge trucks?

Your probably not going to find a site the handles any body parts for any 50s Dodge trucks. Anything he will find will be a hit or miss deal. As they say, they ain't making this stuff anymore. With the Dodges, those words are fact, no one makes anything for them but a very few token pieces here and there. (Mechanical pieces are a different story, most things are available).

That said, the front fenders, hood & nose piece fit 1954 to 1956. 1/2 ton trucks have smaller wheel openings then 3/4 & 1 ton, and the bigger trucks have larger still wheel openings. 48-53 fenders, hood & nose piece might look similar but they are different. (I've owned and have had both the early and the late styles at the same time and the same place.) A 57 is a different critter but will bolt on as a unit, and 58 & newer are completely different again.

The sad part is most people can't tell the differences between the 48-53 and the 54-56, and the way some states titled trucks back then is no help. Many were titled to the date they were sold, not the date they were built. A 53 truck sold during the 54 model year may have been titled as a 54. Also through the years, Titles were attached to trucks they didn't belong to. I've seen 52 model trucks caring a 55 or 56 title.

If you post up a picture, I can tell you what style truck parts you need to locate. Some parts carried over for many years and are easier to find.
Sorry, not trying to discourage your friend, but this is what he is up against. Gene

I'll try to get a picture of the truck.

Appreciate the help and info.

Chris

Got some pictures this weekend. Any help is appreciated

Truck is a late 55 or 56 body. The nose & fenders from a 54 through 56 will fit. The doors & glass needs to be late production 55 or 56 Dodge, and possibly 57, but the rear window was changed in 57. I believe the 58 & up were different doors. I believe the windshields were used from mid 55 through 60.

Years ago I had a 54 Dodge. Same basic truck except the windshield & doors. The 54 & early 55 windshield was curved but the front door posts were straight. (I'll post a picture of mine) The windshields for a 54/early 55 only fit 54 & early 55! very hard to find, and very expensive 10 years ago, can't imagine its any better now. The grill bars were 2 folded sheet metal bars running side to side with a tin cover in the center. Most I've seen (I've looked a a lot of them over the years) were bent or rusted, or both. I suggest you make something you like rather then trying to chase original ones down. The V8 trucks (offered in mid 54) had a V8 emblem on the front center of the hood, flathead 6 trucks had a round emblem at that location. The V8 emblems are hard to find in good shape (pitted pot metal). Lots of people want to put the ram head on the hood center. The 48-52 had the ram head, the 54-56 did not, but the older ones fit pretty well.

I bought a rust free Texas front clip for my truck at a swap meet once for $250. It was rust free all right, but had tons of filler in it, It looked like it was target practice at a gulf ball driving range! The rear fenders are the same fenders used on the 70s Little Red Express and were used on all step side boxes until the end of production in 81 or 82. Those were the only body parts I ever found for it in 10 years of ownership. Gene