So I scored a complete but crusty '41 Dodge pickup minus the bed.
I was curious about swapping an LA engine into the original frame.
But I was also curious about how I could improve the brakes. Are these the hard to service press fit brake drums that I keep hearing about?? Is their another brake setup that I can adapt to it? even if they are drums?? Possibly newer brakes can be swapped to the rear axle??

Clipping it is probably the best option but I'd rather do it more traditional style.

What are the rears usually geared? 4.10?

Also, could you get an underdash radio in a '41? I swear this one has one.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Brakes - as said, adapt later self-energizing drum brakes to the front or discs. Don't forget a dual master! Since these have underfloor masters, you have to decide if you want to adapt there or swap in a swinging pedal and mount on the firewall.
Engine/trans - a small block and auto will work, but on the cars, you have to move the engine over about an inch to the right and use A body exhaust manifolds to clear the steering. The truck will probably be the same. There are universal mounts or you can fab them up. Don't forget shifter, radiator, trans cooler and upgrade the fuel system.
Driveshaft and rear - Go with a later model rear axle as said. If you want a nicer ride, springs and shocks will need to be swapped too (front and rear).

When doing this, the next thing to concentrate on is electrical. 6 volt positive ground 70 year-old wiring is NOT good.

One thing that can save you time and money is to get a donor. Look for a good running drivetrain in a cheap (ugly or wrecked) body. I'd suggest a Dakota, you could use the engine, trans, driveshaft (fitted to new application) rear axle (measure width first!), wiring, seat, nuts and bolts, Throttle cable and pedal, maybe the gas tank, steering column if needed, and sell off the remains for scrap or parts.
I doubt the discs will work, but the master, booster, and pedal could.
The locations of the radiator, front axle, engine and firewall are NOT the same for the Dakota and an early truck, and the Dakota has a stepped frame compared to an early, but some have swapped the frames. It's a LOT of work, so don't think it's a bolt-in. Read some of the other posts in this section...

Any ideas on lowering it??

What are the differences between the '41-47??

I believe you axles are located under the leaf springs. Moving them above the springs will drop it about 3", maybe more.

There was little difference between any 41 - 47 vehicle, nearly all auto production stopped for the war effort from Dec 41 through mid 45. Once production restarted, the car companies were selling anything that rolled off the lines, new models of anything remained unchanged until at least 48. Gene

There were some 42's made. But, they are pretty rare - extremely low production numbers.

The guy I got the '41 from has one titled from either '44 or '45.

The deal was, the 42 model year went into production at the normal starting time, around Aug-Sept. Though the USA wasn't officially involved in the war before the Pearl Harbor attack, a few companies were producing war items for England. After the attack at P.H. The USA got officially involved and most production facilities switched over to the war effort. Most 42 model year vehicles were the ones produced before the attack. Some automobile and truck production continued through out the war, but those would have been 4 door sedans and trucks deemed necessary for delivery of production supplies.
Towards the end of the war, civilian light truck sales and production began on a limited basis for farm and business use. Full production of cars and trucks presumed as the war ended. As one would expect, demand was high because the old cars & trucks were pretty worn out, and a fresh batch of service men was returning with money to spend. Once production ramped up, most new vehicles were considered 46 models.

So, 41 was the last full year of auto production. 42 production was in full swing from Sept until December. Anything produced (and likely everything sitting in stock) after Dec 6 was likely military bound. Limited civilian sales occured from Dec 42 until early or mid 45 with full production kicking off at the war end as 46 models. The 46-48 models were shipped out as fast as they were produced with many companies changing the model year only because of the date the vehicle was produced. It was into the production year of the 48 models before updates other then very minor were to take place at most companies. By the 49 models, most were of new design.

Dates may be off a little one way or another, but this is generally the way it went down. Gene

Just thinking out loud but it's a wonder any car dealers survived to reopen after the war thru those years. I suppose the service departments were busy keeping the cars/trucks on the road.

I know the Chrysler/Plymouth dealer where I worked survived because it had multiple dealerships under one roof (John Deere tractors,New Holland equipment, seed corn, Maytag etc).

My two cents. I have a 47 Dodge pickup. I removed the front steering and replaced with a Grand Fury k-frame. Power steering and power disc brakes. I installed a 360 with a 727. I got a rear end from a 64 Belvedere, 8.75 with I believe 2.91 gears. The 47 came with a 488 ratio.
If you don't have hub caps on, it looks like the original I am using the original radiator, steering column and wheel. Went for my FIRST ride today. Blew a power steering hose, it wouldn't shift into high gear and it doesn't seem to be charging. But all in all, great day.

I think so. I never saw the car it came out of. The guy I bought it from wasn't so sure. He said it was from an old cop car, Grand Fury. So now I have cop steering, cop brakes, cop shocks....

So, does your truck have the bent torsion bars or the straight bars? One from the 80s would have been a bent torsion bar suspension like a Volare. The pre 80s Fury would have had the straight torsion bars like an older "B" body. Gene

I know fabrication is required either way but which is easier to install in one of these trucks-an LA or B engine? Or is it really preference? I figure a big block would be a hood full.

I would think a B or RB would hang out the sides of the hood a little.
As far as instalation, other then space requirements, I suspect either would require about the same amount of work. A lot will depend on how you want the finished product to look. For a look like its the factory install, I would think the LA would make life easier, but if your going for a get down to business go fast look, it would be a toss up. Gene

the LA is an easier fit But a BB will fit (see the truck below) radiator area gets pretty tight

I've got the 318 set in on the original k and straight axle setup. I can almost get by with a mini starter BUT the original steering box and location of the starter is the real pain in the .... here.

I am thinking that the other (yet kinda $$) option is to use a clockable mini starter.

Back to the drawing board...

If I can pull this off successfully, I will post for everybody to see because honestly, I cannot find any info ANYWHERE on how to get this done. It may help somebody...

Small block Chevy power ain't happening in my Dodge.

Can you shift the engine towards the passenger side an inch or two? That would help with starter and exhaust issues at the column. Its something done fairly standard on many 30s & 40s cars. There is enough movement in the drive shaft u-joints so there are no issues there either, just shift the entire engine & trans over a little. An extra inch make things seem like you gained miles under a car or truck. Gene