57 front clip on a 55?

Looks like the windshield and doors are different but will a 57 D100 front clip. (hood, fenders, header panel) fit on a 55 panel truck? any info would be appreciated. 72*birdman

I helped a friend build a 1956 truck right before starting on my 57. Just eyeballen I would guess that a 57 nose would bolt on to a 56 fenders. The hood and stuff I am not sure on. I have an extra nose piece if intrested??

Dodge made 2 different cabs in 55, an early one with straight, but angled front door posts and a windshield that did not wrap around. The late version has dog legs in the front door post, and a windshield that wrapped around the corner. I suspect the late 55 will probably work with the 57 nose, but I would be really surprised if the early version did. I'm posting a picture of my 54, that has the same cab as the early 55. Take notice of the front door posts, its the easiest way to tell. The change in the cabs took place in March or April of 1955. Gene

Gene, thanks for the info here is what i was looking at to put the 57 front clip I have on. https://westslope.craigslist.org/cto/5876678682.html

OK, that is an early 55. We need someone to post up a side view of a 56 or a 57 and where the differences in the sheet metal exist, and see if it will cause a problem.

What might be an advantage is the Dodge often changed things as a group or unit, that would bolt on in place of the old unit. Its possible Dodge made the early 55 and the late 55 so the the front clip might bolt up to both, as a unit. If that is the case, your OK. I would presume if you could compare both the early 55 and the late 55/56 together, you might see if they would interchange. The 57 might fall in with the "old" trucks, I believe 58 was completely different, those cabs were the same 58-62.


PLEASE NOTE: Before you jump on that, I suggest you locate a windshield! They fit 54 and early 55 only, all civilian trucks, pickup to semi, but 54 and early 55 ONLY. 20 years ago, those windshields were very rare and hard to find, and very expensive if you found one. Gene

[img]http://100_1012.JPG.lnk[/img] Gene here's my 57 to compare.

Thank you, now, hopefully both? Gene

Looks like the front sheet metal ahead of the cab are the same to me. May be some minor mounting differences, but I'd bet it will work.

Still would want to locate a windshield for that early 55 panel before I dropped the cash for it. The pictures are pretty clear the differences between the two windshields. Just for kicks, I'll post a picture of my 50 truck, to compare the windshields, the 48-53 use the same 2 pieces of flat glass for a windshield. Gene

72*Birdman,your '57 is awesome,thanks for posting the photo!~RT

Hey RTSrunner thanks for the compliment, I just stuck a 340 in it last week and am working the bugs out of it.

And Gene, You were right I found an outfit that is repo-ing the windshields but it will be as much as the rig with shipping. $390 + 145 shipping = $535 but I think I'll go take alook at the thing and see how bad the rest of it is
I see your 50 is a 4x4 what drivetrain is it on?

That windshield delivered at $535 is cheaper then what just the glass was 20 years ago! Be thankful for repos!

The 50 was on an 80 W150 chassis, and it didn't fit worth a darn. The motor partially sits under the firewall, and I had to make huge modifications to the front fenders. Fortunately, the fenders were big truck fenders, I re-arched the bolt on pieces, shifted the wheel openings towards the front of the very large openings, and hand formed everything from the crown on the fender to the bolt on extensions. Even with the fender extensions, the tires still stuck outside the extensions. The box was completely hand fabricated, except for the 52 rear fenders, which were widened 2" on each side. The truck had a 360, 727, 9 1/4 sure grip rear, D44 front, with 3:55 gears. It was a beast, was my snow plow all of its life, and it served me will for 12 years before some lady turned in front of me and it dies saving me.

Were I to do it again, there would be a Dakota 4x4 chassis under it, they fit much better then the full size truck.

A couple more pictures of it. Gene

To be fair, I should add, that when the truck got wrecked, the front sheet metal, the frame, the transfercase & drive shafts, and the snow plow brackets were what got ruined. The cab was still pretty much intact. Rebuilding it would have been like starting over, and after 12 years of use, it was time to move on. I did get more $$$$ then the minimum I would have accepted from the ladies insurance, and retained the truck and clear title. I did sell it several months later to someone that needed parts for his 50 truck with a 440 6 pack. Gene