1958 Dodge Truck

This has been for sale for at least 4 months and I keep thinking it would make a nice kustom or hot rod shop truck(without the door lettering). Anybody have any photos of them lowered etc? Kind of tough to find pics. Anyone sell parts to lower the original susp or would it be better to swap frames with a newer one?
http://saskatchewan.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...QAdIdZ356404486

This is the only pic I've found of a modified one

I'd do something like this. I know its a Ferd, but it looks cool.

I do not believe anyone makes modified spindles for that era Dodge Truck. The Black truck likely has a Mustang II under it and the rear frame has been C'ed and bagged to get that drop to the ground look.

Lots of options to get that look the least expensive is probably going to MII front and C'ing the back and then piecing together an air bag kit from used parts.

With a solid front axle you'd contact Mor-Drop and use the stock front axle dropped maybe 3 inches.

Mor Drop
600 29th Avenue
Oakland, CA 94601
(510) 261-1888

I'd use at least 16s and suggest a 2000 12" Crown Vic brake disk over the stock hub, using the CV police calipers and brackets with custom mounts and hoses.
That's what I'm planning for my '64Dog.
Out back I'd find an 8 3/4 from '65 or newer and use one of Dr.Diff's disk kits on it. Or maybe the stocker would work?
Funny how with the right grille the truck looks almost modern! How about some late model Ram headlights?????

R.

I'll throw in my 2 cents here. You could probably swap frames easier than the other options. Use a Dakota ( keep it Mopar) the track width is right, so it ain't too hard. I used the forward half of an 88 Dak on my 57. Gives it a pretty good ride, disk brakes, power rack and pinion and you can set the body at whatever hieght you want when you set the body on the frame.Just my opinion, let me know if you have any questions about this setup. Randy

Thanks for the info guys. Still trying to decide if I should jump on it.

The 318 in the pictures is a newer motor then what came in that truck, there may have been other upgrades done when the motor was installed. Originally it probably would have had the poly 318 with a 4 speed, or a flathead 6 that may have had a 3 speed. Very few V8 trucks would have came with a 3 speed.

That one looks pretty solid, but understand very few replacement parts are available for that era Dodge truck, what is there will likely be what you live with for original parts.

I had a 58 once, I was going to build it, but my brother in law talked me out of it. He put a 318 ,727 in it, got it painted, and sold it to someone else. I didn't know he was selling it until a month or more after it was gone. Gene

It's a big back window truck. I say go for it.

Do all the body work first before you tear into the mechanicals. The late model 318 will get it around while you do the body.

It's not a restoration so you don't need much in the way of trim.

If you start on the drivetrain first, or God forbid, a frame swap, you will never finish it. Get the hard stuff done first. Then you will see whether you want to do the cheap route of a dropped axle and redone leaf springs or switching to a different front suspension.

While power steering and brakes are better, they can be done without for a while. I've been driving my '64Dog with stock drum brakes for decades and have put on about 60K miles, or 100K Km. That includes quite a few trips of 600 - 900 miles one way. The stock non-power steering was tightened up quite a bit with new kingpins, tie rod ends and adjusting the steering box. It would steer easier in parking lots if I didn't insist on running 10.50s in front. But it drives down the road just fine. Most of my trips are over the Continental Divide so I see a lot of mountain roads.

The payoff is I'm recycling an old truck (green, you know) and average one compliment a day from strangers. There is a video of it in Italy and pictures of it in France and Germany, as well as Sweden. Plus, good-looking women give me the thumbs-up on the interstate. So my ego gets a boost nearly every time I get into it.

R.

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Thanks for the info guys. Still trying to decide if I should jump on it.

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Jump Jump!!