OPINION QUESTION- Dont hate me.

Ok, I am a mopar truest and have been forever. I have sold off all my muscle cars in an attempt to live and build a ranch debt free and have a new home build coming this spring.

That said I have been wanting to build a 49-52 Studebaker truck build or Dodge truck build f some sort.

I thought I had a studebaker truck cab located a couple of times but they were too rusty.

I own a nice studebaker short bed and I own two Dodge pilot house five window cabs and front clips. ONE WITH A TITLE. I have both a commercial and regular front clip for these Dodges. Its also tough to find a clean Dodge bed.

Since money if very tight I had a thought about sing what I have.

What do you think a Dodge pilot house cab would look with a studebaker bed? Its all going on a 92 Dakota 318 truck that I have sitting here.

Would it be a mopar crime to use this studebaker bed? And I dont know if it would even look decent. One of my complaints about the pilot house trucks is that the beds are boring and plain.

So yes the studebaker bed fenders flow well the a studebaker front fenders, but its just a thought and thinking is free-right.

Dave

Assuming that the width, outside edge of fender to outside edge of the other fender is close to the width of the pilothouse cab, I think it would work alright. Looks like some guys have used ford truck rear fenders with wide rear tires successfully. Kinda depends on what style your shooting for, stock like appearance, custom, pro street.... I would guess that if you don't like the look of the rear fenders in the end you could change those out relatively easily.

If you are worried about offending the purists on a street rod / hot rod site,....this might not be the right place, but I understand what you are saying. I just went through kind of the same thing as I have a very nice 2 door wagon that I am going to re-engine etc, and the first engine I purchased was a non-mopar that had a nice looking cast aluminum engine plaque on the FI intake plenum , so I machined off the manufacture name and mounted some excellent mopar engine badges on it in a tongue in cheek effort to try and trick the experts, ....would have been fun. Subterfuge and deception is always great!

Sanity, some cash available, and a cheap Dakota changed that plan, but it's funny, it is OK to re-engine (but not the original size engine) but only with same make (but original make). Kina nuts.

So this is what I would do, a box is a box, all the same, the only thing that is different is the tailgate. Use the Stude box, find a Dodge tailgate and use it or modify the Stude tailgate to insert the Dodge logo part! Win / win!

Go for it!!

You already own the major parts. I'm thinking you can use some 2x4's or something to do a mock up and see if you like how it looks. Which is all that really matters anyway.

I don't have an issue with doing a Stude box with the Dodge cab, heck, the "newer" Stude trucks used Dodge boxes, factory.

Mock the thing up and see what it looks like. If you like it, do it! Its your truck.

All that said, making a box from scratch isn't that hard. If you still have the Dakota box floor, your already 1/2 way home. All you need are sides, a front panel, a tailgate and fenders. The box on my 50 was completely scratch built or around $150, using new steel.
Gene

Someone posted here a few years ago that the Chevy fenders from late '50s looked better on the Power Giant boxes than the originals. They had complimentary body lines.

Problem is that I'm so old that when I see a Studebaker fender I know it's a Studebaker fender! And when I see a Chevy fender I know it's a Chevy fender.

But I'm thinking that many of the earlier boxes were farmed out to suppliers. They were kind of generic.

Here's my deal...do what you have to do to get your truck on the road. If you want to swap beds or fenders later that's fine. But it's important to get the truck on the road and driving, else it is just scrap. Ask me, I have a dozen or so pieces of (s)crap back on the farm. I'm slowly realizing that you can plan but you have to DO at some point!

R.

I too, have sacrificed a lot of toys and luxuries as well.
"Debt free" makes it all worth while.

On another forum I mentioned paying off the bank and the first response was, "Now you can borrow the money to finish the New Port".
Not the reason I paid off the bank, Thanx anyways.
I would never go into debt for toys.
I still have a few toys to play with...
I may not finish them all but the grand-kids will enherit some land and already know what to do with the toys.
'68 New Port
'68 Fury Xs 2
'68 Coronet
'73 FLH
'76 D-200
'77 B-200
'78 D-150
30X70 Ranch style dwelling
24X34 garage, with a second floor.
All on 2 acres that are all mine.

I only owe the cook for lunch and we enjoy the art of barter.
I very much enjoy not having to worry about the bank.

Nothing like being free from debt.

Your trucks look like fun.
Enjoy.

AMEN!

i would say do it---if it pleases you----in my opinion it really isnt a collectible truck-----if some one is offended by the look, offer to sell it to them so it can be brought to its former glory----you might find the cab or box down the road that you really want and can change it to your liking.....