Mid and late 50s Dodge trucks are hard to find, that price is probably not real bad if the truck is in good shape and major changes are not planned. Make sure all the trim pieces are there (inside and out), and make sure there is no hidden rust. Sheet metal and trim pieces are hard to come by and carry a pretty stiff price tag. The front end sheet metal is 57 only, the cab was used through 60, and a step side bed (and rear fenders) was used through the early 80s. If the bed is a Sweptside bed (the bed with the wagon quarter panels attached to the step side bed), all bets are off, it was only used in 57, 58, and 59. in limited production. If the truck has the Sweptside bed, the $8500 price tag is pretty cheap if its not a doctored up rust bucket.

In my opinion, the original rear axle is a disadvantage and would have to be replaced. The original drum brakes on that beam front axle are on the weak end with having 340 power, I'd be swapping to disc brakes with a dual master cylinder. Those changes could add up pretty fast, and would be in addition to the 8500 asking price.

I'm a cheapskate, at $8500, that 57 better be a pretty nice truck I can get in and drive, because with a real 340, when I get it home, I'm swapping the rear axle and adding disc brakes and a master cylinder. Gene