1953 Dodge Pilothouse Build

[Old Iron]

[cl [P

 

[fourstrokin]

More Progress finally

I havent posted in a while. Here's an update. Moving along quicker now that cab mods are done.
- I've totally finished the floor/tunnel/firewall stuff. Toe kick plates weleded in and sealed. I wont need to notch the cab corners for my drop, happy about that!
- I did the bench seat install. It's out of an e350 van and fits pretty nice. Way comfy and I even got the original slider working. Will probably modify the skirt around the bottom since the factory one leaves a bit of gap.
- I got the S10 brake booster mounted to the firewall and pedal bracket in. I need a minor pedal mod to clear the steering column by a hair, but damn close on first shot (considering the booster really only fit in one place.
- Pressure washed the motor and trans while I had cab off for last time.
- I mocked the front fenders a little too. It will get 2" drop spindles beyond this, so it will be pretty low without much effort and steering geometry will not be scary!
- Installed an aluminum water pump house and new pump.
- Mounted the Ford Exploder 8.8 axle. I machine some lowering blocks that angled the pinion to my liking and also accounted for the slightly different spring perch width (1/2" per side). Very pleased with the outcome. I'm headed to the driveshaft shop with my dimensions today.
- Punched the hole in the firewall for the column and mocked it up. I have a shaft collar showing up today that I will use to build my upper mount.
- I replaced all the steering links and steering box. I love s10 crap, cheap!

 

[fourstrokin]

more pics

 

[fourstrokin]

and a couple more....

Steering joints and DD shaft on the way.

 

[skull]

stuff

glad to see a bunch of stuff done.

what wheel/tire combo ys thinking about? 5 spokes look killer on these with the patina, makes a great overall impact

Later

 

[soltz]

Nice work [cl
That seat looks quit comfy and and very nice indeed [cl

 

[fourstrokin]

glad to see a bunch of stuff done.

what wheel/tire combo ys thinking about? 5 spokes look killer on these with the patina, makes a great overall impact

Later

Thanks. My current plan is to run some black aero wheels. Was going to run a set of 20" split 5 spokes I bought, but two are cracked. I might visit large wheels again later, but man, right now I just want to drive it and do some burnouts

 

[fourstrokin]

More work finished...
Steering column fully installed and connected to steering box, rebuilt carb, installed gas and brake pedals (some decorative pedals are in the works for later, function only right now), driveshaft installed, shifter installed (waiting on a new cable, some sort of funky decorative handle in the works), new valve covers (gaskets, etc), new exhaust manifold gaskets, dipstick tubes mounted (flexy aftermarket stuff). Working on carb/kickdown linkage right now.... Exhaust will be next....

 

[skull]

cool

lookin' good[cl

Later

 

[bob w]

You're moving right along. Must be young.[cl

 

[fourstrokin]

You're moving right along. Must be young.[cl

I have two boys, age 4 and 6 but have figured out that there are hours available to work on the project between 11p and 2am Somehow I survive the rest of the day on minimal sleep. Funny thing is (not to the wife) that I can make myself stay awake for the project, nothing else can do that.

Carb throttle and kickdown linkage is done now. Shifter is connected to trans. I trimmed it so I can bolt up a fun shifter soon. Motor starting to look cool (regular black air cleaner on the way).

Exhaust is next

 

[fourstrokin]

More progress. The wife took the kids out of town for a couple days (first time ever) so I went nuts in the garage. Man it was so quiet in the house...

Got my normal air cleaner on, way better than that POS triangle thing.
Fabbed my exhaust system. Mounted the fuel cell. Also made a temporary shift handle Wiring is next....

 

[skull]

0 yay

interesting placement on the fuel cell, l kinda like it, l put mine behind the cab in the bed.

it is looking really sweet[cl

leaving the patina on is a great choice, she looks nice that way.

have you named here yet? mine is Alice.

if you decide to lower the front end any more than the 2'' spindles put the sheetmetal on and the bumper (if you are using it) to find the ride height.

l was going to cut the front spring when the sheetmetal was off my pilothouse and my friend who helped me had done several of this era trucks suggested find out where it "lands" before we assembled it totally. l am glad he did this because the front bumper sits about three inches off the ground with out cutting or lowering her.

when measuring for ride height use the tire size you plan on using, the ones l used for ever on mine the company quite making so when the new ones were put on after the frontend rebuild rub slightly so l have to address this before driving her a lot. l run BF Goodrich T/A's on mine.

[P[P[P

Later

 

[fourstrokin]

Thanks Skull! Great advice. I do plan to lower it after it's all together. I did find out that the ride height looking at the cab only is deceptive. Once you add fenders and running boards (plus all that front end sheet metal weight) it gets low quick. It may not need much lowering at all. We shall see. Tires and rims came today. Getting mounted now!
She still needs a name!

 

[fourstrokin]

Wiring is done except for the tail and head lighting and the radiator fan. I placed the battery behind the cab, which will be under the bed floor. Found a funky old sparkomatic tach that I tested and installed as well. There was an ugly hole in the dash where someone had added an aftermarket temp gauge, so I put the tach there. I gutted the factory gas and temp gauges and installed aftermarket guts with the factory face plates. The oil pressure gauge still worked, so I left it. The same 53 vintage speedo cable will attach right to the 727 so I popped a new one of those in (we will see what the speedo reads) Added some turn signal indicators inside, a newer style head light switch and a momentary button for the line lock [ddd[ddd A new choke pull, and the heater fan control knob will take the last remaining dash hole (Later). Two rockers are hiding under the dash lip to kill the fuel pump and electric fan as well. Starting to get bodywork back on front so I can mount radiator (after I fab the supports for the grill). Once the radiator is in, it's about ready to fire up minus some minor details. Wheels and tires are on it now too

It has a slight nose up rake right now. I'll fix all that after the bed is on and I decide how much more I'm lowering it.

 

[fourstrokin]

Another 4am work session. Getting closer. Front end and doors attached. I made a temporary front end mount, body mount bushings will be added later. Plenty of room for the radiator and fan. That's tonight's project

 

[fourstrokin]

It lives!! Installed the radiator and fan. After fixing some wiring issues (one was the backwards diagram on my rocker cutoff switches for the fan and fuel pump which was grounding the power wires, the other was the ignition switch had two ignition poles, one powers while in "run" the other while in "start", so my coil was only getting power in run and when I was cranking it wasnt), I put on a new trans pan, filter and gasket, filled all the fluids and fired her up.... Sounds good, a little too quiet though. Hope to drive it soon. Need to work on lighting next.

 

[skull]

rad

that radiator setup is flat out bitchen'[cl

looking like a truck more & more everday.

Later

 

[fourstrokin]

It lives! Drives good. Barely had it together enough to take it to the Bozeman car show with WillyD.....

Some of the remaining to-dos - wire headlights and clean up the front end wiring, sealtbelts, front end body mounts (hard mounted now), finish attaching front sheet metal (barely hanging on right now), shorten and install the bed, install the bumpers, an on and on. At least it's a a driver (mostly) right now!

 

[skull]

drive

nothing feels as good as that first drive when a project get close to done[cl

that is cool, finish the little things and drive the heck outta it.

Later