Project Tow Mater. 1955 Dodge C3-B Pickup.

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Well, I finally had enough shooting rat rods and decided to start building my own. This thread will cover the build.

I really wanted something older, something more well known as a rat rod like a Model A or a Model T. Even something built earlier than 1940 would have been up my alley.

Someone referred me to a truck that was a little newer than I wanted, but still very rat rod worthy, so I went to go take a look at it. I fell in love.......

It is a 1955 Dodge C3-B Pickup. What those numbers and letter mean from what I can understand is the C3 means it is a 3/4 Ton truck. The "B" refers to the trim level. Trim levels were numbered A, B, and C, so this is the middle trim level.

It has a super long wrap around rear window and apparently this cab style is the most desired among collectors. There were three rear window configurations, the standard little center window, the small center window with the corner windows to make a 5-window cab, and then this long wraparound rear window.

Engine options were a 230 cid L6 or Flathead 6, and an OHV 4.0L V8. This truck has the Flathead 6 in it. I can turn it over with a wrench, so I am going to see if I can get it running.

This particular truck only has 36,000 miles on it. It has been sitting for a very long time and it's time to get this thing on the road.

My friends and I all think it looks like Tow Mater from Cars, so that is what I named it.

My plans for this truck:
Get it running.
Get it stopping
Get wide whitewalls on it
Lower the hell out of it
Drive it


Here are some shots of how it sat when I looked at it and when I came to get it.











And here we go.

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Loaded up and ready to come home.



Home



Hood open and the work has begun.


I started by vacuuming the bird seed out of the cylinders (there were no spark plugs in it). Then I threw in a new set of plugs, hooked up a new 6V battery.

I pulled off the carb and started taking it apart assuming it would be all gummed up with ancient gas. When I opened it up though the float operated freely and there was only a very minor bit of gunk in the bottom of the bowl. I also find all the little passageways seem to be free of gunk. So from here I just have to clean all the cobwebs out of the barrel and throw it back in the truck.


Progress from here will probably be a little slower. I was excited about the new project and spent the afternoon out there.

[JUSTION337]

Well, you definitely have space to work in the engine bay! That looks like a pretty sweet project. I'll be following this one.

[Crispy222]

only done proper with a viper motor under that patina hood

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only done proper with a viper motor under that patina hood

If I can't get the flathead running I have a 318 (5.2L) V8 lined up.

[16vguy]

I would pull the head off (very easy), and make sure the valves/cyl's are ok... You will know right away if you are wasting time on fixing it- it may be junk, even if it isnt stuck. I had a 59 ford that actually had a mouse nest in the cyl (crawled in an open valve). You can imagine that. It was a OHV, but same principle.

Typically with the plugs out, the valves and seats get very rusty and corroded, and wont ever seal right again, as they cant reseal themselves. However, they are easy to do on a flat motor, at the least lap them, but they may need to be ground. But again, easy to do with some research. And its kinda fun. Putzy, but fun. And low $$$$.....

If the cyl's are very rusty, you may be out of luck, as it will take out the rings if left alone, and alot of the time the rust will create alot of pits (usually worst at the spot where the rings sat idle), even after being honed and fresh rings (ie doing it in the truck still, no machine work) . But again, they dont have much compression anyway, so if it isnt bad, just clean it up and call it a day.

Also, there is probably a reason the plugs were out in the first place...Keep that in mind. Hopefully it had oil of some sort put in there.

Also, flush the tank, and / or get it coated. If you dont, you will be fighting that for a long time. If you are lucky, it may be ok.

You probably know all of this, but just throwing out my .02, as i have fought it all many times....

I vote for fixing the flattie first, and getting it to run/drive. They are slow as hell, but sound neat, and are a blast, even at 42 mph ;-)

Good luck! Its a neat truck.

[Tim Chunks]

Love the project wouldnt mind having one one day myself.

[boardrider247]

Chad I have a 8 3/4 rear end with (I believe) the clutch style sure grip you can have if you want it.

It came from a 74 dodge pickup. And still has the brakes and everything on it. I've been saving it for years now and I think it's time for it to move on to a better home.

Unfortunately I just scrapped a 78 dodge motorhome chassis. That had a running 318 with 4bbl carb and headers on it. As well as a good auto transmission. I had seriously thought of picking up this truck from cullen and swapping the motorhome drivetrain in.

Anyways good luck with it. I'm jealous.

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I would pull the head off (very easy), and make sure the valves/cyl's are ok... You will know right away if you are wasting time on fixing it- it may be junk, even if it isnt stuck. I had a 59 ford that actually had a mouse nest in the cyl (crawled in an open valve). You can imagine that. It was a OHV, but same principle.

Typically with the plugs out, the valves and seats get very rusty and corroded, and wont ever seal right again, as they cant reseal themselves. However, they are easy to do on a flat motor, at the least lap them, but they may need to be ground. But again, easy to do with some research. And its kinda fun. Putzy, but fun. And low $$$$.....

If the cyl's are very rusty, you may be out of luck, as it will take out the rings if left alone, and alot of the time the rust will create alot of pits (usually worst at the spot where the rings sat idle), even after being honed and fresh rings (ie doing it in the truck still, no machine work) . But again, they dont have much compression anyway, so if it isnt bad, just clean it up and call it a day.

Also, there is probably a reason the plugs were out in the first place...Keep that in mind. Hopefully it had oil of some sort put in there.

Also, flush the tank, and / or get it coated. If you dont, you will be fighting that for a long time. If you are lucky, it may be ok.

You probably know all of this, but just throwing out my .02, as i have fought it all many times....

I vote for fixing the flattie first, and getting it to run/drive. They are slow as hell, but sound neat, and are a blast, even at 42 mph ;-)

Good luck! Its a neat truck.

I thought about pulling the head off. I probably should. I think thats what I'll do nect is find a head gasket and a torgue sequence for putting the head back on. If how clean the carb was is any indication of how clean the engine might be I think I may be in luck.

I doubt I will bother with the gas tank thats in it. I have dealt with old gas tanks before and it really a headache. I'll probably just get my hands on a keg and make a tank out of that.

Chad I have a 8 3/4 rear end with (I believe) the clutch style sure grip you can have if you want it.

It came from a 74 dodge pickup. And still has the brakes and everything on it. I've been saving it for years now and I think it's time for it to move on to a better home.

Anyways good luck with it. I'm jealous.

DUDE! I have been looking for an 8 3/4 rear end for this thing!!!! I am told anything from the late 60's or early 70's will fit under there with no issues, they have a similar track compared to the axle that is under there.

What I am getting at is SOLD! When can I come get it. Name you beer and you have a 12 pack.

I remember that motorhome. When you were welding some aluminum for my friend I saw it. It was not much more than a floor and drivetrain at the time though. lol


I'm excited to get this thing running. Several hot rod and rat rod friends of mine have told me that rusty valves, old dead mouse, rusty piston rings, whatever, it won't really make that big of a deal on this motor that is so low on power. They are all encouraging me to try and get it going without pulling the head off first. I'll probably do that and thing pull the head if I am not successful within the hour.... lol


As for completion goals. I am shooting for next spring. The first main car show for vehicles like this is in late April. I hope to drive it to that.


Cullens mom and one of their neighbors are sad to see it go. They guy from down the street said I was hauling away a landmark. Cullens mom made me promise that once I had the truck back on the road again that I would do a photoshoot of it and give her a print she could frame.


I am going to try and do a few tech articles about certain parts of the build for Rat Rod Magazine. And I hope that when it's done I can have someone shoot Tow Mater for a feature in the magazine as well.

[Kriesel]

I doubt I will bother with the gas tank thats in it. I have dealt with old gas tanks before and it really a headache. I'll probably just get my hands on a keg and make a tank out of that.

I bought my gas tank for my truck from here:
http://www.coyote-gear.com/

Cool spun aluminum tanks. Kinda expensive, but you can get fuel level senders for them, vented caps, sumps, a few other options. Works a little better, and has more capacity than a keg...

I might change my mind and rebuild the flathead, but I still want to try and get it going first. If I score up some cylinders that is ok because the cylinders on this motor are sleeves and can be replaced.

There are some companies out and about now that have new "old" style parts, like old superchargers, aluminum flathead heads, blah blah blah. You could get some performance parts for your flathead if you ever wanted... I ditched my flatheads...

Whats wrong w/ the engine style thats in there? are they anemic? I dont know anything about them.

The 6 was cheaper, so it was actually kinda common for a lot of guys to get them as farm trucks. They had enough power around the farm, but not on the highway. both of my old trucks had straight sixers...

Changed the oil today.

Cullen said he poured like a gallon of oil into the cylinders to make sure they stayed freed up. Well, when I drained out the oil 4 GALLONS came out. My 3 Gallon drain pan filled up before I could put the plug back in, then when I put it back under there it was nearly half filled up again. This engine holds 4.5 quarts and it had about 16 in it. lol

Some guys will fill them plump full for storage. You see it more on boats being winterized, or if a boat sank. To stop rust, they fill that puppy up FULL...

But, it seems as if it didn't keep the engine from seizing...

The motor is stuck.

Now, do I rebuild the flathead or do I drop in a V8?

Put a bunch of wd-40 type oil in the cylinders, let it sit for a few days... works on smaller engines usually... turn it over by hand with a breaker bar... should work since you can't pull it... I put a bunch of kroil in the cylinders of a v-twin I had, and after a week the engine turned over.

The worst that could happen now is, you get the engine free'd up, turn it over, and either it runs or breaks something. Either way, you now have a backup engine as well...

Most rat-rod-car-show-going people don't like modernism... Yeah it sucks, but swap engines, and never open the hood, nobody will care. The whole point of a rat rod isn't just spending tons of money to make a sweet patina'd rod, it's about building a vehicle from parts that you have available to you at little or no cost. The whole point of them isn't to be original. Rat rods have character because they are different than the original, with the owners touch of customization.They usually don't have another vehicle that look like it at any given show.

Your truck looks like it has great potential, I hope it drives to a few shows next summer!

[Fearnside]

Nice Chad! I can't wait to see this thing! Goals for when you want it running? Stopping?

[Digital K]

I can totally see you driving this. Cool snag.

[sprstu]

I bet Cullen's neighbors are very happy.

[JTapper]

I'd just throw some oil in the cyls and turn it by hand for a while. Then, fresh plugs, fluids, and turn that key. The smoke from an old motor that has been sitting will be rewarding.

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I'd just throw some oil in the cyls and turn it by hand for a while. Then, fresh plugs, fluids, and turn that key. The smoke from an old motor that has been sitting will be rewarding.

A few people have suggested this. Old smoking engines are good.

I am going to try and put some time in this week and get it going. I need to put some good battery cables in it first though before I can start cranking it over. Maybe it would be a good idea to stick the oil in there now and let it soak.