1975 Dodge Truck I own (Thinking of making a hot rod)

[CoronetRTguy]

Hey everyone,

All this time I have been thinking of my next Mopar weather it be an A, B, E or and C body. My search has led me to finding some really neat cars and some with very rare options. I really love the 1971 Chrysler 300 sunroof car that I found, just not the price tag. The car is not that far out of reach but right now it is.

I think also in my search I have talked with myself (scary idea but at times the voices have good points) about what I really want to do. Do I want a car to take only to shows and it to be a show queen or not? I have been down that road a few times and I really want whatever I buy to enjoy it and drive it like it was meant to be.

I have also been wanting something that I can mod it and make it my own. I still want that numbers matching 1971 Roadrunner and I may still yet buy that after I’m done with school and have the funds to do so. I really do not want to take an original car and mod it.

So with all that said I have put off my search because I had or have a 1975 Dodge step side truck that has been around for a while. My dad got the truck to use on our farm (just small jobs and picking up things never used hard) that is an old forestry truck.

The truck came with a slant six and three on the tree. The bed was originally a wood floored bed. I know it has just a peace of sheet metal or plywood over it as of right now. The truck was also originally green with green bench seat and no options to it.

I always told my dad if it was never not being used for the farm that I would like to do something with it. My idea back in the day was to put a big block in it but I have opened up to the idea of a 340, 360, 400, 440 and a 426 Hemi. I would love to drop a Hemi in it but I know my budget would not be there. I would also like to maybe go four or six speed but I may go to an auto.

The color choices I have had in my head was as follows-

Black body and red bench seat, red carpet and a mix of red and black dash parts. I would not put a headliner in it.

Silver body with a red bench seat and a mix of red and black throughout.

I also love the green color that was used on the 69 ½ M code cars. I thought even if I did that of maybe putting red interior in the truck still. What do you guys think of that color mix?

The hood of the truck I had wanted to put either a Max Wedge style hood scoop on it or a Ram Charger style hood. I would build the hood air scoop.

The exhaust I would want to run some kind of system that I could (got this from a GTO) pull or push a button and run it open headers. I just like that idea and if it gives more horse power that is a plus.

The wheels I have no clue as to what would look really good on it. I’m a big fan of dog dish caps but not sure it would look good on the truck.

So that is all the planning I have done because I really didn’t think I would ever do it. I don’t know if I can put a big block in it without changing the K frame out. I would like to drop it down and lower it some but not 100% sure on how to do that. I’m also not sure if I would go back chrome grill and headlight buckets I was thinking painted body color. What do you think?

So give me some ideas and what you would like it if was your truck. I will be making my own dash cluster. I want something very classy looking and just stand out.

Thanks everyone and I hope to have some pictures soon. The truck is sitting at my grandmothers and that is about two hours away from me.

 

[D575]

I can't read all that, Can you sum it up in a paragraph.

 

[CoronetRTguy]

I can't read all that, Can you sum it up in a paragraph.

I'm looking for some ideas and what would make the truck look good. Color combo's and what might work in lowering the truck. I kind of want to build a hot rod.

 

[moparmarks]

I'm guessing that it is a 1/2T 2wd?
Flip the spring perches and use LCA's from a van to lower it 3"
Trucks don't have a K-frame. They have a full frame and a BB will fit right in there. Just need the truck oil pan and mounts. CTD also fits.
Pick up an 8.75 rear from a 72-4 truck.
Black and red is a hit with me.

 

[CoronetRTguy]

I'm guessing that it is a 1/2T 2wd?
Flip the spring perches and use LCA's from a van to lower it 3"
Trucks don't have a K-frame. They have a full frame and a BB will fit right in there. Just need the truck oil pan and mounts. CTD also fits.
Pick up an 8.75 rear from a 72-4 truck.
Black and red is a hit with me.

Thanks I didn't know they didn't use K frames. I need to look at the title and see if it says the model on it. It is a two wheel drive. Yeah didn't even think about the rear end.

It has been a few years since I've looked at the truck I have the grill here at the house and I think front bumper.

Who makes truck parts? I think it needs bed sides. The fenders are good (new if I remember right) and the cab of the truck is good.

I will do something about the bumpers of tucking the front in to fit closser, nice and nead. The rear bumper not sure as its a very big bumper.

Yeah black and red looks good together. I'm thinking a thin red pin stripe as well.

 

[Ron 73]

Looking forward to pictures of this before you start it, Sounds like a good project!

 

[CoronetRTguy]

Looking forward to pictures of this before you start it, Sounds like a good project!

Thanks its one I thought about years ago and I just started thinking about it again. I would like to have a different bed for it not a step side bed but I do like those.

 

[mattsinger]

a good friend of mine had one in Highschool. 360 4 bbl, headers, auto with glasspacks that turned out both in front of the pass rear tire. It was a fun truck. Good luck and post some pics

 

[CoronetRTguy]

a good friend of mine had one in Highschool. 360 4 bbl, headers, auto with glasspacks that turned out both in front of the pass rear tire. It was a fun truck. Good luck and post some pics

I was thinking a Nascar style or T/A, AAR type exhaust tips coming out around the rear wheels.

Yeah I want something fun and I like to just enjoy it. I might shave the door handles and put something modern on it or 70-74 E body door handles in place and either leaving them chrome or body color.

I will get some pics soon I hope of the way it sits now it wont be till summer until I can get it to the house I think.

 

[MarPar]

I was thinking a Nascar style or T/A, AAR type exhaust tips coming out around the rear wheels.

ha-ha! a Tennessee Tire Warmer!! love it!!

 

[68sportsatelliteragtop]

If you do the truck, keep it a simple low budget build. You won't get your money out of it later. Put a good used 360 and 727 in it, and have some fun. Build your bankroll for your dream car. I owned this LRE and drove it beater style for 7 years. Looked into restoring it and found out when done it wouldn't be worth what the drivetrain and paint alone was gonna cost......

 

[CoronetRTguy]

ha-ha! a Tennessee Tire Warmer!! love it!!

Haha but I'm betting the tire warmer is used in VA and I wonder if some of my family helped invent it haha they are from WVA. <---laughing hard now just thinking of some of their ideas for things.

- - - Updated - - -

If you do the truck, keep it a simple low budget build. You won't get your money out of it later. Put a good used 360 and 727 in it, and have some fun. Build your bankroll for your dream car. I owned this LRE and drove it beater style for 7 years. Looked into restoring it and found out when done it wouldn't be worth what the drivetrain and paint alone was gonna cost......

View attachment 90260View attachment 90261

Great looking Little Red Express. I always loved those trucks and in my area I have only seen one and it was at a car show. I always wondered where that one went to. I also saw a few years ago a Yenko Nova at a local glass shop and I have not seen that car since. I do know there is a Yenko Camaro in my area. The Little Red Express trucks always had that cool look to them and its one you just got to look at when they pull into a show.

Yeah I was wondering if I could get my money out of it if I needed to. The truck for me is free but I know it cost my dad a paint job, well just paint. I think he paid 5-700 for paint and the things he needed to do the other guys car.

I would leave the stock bench but add some touches to the inside if I do this truck. I'm still at that road of yes and no (not right now) because I do want another Mopar Muscle car. I also want a hot rod of some kind and I thought the truck may be a good chance to do something different.

I need to look around for a good used motor. I will be having Thanksgiving dinner with some family tomorrow and one of the guys is in the local Mopar club and I will see what he may know or may know of a cool car to pick up. I still have that 73 Roadrunner in my head just because I have history with it.

This also may turn into my daily driver when I go back to work after I'm done with school. On that note back to studying.

 

[68sportsatelliteragtop]

If it is going to be a daily driver, leave the 6 banger in it and save on fuel.........

 

[CoronetRTguy]

If it is going to be a daily driver, leave the 6 banger in it and save on fuel.........

That might be kind of fun...

 

[RustyRatRod]

You need to use 3/4 or 1 ton TRUCK lower control arms. The van control arms will work, but require grinding to clear on the inside edge of where they bolt to the frame. For some reason, Chrysler made more meat there on the vans. Other than that, the arms are the same. Just make sure you get the 3/4 or one ton truck arms. The spring pockets are deeper and it will drop the truck 3-4" in the front. All you need for the back is a pair of spring perches and lower shock plates for an 8 3/4......OR you can modify your exisiting ones. Simply remove the rear axle, position it on top of the springs, center it up, then rotate the axle so the old spring perches on top are the same distance from the leaf spring in the front and rear, then weld piss outta the new spring perches onto the axle tube and you're done. This will lower the rear about 6" and the pinion angle will be unchanged.