I have a 1937 Plymouth pickup. The wheel bass looks to be the same legth as a 1987 Dakota so I bought a Dakota and started to strip off the body. Thought I might us the chassis for the 37 so it would have a better frame, better frame, better brakes, rack n pinion steering, etc....just be a better driver. I want to add a 440 and a 727 auto. Has anyone of you heard that this will work?

Johnny

 

Johnny, sounds cool, I know a lady back in Winnipeg where we are originally from who has a 37 Plym truck.bought it from the family of the original owners....


Anyways, I've been looking into what you are thinking about....I have recently purchased a late production model 1955/56 Dodge pickup, and have considered this swap. I have seen and heard of a few that swapped an S10 (ew) frame underneath an old MOPAR pickup, but think the Dakota would be the way to go,.keep your MOPAR all MOPAR........ as long as I could find a chassis with 5 hole lugs rather than the 6 hole setup.

The two wheel bases I would be dealing with would be 108" and 116"...not exaclty sure which mine is yet, as it will be shipped up here from Colorado hopefully soon. As well rear end and front end track width would be important, but the power sterering, big dic brakes and coil spring suspension, with airbag capability would be slick.

Anyways, I'll keep looking into this and keep me posted if you find out anything good or bad.
tty soon, Derek
mbmopar@hotmail.com

 

Hi Johnny sounds like a nice project. I have a 36 dodge coupe and I am also running a 440.Be prepared to relocate some motor mounts and trans mounts.But all in all I think that swap will go just fine slight mods here and there.Are you going to run headers or exhaust manifolds?Got to run talk latter.

 

Thats gonna be one bad *** ride, I did something similar with a 59 D-100, 90 Dakota frame, and a 74 360/727. So far shes turning out real good, hardest thing has been what im looking for now and it is headers, mainly because thers only one set out there and they cost a fortune up here in Canada. But other than that we had to fab up some motor mounts, body mounts, modify the tranny mount a bit, it was big but as long as you got the skill and will power you can do it.

 

Your 55 dodge pickup is as wide as full size Dodge pickups to 93. I have a 56 Dodge shortbed with a 440/727 with rear axle from a 66 chrysler New Yorker. Its a nice fit, exact same width, same ujoints. I did have to move the spring mounts, I think. I did this swap in 1977. I used a 61 Cadillac radiator so I could set it 2" forward to make more room for the engine. Any of the 1/2 ton Dodges through 84 had the same 5 lug pattern as the 56.

 

Did you ever finish this project ? I have a 37 ply pickup also.