1947 Dodge dually flatbed

[Katie.h]

Hello! I am hope I am ok to ask in the forum. I am looking at purchasing a 1947 dodge dually 1.5 ton flatbed. I have not yet seen it in person and admit to not knowing much more about it beyond what is in the sellers post at this point. My question has to do with the bed. Does anyone know if there is a pickup box bed that would fit the dually if I wanted to have the option to swap it out. I love the look as is but am curious if the option is out there. 

[keiser31]

Not a Dodge truck expert, but I don't see any pickup style boxes for a 1 1/2 ton shown in my Dodge books.

[Matt Harwood]

I had this 1.5 ton Dodge pickup truck last year, but it was not a dually. However, they probably use the same wheels and axles and the second outer rear wheel was simply bolted on the lugs to make it a dually. It looks like the axle hub protrudes enough to accommodate a second wheel. It also suggests that you can remove the outer wheel without affecting anything (I presume you won't be using it to carry extremely heavy loads any longer).

 

     

 

Hope this helps.

[mercer09]

worst case scenario, you might have to shorten the chassis in the back.

[joe_padavano]

Typically real dually trucks position the inboard tires closer to the centerline of the truck than a normal pickup box would allow. Modern dually pickups actually use a wider rear axle than do cab-chassis dually trucks that are intended to accept a flatbed or utility body. This is done to allow a 4x8 sheet of plywood to fit between the wheelwells. Trying to retrofit a pickup bed onto one of these cab-chassis trucks requires installing inner fender wells inside the pickup box, or changing to a wider rear axle. I'm facing this problem right now with a 52 Chevy two ton that I'm trying to turn into a pickup. There HAVE been pickup-like beds installed on older duallies, but not factory style.

 

[Bud Tierney]

Just as an aside, if you're going to run a factory dual rig on single rears,  I'd suggest using the outers instead, as the wheel cant gives you a few more inches of track width vs vertical height, which can be critical on curves when your oxy/acetyline bottles roll around in the bed...

Don't ask how I learned this...

[Rusty_OToole]

If there is such a box, chances of finding one in good shape are practically nil. I would figure on making something, possibly a flatbed with low racks. Or if you want a pickup, buy a pickup. Any 1 1/2 ton truck is going to be heavy, slow and hard to drive even compared to a 1947 half ton. Unless you really want one, or need one, you would be better off looking for the smaller model.

 

Vintage Power Wagons MIGHT have something since Power Wagons were built on a heavy duty 3/4 ton chassis and some came with a pickup box but it would likely be too short for your chassis.

 

Later... VPW does offer beds both new and used but very expensive. Whether you could adapt them to your truck I don't know. You might be able to make an oversize bed using sheet metal plus some VPW parts.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxzO_Oy1EMLITTFSUl9QQnJWbzQ/view

Edited December 18, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[joe_padavano]

45 minutes ago, Bud Tierney said:

Just as an aside, if you're going to run a factory dual rig on single rears,  I'd suggest using the outers instead, as the wheel cant gives you a few more inches of track width vs vertical height, which can be critical on curves when your oxy/acetyline bottles roll around in the bed...

Don't ask how I learned this...

 

Running a single dually rim on an axle not designed for it is a bad idea in all cases. It's no different than putting an aftermarket wheel with the wrong offset on a car. Unless the axle flange has a spacer to position the single tire under the wheel bearings, the offset load will prematurely wear the bearings. The front hubs of dually trucks either have spacers or are designed specifically to position the center of the tire under the bearings. (My 1999 crewcab dually has 6.5" spacers on the front hubs, matching the offset of the dually wheels; my 86 dually has front hubs and rotors with that feature integral to the hub). Dually rears have the wheel mounting surface centered under the bearings because there are two tires equally spaced around the WMS.

[Gary_Ash]

Budd made the beds for Dodge/Plymouth/Fargo, Studebaker, and others, so you may have multiple choices.  You can also have a brand new bed - and perhaps the option to choose the width - from Bruce Horkey and some other suppliers of Dodge truck parts.  

See https://www.horkeyswoodandparts.com/page36.php

 

P.S.  Horkey also offers fiberglass reproduction fenders to complete your bed,

 

PPS.:  The other place for bed parts is Mar-K - lots of choices in exotic woods for the bed itself.

Edited December 18, 2019 by Gary_Ash (see edit history)

[joe_padavano]

Gary, that's a fantastic source, thanks. I've been looking for a vendor who repros the extra long one ton bed sides for the 47-53 Chevy trucks.

[mercer09]

Rusty,

 

what you say makes a lot of sense, but in the case of a 46 chevy pickup- I nice half ton is 35k. A large running flatbed can be bought for 1/10 th of that...................true.

[Rusty_OToole]

Gee I wonder why.

[mercer09]

why many of us consider the conversions..........same good looks on the grill and just a good bit of sweat...............