Posted by CJ Meier on May 12, 1999 at 22:56:58:
I've had my 56 C3 "flatfender" for about five years now, in addition to a number of other newer makes and models of trucks. The old Dodge is and will always be my favorite. After five years of being very cold (Fairbanks, Alaska), going very slow, with a healthy bounce/vibration, and waiting long periods of time for replacement parts, I decided it was time to modify. I know I will take a few lumps for this and I want ya'll to know many a night was spent going over the list of pros and cons. So here it is.
1. Installed a heater from Vitage Air - nice little unit fit right between the center brace and the glove box, ran it in series with the little bread box heater that only had one speed. (extra slow)
2. Ripped out the rear end and front end and installed a DANA 60 in the back with 4.10 gears and posi/11.5 drums to aid the capacity of the single reservior master cylinder. Only mod it took was to weld my old leaf spring pads on the DANA 60. The front was replaced with a GM Corp. 10/4.10's with 1978 GM heavy duty 3/4 ton spindles and rotors/calipers. Had to grid out the center pin holes on the leaf spring pads and grind alittle on the right lower side to facilitate the U-bolt bracket. Steering arm was (this is the part you leave to a reeeeaaaalllllyyy good welder) notched and staighted and rewelded, so it was repositioned to line up with the original connecting rod from the pitman arm. I took the ball out of the old steering arm and had it welded into the hole of the Corp 10 steering arm, bolted it up. Brake lines were easy, used the old brass dividers at the third member with ridig tube to the wheel cylinders in the back and same in the front to brakets welded onto the axle housing to connect the flexible lines running to the calipers.
3. Replaced split rims with solid. Installed 305/85R16 Buckshot radials. Had new drivelines made and replaced yolks in T-case to match up all the U-joints.
Pros- Heat, Real Brakes, No more split rims (which was causing my Buckshots to be out of round from squeezing them down to 6". I roll down the road at 55 miles an hour. I know that the truck was never really made for speed, but that was before ultra smooth 4 lane highways.
Cons - The power to wieght ratio is alittle poor. I think going with 4.56 gears would be a bit better, and I can no longer use the truck to relocate my house if I loose favor with the folks next door. Well there it is, can't say I don't feel alittle guilty cause I do, but I can always keep my 54 original (other motive needed spare parts for it). Later, CJ