1939-1947 Dodge Trucks

Paul Christensen wasn't about to let his grandfather's 1942 Dodge truck grow roots on the family farm in Canada. So, in 1989, he headed north and drove the one-owner truck back--from Alberta to Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife and son following in the family's Ford Crown Victoria.

Inline-sixes of varying displacements with one-barrel carburetion were standard issue in Job Rated Dodge trucks. Rebuild parts as well as rebuildable cores or interchangeable used parts are relatively easy to locate, especially since variations of these engines were also used in passenger cars.

It would be rare to drive a rolling pre-WWII-vintage heirloom 600-plus miles without incident, and Christensen's trip had its exhilarating moments.

"We had left the [Canada-U.S.] border crossing near Cut Bank, Montana, and when I stepped on the brakes, there weren't any."

Making an old Dodge truck interior look new again is possible, thanks to the availability of reproduction rubber pieces and no shortage of painted surfaces.

After rolling precariously through an intersection using the handbrake lever (connected to a driveshaft-mounted brake) to bring the Dodge to a halt, Christensen regrouped and got the truck to a muffler shop. There, he could see that the brake line had popped off the master cylinder, allowing the fluid to pump out. It was a fairly easy fix, and soon the Dodge was rolling again. Now, if only he'd remembered to release the emergency brake afterward....

"I left the handbrake on, and it caught on fire," Christensen said. "Luckily, we were able to put it out with a fire extinguisher."

Then, about an hour from Salt Lake City, there was a run-in with a Utah Highway Patrol officer.

"He pulled me over because I'd lost [power to] the taillights," Christensen said. "He sent me to a convenience store and told me to get a flashlight and tape it on the back."

As you've probably gathered, this road trip story has a happy ending. Christensen made it to his parents' house in Salt Lake City and had the truck shipped to his place in Southern California.

Once home, Christensen disassembled the truck and restored it to its current condition. The project took about two years to complete. As the truck had been used primarily around the farm, it wasn't rusted, but it was dented and scraped. The tailgate was missing, as were the decorative rear hubcaps.

"It was a two-year process," he said. "It was missing the tailgate and missing the rear hubcaps. Other than that, everything was there. There was no rust at all. In Alberta, they don't use salt, and it's pretty dry. Most of the dings and dents were from combines backing into it while it sat in the barn."

While Christensen's truck is a Canadian-made DD2-33, it is virtually identical to the American WD21, long-wheelbase one-ton. One of the minor differences is the size of the engine. The Canadian trucks used a 228-cu.in. engine, while American trucks used a 230-cu.in. engine. Both are flathead six-cylinders and use the same transmission bolt pattern, though the block sizes are physically different.

Christensen completely rebuilt his truck's engine and its accessories, but left the non-synchromesh four-speed transmission and the 4.30:1 rear axle alone. The truck's springs are original, but the bushings were replaced, as were the front kingpins and pitman arm. The original steering box was in good shape and returned to duty with just an adjustment.

When all of the dents had been worked out, the truck was painted by a local body shop in green and black acrylic lacquer.

Christensen's truck is relatively unusual, as it's one of about 2,000 Canadian Dodge one-ton trucks and one of about 850 DD series trucks built in the Windsor, Ontario, plant (there were about 4,000 built in Detroit) for the 1942 model year. However, 1939-1947 Dodge trucks of any stripe are not difficult to find. Restoring one of these trucks isn't terribly complicated either, as the parts supply remains abundant. Dodge light trucks were used extensively by the military during WWII, so many spare parts were purchased by the government and later sold off as surplus. These trucks also have some components in common with Dodge cars, which further bolsters the parts stream.

"Dodge had military contracts during WWII, so you could go to military shows and buy NOS driveline parts and they were inexpensive," Christensen said, adding, "There has been a lot of interest in these trucks and that stuff is drying up."

There wasn't much change in the design of these trucks during their production run, so the interchangeability of parts from year to year also makes the job of assembling one a little simpler.

Body

Dodge rolled out a striking new design for 1939, featuring an all-steel cab with a two-piece windshield that could be opened for increased airflow at the turn of a crank. There was also a center cowl vent for increased ventilation, though vent windows in the doors wouldn't appear until 1946. The 1939 truck had a unique front-end/grille treatment that was changed in 1940. In 1940, Dodge trucks began using sealed-beam headlamps and were equipped with marker lights mounted on the headlamp housing. For the most part, after 1940, year-to-year appearance changes were very minimal. Used body parts for Dodge's "Job Rated" era trucks are not difficult to find. Rust-free fenders and doors are climbing in price, though they're still reasonable. During the course of researching this story, for instance, we quickly turned up a usable set of used front fenders and a lower grille panel for less than $200. Reproduction front cab floor pans for these trucks are available as are reproduction bed front panels, tailgates, running boards, bed wood kits and bed bolt kits.

Chassis

Dodge's 1939-'47 light trucks were offered in 1/2-, 3/4-, and one-ton varieties, but the nomenclature changed a little from year to year. The Job Rated trucks had stronger frames than previous trucks because they used steel with a higher tensile strength, the rails extended further forward past the engine than earlier trucks, and the trucks used beefy channel-type bumpers that helped to tie the frame rails together. A variety of wheelbases gave buyers greater options to suit their needs. The 1/2-ton rode on a 116-inch wheelbase, 3/4-tons on a 120-inch wheelbase, and one-tons were available with a 120- or 133-inch wheelbase. In 1940, Dodge 1/2-ton trucks adopted the safety-oriented system of using left- and right-hand thread lug nuts on opposite sides of the truck. Mechanically, the trucks are all very similar, with leaf springs at all four corners and solid axles front and rear. After WWII, there were some changes made to production truck chassis parts due to reliability issues that cropped up during military service. For instance, the 1946-'47 trucks were equipped with housing vents on live axles--a spring-loaded valve in the vent could automatically reduce pressure when it built up inside the axle. This helped reduce seal leakage and failure. Stronger differentials and larger axle shafts were also used in post-war trucks, and steering boxes were beefed up and made heavier. Though entire assemblies might interchange from year to year, you should be careful that you're getting the correct part for your year truck when buying individual components. Chassis parts and brake parts are widely available for these trucks, either from specialty parts vendors or even the corner auto parts store.

Drivetrain

There were three flathead sixes used in Dodge's light trucks throughout the Job Rated Era. A 201.3-cu.in. engine initially rated at 70hp (82.5hp in 1941) was standard issue in half-ton trucks. Three-quarter and one-ton trucks used a 217.76-cu.in. engine from 1939-1941, rated at 77hp, then at 82hp and at 85hp in 1941. From 1942-'47, 1/2- and 3/4-ton trucks were equipped with the 217.76-cu.in. engine, while one-ton trucks stepped up to the 230.2-cu.in., 102hp six-cylinder. A three-speed manual was standard issue, while a four-speed with a compound first gear was an option. Oil filters and oil-bath air cleaners were options on Dodge trucks, as were heavy-duty generators.

Complete overhaul kits for Dodge engines are available, as are clutches and virtually anything else needed to make your truck run like new.

Interior

Work-truck basic is the name of the game here, which can be a good thing for restorers. Rubber parts and seals are available for these trucks, as are switches, gauges and lenses. Original-style upholstery is also easily sourced from upholstery shops or upholstery suppliers.

Options inside these trucks were few and far between, and included items like upgraded seat cushions, a left-side sun visor, a left-side arm rest and a dome light.

PARTS PRICES

Shop or service manual -- $22

Outside door handles -- $150

Mirror bracket -- $49

Windshield gasket -- $45

Hood emblems -- $115

Door (used) -- $200

Carburetor (rebuilt) -- $190

Front floor pan -- $50

Wheel brake cylinders -- $51

Brake hoses -- $34

Engine gasket kit -- $63.89

Gas tank filler neck grommet -- $11

Cowl vent gasket -- $15

Door weatherstrip -- $35

Clutch disc -- $89.50

Fuel pump -- $79.50

Universal joint -- $85

Rear leaf springs -- $195 each

Shock absorbers -- $42.50 each

SPECIALISTS

Andy Bernbaum Auto Parts Inc.

315 Franklin Street

Newton, Massachusetts 02458

617-244-1118

www.oldmoparts.com

Classic 2 Current Fabrication

24536 Capitol Street

Redford, Michigan 48239

313-534-2886

c2cfabrication.com

Kanter Auto Products

76 Monroe Street

Boonton, New Jersey 07005

800-526-1096

www.kanter.com

Roberts Motor Parts

17 Prospect Street

West Newbury, Massachusetts 01985

800-231-3180

www.robertsmotorparts.com

Bruce Horkey's Wood and Parts

46284 440th Street Dept. H

Windham, Minnesota 56101

507-831-5625

www.horkeyswoodandparts.com

Dodge Job Rated Truck Registry

1625 Jason Street

San Diego, California 92154

619-575-1543

www.39-47dodgetrucks.com

WHAT TO PAY

1947 Model Year

PRODUCTION

1947 Model Year

1/2-ton -- 42,542

3/4-ton -- 9,992

One-ton -- 27,773