1946 Diesel Rat
1946 Dodge Truck. It has a smaller Detroit Diesel….and a bunch of new things.
I bought two 1946 Dodge trucks, in 1990. From a guy, out in a scenic valley by the seashore. I paid $700 for the pair. One ran, one did not. This is the parts truck…after it was all said and done. The only original parts were: the cab, frame, and front axle. Everything else, was scavenged.
The Battle Axe gets a lot of attention. My wife calls it that, because it has a original Mad Max vibe. I added a Detroit Diesel 371 engine, that came from a salvaged generator (off a old radar station). The trans is a Spicer 3520B from a old Deuce and a half M35A2, the rear differential is out of a 1971 one ton Dodge. The brake parts came from the same rig.
The sheet metal is from a 1941 Dodge. I manufactured, and welded everything together. The frame is double boxed, because the engine weighs a LOT :) The running beds are made of square tubing and perforated plate metal. I added a authentic “oogah” style horn. The tailgate has something a little extra. Scroll in for a good look! The gauges, are from leftover projects. I added soundproofing to the the cab. Plans are to add more, and a rug to the floorboards one day. It has modern seat belts that were military surplus. All in, it took about 6 months to build. Not bad, as it sat in front of my wifes studio for 12 years. This truck, is a daily driver. I didn’t build it to be a glam-rod. It gets used!
