General Information
Name
Little Racal
Year
1940
Make
Dodge Truck
Model
VD-20
Color
Green
Packages
None: No seat belts, No Radio, No Heater, No Power locks or Windows, No Blue Tooth, No Wifi
History
This all original truck was purchased new in Sacramento By Andrew Catamatori for use in his General Store in the small town of Murphys CA. Andrew, later in ’46, started and served on the water board (aka: Union Pacific Utility District or UPUD) for the town; which still exist in Murphys today. The truck was used by the UPUD for quite some time before being retired. It then went to the son of one of the employees of the UPUD as his first truck, and he drove it around until he got married around ’78 at which time the truck was parked, for the most part, at his pig farm until it was rediscover in 2001 by friends of Dave Fenner. Dave Fenner is the Founder of “1939-1947 Dodge Truck Registry” which was created to document any remaining Dodge trucks produced from 1939-1947. Dave and his buddies pulled the truck out, cleaned it up, restored a few things and got it running. The Ol’ Dodge was then used mostly in the Murphys Irish Day Parade and short hops around town where it enjoys quite the celebrity status; being a local truck all its life and still being in service
The plan is to convert to four wheel drive and re-power with a 4BT, NV4500 & NP205
Had to cut 5-3/4" from the length of the Dana-60, paint & rebuild.
I Put the engine between the rails checking for fitment. The result was not what I was hoping for. I spent a lot of time trying to keep the original front crosmember and radiator support; but in the end I just could not make it happen. And then one afternoon with a sawzall it was no longer a problem
I also struggled a lot with motor mounts. I tried several version of the traditional side-mounts; but something was always getting in the way. ie: starter motor, power steering and other things I can think of right now.
Then someone turned me on to the front engine support and flywheel housing mounts. For me it really freed up a lot of space along the sides of the block, and I feel like things are now going in a good direction; and these mounts are keeping with the originality of the truck.
The forward mount did not work out....But the front corner mount location did
Rebuilt the 205 and added twin sticks & a drive-line brake from a NP200, off a Dodge M37.
In my free time, Ive been doing a little painting.
Modifications
Drivetrain
Cummins 4BT, NV4500, NP205, Dana 60 & 70
Interior
Original
Exterior
Original
Audio
I-Phone
Lighting
Original
Suspension
Original
