my 1956 dodge postal van

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G

going_postal

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i found this on CL for sale , but there was no pic . not knowing what it looked like i went ahead and made the 2 hour trip to check it out . when i got there i thought what an ugly van , but it did'nt take long for it to grow on me . i have been wanting something different and boy do i have it . the van has right hand drive , a flathead 6 , and a push botton automatic . the engine is stuck from sitting 32+ years so it will get pulled and perhaps a V8 will take its place .

these were produced from 1954 up to 1956 . i have read that the 56 is the most rare due to the fact that dodge stopped production at 800 due to payment issues from the government . i have not been able to confirm this .

if you know anything about this type of vehicle , where i might find restoration parts , original photo's , specs , and production numbers of each year please let me know .

i have googled it and keep coming up with the same .
model C3-C6-95
post office number
engine horse power
body by fageol..........etc.
i have found maybe 4 pics . one from a munsters program , one from another program called lost worlds , and then a couple that look like mine .
 

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I like that too man great find!!! If you pull the flatty, keep it never-the-less what an awesome parts runner that would be for an auto shop! AWESOME:mrgreen:
 
dusterdan said:
I like that too man great find!!! If you pull the flatty, keep it never-the-less what an awesome parts runner that would be for an auto shop! AWESOME:mrgreen:
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thats what i was thinking also . i'm going to add a reciever hitch once its going so i can pull my 20' car hauler :D
 
Its so bugly but it kinda grows on you like moss !
Make a great swap meet hauler !
I Bet drivetrain & suspension brakes parts will be a pain to find & fix or repair for this 2 yr model run ?
You maybe able measure wheelbase & swap the chassis for like GM g-body or s10 or dodge durango & make the drivetrain more Autozone friendly & rat rod look outside !
Its different ?
 
The government failed to pay someone??..preposterous!!..Nice van though
 
70LIME340DUSTER said:
You maybe able measure wheelbase & swap the chassis for like GM g-body or s10 or dodge durango & make the drivetrain more Autozone friendly & rat rod look outside !
Its different ?
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the wheel base is a short 95" . i am wanting to keeep everything as is other then a motor and tranny swap , but like you say , it would make it easier to find parts by swapping the chassis .
 
thanks for the link 72bluNblu . i will check it out .
 
Never can tell what you will find in a postal vehicle for running gear.

I had a postal Scout that was equipped with an IHC 4 banger... bolted to a 727 Torqueflite. It had an odd Dana 60 out back with 4.56 gears & clutch posi.

It will be interesting to hear what this truck has for driveline pieces. It may well be very overbuilt like other postal stuff was. It could have a truck underpinnings, or car parts. Post some more pics when you can.

If it has enough frame under it, put a 6 cyl Cummins in it...

B.
 
Cool truck. Have some fun with it and drop a diesel in it.
 
Too kool... Customize that delivery piece of art, to a chopped top lowered cruiser. "I like it allot"
 
That's a great truck! I am by no means a purist, but I think it would be cooler near stock with a period correct V8 like a poly 318 or small HEMI.
 
I'd give my left nut for that!! I've never even seen a picture of one of those! I like odd things like that, and I used to have one of these. Willys FJ-3 Fleetvan, used as mail vehicles back in the day. Everyone thought they started as ice cream trucks, but no. Right hand drive (stand or sit) and an F-head inline 4 (intake valves in the head, exhaust in the block)

That's amazing it's still painted the red, white and blue too!

60fleetvanEB2_small.jpg
 
Congratulations! Not exactly beautiful but a very cool truck!

The flathead 6 is a nice and extremely durable engine with lots of torque.
I had one once in a '55 Plymouth with the same 2-speed Powerflite. Nothing to complain about other than the gas mileage.. They can be pretty thirsty.
I have to agree with "Commando66", a Mopar V8 from the same area would be cool. "The way it could have been"..
The small 50's V8's are also very nice engines from a time when Mopar was #1 when it came to enginering. They are also more efficent than the 30's design six. I have a '56 270 Poly and Powerflite in my '57 Plymouth, moves the car real good and is pretty decent on gas. Of course it's your car and choice but I'd rather go that route than drop in a mainstream 350sbc.

Good luck with the project!
 
i actually thought about the diesel idea . i seen a mercedes on CL with a turbo diesel and auto that i had on my mind , but it sold .

when i first seen this van it was stting flat on the ground in black dirt . i was very concerned about the frame and floor being gone , but to my amazment there is no cancer to speak of . now the exhaust pipe is a different story .

the story behind this old van , is that it delivered mail in fredericksburg tx until it was passed on to "The Radio Post" where it was used for delivering news papers . after it broke down a lady bought it and used it as a camper for a year until her house was built . she had called a junk yard to pick it up when a man that lived beside her told her that she would do better by selling it on CL .
 
Rocket-Racing said:
Congratulations! Not exactly beautiful but a very cool truck!

The flathead 6 is a nice and extremely durable engine with lots of torque.
I had one once in a '55 Plymouth with the same 2-speed Powerflite. Nothing to complain about other than the gas mileage.. They can be pretty thirsty.
I have to agree with "Commando66", a Mopar V8 from the same area would be cool. "The way it could have been"..
The small 50's V8's are also very nice engines from a time when Mopar was #1 when it came to enginering. They are also more efficent than the 30's design six. I have a '56 270 Poly and Powerflite in my '57 Plymouth, moves the car real good and is pretty decent on gas. Of course it's your car and choice but I'd rather go that route than drop in a mainstream 350sbc.


Good luck with the project!
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yeah i have been a chevy man most all of my life . i have raced the small blocks the most with a few big blocks thrown in every now and then . i have a 31 ford coupe project and the small block chevy is what its getting . small block chevy would be easier for me since i know them so well and know nothing about mopar, but i would like to try my hand at a mopar . i am so interested in this van that i have pushed my 31 to aside .
 
We're broke now, but it may be worth contacting the Postal Museum in DC, there may be some one interested in your little jewel. You may have the only one left. what a rare find that would be? I am a lead automotive tech for the USPS. I have seen a lot of postal vehicles in the 29 years I have been doing this, but is the 1st time I have seen one of these. Cars movie escapee for sure.
 
deman360 said:
We're broke now, but it may be worth contacting the Postal Museum in DC, there may be some one interested in your little jewel. You may have the only one left. what a rare find that would be? I am a lead automotive tech for the USPS. I have seen a lot of postal vehicles in the 29 years I have been doing this, but is the 1st time I have seen one of these. Cars movie escapee for sure.
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It's not the only one left, I've seen others out there. This one looks to be in pretty good condition for sure, but its by no means the only one. Dodge didn't make a ton of them though, so it is a fairly rare bird.

If you start a thread over on the Pilot House forum I'm sure you'll get a warm response, a lot of collectors have a soft spot for the old route vans (there are a few variations). I go by "moparmonkey" over there, and have a couple of '53 Dodge 1/2 ton trucks.

As far as a powerplant, the '56 trucks did come with an optional 270 poly V8. Which should mean that the Dodge 270, 315 and 325 hemi or poly engines should all bolt right into that truck.
 
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