29/10/2025
1953 Dodge Panel Van. £9995
I've owned this since 2018, imported as a project, never got round to it. So, it's still a project but I have done a fair bit of work to get it nearer to being a daily driver.
It has the stock 6 cyl flathead engine, which runs extremely well, and 3 speed column shift manual gearbox. The whole thing is basically stock, original spec.
The underside has been cleaned back to more or less bare metal and painted with satin black Hammerite. My brother has just completed a full re-wire as the old cloth covered wiring was disintegrating and had had several botch up repairs done in the past. It has new UK spec halogen headlights, front sidelight/indicator lenses, new horn, screen washer kit and indicator control unit on the column. Unfortunately, the wipers stopped working when I was adjusting the screen washer jets, and I don't know what has gone wrong.. no blown fuses, so possibly the wiper motor has failed. The generator is a bit noisy but is working well.
Mechanically it has had the brakes overhauled with new seals in the wheel cylinders and a new master cylinder, brake hoses and hard lines. New front wheel bearings and a full set of tyres. The original exhaust was repaired and re-routed to exit in front of the rear wheel. A new water pump was fitted as the original started to leak. Then the radiator started leaking, so it was removed and a Chevy truck radiator was modified to fit. All the oils have been changed and it has fresh anti-freeze in it. Oil pressure gauge does work and is showing healthy oil pressure.
The old fuel tank was crushed and rusted so a new Mustang tank, filler and sender unit was relocated to the rear. Fuel gauge doesn't appear to be working though. A new Facett electric pump and all new hard lines and rubber hoses were fitted.
The seats it came in with were wrecked and held in with wooden blocks, so Jamie has fabricated new brackets and fitted a set of black & grey leather Audi AllRoads seats, which tilt forwards for access to the rear.
As stated it is a project, and it hasn't been driven outside my yard as yet, so I wouldn't plan on driving it home.. get it delivered and satisfy yourself that it's good to go prior to using it. There is some rust on the lower sections of the sides between the doors and rear wheelarches (seen from the underside) and in the bottoms of the back doors. There may be other localised spots but all in all it's a pretty good "patina" van. As mentioned wiper motor and fuel gauge not working. Some spring hangers have a little wear but nothing to stop it being used right now. Some glass is cracked, some has fogging round the edges... you will want to replace the glass and rubbers at some point... all flat glass, it'll work for now. It seems to need the choke to start it, whether hot or cold, but only to actually fire it up. It fires virtually instantly. That's about it from what I can see, but I stress it hasn't had a good road test... come and see it for yourself, make your mind up if it's for you, remembering it is 72 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
So, that's about it, a good running, rare van with great patina, lots of work done, other work still to do. I'm selling it at what it owes me, so no offers please.
Contact Jim on 07593 187939, or message me. This is a private sale, sold as-is, no further time for it, only want my money back to buy something I need. The van is currently in my yard in Grangemouth, FK3 8XX. I wont answer messages asking where I'm located.....if you can't be bothered to look..... I'm about 400 miles from London... please do not get into messages, pictures, etc etc then tell me you can't travel to see but wont buy blind... you're just wasting both our times... also if you're not ready to buy... leave it until you are.... you get my drift.. genuine enquiries only. I'm no expert on Dodge vans, do your research before enquiring. £9995 You wont buy, transport, import, land, register and do the work that's been done to this for 10K these days. No offers, no part ex, no swaps, sold as-is no warranty implied or given... payment via bank transfer (preferred) or cash if you must. 07593 187939.
