We drive the GrandDaddy of Heavy Duty Trucks -1947 Dodge Truck on the Road 

We had a Dodge truck almost identical to that one on the farm while I was growing up. I used to enjoy diving it. We also had a KB6 International with a 5 speed and 2 speed rear end. I used to be able to double-clutch them pretty well, but when I took a job hauling gravel in a 1960's International, I had to learn all over again. The following year, I drove an International R-185 (a bit heavier). I could do anything with that truck (or thought I could). One day, I tried to do a split shift from 4L to 3H, while coming out of a pit road, and I managed to strip 3rd gear. My Dad (owner of the truck) was not pleased. If he was operating a piece of equipment that broke down, it was the equipment's fault. If I was operating a piece of equipment that broke down, it was my fault. All that was many years ago This video brought back memories.

That 1.5 ton Dodge truck is spectacular. I love the gearbox whine.

This video brought back some memories. I had a 1939 Dodge pickup my uncle gave me when I was 16 (1966). It was a 3-speed, but it had square gears. I learned how to double-clutch with this truck. This skill came in handy 30 years later when I purchased a 1953 Brockway dump truck.

Holy crap that's amazing I love old rigs like that.

Just picked up one of these, and its in great condition. Can't wait to get going on it.

Now that's Awesome!!!! The back bone of America right there!

thats a real old school brute. love the old Dodge trucks.

Neat old truck. You can downshift. You have to rev match a non synchro transmission with the gas pedal.

You never use first gear on an unladen 4-speed truck--My dad was a contractor and had a '52 Dodge rack--we lived at the top of a hill and I always knew when he was coming home because 2nd gear almost sang as he came up the hill

Nathan, they need to teach you how to drive an old 4 speed non synchro. lol I like the 47. Nothing like good old True American iron.

I had an Uncle who was a farmer that had one of these 47's. I got to drive it when were were threshing Grain. I would drive it along side of the columbine and catch the grain as it was coming out the machine!

That's an old truck, just a year younger than I am. I loved seeing it; thanks for sharing.

Thanks for that flashback! That's the first vehicle I drove. I thought double clutching was normal. We would put that truck in low gear, set the throttle and walk along side loading hay bales. Step up on the running board and nudge the steering wheel.

I would like to see Mr. Truck drive that. He might actually know how to shift properly!

Dodge trucks were plush for the day, with upholstered door panels and headliner. Ford and GM had all painted metal. I wonder if the metallic paint was original - you could get it on Chrysler Corp. cars even before the war but if it was on trucks it probably would've been a rare option.

Once you get the feel of them they are a very smooth transmission to shift, I have a WF 32. 1947. Ford also used that transmission as far up as 1952 and they do take practice.

Doge, Chevy, Ford, Ram, Nissan, Toyota...I don't car who you are brand loyal to, this would be an awesome drive.

Suddenly my F-350 seems a bit girly :-)

When I was growing up there were still quite a few of those old 40's and 50's trucks in use on the farms. They were always fun to drive. I'm pretty sure the gears in some of them were roughly hewn from large boulders, or so it felt when you were trying to shift them. Jamming gears wasn't just a metaphor. You had to put some shoulder into it.

I had one of these types - a COE, cabover 1947 Dodge back in 1974. It used to belong to Reuben and van Dyke, the company that hauled for Marshall Field's in Chicago. It had a flatbed on it with wood sides. I used it to haul scrap metal.It had a hand crank socket on the front damper, so I made a crank and actually used it to start the truck when I wanted to show off! I left it sticking out the front end and drove it around to watch people's reactions when they looked at it as they passed me!The gears in the trans were straight-cut and sliding gears (opposed to how any modern trans has "sliding clutches" or "dog clutches" and the big gears are constant-mesh) and boy did they howl! You did have to double-clutch especially shifting down, but for me it was easier just not to use the clutch at all! Just drag it out of gear and time the right moment to put it in the next gear. Down-shifting was trickier, but I was great at it in no time!!Not too many young people back then could drive one of these old transmissions without syncs. Not to mention cranking engines off!!

My good friend has a 1947 5 ton Dodge that your truck could be carried on. It has a 34 foot bed and weighs 13,000 pounds empty. 10.00 x 20 tires. 413 cubic inch flat head engine. 6 volts, 5 spd. transmission with a 2 speed rear end.

I just want to drive a truck like that everywhere! They just don't make things like that anymore. So cool!

little tip if you ever drive a unsyncro again.once your rolling time it so you drive with out shifting with the clutch and it won't grind because you become a syncro.

Great video Nathan!

Rather have that truck than any new one with all the safety crap and electronic Gadgets that I wouldn't want or need.

would love to drive one of those old trucks

beautiful truck! thanks for sharing

I'm so jealous of you Nathan. But I could not double clutch I think. I've never done it. Awesome drive man. I'd love to try it.

Nathan a real trucker floats the gears even today. Only use the clutch to get moving. After that no clutch. Its easier to mesh the gear with your right foot and the throttle. Clutching just disengages the engine and the input shaft, but it doesn't disengage the the wheels or forward motion of the vehicle and the output shaft of the transmission. Those 2 shafts and the gears on them are what you are trying to mesh. Now on a synchronized transmission as in a car or light duty truck there are brass brakes in between the gears designed to match speeds of the gears in a shift. You always single clutch those transmissions or you risk destroying those brass brakes ie synchronizes.

that old truck is kickass

Check out the awesome 1957 movie "hell drivers" starring these trucks.

I would take that 1947 over the 2015 Dodge any day of the week and twice on Sunday !!!!

great video

After driving one of these old truck you wont need the gym that day

Hahah you sound like me the first time I tried to road test a dump truck. Even modern large trucks dont have synchros in the transmission.

Nice truck, nice video

got one of those, pulls like a tractor, had to pull a dump truck out of the ditch that seemed twice as heavy !

Cool video!

Nice truck.

Nice old truck.

I’m pretty sure you don’t no how to double clutch 😂. Mopar old school for life . 👍🏻🇦🇺✌️.

Hard to watch the grinding of gears, you should find a Mack with a triplex transmission.

70 Years old!

Loved the old Dodge but the term ‘Dumper’ made me laugh ! It’s commonly just called a ‘dump truck’ or ‘dump box’. Why would you use first or ‘creeper gear’ when taking off with an empty truck unless going up hill? Lol.......anyway, nice to see a ‘kid’s interest in old iron....40 years excavation co. Owner operator here.

That's how I learned to drive, when I was 12, but knew how to shift

awesome

Don't understand the need to double clutch. I'd think you could just float the gears.

Sweet!

Grind em til ya find em. You need to learn to drive that truck!!!

The original country boys getaway vehicle

Great!

i ant to get a 1947 dodge and put a 12 valve in it but i would have to replace the drivetrain as well ... lol

Is this truck based on WW2 German truck that Wermacht drove ? I mean it looks very simmilar and it's made two years after the war.

When are you guys going to review the new Toyota Tacoma?

That truck is awesome and is still better than ford f450

Take it up the Ike gauntlet!

Hey Nathan, are your pants too tight? Your voice was up several octaves on that vid.

You forgot you mention that straight 6 is only 80 hp.

moar please!

that is a real sweet and blood truck of america by real people. not machines

hook up to that 5500 and pull it backwards

muito bom

This where in India

Can't beat American made (

All you hear in this video is horrible grinding noises while he struggles to even understand what the clutch does

Ofcourse rear wheel drive. Do you except a front wheel drive gayness on a truck?

America.

Anyone who thinks this truck is awesome has never driven one. They suck ass in every way but that's what you would expect from 1947.

Would you please remove the miserable background music, please?

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