Diamond T Dump truck

Brad Buchanan · Jul 15, 2012

Hey all,

Looked at a Diamond T dump truck yesterday. It looks to be a 1 to 2 ton truck. Didn't find the year on it but It looks to be an early 30's style to me.

Didn't take a pic but nearly all the sheet metal is there and repairable. Has a splitter on the rear (looks to be vacuum actuated), really good tires and a flathead four.

My question is would a little more modern engine mate with this drivetrain?? I have a 302 in good condition and a 460 that is fresh.

I need a vehicle lift for more than this but would hate to see this piece of history go to the scrappers.

Thanks in advance,

Brad

Janicholson · Jul 15, 2012

In my opinion, the drive train would break. I think a 6 cylinder diamond T engine would give more power, but not break things. The real question is do you want to road it. If so, the answer is to swap out the axles on both ends with modern design, including real brakes. There might be a market for the existing parts. My worry is that the 1930s equipment was basically 45 to 50 MPH with no government regs as to brakes. (neighbor had a 29 chevrolet truck with contracting mechanical band brakes that acted like a good way to bend the steering wheel while crashing. Jim

Harold H · Jul 15, 2012

Don't make astreet rod out of a rare truck. Keep it basicly originalo. Uou can find a much more common later vehicle to build into a street rod.

Harold H

old · Jul 15, 2012

Look close at the drive train to see if it is the enclosed type or the open type. If the open type you could maybe go with a small V-6 but I would sure not try going with a V-8. Or maybe even a small diesel. I own a Diamond -T dump truck I still want to get back up and running one of these days

Mike (WA) · Jul 15, 2012

Even if you could adapt a more modern engine, you're not going to be happy with the result. Old granny transmission with straight-cut gears and no synchros, rear end ratio will have you at about 50 MPH flat out. And mechanical who-knows-what for brakes, as Janicholson pointed out.

I had a 36 Chev pickup when I was a kid- valves floated at 38 MPH- life in the slow lane, or rather, life in the bike path. I put a Chev 283, Powerglide, and '57 Olds rear end in it, and it was much more satisfactory.

Ultradog MN · Jul 15, 2012

I had a 48 model 404 (1 1/2) ton for about 17 years. It had a 98 hp Hercules JXB in it. It was a real groaner. Over about 45 mph and the pistons were swapping holes. I repowered it once with a JXLD (120 hp?) so it had more power but even with more motor it still had granny gears.
Eventually I pulled the cab and bed off of it and set them onto a 75 IH Loadstar 1600.
Found a set of 10x22.5s to replace the 8.25x20s and with that IH 345 in it it would hightail right along.
What killed the fun of it all was commercial plates and insurance ran about $3k/year.
I restored/repainted it a couple of times over the years. First time the all too common red w/black fenders but the second time all original red and paid to have the green and white pinstriping put on it.
I have some photos of it somewhere. I ought to bring them in and get them scanned sometime.
All I have left of it is one side hood emblem that I keep on the wall.

Paul from MI · Jul 15, 2012

My summer ride for the last 10 years has been my restored M38a1 military Jeep. Those 5.38 axles keep you cruising comfortably at about 35mph. Yeah, I could change 'em or put in an overdrive, but then it wouldn't be an M38a1. Either accept the limitations or look for something else.

casecollectorsc · Jul 15, 2012

Buddy and I put a 360 and 727 in a Diamond T pickup 20 years ago. Hooked up power brakes and a high dollar paint job. He drove it 3-4 years and sold it for $30,000.

Bud Tierney · Jul 16, 2012

DiamondTclassics.com might be helpful on resurrecting it and/or taking any replaced parts.
If you don't take it don't let whatever's left be scrapped; Diamond T gave up 4s in 1929, except for the T200 1Ton that had a 4cyl Buda H199 in 1930-31. D
Besides diamondTclassics.com, there's the old truck forum on smokstak and aths.org; someone'll come get it if it's not selling at gold prices.
If you don't want to fool with posting email me what info you can and the owners contact info and I'll do the posting. Many thxx!! Bud

Diamond T Dump truck

Brad Buchanan

Member

Janicholson

Well-known Member

Harold H

Well-known Member

old

Well-known Member

Mike (WA)

Well-known Member

Ultradog MN

Well-known Member

Paul from MI

Well-known Member

casecollectorsc

Well-known Member

Bud Tierney

Member

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