1965 Dodge Deora Pick-Up "Show Truck".

[Hemi]

Guys,
To start, so that EVERYONE ones, I started this build a LONG Time ago, and has been a long term project ever since! 

To that, so that all here is aware, I take and do "threads" on my builds, typed out in MS Notepad, and have image code embedded into the "body" of the Notepad thread, and I can simply copy & paste the "build thread" as its done in Notepad....

This one, just so happens to be one thats been around a bit! I didn't think to post it till I seen a current member here posting his build! -So, I thought, I'd toss in mine too.... 

To give a little back ground history, this truck was started from a 1965 Dodge A100 heavily customized, by 2 brothers, and was finished in 1967, as a "Concept" truck of the time!

So With that said, lets begin the Deora, MY WAY.......

[Hemi]

So, being a Dodge fanatic, and wanting a slant 6 and not being able to find one thats in the Lindberg kits, I've found it in the Deora Show Car model. But why they call it a "Show Car" is beyond me, as it truly is a truck thats loosely based off the '60's Dodge A100 pick ups, (like that of the Little Red Wagon model we all know of!
But, I merely bought the kit just for the engine! I want the Slant 6 for another project, I want to build my Grandfathers last car, that he had for 30 years to see him through, He passed owning a Plymouth Volare, with a 225 Slant 6 powering it....
See the following:

225 Slant 6 Engine ---^

Chromed Engine parts ---^


Hideous Yellow body ---^

Other Chromed parts ---^



This is my 331 "Red Ram" Hemi, prior to be getting "Chromed"! The whole block, both heads, valve "Valley" oil pan, and timing chain cover/water pump unseen (they, already chrome!) but the whole thing EXCEPT the valve covers will be CHROME, its a show truck, right?
The Valve covers, where they should be red, will be same color as the body color, with a black wire router "cover" down the center of them!
More to come as progress is gained!

[Hemi]

I was merely feeling lazy that day and didn't want to pull out the air brush so. if it didn't work, I just merely remove it from the engine and have a go at it again with the air brush, BUT, I think it turned out well so......
OK so a bit of progress to this truck....I've pictures the "start" of the chroming process of the engine, so. Here is the rest of that process....



I have to think about what intake I want to use on the show truck and then how I plan to show-horn it in place as the inside of the trucks "bed" has a dog house that I plan to cut the top out of and either "raise" it, and plate over with "glass" as a table to see through when the camper is on the bed, OR leave it the height it is, and still put a glass top on it, to be seen through to be able to see the 331 Hemi inside powering this rig.....
I have a pretty good choice of intakes if I want, I just have to think about what I want to "see" inside this show truck, I may end up using a Hillborn set up.....Either that or a side draft fed, blower.....Not sure yet tho! one thing is certain, the intake WILL be chrome!
The original "Slant 6" removed for reasons I'm not tellin' (Got other plans for it!) BUT, was replaced with a Dodge Red Ram 331 Hemi, as seen it was all chromed! Only the valve covers are going to reflect the body color!

So, as the motor was chromed, ENTIRELY, it got some, color enhancements with the body color the truck will be with some trim, that will also be seen on the truck body. The engine however, took me a bit to think up what and how I was going to shoe-horn a 331 Red Ram Hemi inside, AND keep it somewhat confined, plus overall fit as well, and have something to actually look "at" and be pleasing to the eye....Remember, this engine, WILL be all but between the passengers in side the cab! I'll explain a bit more in this posting as pics are seen!

The engine got a side draft blower, all chromed. It needed this to keep overall height down so that the interior and the exterior "Dog House" didn't need a lot of height....Plus this model with the side-draft carburetion, will be nice to go with the original chrome intake vents that were for the Slant 6 that came with the model.


Side shots of this engine! Looks good to date, some detail painting is needed, AND some actual details need added, to come up to my detail nerd self....LOL

Because of the engine swap, I had to remove the factory engine mounts and make my own to fit and hold the 331 Hemi a little higher in the frame, as I did NOT want it to "hang" any lower then the factory one did, and to that, actually wanted it a bit "higher" as I plan to "slam" this whole truck too....low-profile tires and rims as a Pro-Touring sort of truck.....NOT 4X4, (I know I'm a redneck, BUT....not this one!) I also what and plan to keep the camper to make it fit as well! (Thats the "redneck" addition to the model from me), BUT NOT have it permanently mounted, it will be a removable detail!

So far the frame looks GREAT! I'm happy! Now, thats it for now, interior fitting of the Dog House is next, stay tuned!
ENJOY!

[Hemi]

So as I mentioned, the Dog House in the interior needed fitted to accept the 331 Hemi engine with blower....This is going to prove fun!
See:

As you can see, the Dog House, has got its "top" removed already, (I was unsure how much it needed so I took the whole flat area off of this to allow the engine to "poke" through. Thing is, what I didn't know till I looked is the Dog House, is off-center! I got a few plans that you'll see in just a bit. The Dog House top will be replaced with Glass, to be able to see it from almost any angle when I'm done.


So here you see the engine in the frame, and the interior fitted in place, now as you look, you can see what I was speaking of. A little work to the Dog House, and the engine will look GREAT in place! Fitting it is half the fun!

This picture shows what I'll be doing to the Dog House, The top and the front "rear-ward" angled part seen outlines in black, will also be "glass" for engine viewing.....
More to come as progress happens!
ENJOY!

[Hemi]

-And that my friends, is as far as I had gotten! Stay tuned! More to come as I pick back up on this build! (I got 3 other "current" builds going on right now that are REALLY close done) and as soon as they are, I'll be re-focusing on others that need work to get closer to that finished product! This MIGHT be one of such models to be re-visited!

[koffinbuilder64]

Nice project! I can't remember the last time I saw a Deora kit modified. I will be watching this one!

[Bert]

The Deora always needed a hemi. Nice work so far.

[patw]

Looks good so far Hemi, keep up the good work!

[Hemi]

-Thanks guys!!!! A lot to do on this one to make it as you see here so far and a lot to go! (I haven't worked on this one in over a year!) BUT when I get the 3 I have currently so close done (A '68 Plymouth Roadrunner, Rosco's Police Car from the Dukes of Hazzard, and a model of my Dad's '68 Dodge Dart 270) when they're done the other models I have neglected to d much on from the pics, will get some more attention then! The current 3 are all being done, side-by-side too! -Be NICE to get more then one model a year! (I have to concentrate on the single ones that are further along in the build more often!)

Stay tuned tho.... NOT sure whats next, I really been thinkin of getting going on the 2 Deora's tho.....

[TooOld]

A Hemi in a Deora . . . yep , works for me !
Your Hemi looks right at home in there .

[Hemi]

Thanks Bob! Yeah I thought a Hemi be right at home in the Deora! Especially a 331 Red Ram Hemi (An old "Dodge" based Hemi. as back then they all had there own "version" of the Chrysler "Hemi"....

Thanks tho! I will be adding to this one I do believe in the near future!

[Dennis M]

Great job so far.

[Hemi]

Thanks Dennis! Much appreciated! I'll be getting back to this one I do believe more sooner then later just because I have a few "tricks" on lowering it even further then it is, LESS then the thickness of a popsicle stick too!