My F100 has made several trips to the dump (transfer station, actually) this summer. And the odds are always good that it will find a kindred spirit there; I’ve documented a number of them here over the years, including one just earlier this summer. But this ’64 Dodge is the best encounter in a while.
1964 was the last year for the original Exner-era front end, which I have come to like more and more. In 1965, Dodge trucks got a very Turbine-car Engel-era exaggerated single front headlight, set in a much more generic grille.
This D100 is a Sweptline, with a 6.5′ box on a 114″ wheelbase.
The bed has seen lots of work and weather, like the one in mine. But it’s in a bit worse shape, with more distortion from heavy loads. Mine has remarkably little; I’d love to know just what gauge steel was used in these various bed floors.
This truck has the four speed transmission, with a “granny low” first gear. And the same ubiquitous seat covers as mine. I bought my seat covers some 20 years ago, but only finally needed to put them on about five years ago, when the seat split got too bad. Do they still make this kind?
Under the nicely-patinated hood purred the distinctive murmur of a slant six. I complimented the owner on how relatively quiet it was, as these had mechanical lifters until…mid 70s? it’s not like most slant six owners are out there adjusting their valves like I used to have to do with my VW every few months. But this one’s valve train was clearly in optimal specs.
Very nice! Loving the turquoise paint. All these pictures need is a red Chevy truck to finish the shot. As for the slant 6, it got hydraulic lifters in either 1980 or 81.
I have to confess that I have never really understood the front end on these. It looks uncharacteristically crude for something coming from Exner’s studio. There are few other trucks that can make the front half of a Studebaker Champ look polished and refined, but this is one of them.
Yup, ’81 is correct…except for the production test run of hydraulic-lifter 225s in ’78. Those were released into the wild (sold in vehicles); dealers received a TSB with parts and service information about them, but owners weren’t advised that their ’78 Volaré or D100 or whatever was any different from the norm. This was a bit of an unusual step, but then again that was a bit of an unusual hydraulic lifter setup: rather than alter the block to side-feed the lifters in the conventional manner, they requisitioned top-feed lifters and fed ’em via downflow from the pushrods, which in turn got their oil from the rocker shaft via the rocker arms.
But none of that applies to this ’64, unless it’s had an ’81 or later engine swapped in. Some solid-lifter slants are unusually clackety even when adjusted properly, and some are unusually quiet even when outta spec.
I know what you mean. The original egg crate grille was the most bizarre iteration – like they forgot to do a grille and realized the presses were ready to roll.
I do have a real affection for these trucks. We had a couple at the golf course my family ran, plus a medium duty dump – this style grille and the successor. And my grandfather used a pair of 70 and 71 medium duty chassis cabs for the insulated bodies he used in his wholesale candy business.
Interesting this is the only truck designed from scratch under Exner, although he probably had a pretty big role in the A100.
I’d never really noticed a ’61 before, but looking at photos, that eggcrate grille doesn’t look like an after thought. Rather, the way it extends up over the headlights seems like a late 50’s automotive sensibility, which was still in vogue at Chrysler for ’61. A little dated perhaps, but if you look at one where it was chromed, it makes perfect sense (and I rather like it!)
This shows what pickup trucks were originally designed to do….haul and work….and if the floormats got dirty, pull them out and hose them off….or leave them in and hose them down on a warm Summer day with the cab doors open….
Nowadays, a manual transmission is hard to find on a modern pickup and $60,000 Ford King Ranch pickups are running around with luxury interiors rivaling a Cadillac or Lincoln.
These old trucks are cool, and you have to admire that they continue to earn their keep, and their owners continue to use them for their intended purpose. Way to go Paul!
But who says today’s trucks can’t haul and work? They can, even better, with way more towing and hauling capacity than any of these old timers. And you don’t have to buy a new $60K King Ranch luxo-truck either.
Ford, Chevy/GMC, and Ram each still offer basic full size single cab “stripper” models for under $30K that are in every bit in the mold of the time honored, basic “work truck.” They’re even available with rubber floor mats, while offering a modicum of modern conveniences, like A/C and even Bluetooth connectivity (sacrilege!). And, in the case of the aluminum body Ford, hosing out the interior with floor mats in place won’t induce eventual rust.
Of course, if you actually want to drop 60-large on a pickup…and, say, you own a Texas cattle ranch…you certainly can, and it’ll work just as hard as the stripper model, just in greater comfort. Your money, your choice. Nothing wrong with that!
+1,000
Yep. Both have their place. Times change, with two working parents both typically need to be able to haul kids. There’s a configuration for just about any need imaginable.
Those ’60s D-series were low-tech but rugged; while the Chevy C/10 with its IFS & bigger 250 six was much better to drive, the Dodges seemed better built.
They were both strippo fleet models, which as stated, you can still get, identified by cheaper grilles & sealed-beam headlamps. The connectivity stuff makes sense since I imagine many users of fleet trucks today really benefit from such things, as opposed to private owners who could probably do without.
Last pickup with sealed beam headlights was the 2008-10 Super Duty XL trim, IIRC, and even then, the “normal” headlights used on higher trims were a low-cost option.
A friend in the interior of BC has had a (red) ’92 Ford Ranger since new. It’s not quite in the same class as these beauties, but similar in size and all round usefulness.
It hasn’t been used as daily transportation for years, but is too handy for the occasional job (and cheap to keep on the road) to consider getting rid of. It would look good in this shot!
What a great combination of period shapes and hues. I’ll take that Ford in turquoise, please.
The colors on these trucks would probably not look good on a modern truck, but they look so right on these old timers.
I won’t ever forget the day a ’63 version of this truck, in 1990 sent my recently restored ’77 Rabbit to the auto graveyard. I was going around 50 MPH when from the left I saw the truck coming up to it’s stop sign, it was going way too fast to even think about stopping. I stood on the brakes and prayed I would slow down enough so that massive front end didn’t T bone my door. I was was watching the speedo drop to about 32 mph as I slammed into the right side door of the truck. I felt the seat belt stretch like a rubber band as my glasses flew into the windshield.
I got out, the front of the Rabbit was folded almost flat up to the windshield. The Rabbits front bumper was still sticking out in it’s original position as it went under the truck. The right side of the cab of the Dodge was caved in about 3 feet deep right up to the frame between the front of the bed and the rear of the fender. Thank God I slowed enough to avoid me getting hit in the door with that huge front end.
When the driver got out of his truck, he was covered in oil from bottles stored in the cab that were crushed on impact. He asked if I was OK, and then said “Shoot, I really fudged up, didn’t I?” (edited so as not to offend). He didn’t have his wallet with him, the police arrived quickly and wrote him a ticket, and were amazed that I was uninjured, apart from bruised from the seatbelt. He said he had insurance, and it turned out he did thankfully, so I got enough money to replace the VW. He drove away, the truck still ran and drove fine. The Rabbit saw it’s last miles on the end of a tow truck. I always think of that day whenever I see one of these old Dodge trucks. The same intersection today has a 25 mph (was 50 at the time) speed limit and a 4 way traffic light.
Had a 64 D100, drove it on long trips as well as local hauling. Great truck, would buy one again if not rusted.
Probably the most beautiful pickup ever made.
‘Beautiful’ is not a word most would use to describe the appearance of an Exner Dodge pickup. Nevertheless, they ‘are’ quite distinctive and, dare I say, evoke the same baroque image of a vehicle on the complete opposite end of the Chrysler line, the Imperial (well, one from a few years earlier, anyway).
That’s a GREAT looking rig! The color is perfect for the era, the patina is just right, and the white spoke wheels set it off just right. That’s my idea of a worn in old truck done right.
Slicks have been called bricks driving down the road. Well that Dodge truly looks like a brick from the front. Definitely an acquired taste in that it has taken 50 years for me to acquire. Would still take a 65 Slick over it even a, bite my tongue, a Chevy.
Chevy? That reminds me of the fact that I look at a 64 Chevy truck that is truly a daily driver. Rust in the corners, rust holes in the drip rail, and rust holes in the bed. Nonetheless driven every week from Santa Cruz to Alameda for the last 15 years. Not to mention from Santa Cruz to San Diego a few weeks ago. Owned by a former Seabee, retired firefighter and the most versatile machinist, fabricator, builder on board the USS Hornet museum. Got to take a picture of it after all these years.
I like those old Dodges though my favourites are the later Aussie built models with the hemi six aboard, Nice old trucks its a much better transfer station than the one I frequent at least the traffic is more interesting.
Nice looking Dodge and have you ever told us Paul why you instead bought a Ford? Here is a facelifted version I found in Sherwood, OR
You can tell the Dodge is from a non-inclement-weather (i.e., no road salt) state. Otherwise, that body would have rusted away long ago.
One really noticeable feature about both trucks are the white-painted front bumpers. To me, that’s a tell-tale sign of a classic truck designed to be used for work, first and foremost.
The white painted bumpers stand out to me – time for another luddite rant from ol Matt – but even with the patina they both look so much better than the textured black plastic newer work trucks/vans use, especially the Fords with the entire front ends (yuck!), which are already turning that uneven greyish color on the oldest examples.
The affinity for the white-painted, metal bumpers might be simple nostalgia, but they sure seem to age better with the surface rust ‘patina’ being a whole lot more attractive than black graying from sun damage. Who knows, maybe 40 years from now, CC aficionados will be swooning over the latter.
Maybe an expert can tell us if there’s any organic compound that can endure long-term solar UV exposure. I doubt such exists.
Not to my knowledge. But white is the way to go, as it reflects more UVs and stays cooler, slowing down the degradation. Which is why black roofs are stupid; the shingles don’t last nearly as long as a lighter color.
I’m sort of tempted to get a work truck, but I don’t currently own a house, or space to work on a project. Too bad because I saw a partially restored early 70s International for sale this morning, and I’ve seen a few mid 60s Fords as well as some 80s Fords that would be familiar ground for me. Admittedly I would like something with a bit of pizzazz, like nice wheels and fresh paint, but nothing fancy under the hood and no bling.
Am I correct in assuming that these 1960’s trucks are either gone, or relegated to the car show circuit, in the Rust Belt and eastern Canada? These are still very common sights in driveways, at the dump or even Home Depot parking lot here in California. Ford, Chevy, the occasional Dodge, even a Studebaker, International or full-size Jeep every now and then. Far more common than early Toyotas or Datsuns; I saw a clean but lightly patinated (love that word) Datsun 520 at the farmer’s market this weekend and realized that I’ve seen several Studes and Cornbinders since I last saw a 520.
Here in WI, ANY 20-year old vehicle is a rare sight. And it will be covered in rust holes. I’ve literally never seen a 5-series Datsun in the metal, Asian cars of that era were lucky to make it to 10 years old here (still running fine, just too rusty to actually drive!) My dad had an 84 Toyota pickup, that rusted completely away (think, “bed fell right off the frame” rusty) by the time it was 7 years old. The only old trucks like in this story I see, are ones brought in from other states. (insert sad face here)
Not only was the look ‘interesting’, Dodge stayed with it 11 model years, all the way through 1971. I think it was contemporary compared to the ’61-’66 Chevys, GMC’s and Fords but got outdated pretty fast, particularly compared to the Harry Bradley designed ’67 GM twins.
Regardless of how they looked, they were very tough and reliable. Rust and primitive ride/handling (due to a leaf spring/I beam front axle) were their only vices.
What a great combination of colors. I’m not normally one to be all in on patina love but this design Dodge actually looks better with it than new. It certainly compliments the crudeness as pointed out, but it’s just so beautifully purposeful in this state!
I spent many of my formative years in one like this, white painted bumpers, Ranger green, gray vinyl seats and hose-out rubber flooring. But IIRC no radio.
A slide-in homemade camper unit made it a fun family rig.
It is rare to see old iron like this at the dump, but I am amazed at what an ’80’s vintage Ranger or Toyota can haul.
Ah yes, my favourite truck. I love these things so much, but they’re so hard to find where I am, and people never took care of them the way they did with the bug-eye D100s, so the ones I do find aren’t in serviceable condition.
Paul, I have the same seat cover on my 2003 Tundra….I bought about 3 years ago. Perfect fit and feel.
Cabela’s sells those seat covers.
I had 2 of them from this run, a ’67 & ’69. Both 3\4 ton,LWB, V8. They are so easy to work on. The ’67 was originally a 318LA with 4spd. I pulled the engine and transmission and put a 383 auto out of a ’66 Chrysler with less than 90,000 miles on it. The 318 was still running good, I wanted more power as I had a big cabover camper and boat I hauled with it. I actually got better gas mileage with the 383. Ran it for another 40,000 miles after that. Friends were always borrowing it to haul stuff. One time a friend returned it and said it had saved him a 100 mile round trip. He was hauling sheet rock to a new house he was building and figured it would take two loads in my truck to transport 80 sheets(52lbs a sheet). He did it in one.The ’69 was a 383 auto from the factory. Neither one had PS but both had power drum brakes.
Great-looking old Dodge, and the patina is indeed perfect. It wears the look so easily.
While I may *slightly* prefer the later models with the “pie plate” lamp surrounds, this is still quite the eye-catcher. Great color too.
Look What i found for sale!!