(first posted 3/15/2014) Triborough has found a truck I’ve been keeping an eye out for way too long: A Dodge L700 tilt cab medium duty with the cab borrowed from the A100 van/pickup. Ford had their immensely popular C-Series, and Chevrolet had a very similar tilt-cab truck, but Dodge obviously couldn’t afford to compete with a cab designed specifically for the job, so they improvised. And the results looks just that.
It’s a nice enough looking truck, and rather European at that. Built between 1966-1971, sales of the L600 and L700 had to be very modest, because at the time I remember being aware of how uncommon they were. Engine choices started with the “Premium” 225 slant six, 318, 361 and 413 gasoline V8s, and a Cummins V8 diesel with 185 hp.
Uh oh; this one is still sitting on a Dodge dealer’s lot. Did it never sell?
I’ve always liked forward control trucks and vans like this. I’d prefer rear-engined vehicles like the Corvair van and Greenbrier, but most forward control vans and buses, I like.
When I began working @ L.A.P.D. in 1984 we had one of these with a bobtail body on it , powered by a 413 CI V-8 , manual tranny , what a noisy beast inside the cab in spite of being low mileage and pristine .
In 1986 they dropped $30,000.00 into sound proofing it then scrapped it because there’s really no way to make it quiet inside and the driver’s hearing was shot , he’d been driving it for decades .
-Nate
I’m guessing some promotional-minded Dodge dealer with an appreciation for old cars spent some fairly big bucks (charged to the company, of course) to put this back into shape and use it for a display. It’s effective..
Since the vehicle is in Pennsylvania (according to the phone #) I’m guessing that it was traded in after long service to someone or picked up by the dealer at an auction and then restored exactly as you describe.
The local Buick/GMC dealer has it’s parts and service department in the old showroom on the opposite side of the block from the current show room. Inside where the service waiting room is located they have GMC trucks from the 1940s to the 1980s restored to their original glory. Every one of them is one that the dealership originally sold and then decided to keep and restore when the repeat customer came back.
Former Dodge dealer. Seems they got cut in the late fiscal unpleasantness and now have 2 used cars for sale. (www.imjarrett.com), maybe.
Introducing the 1972 Studebaker tilt-cab medium duty truck!
I never recall seeing one of these, ever. For a company in big-time expansion mode in the 60s, Dodge’s mongrelized medium duty truck line was always a mystery to me. And that was before seeing this one.
Speaking from the perspective of someone who was born in 1970, I have no memory of ever having seen one of these, either.
Me too… born in 1968 and never saw one myself. Rather handsome looking vehicle. The vans I remember seeing – and riding in one once in the front seat in a workman’s van and thought it was the deal. 😉
Same as JPC. Never saw these on the road in my ’70s youth. The Ford C-Series was prolific, as was the International CO Loadstar/Cargostar.
Below was the only Dodge medium truck I saw with any regularity. And they were quite rare.
somebody had posted some Mexican Heavy duty Dodges on the Cohort that showed the same resourcefulness. 1st gen (94-?) Ram body and trim re-arranged to cover the needed materiel.
Tough looking little truck ! Seems to be in an excellent condition.
Although rare in Northwestern Europe I certainly remember the Dodge COE trucks from the seventies. There was a model based on a Commer truck from the UK, Bryce posted a photo recently in a comment.
And there was this big boy, the 300 series, based on a Spanish Barreiros truck. I’ve read somewhere that these had “Chrysler diesels”, which were basically rebadged Cummins engines.
The book “Ford Trucks Since 1905” offers conjecture that this Dodge may have been introduced in response to a Ford concept vehicle built in 1964 using an Econoline pickup cab on a C600 frame. Ford was losing market share and was looking to freshen it’s cabover design by offering the Econoline cab in a 550-750 series with both gas and diesel power, but decided not to pursue the idea.
The book offers one photograph of the Econoline “Big Boy”.
These were far from common, but I do recall seeing the odd one around back when. Ford, International and GM pretty much owned this market. Dodge mediums were usually either government fleet units or farm trucks, you didn’t see many in revenue service for some reason. There’s still a few around in orchards and farms here in BC.
I have seen pictures of a similar cab arrangement from Ford, who apparently considered using the Econoline pickup cab to create a small LCF like this on the cheap. Never built though.
The 413 was a good truck engine, and it stayed in production right up to the mid ’70s when Dodge gave up on the truck market. The Cummins V-8 would likely have been the V-470 or V-555, which were not very successful engines in truck use.
Neat find!
My Father was a Chrysler-Plymouth dealer in the 1960’s, with a gearhead son who ate up those ordering catalogues, and I had no idea this even existed. It seems you can teach an old dog…..
Dodge obviously couldn’t afford to compete with a cab designed specifically for the job, so they improvised. And the results looks just that.
First thing I thought, when I saw that face was “looks just like the “Little Red Wagon”
Can’t say I remember ever seeing one of these. If I had, I would have thought someone “created” this in their shop. Great rare find, nice to see it restored.
SWEET. I love forward controls and of course Dodges so anything A-100 is my bag. Nice find, Paul. These are extremely rare!
Never seen one but I like it Dodge latched onto Rootes truck lineup pretty quick and simply rebadged them here though everyone knew they were Commers this type never made it here though I have seen an A100 pickup recently
It’s a shame these weren’t more popular, because that’s a really attractive truck.
That truck was from I.M. Jarrett Dodge in Hatboro, Pa. They had other unique vehicles at the dealership. The place closed in 2009. Many were sold at the Atlantic City Car Auction about a year ago. The location is now a John Deere tractor dealer, but I believe the current general manager is Jeff Jarrett, son of the original owner.
Dodge truck misadventures can make your head spin. May have seen it but severe case of CRS (can’t remember stuff).
One of these was the first medium duty that I ever drove. I had a summer job at a moving company in the late 80’s when I was about 20. It was very similar to the one pictured, and was the companies only flat bed, used for in town for crates, etc.. I remember being surprised by how tightly it could turn; better than a full size pick up. This could be a cool RV conversion with an Airstream mounted on the back.
…”I remember being surprised by how tightly it could turn;”…
A big plus for a COE truck with a set-back front axle, just like this Dodge
I’ve never seen one like this before. Nice. What kind of engine powers this rig? I can imagine either a Cummins, an International, or even a Detroit Diesel.
What kind of engine powers this rig?
I don’t want to be rude, but did you even read the (short) text before you asked this question? ADD or reading comprehension issues?
I’m always happy to answer questions, but when the answer is plainly right there in the text, it seems a bit like a waste of time and energy.
Ok. For a vehicle of this type, I’d either go for the 225 slant six, or the Cummins V8 diesel. 🙂
Yet another great looking commercial. Maybe it’s time to sell my car…
Great find – never saw one of these in Central Ohio – Ford C series were everywhere…..
I’ve never seen one in this nice condition. They’re usually worn and beat up from years of use. For a medium-heavy duty vehicle, I would think a Cummins diesel would be a good engine. 🙂
Looks like Tommy Ivo used one as a hauler.
The Little Red Wagon was hauled by one of these as well … with the same paint scheme as the Little Red Wagon … I have an A100, would love one of these to tow it to car shows.
Nice. I haven’t seen one of these since I was a kid in the early ’70’s. I remeber a trucking company not far from my parents home had several in their yard. A few years ago, I talked to an old man with a yard full of old Dodge and Fargo trucks, with pickups and medium-duty rigs all in running order and nearly all painted red. I’m surprised the old man didn’t have one of these…but I’ll bet he’d love to get a hold of one.
A beautiful truck. For a moment, I thought Paul had shot it around his home up in the Pacific Northwest. The colors of the truck were that of the Great Northern Railroad, orange and green. But the 215 area code indicates Jarrett Dodge is just across the Delaware River, in South East Pennsylvania…..
That truck was from I.M. Jarrett Dodge in Hatboro, Pa. They had other unique vehicles at the dealership. The place closed in 2009. Many were sold at the Atlantic City Car Auction about a year ago. The location is now a John Deere tractor dealer, but I believe the current general manager is Jeff Jarrett, son of the original owner.
Found on the interwebs
Great shot! I missed this the first time around.
I remember building a model kit of a Dodge L 700. IMC made them with and without a trailer. I occasionally saw one on the road back in the late ’60 and early ’70s. The idea was probably to offer an alternative to the Ford C- series tilt cabs. The Dodge had a smaller cabin and probably a lighter weight. I don’t know how stout they were since you seldom see them around while C Series Fords are still on the road.
Incidentally, Ford didn’t build the C Cabs. They bought them from Budd.
Budd also built them for Mack with quad headlights and different trim.
FWD also used the Budd cab. They were rare when new, much moreso now.
Without trailer
Mack Model N
There was apparently a Fargo version of this model in Canada; I just came across a picture on Wikipedia of a Fargo fire truck that looks like it’s built off the same design:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fargo_Fire_Truck_(Byward_Auto_Classic).jpg
I have a very nice 1969 tilt cab with a 361 v8…white….. No rust and has very low miles on the motor. …saved it from the s rap buyer a few years back!
M2 machines has produced a 1/64 model of the L-series Dodge–certainly an unusual one for the subject of a model, as obscure as it is! I’ve got one in yellow in my collection.
It sounds corny but,why does that truck look like it’s “happy”
Excellent the way Dodge melded the A100 to a truck chassis. A smart money saving move as well. From my recollections, Dodge is the only one that took their vans this far.
When I was a little kid our street department had a few of these outfitted with street sweepers. They were around for YEARS!
Go all the way with a Class-8 conventional Dodge Bighorn!
According to contemporary Dodge L series sales literature, that truck was a “swivel hipped hauler”! Must have been a 60’s thing. Or not enough caster.
I never saw one of these and sure would have noticed, as a former A-100 owner. While the Ford C-series was very clean looking, now I know why it looked kind of “generic” with the Budd body. GM’s tilts of that era had a strong family resemblance to it’s conventional brothers, right down to the grille and headlamps.
Saw one of those hauling a fuel trailer about 10 years ago. Fallbrook Oil. They are still around, maybe they still have the truck. I love the A series Dodges, but make mine gas. The Cummins diesel would probably be a 504 series, the mechanical noise one produces is unbelievable. We had a couple of front engine Blue Bird transit style school buses at work with these in them, slow and deafeningly loud. Oil leakers too, I wonder if the Made in England on every casting had something to do with that.
Worked at a utility company depot in the early 70’s. We had nearly 100 mediums – mostly bucket trucks for overhead lines. More Ford “C’s” than anything else. Many Chevrolets and White 3000’s. A couple of GMC’s and International’s. Don’t remember any Dodge’s. Seems they would have made sense in an urban setting with trim dimensions and flat glass – great Chrysler engines.
Here’s that Ford “Econotilt” prototype mentioned above. Of course Ford already had some experience in this area, having raised the C-Liner medium duty COE cab above the wheels of its H-Line heavy duty COE in the early 60’s, skirting the gap with fiberglass panels and blocking off the wheel wells, with available half-round storage lockers.
You see something similar today, where mid-size truck makers use their cab-over-cab with paneled over wheel wells on their conventional models.
I ran across that picture once before. I wonder why they bothered, when they already had the C-Series.
We had a ’67 L 600 oil truck with a 361, 4 speed and a two speed rear axle, vacuum booster brakes and a very short wheelbase carrying a 1500 gallon one compartment #1 fuel oil (kereosene) tank. The most memorable aspect in my memory of that particular truck (as compared to the bigger C series Fords we also had) was the tight turning circle and the general maneuverability of the truck. A full lock turn would produce a U turn on a two lane road with no problem. The world seemed to be moving sideways in the wiondshield with little apparent forward movement in a tight turn. A wonderful truck for the tight spots kerosene tanks often found themselves in ‘way back then!
Granddad had one when I was a lot younger but it was used and parked in the shed but she is locked up sawled even though it’s a a slant six 4speed granny gear ⚙ truck looking for a project for my self to put a little bit of fun back into it just like when I was a kid first truck to be proud of A American make truck that was made in the United States 🇺🇸 not from where ever
short2084@gmail.com I’ve been looking for one of these L600 for a long while have a good part’s truck and wanted to now if you were interested in selling your truck mine has the slant six engine and a 4speed. If so let me know please either way I have to ask shore would like to know if or if not thanks
I’ve had one but barn was hit by lightning 🌩 and burnt to the ground so I look for one to start with to make it my own.
Just like granddad did Dodge red I think these trucks are beautiful and will keep look for one, have a 413 5-SPD out of a LCF-C TRUCKS and a frame to bolt 🔩 to so if anyone else knows where one is just let me know so I can see it