While the Hellcat-powered Hellfire Ram 1500 may have stolen the show among the late model pickups, this beautiful 1950 Dodge D100 pickup from the crew at Saldana’s Speed Shop proved to be one of the most popular old school pickups at SEMA – especially among the Dodge and Ram brands.
Nestled amongst the many flashy cars, trucks and SUVs in the sprawling Mopar display, this “rat rod” style 1950 Dodge D100 may not have sparkled like the concepts based on new models, but the combination of patina and modern performance parts made this classic pickup a favorite among those who spent time in the Mopar area.
The heart of this 1950 Dodge D100 is the new 392 crate Hemi, which was one of the feature attractions for Mopar this year, sending 485 horsepower and 475lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels via a Tremec 6-speed manual transmission fitted with the 2016 Challenger bell housing, clutch and flywheel. This engine is fitted into the engine bay by Saldana Speed Shop with the 2016 Challenger motor mounts and the motor is kept cool via the standard 2016 Challenger SRT cooling system. Finally, a custom built exhaust system including headers from Saldana’s is paired with a set of SLP mufflers to let this 392 Hemi roar.
Next, to give this 1950 Dodge D100 the stance and handling capabilities that make it a friendly cruiser, Saldana’s added a front and rear suspension setup from Fatman Fabrication featuring a Ride Tech air system and a set of Wilwood Dynalite brakes. Finally, a set of bright white 20 inch wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompson tires complete the handling (and appearance) attributes of this classic Dodge.
Last, but most certainly not least, the Saldana’s Speed Shop 1950 Dodge D100 has a cockpit fitting of a sweet truck like this one, including a rebuilt 1950 gauge cluster, the original bench seat wrapped in white and grey suede and a grey leather headliner – all of which were handled by Brian Paine of Precision Stitching.
This old school Dodge pickup might not pack Hellcat power, but with the modern suspension setup, the high performance braking package and the 485hp Mopar crate engine, this patina-clad D100 is one of the coolest classic trucks of SEMA 2016.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
