Rugged 1945 Dodge Command Car Restomod Turned Beach Cruiser
This 1945 Dodge Command Car now sits on top of a Dodge 2500 frame with Cummins power and 37-inch tires for beach cruising.
Originally this 1945 Dodge Command Car was used by the U.S. military to relay communications. However, the man that bought this rig was not interested in keeping it stock. And while he was not interested in turning it into a drag car, he was frustrated at the 45-mph top speed. So, he decided to invest in this old Dodge truck and turn it into something that would fit his specific needs. His needs were to apparently build one of the most kick ass beach cruisers that you are likely to ever see. This rig has a presence that is undeniable. And while the uninitiated may confuse this for some sort of Jeep this is a Dodge through and through.
The build was completed by the folks at P2 Fabrication and as you can see, they did a fantastic job. Recently they drove the rig over to AutotopiaLA to show it off for a YouTube video that was recently shared. The truck has a slew of cool details that make it standout. It is total overkill to just cruise along the beach and that is what we love about it. If you had access to a rig like this, would you keep it original or would you follow a similar path and create a bad ass beach cruiser?
Adults Only
The owner of this 1945 Dodge Command Car had several specific demands for the build. One of the most critical was the request to convert this vehicle to use a manual transmission. Most enthusiasts would assume he did that because driving a manual is a more involving and rewarding experience. However, the main reason the owner chose to go with a manual transmission is so that his kids would not be able to drive it. For you younger readers, this is just another great reason to learn how to drive a stick if you can’t already.
Dodge Ram 2500
The engine was swapped for a 5.9L Cummins Turbo Diesel. This led to the builders deciding to go all-in with Dodge products and grabbed a 2003 Ram 2500 and basically everything ahead of the rear wheels is from that truck. So as wild as this thing looks the new owner could in theory take it to any Dodge dealer and ask to have his 2500 serviced. It is a tribute to the 2500 and the 5.9L that it can push this 1945 Dodge Command Car sitting on 37-inch tires down the road with no problem whatsoever.
Custom Build
We feature a lot of custom builds here on Dodge Forum, but this is one of our favorites in a long time. It might not make crazy power, but it doesn’t need to. It makes more than enough to get the job done. But at the same time, it looks fantastic. The attention to detail is second to none and this rig remains Dodge right down to the chassis. It is hard to imagine a better beach cruiser than this 1945 Dodge Command Car. We bet that is something that was never considered back when this was roaming the battlefield.
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