I grew up with this monster (it was a giant wonderful hunk of safe metal when I was a child). I would like to find one that’s the same era/style but I’m not sure what exactly I’m looking for. Any ideas of year and model would be great.

thank you!

This is the only photo of the beast I can find.

 

I would guess mid-60's stakebed truck. May have originally come as a chassis/cab as well.

 

I’m not sure what a stakebed. Would that be like a D300? I know it was a manual on the floor, as for gears I’m not sure, I just remember my dad having a hard time shifting it occasionally. I got excited at 6 or 7 that I was finally as tall as the hood. You couldn’t hold a conversation inside because it was so loud. I loved when we got to go somewhere in it because it was only for special trips.

 

That is a Sweptline era Dodge. They ran from 1961 through 1971. With Dodges it's a little hard to tell as often the model year change isn't a definite cut off. Being a dual rear wheel, it would be a D300 up to a D600. I think the D700 had tandem axles in back. Unfortunately, those era trucks are really prone to rust. However, the D300 and higher were usually work only. Unlike a pickup that would run in all seasons and often be used as a snow plow. I can't tell from the angle, but if the front had 4 headlights, it's an early 60's model.

They didn't change much mechanically through the years. Those clutches were HEAVY so that might be why it was often hard to shift. Plus first gear was NOT synchronized. I'll bet your Dad slipped it into neutral and let up on the clutch. I used to do the same thing. One tip though, when you get ready to go from a light, you'd push the clutch in and go into 2nd or 3rd gear, then into 1st and let the clutch out. Unless of course you have a Granny 4 speed, then you usually start out in second. Going into 2nd got the gears inside to quit spinning.

 

Thank you both for your help. I’ll probably never find one that runs that I can afford but even if I can find an old cab that looks like dad’s I can use it in my landscaping.

it was a good ol truck. Moved us to Wy back in the 80’s, moved a ton of big stuff around and carried more lumber than a person would guess. Unfortunately dad had to sell it when I was teen and I’ve missed it ever sense.

 

I checked my memory and that style was definitely 1961 through 1971. A stake bed is a flat bed with stake pockets on the edges of the bed. You can add or remove the sides depending on how you need to use the truck. I'm not sure how Wyoming clears their roads in the Winter. I now N. Dakota uses sand and gravel. Those don't rust but you do replace a bunch of windshields and headlights.

There may be a truck like that one, maybe even that one, sitting in a field. I've seen oldies like that being dragged out of a filed. I've done it myself. Sometimes the engine will even turn over. With the good heavy frame that truck will have, you can put it on the road again. Be warned though, those trucks rusted on the showroom floor. I had both a 1970 and a '71. Both had the step and floor rotting out. The '71 when I bought it and the '70 while I had it in the early 70's.

Start looking by posting on Craigslist that you're looking for a 1961 to 1971 D300 to D500. Also look for a W300 through W500. Those were 4X4 trucks but except the the ones used up early, they hang around. They look the same, just sit a little higher.

You might have more luck finding a D100 or D200. More were built so there are more out there. You can also go to this site to look:

http://sweptline.com/


I got a lot of help when I bought my '71 there as well as finding parts. Be sure to stop back here from time to time so we know what's going on. I'll keep an eye open for something. I'll just put 11961 through 1971 as the search parameters. There will be a lot of cars, but some trucks might show up too.

 

Looks like it has blinkers on the side of the fenders, would lead me to lean towards a D500 or D600?

 

The side turn signals were usually on medium duty and heavier Dodge trucks. That would be the D500 and D600 for sure. However, I remember seeing lighter duty trucks being required to have them in some states. The two Sweptline D100's I had, had the smaller clearance lights on the fenders.

Thinking back, both of the trucks I had were industrial Turquoise and basic work trucks. He's not wrong about them being LOUD inside. Some of the more fancy and deluxe models had sound deadener in the cab. Mine didn't.

 

As per the the above comment I sure think I see two head light rings also, so early 60s?

I actually tried to buy a couple different ones of these this past summer under 3k and decent shape, running but needed minor work, but I was a day late and dollar short to both of em

I would expect to find these growing like weeds in the Wyoming desert and in decent physical shape, being able to buy em or find who owns em is a different story. I've ran across a couple in the black hills also left to return to nature without a house around, how to figure out who to approach to buy em

 

If the OP comes back, to refresh the memory, the early ones were quite different looking in the front than the later ones.





I think the front end lost the 4 headlights around 1964 or so. In 1968 or '69 they changed the trim a little. Both of my trucks had the aluminum trim across the front between the headlights. The medium duty trucks looked similar although the fenders were taller and they had running boards.