This one is bound to create some opinions. I’m not sure where to even go with this…I don’t want to call this 1949 Dodge a rat-rod because that implies that it’s near-useless show-candy, when it’s not. I don’t want to call it a rectification, because it’s nowhere near done. And it certainly isn’t restored.
What we do have here is a pretty cool take on a medium-duty truck. The running gear was lifted out of a 1990 Dodge W250, so you have a Cummins straight six, 727, and NP205…that’s right, this beast is four-wheel-drive! A Dana 60 does the work up front, while a Dana 70 takes care of rear duties. The Cummins has had some minor tweaks, but is careful to note that with the truck’s current tune the exhaust only smokes under a load. It’s nice to see a diesel guy not go for the quarter-mile of black smoke out of the pipe.
The interior is useable, if spartan and there’s still some issues to address, like the windshield wipers, but overall this thing is a great blend of old and new. How much this truck goes for will be anyone’s guess. In the time it took to write this story the price jumped almost $1,800. How much it ends up selling for will be a crapshoot.
eBay Find: 1949 Dodge Truck with a Cummins Swap!
urban commuter truck for driving over all the brain dead drivers in the lower mainland.
I love this truck. All it needs is a coat of Rustolium Green and a gun-rack, I’d drive the hell out of it.