Lohnes and I don’t quite see eye-to-eye when it comes to trucks. We’re close in the fact that we want our trucks to be useful and practical for work above creature comforts, but from there…well, there seems to be a split. Brian goes for the “bigger is better” frame of mind. Anyone who needs a refresher on that can go look up Brutus the Tow Truck and Goliath, a monster of a Chevrolet C50 that he owned back in the day that was more-or-less a flatbed truck that someone slapped standard bedsides onto to create a phantom medium-duty pickup truck. Personally, for 90% of what I would use a truck for, a well-prepared dually would suit me just fine. I’m not hauling a load of lumber anywhere and if I need a big box truck I’d rent one. But a good working pickup truck? I’m all over that. And the one I found might be up Brian’s alley, too…
This is a 1968 Dodge D200 stakebed truck that, from what we can tell, wasn’t left out in a field for two decades like most others we see. It’s up, it’s running, and it’s very nice to look at…again, something that we don’t often get to say about this generation of Dodge truck. As it sits, a 383 and a four-speed keep this rig moving, and 4.30 gears out back get them moving quickly. Painted Mojave Yellow, it’s a looker, and inside…well, it’s spartan. This generation of Dodge was, no matter if it was a base truck or an Adventurer SE package. But a basic bench seat, added-in carpeting and that shifter coming up from the floor is all you need and nothing you really don’t. And the stakebed rear is a nice touch, simple yet purposeful.
Now, what to do with it? Enjoying it for what it is, that’s obvious…but again, here’s where Lohnes and I split. I’d be willing to bet that he’d leave everything alone and enjoy those deep gears. I’d want to use the truck as a classic driver, so I’d look to a modern transmission and I can’t deny that pulling the 383 and Cummins-swapping the Dodge isn’t a tempting idea. It’s not like you could lose either way!
eBay Link: 1968 Dodge D200 stakeside short wheelbase
Needs to be turned into a ramp truck, preferably packing something like a big block Duster with a set of 14×32’s on Super Tricks.