Finding vintage automobiles parked in barns is interesting, but if you’re into uncommon and unusual rigs, looking for cars on farms is much more fun. Because, like Dylan McCool just happened to, you might happen onto a gorgeous farm vehicle from the 1960s by accident.
While the 1964 Street Wedge model is an uncommon and difficult to locate vehicle these days, early Dodge D-series trucks are still nothing to write home about. The vehicle you see here is an early D-100 that has been given a modified bed, making it a little more unique than one of those muscle trucks.
Used on a farm since new, the truck has had a rough and busy life, covering almost 300,000 miles (482,803 km). And once the owner was done with it, it was parked for good and sat for about a couple of decades. Dylan thought it was too cool to let it rot away so he decided to buy it, clean it, and get it running again.
The exterior and internals of old cars that have been sitting for decades are typically in poor condition. Because prolonged exposure to the weather typically causes severe rust problems and engines that become stalled and require rebuilding. Nevertheless, this 1960s Dodge handled all those years of sitting admirably. It appears to be someone’s workhorse for years to come, not only is it still intact.
Luckily, this truck still has an engine under the hood. There’s no info on whether it’s a numbers-matching mill, but we do know it’s of the inline-six variety. Based on the single headlamp layout, this D-100 is most likely an early second-generation model (1965-1971), so the engine should be a 225-cubic-inch (3.7-liter) Slant-Six.
It’s not an impressively potent unit at 145 horsepower and 215 pound-feet (292 Nm) of torque stock, especially when compared to the V8s that were also available with these trucks, but they get the job done. And based on how easily it came back to life, it’s also a reliable powerplant that doesn’t need a lot to run and drive.
Dylan gave the Slant-Six a well-earned wash after it started up again. And unexpectedly, both the interior and the cabin cleaned up well as a result of the treatment. It appears like a respectable coat of beige paint was covered up by all that dirt. And I’m sure a good polish would make it appear even better.
The truck is clearly a keeper, but it does require new floors, a new front fascia, and some additional work under the engines. With a V8 swap and an updated back end, it might also make a fun rat rod project. I hope it doesn’t wind up as a parts truck, but I have no idea what will happen to it.