Oxford 87DP57001 1/87 Dodge D100 Sweptside Pick Up 1957 Tropical Coral/glacie

 

The Dodge D100 is in real life quite a rare beast. The US car manufacturer Chrysler had launched their Dodge series of post-war pickup trucks in the 1950s with B and C series lettering. The D series was introduced in 1957 under the Sweptside pickup title and was proposed as a direct competitor to Chevrolet's Cameo Carrier. Unfortunately it never caught on and ceased production in 1959 following an estimated meagre run of just over 1000 vehicles. In some respects it was considered ahead of its time but some of its features were taken from existing Dodge off the shelf vehicle parts. In addition, the promotional material did not mention that many of its attributes were 'added extras' including automatic transmission, high engine spec, deLuxe cab - including a heater!

 

The Dodge D100 was actually assembled in the Chrysler Special Equipment Shop under the direction of sales manager Joe Berr. He had based the D100 on a ½ ton long-wheelbase 1957 Dodge Custom Cab with rear wings from an existing Dodge wagon, added a bumper from a station wagon, cut down the tailgate to take the rear wings and added chrome moulding which extended as far as the front wings. There was the option of a two speed or three speed automatic gearbox and a 3.8L i6 engine or (as an added extra) a 5.2 V8 to a 5.4L V8 option. To round off the Sweptside Dodge, Joe Berr then added whitewall tyres, a wrap-around windscreen, the Dodge name across the bonnet and the tailgate and two-tone paint to complete Chrysler's proposed answer to the Cameo Carrier.