A few years after Chrysler bought Dodge, they came out with these beautiful pickups which were quite an upgrade in styling. This sleek 1935 Dodge KC pickup can be found here on eBay in Lancaster, Ohio. The seller is asking $11,500 or you can make an offer. Thanks to Ikey H. for sending in this great tip!
Our own Adam Clarke showed us a slightly restomod version back in August and it looked pretty good, other than not having the original engine. But, that’s why they call them restomods. The seller says that this truck is all original and it only has 16,746 miles on it. Since it was a farm truck, that’s not too surprising to have low miles but it still had a rugged life I’m guessing.
It sure is a beauty, though. I don’t know if beautiful and truck go together too often, but why not? Just because something is pragmatic and an incredible workhorse doesn’t mean that it can’t also have beauty and style. I mean, look at me! The new styled Dodge pickups came out for the 1933 model year and by 1935 they were known as the KC series, at least for the half-ton models. The front-hinged doors were new and were a nice safety feature.
There aren’t any interior photos showing the entire thing but this one shows the gauges and an added amp gauge. Is that an auxiliary heater on the bottom right? Fancy. There were a few options that were available on these $480 trucks, including chrome bumpers for $7 and $15 for a chrome radiator shell and chrome headlights, which the original owner didn’t pop for on this truck. The seller says that this “has been in my family longer than even my 83 year old mother can remember.”
The engine should be a 201 cubic-inch inline-six with around 70 hp. Combined with a non-synchro three-speed manual and truck gearing I’m not sure about the 100 mph speedometer, but it’s something to shoot for. I would try to keep as much of this truck in original condition as possible, but would probably restore parts of the interior. How would you do or redo this Dodge?
Almost everyone who has read my ramblings on this site know what I would do with this truck. Resto all the way. Scan some color charts and you’ll find that a lot of these were painted up pretty well. There’s nothing wrong with a nice looking 30’s pickup. Or a big truck for that matter. I’ve got an acquaintance over Chester way that’s doing up a ’33 Dodge pickup but he’s doing the resto-mod thing. But he did admit that if he would’ve restored it he would’ve had far less sunk into the truck and would be driving it, instead of barely getting the cab back on the frame. But he wants to drive at freeway speeds so that pretty much dictates that modified 360 under the hood…
If you think for a minute this truck has an original 16K miles, there’s some property in Fla. you may be interested in,,,on a 75 year old vehicle, it’s entirely possible it has 116K, but more likely, that speedo hasn’t worked longer than grandma can remember either. Early speedometers failed regularly, and since speed was not a factor here, they were rarely repaired. Besides, you don’t buy a vehicle like this because of it’s mileage, but more for what it is. At this ridiculous price, it leaves most of us out, and they are going for the resto-mod market, and we’ll lose another original one,,,
Those old style, old tech engines wouldn’t stand a chance of 116k miles without a rebuild or two. They are not remotely as long lived in terms of accumulated miles as newer engines. I posed that very question here once and some of the older gentlemen quickly and politely answered and explained why many of these older ones actually had low miles. Even if the odometer worked correctly the whole time they were in use. 116k is nothing on a newer car. Different metallurgy, different tolerances. Better oil. Oil filters. 116k actual original miles without major work on these older ones would be nothing short of a miracle.
Your Coments ring true, Howard, Joe sixpack doesn’t stand a chance. Nice truck but grossly overpriced.
Cheers
GPC
Drop a heck in her and go.
It is sad that people want to price gouge. Chances are the mileage is way higher and it only cost about 500.00$ brand new. However, a find like that is almost priceless if I had the money I’d go 2000.00$ and I already have everything to rod it out.
What this sweet truck does have going for it is lines, curves, killer fenders and grill, and the louvers.
Idea one, slam it aka Aaron on Gas monkey. Total drive train redo, color I don’t know, perhaps murder it?
Restro it, you still have the drivetrain and safety issues.
Restore, it looks like a viable candidate, I just love her lines.