A guilty pleasure of mine is the hot rod TV show, “Fast ‘N Loud.” I know it’s not exactly high-quality television, but it can be entertaining. I just watched an old episode where they towed home a Dodge D100 Sweptline, to which they applied their usual recipe of big wheels and horsepower. If I had my choice, I’d pick this 1965 example here on craigslist, which is a rare Custom Sport Special (CSS) model.
Now, the truck on the TV show was pretty ratty, so there wasn’t much hope for preserving any originality. This truck, however, appears to be a genuine survivor. It is numbers matching and the seller believes it to be the only verified early 1965 D100 Utiline CSS-equipped truck in the world! So, bear with me that I’ve figured this all out: Utiline indicates a model with the side steps alongside the bed, while the CSS package adds racing stripes, bucket seats, carpeting, a center console, chrome bumpers and a number of engine options. This D100 also has dealer-installed A/C that still works!
The Sweptline CSS could be ordered with a variety of engines, including the poly head 318 V8 featured here. The hot ticket was the 426 CID Wedge V-8, but having a numbers-matching drivetrain in such a rare truck is highly desirable as well. The transmission is a 727 automatic with a 3.55 gears. The seller says the door tag indicates it should also have a Sure-Grip rear end, rounding out a list of mechanical specs that makes this CSS seem like an excellent driver. As the seller indicates, the numbers-matching engine and transmission along with the production date are what set this truck apart from the others. Whether that deserves the notoriety of being “1 of 1” (as mentioned in the ad) is a bit more subjective.
The originality on display is impressive. I particularly like the plaque with the original owner’s name on it, indicating the highly-personal touches that make this D100 so special. While it may not be entirely obvious at first why this is a rare version of a hard-to-find truck, that’s what appeals to me – you have to look a little deeper to understand why this isn’t your garden variety old workhorse. The seller is asking $8,500, which seems like a fair ask to me – what about you? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Steve B. for the find!
Very cool truck, a Mopar man will jump on this.
The front end / grill seems to be missing something or something is out of place for me. It just does not look right, design wise. I know this is the way it came from the factory.
I don’t know if there’s going to be a lot of jumping at that price.
The 426 Max Wedge option was called HPP (self explanatory). All HPP trucks were CSS but not all CSS were HPP (kind of like the predecessor to the Warlock and LRE/ME). But all the HPP trucks I’ve seen are long beds
Not all hpp trucks had the css package. Hpp was performance while css was trim. 2 separate packages. Quite a few hpp trucks that did not get the css trim upgrade.
Wow, never expected to see my truck here, but I’m honored. The claim of being 1 of 1 is based on verified CSS trucks listed in the CSS/HPP registry. There are 3 examples in there, the other 2 are both 64, and have both been highly modified. Making this the only early 65 around. It’s an all original unrestored truck that I have spent a lot of time and money on bringing back to life. I’ve also got a nice collection of extremely hard to find parts for its restoration. I’m not, nor will ever claim it’s the only early 65 CSS utiline shorted built, only that it’s the only one to date that has been found. Given that early 65 was a very short 3 month production run before the grill was changed by dodge, and given that the CSS was an expensive option to be had on a truck in the mid 60s, there is a high likelihood that it could have been the only one. The problem is there are no longer any records available to say for sure. So we just sit back and wait to see if any more surface. In the mean time, this is a very rare one of a kind truck. Black on black, v8, auto with dash shift, 3.55 sure grip, and dealer A/C… Pretty much in the realm of the first line of sport trucks dodge ever built.
If you Wanna learn more about these very cool and very rare trucks then you should Visit the css registry at http://www.cssregistry.com.
Thanks again for showing my truck, it’s truly an honor to me.
Trey, thanks for replying. We dig this truck and hope it goes to a good home! What’s your next project going to be when this one moves along?
It will be another sweptline era dodge truck. One that’s not so rare, that I can drive the wheels off of daily.
nice to know about the CSS and HPP trucks. when i first looked at the photos i saw only a nice old work truck. i think the seller should put this on ebay or use an auction house. nice piece of history and great find.
Man I love these 4 eye Sweptlines! This one is an awesome representation of the era.
I will hope to follow you with my 73 gmc stepside orig. drivetraine-454/t400 dana withoption#2 4:11 posi Factory tach tilt steering and much more. Hate to sell but no work and bills prevail. This is a factory muscle truck. Call 360-540-1853 for info
My stepfather has a ’73 chevy 454, that truck hauled ass. We lived near the beach, my uncle got the truck stuck on the highway where sand had accumulated and got hard. All we had to do was get out and give it a little push. The truck got stolen and taken to Mexico back around 1976 or so.
Great truck even without the ‘special’ factor.
GREAT truck and nicely detailed info.
I own a second series ’65 – CSS, small window cab, longbed in red. A 318 – 3 speed with all original paint and interior, all authentic foil tags, white steering wheel, unique mouldings and special dash trim, and with the bucket seats and console, but with a rubber front floor mat AND the original cloth carpet over the gas tank in cab. It has it’s original black stripes on the hood and cab along with original chrome trim in the windshield rubber, chrome front bumper, and special door panels. I found it in 1990 in the same town it was sold new to a local farmer. 80,000 original miles.
Thing is, I know of another one which is identical, about 60 miles away but a complete basket case, and having the stripes evident and the 318 still in it. Email me if interested , I can point one to it’s location. It needs to be saved. In 1995, Chrysler Historical sent me a letter stating they were aware of 5 at that time in the U.S. Today there are a few more known, but they are still extremely rare…..
Don, I don’t think the white steering wheel is stock. They weren’t available until late 66 to my knowledge. But they were a pretty common upgrade done by many owners. I’d love to see a pic of your truck. Is it in the registry?
Hi all,
Don if you are not half a continent away I am your man to rescue that other css. Let me know where etc.
Thanks
I have a rough red long box 65 with the exact description as the truck above I know of 3 CSS in Oklahoma including “super duty” 64 that came with twin winches front and back.
I can report that a 64 426 hpp css was destroyed at Colorado auto wrecking about 2006. The engine was a brick. I tried but failed to buy it out of the yard.
Phil, I can put you in contact with the man who runs the CSS registry if you’d like to get these trucks documented and accounted for. Shoot me an email.
wideblock@msn.com