Backyard Find: 1972 Dodge D200 400 V8 4-Speed

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Having sat in a backyard for the last decade, the seller says this 1972 Dodge D200 pickup just needed a little attention to get it into running condition again – although on a gas can. They do show a video here on YouTube of it starting, running, and driving around the block. This would be a fun truck to tinker with with that 400 V8 and four-speed manual transmission.

This is a fairly heavy-duty pickup, being a D200, which is a 3/4-ton model. It also has the “Camper 9000” package, which includes a bigger battery, better cooling system, dual-note horns, oil pressure gauge, bigger side mirrors, etc. The exterior tool storage comes in handy for campers as it can be used not only for a toolbox, but a jack, beveled wood blocking to drive on for initial rough leveling when there’s a camper on the back, and more. They say there is no rust on this truck other than “some rust blistering above the window”, but I don’t see it in the photos or even know which window they’re referring to. Do you see the elusive blistering rust?

The third-generation D-Series pickups from Dodge were made from late 1971 for the 1972 model year until the end of 1993 and they came in regular cab models such as this D200, and also an extended cab model called Club Cab, and also crew-cab models with four doors. The box, or bed, came in a nice Styleside design as seen here or what Dodge called Utiline (stepside or flareside to some other truck makers. In late 1980, the pickups were renamed Dodge Ram, but many parts were the same as they had been since 1972.

The California desert does funny things to human skin and vehicle interiors. Interiors are easier to fix and this one needs work. The dash is cracked and it may be too bad to save, the seats are most likely in need of new vinyl or fabric, and there are other issues. This truck has a four-speed manual and that’s just plain cool. Although, lugging around a heavy camper with a manual transmission probably isn’t as relaxing as having an automatic transmission would be.

The engine is Dodge’s 400-cu.in. OHV V8 with around 200 horsepower. It sends power through that four-speed to the rear wheels and this one seems to run well but will need some overall tinkering to be a daily driver again. The seller has it listed here on eBay in El Monte, California, there is no reserve, and the current bid price is just $3,250. Hagerty is at $7,400 for a #4 fair-condition example, how much would you pay for this ’72 D200?

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Comments

  1. Steve R

    Cool truck, unfortunately the demand for Dodge trucks pales in comparison to its domestic rivals. Head to head, this will be a steal. The 4spd is a nice bonus.

    Steve R

    Like 8
    • Steve R

      Sold for a high bid of $5,700.

      Steve R

      Like 0
      • Scotty GilbertsonAuthor

        Thanks, Steve!

        Like 0
  2. JohnfromSC

    Wow, cool truck. Easy to wake up a ’72 to get more power but probably even fine as it is for towing a car trailer to shows. The detailed ad pics show that seat and dash are definitely toast, but the comment on inoperative gauges leads me to think that there is some debuggung to be done. I’d add $3K to the purchase price for tires, suspension parts, dash and seat, etc. Also needs trim on passenger fender. At anything under $10K all in, IMO it wouldn’t be hard to get your money back once it is looking and running sharp.

    Like 6
  3. JoeNYWF64

    Did [m]any old full size Chrysler trucks get the slant 6 motor?

    Like 1
    • Roland

      Yep. I was pulling parts off one in a junkyard last weekend – mid to late 80’s.

      Like 3
    • bone

      Plenty of them did from the 60s up

      Like 0
    • Don

      I had a 1982 half ton long bed with the Slant Six and a 4speed. The rust worms killed the body but that engine was a peach.

      Like 1
  4. Howard A. Howard A.Member

    I think the meltdown has begun. Here you have a really sharp truck, 341 viewers, 17 bids struggling at $50 bids at a time. I was watching Mecum auctions, this time from Harrisburg, Pa., the prices were way down. It’s pretty clear what is selling these days, and it’s not ’72 Dodge pickups. $3500 is 1980s prices, what gives? I’ll tell you what, as shown, people just don’t have interest anymore. Fact is, folks with newer RAMs, probably don’t even know this truck preceded it. Dodge made trucks at one time, gramps? This is, to me, a fantastic find, dads truck that he cherished. This truck dragged the fissin’ boat or camper ( brake control under dash) back to the secluded lake many times. The mirrors and mud flaps indicate a trucker of some sort.
    In a related topic, I mentioned haphazardly on another post, I read, 2024 is the last year for the RAM 1500. Replacing it in 2025, is the all NEW RAM, with redesigned tail light, and get this, no longer will the hemi be offered, it will be powered by a( gaining composure) a twin turbo IN LINE 6, oh, good heavens, we’ve truly gone full circle. Of all the motors we’ve seen, to come back to an in line 6 doesn’t say much to me, despite the fact, it puts out almost as much power ( 420hp) as the hemi did. What a farce, eh?

    Like 7
    • Dusty Rider

      All the makers are doing it now. I saw a new full size Chevy pickup on the lot with a four cyl! I don’t care how much power you can get out of a 4, it just ain’t gonna last as long as a bigger motor that’s stressed less. I had a new ’09 4 cyl Tacoma pulling a motorcycle on a single trailer, it was not happy at all. Traded to same truck, ’10 v6 and it was a different story. This year, all Tacomas are turbo 4 and Tundras are all v6s.

      Rant over.

      Like 5
    • Michael Tischler

      I saw the same auction.51′ Caddy fully restored couldn’t even bring 15 k,the folks that wanted them are dying off.Another example, I forget the year but a Mercedes that was originally 300k got to 32 k and the bid went on…as they say.

      Like 1
  5. scrapyard john

    I’d like to have it for around $5k. I’m a long way from Cali, though, and my wife might shoot me anyway. A buddy of mine in high school had a similar one that we beat mercilessly, although it wasn’t as pretty. These weren’t worth squat in the early 90’s when I was in HS. Of course neither were old Fords and even the “squarebody” wasn’t highly sought after. I saw a pretty clean and running 80’s Dodge truck sold for scrap because it needed a freeze plug replaced. I kept it around the yard for a while and then recreated one of the old truck commercials where one truck hauls another brand in the bed turned sideways.

    Like 0
  6. wally sabourin

    good buy for a commiefornia native …no smog pre 1976 so hot rod or swap engines as you wish too bad it is a long bed I drive a 92 short bed FI 318 and it still draws some attention in Burbank

    Like 0
    • John EderMember

      commiefornia- that’s funny. Did you think of that all by yourself?

      Like 2
  7. sourpwr

    I’m going to guess single digit mpg. If it doesn’t live on a trailer it will end up back in the backyard,

    Like 0
    • Howard A. Howard A.Member

      No, not necessarily. A truck equipped like this will get teens easy, the 400 was nothing special, but was still a V8. Naturally, your results may vary depending on load, and the stick will hurt sales, except for us old folks that wouldn’t mind shifting, but my ’77 GMC 2wd, 350-4 barrel, 4 speed, got 15 all day, and these were about the same.

      Like 0
  8. Scotty GilbertsonAuthor

    Auction update: this one sold for $5,700!

    Like 0

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