Dodge’s “D-Series” of trucks was in production from 1960 to 1980, then rebranded as RAM after Lee Iaoccoa arrived at Chrysler. A second redesign came along in 1972 and provided the trucks with a more modern look. The seller’s 1978 edition is likely the D150, the entry-level half-ton pickup with 2-wheel-drive and no frills. Though idle in a carport for two years, we’re told it does run but isn’t pretty. Located in Jesup, Georgia, this 57,000-mile workhorse awaits a second life. It’s available here on craigslist for $2,500. Thanks for the tip, Ricco B.!
The Dodge division of Chrysler was typically in third place in pickup truck sales in the U.S, behind Ford and Chevrolet. Some of the styling cues for the 1972 rework were borrowed from the “fuselage” look of the all-new 1971 mid-size Plymouths and Dodges. The D-Series gained popularity thanks to its use in the 1972-79 television series, Emergency!, where a D300 was driven by the show’s paramedics. In 1977, the towing capacity of the truck was upgraded, so the name of the basic model designation was changed from D100 to D150.
This truck has the standard 225 cubic inch Slant-Six paired with a “3-on-the-tree” manual transmission. Under a full load, it isn’t going to be any speed demon, but the trucks were built to be rugged, and the Slant-Six was a bulletproof design. Considering the pickup is 48 years old, the mileage is fairly low. Though inactive since 2024, it starts up with no smoke and will move around under its own power.
Cosmetically, this truck isn’t going to garner a lot of second looks. The white paint may clean up well enough, and there could be some surface rust here and there, particularly with the bed. The interior is stark with a throw cover over the bench sea,t and at least one door panel is missing. If you want to use the truck strictly for work purposes, you could let a lot of this slide. Get it running right again and see what she can do!
Cheap Saturday morning dump/Home Depot run truck.
This might be a fun project for the right person. It has some rust but doesn’t look like a rusty mess. Give it a good cleaning, get it mechanically sound, find a door panel, maybe some wheels and tires to perk up the appearance. Overall, this plan (including the purchase price) wouldn’t be a ton of money. Then enjoy running errands around town, recalling days when single-cab short-wheelbase six-cylinder three-on-the-tree trucks were just fine.
Oh oh, a D series pickup and not Scotty G? Has the world gone topsy turvy? Yes, yes it has compared to when this truck was sold new. It’s tough to fathom, what some drive today is a direct off shoot of this truck. This was as basic as one could get. It more than likely was a parts chaser or paint delivery, and did the job dutifully, year after year. Since it has a 5 digit odometer, I’d say 957, 000 on a conservative estimate. Typically, these are the trucks that did those jobs, I drove a Ford, but equipped the same,,,nothing. I think even with my manual transmission views. there are still plenty of us that could really use a truck like this. They will never be offered like this again, as much as we wish they would, just no market in the future. Better grab it now.