I’ve evolved into really liking vintage medium-duty trucks over the last couple of years. We recently saw a nice 1968 Ford F-600 here on Barn Finds, and this 1970 Dodge D500 ex-Wyoming Fire Department Truck is another cool one. It’s posted here on craigslist in beautiful Tempe, Arizona, and they’re asking $6,000 or best offer. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Rocco B. for the tip!
Today is my birthday as I type this, and I was trying to find something I really wanted to write about, so thanks to Rocco for tracking this one down. Not to mention, Tempe, Arizona will be 79 degrees today, and we’ll have a high of 17 where I am right now. Not much of a birthday present. Thanks for nothin’, Mother Nature. At least it’s sunny out, and I’m still alive, so there’s that.
Sounding tough, Dodge’s “Medium-Tonnage” conventional cab stake-body trucks were made until 1977 or so for the U.S. market and longer in Mexico. Their heavy-duty trucks went away around 1975, and this 1970 D500 was part of the family that included the D600 and D800 medium-duty trucks. I would never need a stake-body truck, but I would love to have this one just for driving around for the fun of it. The seller says it was used by a fire department in Wyoming to bring fire crews and equipment to wildfires.
You can already tell the exterior needs a bit of work, that is, if you plan on heading to Pebble Beach during their annual Medium-Duty truck series. Just kidding, but I wish they’d have one. Being a Wyoming truck, it appears solid other than some missing paint. The interior looks like it’s seen some age, with the painfully cracked steering wheel, and there’s a visually painful crack in the dash that you can see just to the left of the wheel. This truck has a four-speed manual, as expected.
There were two engines available, a 318 V8 and a 225-cu.in. OHV slant-six with 140 horsepower, which is shown here. No power steering or power brakes were on board, but that was often the case with trucks and even some passenger cars in the 1970s. The seller says it’s in great shape for its age (I wish I could say the same thing about myself, as another year goes by), and it does run (I stopped running five years ago). Are any of you into medium-duty trucks? If so, what would you use this Dodge for?
Happy Birthday SG. I’m sure I speak for all of us Barn Finders: we are thankful that you are part of the BF staff, and that you write up interesting vehicles like this Dodge for us to enjoy. Your writing is always high-quality, entertaining, and fun. Your willingness and interest in writing up all sorts of “vehicular conveyances” (snowmobiles, bicycles, ATV’s) keeps BF interesting.
Happy birthday, Scotty!!! 🎵🎶🎂🎉, and here’s a 🎁😁
Neat old work truck, but a slant 6? Hmm..
Hope the friends and family surprise you with something awesome-like a ‘70 ex-FD Dodge 👍🏻
Wow Scotty. As the saying goes, another year older, another year wiser. ( At least I think thats how it goes). I couldn’t say it any better than Bob just did. You bring one of the mosy important, and best things to all of your write ups….. You bring YOURSELF. And I certainly hope you keep doing that. Thank you for all the wonderfull variety you bring to the table too. As Bob said, you keep Barnfinds interesting.
As for this truck, love it!!! The one big surprise is the Slant 6 under the hood. One things for sure, no matter when they hit that key, they knew they could count on it starting back in its active days, and I’m sure it wont take much to get it going again. Another great find Rocco B. And another great write up too Scotty!!! Keep them coming!!!
You guys are way too kind, thanks much!
Well, we really do appreciate what you do….cup of coffee and your writing (and the others) brightens the morning. Thanks so much and happy birthday.
Happy belated birthday Scotty. I plan on becoming a member because of you bringing so many different things from bicycles to anything and everything that bring back so many happy memories.
Happy Birthday Scotty G., wishing you many more to come!
Scotty hope you had a nice birthday 🎂 meal 🍽. 🤝👍
You say it’s your birthday,,,give me 5, still alive, ain’t no luck, learned to duck,,when you hit 70, birthdays lose a lot of zing, but we can all agree, we’re all a little better knowing this guy. It would be unfair to say one writer is any better than the others, they all do an outstanding job, but Scotty sure adds a personal touch.
RE: Weather,,,Scotty, we’ve been over this and over this,,there is no utopia when it comes to that,,
This truck was a bare bones unit, and clearly just an equipment truck. Trucks had similar ratings, the D500 would be the top of the lighter duty. No hoist and I’d have to think it was used in the forestry dept. as the door sticker may indicate. This truck is far too “used” to be a fire truck. I bet they used this truck every day, it sure looks it. The 6 was adequate for their needs. I can say without reservation, this is another “beast”, and if you can drive this, safely, you can drive just about anything.
Happy Birthday, SG!
It’s a well known fact, the more birthdays you have, the longer you live!
Happy belated Birthday, Scotty G!
…and to Howard, “Wave that Flag, wave it wide and high!”
Happy Birthday! I was born this time of year,
& I think that I saved my parents money by not
having to buy so many gifts,as it was right after
Christmas.I felt cheated when some of my friends
had birthdays during the school year & got to have
well-attended parties.
Another one of those “I think it’s really cool & I’d
love to buy it,but what would I do with it?
Cool truck. Yeah the slant 6 is a bit of a downer but this truck is not something you’d be driving at high speeds anyway. I do love these old trucks and I really mis my old 59 Ford one ton dually with 12’x8’ stake bed. I hauled a lot of firewood with that beast. I even made a couple road trips with it. I bought it in Provo, Utah drove it to Everett, Washington and then all the way to Southern California and on across the United Stated to Miami, Florida. What a ride. Unfortunately I did blow the original 352 and had to swap in a 390 on the side of the road. Man that was fun.
I’m a city dweller now in an HOA so having a truck like this would not be allowed.
God Bless America
Happy birthday, Scotty! And may many more be headed your way. Remember, when you’re 50, your Give-a-Turkey is busted; but wait till you turn 70; it’s left the daggoned building.
Now for the truck. I look into that engine bay and find something that’s about as rare out west as a winning Powerball ticket. You just don’t see a six under the hood in anything larger than a 3/4 ton. But I guess that “Leaning Tower of Power” will move the truck just fine. Probably a New Process 435 transmission, coupled to a single speed rear axle. Tranny and rear end will probably last forever in this beast. But it’s going to be a long space between shifts.
Looks like an idiot light for oil pressure. That’s actually a good thing in reality. I remember a memo from one of the warranty analysts who said that they had far less catastrophic engine failures in vehicles with warning lights than they did with gauges; operators saw the light flash but, unless they were vigilant with the gauges, they didn’t see the oil pressure needle at the bottom of the gauge until after they wondered what was happening to their power…
Looks good overall. A longer wheelbase than I would like but you could make this into a ramp deck and use it to haul your antique tractor or super slow Brass Era car to the show…
The oil light was a better idea, assuming it actually came on when it was supposed to, explaining the term “idiot light”.
6k? Take that money and get a 16′ bumper pull trailer, cheaper registration, insurance covered by the tow vehicle, almost zero maintenance AND much lower load height. The truck? $1500, shorten it into a super-sized pickup. Congrats on another trip around the sun, Scotty!
Happy birthday Scotty. I’m with you, I love these trucks and everything they stand for!
Happy Birthday, yup another 80 degree day here in Phoenix, its been 75-80 for 2 weeks now,my 66′ Mustang is out in the driveway ready for a drive.
Happy Birthday Scottie!!! I actually do NOT see much use for this truck. Especially at that price!!! NO hoist under the body. No power in that slant 6. A lot of interior work to be done? Maybe an entry into the hobby???
Happy Birthday Scotty G! I appreciate your efforts to keep us entertained and “schooled”. Sadly, because of the engine (not that a slant six is bad. And Lord knows I’ve tried to kill a few.)But the lack of HP and highway speed. This truck is destined to parade, or selective farm duty.i really like the truck, but have no use for it. Good luck to the seller. I hope they find a purchaser that can use this “old gal”.
Merry Christmas to all the Barn Find family. You make the breakfast time more than stuffing my face!
Anyone else seeing Army green….or could that be Forrest Green…..saw the data plate but thinking only milatary would get a slant six for base operations…that 6 isn’t a mountain climber….
Now I can’t Not see it. STD Green up along the firewall. I can understand it; no reason a military-spec truck can’t be used as a supply truck for a fire department…
Thanks, folks!
That’s genius, stillrunners, I didn’t even notice that, but now I can’t not see the green under the hood. I bet you’re right.
Not military: Look at the government badge in the pictures.
I’m seeing what looks like forest green under the red. MULTIPURPOSE TRUCK!
BTW, 225-2 engines had a factory Forged Steel Nitrided Crankshaft, Dual Roller Timing Chain set, and positive valve rotators on the valve springs, (to prevent burnt valves). You’ll notice the NP435 Transmission, which had an unsynchronized Granny 1st gear, so pulling off hills with a full load wasn’t that much of a problem, but this required an operator to double-clutch between 1st and 2nd, in order to keep rolling and even then, you’d fall back to about 5 mph.
A Super Six 2-barrel Induction set up would help the fuel economy and yield another 30 HP, if someone was serious about buying it to actually use it. Upsizing the exhaust pipe, as close to the exhaust manifold as possible, could also contribute to the power.
Happy birthday 🎉 Scotty! Thanks for all the great stuff you bring to the site. Cool old truck!
Would make a great moving truck
for the next time my girls and I move to New digs again. As for the weak 6, just take it to the guys on Power Nation. If memory serves me, they built one
that put out over 200 HP! Then, they put it in a ’72 Duster. Talk about night and day! That thing
really screamed. At least 200 HP
would give this truck a bit more
oomph going down the road.
Merry Christmas 🎄 to you and all my friends in the BF Universe.
would give this truck a bit more