I don’t know that there is a car that doesn’t look good in red, and this former New Jersey fire vehicle certainly wears the color well. No. 2 is a 1957 Dodge D300 pickup, located in Addison, Illinois, only a few miles southwest of O’Hare International Airport. Listed for sale here on eBay, you can drive it home for $17,900, though if this seems too steep, offers are considered. Many thanks to Russell Glantz for the tip!
The Dodge C-Series trucks received a major facelift in 1957. The most noticeable styling change might be the recessed headlamps or the single-piece hood, but more substantive alterations and options included both the optional 315 cu.in. V8 (which this truck has) and the TorqueFlight three-speed automatic transmission (which it does not). However, all these are tame compared to the most radical option on these trucks, the Sweptside bed, which… it’s tail fins. It’s not tail fins like a Coronet of the same year, but it’s tail fins all the same.
All this points to Chrysler’s intent to provide a pickup for every possible buyer. While the fire department that originally ordered this truck did not spring for the fins and chrome, they did pony up for power: the 315 Poly V8 was good for just over 200 hp from the factory. Put to a service in a less public role, this should prove more than adequate for modern highway driving. While the four-speed manual transmission is rugged and dependable, some attention should be paid to the rear differential, as there’s evidence of oil. The interior, while serviceable, could likewise use some attention– but this is to be expected for upholstery and door cards that are likely 66 years young.
There seem to have been several fire vehicles that have appeared here on Barn Finds of late, and there are a lot of things that recommend these workhorses for private ownership. Aside from the collector market for emergency vehicles, they make sense from a practical standpoint. These are usually vehicles that have seen regular maintenance, have been carefully stored, and often have only a few thousand miles on the odometer. The 20,840 showing on the dial in this classic example is less than you might see on a two-year old car. Trucks in the fifties were work vehicles, made to be used until they were so worn as to be irreparable. If you’re looking to get one in solid original condition, a fire truck might be your best bet.
This I really like. Personally, I’d lose all the fire dept. schtick, and gear it accordingly, however you want to do that, O/D or different rear axle would be the easiest, and have a sweet dually. I had never heard of a “315”, I always assumed they meant 318, but sure enough, Dodge did offer a 315, which I think pre-dated the 318, anyone? Common practice today would be to plop this body on some late model RAM, but what’s the fun of that? Cool find, indeed!
The short-lived 315ci Chrysler Poly V8 engine was available in trucks from the 1957 and 1958 model years.
https://bangshift.com/bangshift1320/315ci-chrysler-poly-v8-engine/
The 315 first appeared in 1956 in a car as a D500 Hemi and that was the first year for the 277 poly that would become the 318 poly in 1957. The 315 would become a poly in 1957 when the 325 took over the Hemi spot but would also be offered as a poly as well. Is everyone keeping up ?
Lighting up that siren behind the guy playing with his phone rather than paying attention to the traffic light would be good fun.
If this is truly an original fire truck, and I think it is, I wouldn’t change a thing. Has a bit of a “Little Red Express” vibe with it’s pinstriping.
Good candidate for a restomod IMHO. I’d get rid of all the fire department stuff and sell it for top dollar. That would include the oversized back deck and bumper as well as tail lighting which makes it look like a Pop Corn Stand.
Then after getting rid of all the useless fire department stuff I’d paint it all flat black high build primer just to get rid of the red paint.
Red paint, meh!
Bob
The push button automatic transmissions on the trucks were called LoadFlite, which was basically a beefed up TorqueFlite 3 speed.
This truck is a manual transmission so I don’t get the reference to the push button except all information is good. I can’t tell for sure but if those wheels are death rings they got to go. Maybe some nice polished aluminum with radial tires. I agree change the gear ratio.
God bless America
I wanna know about the International Cab Over Flatbed/ Hauler that’s in the picture on E-BAY