The early 18th century English poet Alexander Pope once wrote that “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” This may be true, but if we modify that quote for the world of hot rod building it would read “Hot rodders modify what engineers fear to create.” A rolling example of that cobbled up quote can be found in El Paso, New Mexico, which is just across the border from scenic Juarez. This 1948 Diamond T pick up for sale on craigslist has what most would consider an impossibility under the hood: a big block 460 Ford engine. With an asking price of $9,900, is this modified Diamond T a project worth putting back on the road after sitting for 40 long years? Thanks go to T.J. for the tip on this T!
Founded in 1905, the Diamond T Motor Car Company was best known for manufacturing heavy duty trucks. While the company later became a subsidiary of the White Motor Company, it later morphed into Diamond Reo Trucks after a merger with the Reo Motor Company. The manufacturer gained fame during World War II building military trucks, most notably heavy-duty wreckers.
Like its competitor Mack, the company also dipped its toes in the pickup truck market. The pickup you see here is a model 201, which was produced from 1938 through 1949. These trucks were powered by a Hercules inline six-cylinder engine. Unfortunately, despite looking very similar to larger trucks in the Diamond T line, sales never took off. Today these trucks are highly valued by collectors who focus on pickup trucks.
The Diamond T we see in these photos was the recipient of a very unusual engine transplant. Over 40 years ago, someone decided that the original engine should be replaced by a more modern mill. The problem is that the engine bay in one of these trucks isn’t huge by any standard. So, in true hot rod fashion, the cowl was cut away and a 460 cubic inch Ford big block was shoehorned in.
As you can see from the picture above, that was quite a feat of determination and ingenuity. The builder also wisely added a power brake booster and dual circuit master cylinder. Look closely at the small amount of distance between the rear of the radiator and the front of the master cylinder to give yourself an idea of just how little space was available.
A look from the other side gives us a clue as to how this problem was worked out. It seems that the front part of the cowl was completely cut away and the upper half was replaced with a formerly painted sheet of aluminum that looks to have been riveted on. The rear 1/3 of the engine then found itself nestled deep under the cowl. It also looks like this new cowl plate had to be cut out for the rear of the carburetor to fit.
A picture of the underside (courtesy of the forklift we see in the first and second pictures) shows that not much damage was done to the underside of the truck to make this monster motor transplant happen. It is also interesting to see that the truck retains its solid front axle and two partially bald tires that I imagine saw a lot of wheelspin. If the project ever ran, this truck was probably a handful when the pedal was mashed to the floor.
A look inside shows what life was like on the other side of the new cowl plate. It appears a hardware store piano hinge allows a door to fold down to access the rear of the engine. Also interesting is the wedge-shaped piece between the access door and the gas pedal area. Other than the drag style shifter and the power boosted brake system there doesn’t seem to be any other preparations for a truck that had such a powerful engine transplanted in. Notice also a lack of heat and sound insulation.
Is this Dr. Frankenstein truck worth the $9,900 asking price? Maybe. There are still some larger Diamond T trucks rusting away out there with identical cabs. Either a whole cab could be purchased, or a cowl could be cut out and welded to this cab to restore balance in the old truck force. Perhaps even a talented hot rod builder could make this transplant much more presentable. Either way, it is a cool truck that hopefully will be back on the road soon.
Have you ever seen a really odd or butchered up engine transplant in a hot rod? If so, tell us about your favorite monstrosity in the comments.
Well,,being the only known owner, former or present of a Diamond T 201 here, you can imagine my dismay. “201s” are as rare as manners today, and clean original examples go for over $100 grand, or they did. Certainly a far cry from the $100 I paid in 1980, but that’s getting old already. I can’t think of a punishment fitting enough for the creator of this abomination. Normally I can stomach just about any creation I couldn’t do myself, but this hits home in an unusual way. While I’ll admit, in its stock form, it’s horribly inadequate for any travel, but some things should remain original, just because an unusual vehicle such as this should be kept original for histories sake.
Just an add on, a special thanks to Jeff for the Diamond T info. The only thing was, REO was also bought by White Corp. in 1957 and Diamond T in 1958. White continued REO and Diamond T as separate makes, and merged them in 1967 as Diamond REO. Diamond T made a name for itself in WW2 primarily in the heavy duty applications, tank movers, dozers and such.
I’ve made peace with the loss of my truck for reasons that we don’t need to go into again, sold to a good friend who I’m certain would never do this to it, but this is the part where I will accept jeers for selling the truck, like “Nice goin’, Howard”, or, “what were you thinking, man?”, so here’s your chance,,and all insults will be dealt with in a timely manner. Thanks, Russ for opening raw wounds once again,,I know, just the piano player and why I enjoy this site so much.
Oops, so upset I meant thanks to Jeff,, Russ too for his other stuff!
I have a 1941 201 Diamond T. My grandfather left it to me. Unfortunately its been sitting in storage for the last 5 years with bad head gasket. It won’t fit in my current garage, and I refuse to let it sit outside.
one out of ten “car guys” heard of it before.
Howard
My second Diamond T purchase was a 201, 404HH and a Holmes Traffic King 515E. 201 was a parts truck, I kept some and sold the rest of the 201. Still also have 44 614, 48 614 and an extra long wheelbase special order 48 614 chassis that was a logging truck.
That chassis seller kept the cab and front clip and was making a woody wagon.
The 614s have hand valves on the steering column for trailer brakes. They have vacuum tanks instead of air and compressors. Anybody know anything about vacuum trailer brakes in the 1940s?
The worst enemy of the 201 was price, and maybe, variety. Perhaps offering disk wheels instead of Daytons only, might have lessened the big truck image a tad. You sure couldn’t work one to death; you had to kill it with a very big stick. A Warner T-9 crashbox handled the gears and (it seems to me) the axles were both Rockwell. A small truck built by people who knew big trucks. This you had a big small truck…
Perhaps I was a bit harsh, my friend, as usual, you are my sobering ying to my raging yang. As time grinds away, I can’t possibly expect people to have the same feelings as me, to them, it was just an old truck, worthy of whatever they thought would make it attractive. I’m not sure what the frame is, certainly didn’t have those wheels, which look like Ford, and it’s almost too far gone to go back now and another one bites the dust.
Diamond Ts were pricey, I read, in 1948 a basic 201 cost about $1675 new, options put it well over $2 grand, when a Ford F1 cost about $900. Like anything, if someone wants the best, they aren’t going to haggle about the price. Did buyers get twice the truck they paid for? Yes and no. While Diamond Ts were heavy duty, they used basically the same mechanicals as most, like you mention. There was a shift in what Americans wanted in a truck in the 50s, and Diamond T couldn’t compete. 1949 was the last 201, and the 222 pickup, a rebadged IH in 1950 took its place, but never caught on.
I think it really is blasphemy to modify one of these. There weren’t very many of them to start with and they need to be preserved so the next generations know what they were all about. However, when it’s YOUR name on that title you have every right to do what you want. I admit that I’ve seen some good looking resto-mods but be it ever so humble you can’t beat one that has been brought back and given a new life…
Saw one of these at a weekend local car show a few years ago that had been brought down from the atmosphere, modern running gear, beautiful paint and all the chrome shining. Really nice looking when they are restored and a few mild restomodifications don’t hurt them either. Reminds me of the Diamond T winch truck I drove working for the local Conoco dealer delivering lube oil to the oil fields. Owner said he was going to keep it forever and when we saw him 20 years later he still had it. Tough trucks!
It’s more than 65 years ago now but Saturday mornings a local farmer would drive through our little seasonal beach community in a DT PU. He’d put a top over the bed like a canopy express. Had a scale hanging from the roof top frame over the tailgate. Stacked in the bed was a waterfall of baskets full of produce and vegetables. The moms and housewives would come running like it was the GoodHumor man. I was just a kid but I knew that truck was special…
Diamond T trucks of this era had the most beautiful dashes, especially the more deluxe ones. I took the above photo at Barrett Jackson a few years ago. Probably 35-40 years ago I found a Diamond T panel truck in a swampy salvage yard. It had dash matching the yellow green one above. The truck was rusted up to the door handles so I didn’t feel too bad cutting the dash out. Wasn’t a fun job, was sandwiched between sheet metal layers of the cowl, but after a few hundred mosquito bites, sore hands and lots of colorful language I got it. Still a wall hanger now, but hopefully will be in a hot rod someday.
I would make this truck as stock looking as possible. The only non stock thing I’d put in this truck would be a 12 valve Cummins turbo diesel. And of course a nice stock looking paint job.
Gregory, Would you drive from back in the bed. The cumins is a good deal longer than the V8 that’s sticking into the short cab. The cab is maybe 4 .5 ft from the firewall to the back wall.
The DT 404 through 614 have about a foot longer hood and front fenders.
I think this 201 is cab, clip and bed on a Ford F 350.
Maybe instead of rust repair, our F350 will get a 614 Cab and front end.
I agree it’s too bad to see this all cut up. On the other hand, its fate as somebody’s project may have been the path that kept it out of the breakers yard.
I have an ‘89 Ford 3/4 ton. It wasn’t too many years ago it was my daily driven vehicle; now, a recent 350 mile round trip with a relatively light trailer was a white knuckle adventure of buzzing the motor to keep the speed limit, still getting my doors blown off on grades, all while burning two quarts of oil, $250 of fuel and constantly worrying that somebody in a Kia Whocares is going to crash into it.
12 valve is overkill. Maybe the little sister 4BT. Modern LT tires on steel discs, paint and subtle vinyl interior. Will it lose some of the presence that a proper resto would convey? Certainly. But if a restomod job keeps a pretty truck on the road I guess I’m ok with that.
I know these R more disriable than many other mdels of the era.
Why is that?
I remember a ‘band’ with the name in it’s (…speed wagon) own.
chrlsful
Diamond T was the “Cadilac of trucks”. They didn’t make any lightweight pickups like Ford, GM etc.
Jeff,
“Like its competitor Mack, the company also dipped its toes in the pickup truck market.” Mack is over 100 years old and for 1 year they had their name on a REO pickup and made their own for 1 year.
Diamond T made pickups for many years before and after this 201.
These pictures are from the Del Deyoung (rip) collection. We met him shortly after we got our first Diamond T. Grandson and I were invited for a private tour of his huge truck collection. After the trucks, Del said ” Do you have time to go accross town and see the Packards and Buicks?”.
One photo per post. Here’s the 193? pickup.
Hi Rallye, that was Del DeYoung collection in Friesland, Wis. and founded Adams Transport. I picked up canned goods there many times and saw his collection several times. He was like Skinner Transport, in Reedsburg, Wis. that collected IHs. They both had extensive collections, that have been partially, or totally sold off after they died. The 2nd picture is a very rare 1950 model 222, 1 ton pickup that replaced the 201. After a year, it was dropped. I figured Del would have one.
Too bad it was mortified. I would love to have one of these beasties.
BTW, El Paso is in Texas. Lived there for a while, survived.
Just want to say, I think we’re all pretty much in the same gear here, however, I’m not totally in the bag, and I’ve seen some resto-mod trucks that were really incredible, clearly cost no object. I’ve recently been called an idiot because that person thought I didn’t appreciate what someone had done. That’s simply not true. Historically speaking, the resto-mods go agin everything I hold dear, doing it to a Diamond T pickup tops the list. However, I can’t deny some beautiful trucks have been done. I’m sure the builder of this truck had the same intention, must have had some connection to the truck, they didn’t redo a Ford, but can’t finish it, and now it’s useless on both ends of the spectrum. We don’t need another 700 hp resto-mod, but it would be nice to preserve a piece of history, especially since pickups are so popular, and this was state of the art,, once,, wherever THAT may go in the future. Thanks all.
Not knowing the history of this, I would have to make it as stock as possible with a small 4 cly diesel or gas motor, but not a Ford 460.
As someone said, it at least was saved so someone can finish it.