There’s something therapeutic about going to a junkyard just to have a look around. So, we regularly visit our local pick and pull. For the most part, you don’t find anything over 30 years old, but or most recent trip we were surprised to find more than a few classics! The first one we are going to take a look at is this 1968 Dodge D100 Sweptline truck.
The D100 was Dodge’s bread and butter pickup throughout the ’60s. You could order one stripped down with a slat-six and nothing else or you could get one tricked out with bucket seats, racing stripes, and a high-performance V8! You could also pick between a step-side bed or the great looking Sweptline seen on this truck.
Under this one’s hood is a V8, it appears to be a 318. We didn’t think to check to see if it turns over. Other than some minor body damage, we didn’t see any reason for this truck to end up in the junkyard. Of course, there could be unseen mechanical issues with engine or transmission. It definitely would be interesting to know this truck’s history.
Inside, this one had bucket seats, well at least one is still present. There’s no knowing whether it originally shipped with buckets or were added later, but that upholstery isn’t original.
It’s always a bit sad to see vehicles like this in the junkyard. It looks like it would have been a fairly simple project to get back on the road, even if it needed an engine rebuild. And unfortunately, once a vehicle enters this yard, it doesn’t leave as anything resembling a vehicle. We are just glad we were able to document it before it goes to the crusher. So, do you have any fond memories of Dodge’s D100? Is so, please share in the comments!
Dumping something like this in a junkyard is a tacit admission one hates good things.
I learned to drive on a 68 Dodge like this one. What a great truck! Wish ours was still around.
Oooh…the chrome front bumper and stainless brightwork was unique to the Sweptline series only – worth having!
I just sold a souped up 440 with a 727 transmission that would have been perfect in this truck. Guess some thing’s don’t always come together.
I’m guessing some one could by it from the junk yard if they really wanted it.
We’ve tried to buy cars from this yard in the past, but once a vehicle enters the yard they won’t sell it to anyone. They claimed that Idaho laws don’t allow them to once the vehicle passes the gate into the yard. I know that they do brand the titles as salvage immediately and once it gets crushed the title is destroyed. It’s a shame because they have some other really cool classics that are in really good shape.
Kinda nauseating that…..
I guess it’s the world we live in, laws made by folks who really don’t give a flip about the ‘unintended consequences’.
there are yards like that around here. One had a ’39 Dodge pickup, really nice shape. Yard wouldn’t sell the whole truck. Buddy wanted it, so he bought the cab and bed, and had another buddy buy the frame. Got a salvage title and put it back together.
This one is too nice to be there. Save it before it gets crushed.
There’s a cult following for the ones with the bucket seat interior and “hot rod” specs all around. Can’t recall the model name, but I remember from the Dodge literature one photographed in gold with gold interior and black stripes. The option only lasted a couple years.
You talking about the “Dude” option? Never was a fan of this model style but maybe turning it into a gasser would be fun!
Dude, before it was popular?
https://autowise.com/10-of-the-rarest-and-cool-pickup-truck-packages-youve-probably-never-heard-about/
SST? Engines from The leaning tower of power slant 6 to the 365hp 440 Street Wedge. Bucket seats, Console from a Dodge car, stripes, chrome bumpers and aluminum grille, the first factory limited edition trucks. Nice trucks that are pricey today. I’ve owned quite a few of these, love them. My uncle had a 67 that had a 383, he bought rolled over 70 Road Runner with a 440 6BBL, four speed, Dana rear end back in 75 and swapped it all into the truck. He warmed up the motor pretty well and It was one seriously fast truck, a real sleeper.
As seen at SEMA….
Rubber band tires?
I think I just threw up when I saw those wheels.
Looks like it was already a parts truck for somebody be fore it was junked ; I cant imagine theres a lot of calls for parts for these.
Saw a truck like this at SEMA that the guy had installed 2 countem 2 cummmins diesels. Guy said he had a transmission made for $10 grand. sounds cheep, if you cleared the junk away from this one, it looks solid from here. Wonder what they want for it. faster you get it out of the junkyard away from Cletus in the fork lift, the better. That 318 with a granny gear would pul down a house. Good luck, maybe the original wheels are there someplace.
Cheers
GPC
Funny you should mention walking through junkyards, because one of my favorite scenes from American Graffiti is when Milner walks Carol through the junkyard while telling the tales behind the wrecked cars.
Between my dad and my son, I guess we could call ourselves third generation junkyard fans. When I was younger in the ’70s/80s I would be forced to go along with my dad to help him out and hated it then, just a chore… Late ’80s, i own cars and put what I learned from dad to work and saved a lot of change. Scanning the yard became a hobby later along with my friends. My son was born in 1998. So many restrictions in yards by then. Most of the yards here in Columbus, OH wouldn’t let people in the yard like the old days. Managed to get him in illegal a few times. Once he was of age 16 we were good. Navy guy and I get pictures from him of low rust yards of Virginia, now SoCal. He has the bug too !!!
Too much info, but many of you can relate. Regarding the 1968 D100, let me add this. Personally working on a utility project where a widow is being forced to remove her late husbands dead vehicles from the right of way. Nothing special, but they have to be removed for the project. A lot of times, people will take low dollars from a yard due to the situation as opposed to getting nothing from municipal impound.
Well, I don’t think it should be crushed, still a ton ( literally) of parts for someone with one of these. Try and find a front fender, or whatever. Wouldn’t pay much more than scrap value, tho.
Probably someones life ended before the project go finished and the family called the junk yard to cart it away
I have a ’69 D100 with 93K original miles and a 318 auto. It is all original and I am the 3rd owner. I’ve had it since 2008 when I plunked down $700 for it. It had sat for many years in a garage and the bed is fairly pristine as it had a slide in camper attached for X number of years. I have probably bought it about 10 times over, but it is a good driver and I mainly use it for dump/lumber yard runs. It gets many looks and I can’t drive it anywhere without getting asked about it. It does have some rust, but nothing too serious. I get many offers to buy it, but I like it as just a good old solid truck. However, 4 wheel drum brakes and lap belts only, keep me on high alert as it does take some time to pull it to a stop. I see a number of parts on this particular truck that would be worth saving.
It looks like the engine in this truck is not the original engine. This engine is blue and I believe the correct engine color would be red. GML 02-12-2020
George, I believe it may be the original motor but painted the color of a later year. Your right, it should of been painted red, but looking at the water pump, it’s a 69′ or earlier model. It’s steel and not aluminum.
I don,t know about 68 model,but I have a 71 with the same color and same motor. They are a tough motor. I got in a road race one time coming in from Norfolk,Va. We ran about 9 mph all the way to Stanton.Then I had to fill up and caught up with him a little ways out of Stanton.He was turning on another road. The next day I checked the oil and I was 4 quarts low. Topped it off and NEVER made a sound. Ran many more miles after that.The speedometer never did work. I,d like to have this truck for parts–it it was closer.Shame to waste good projects like this.
Can this truck be sold as a whole or part it out? I know some yards/states have different laws. It would be a shame to crush it. Somebody needs to save it.
To far gone.
That bucket seat is from an A body.
About 6 good parts left
I drove a 68 sweptline through my college years and the first couple of years in the work force after. Mine had a 318 and 727 with the in dash shifter with the big black knob. I always like the cool padded wing on the dash too. Wish I had never gotten rid of it. I found it several years later, but sadly it was too far gone.
My father had a 69 in 1979, 383 4speed, but 4×4, he restored it and was on the road in 1980 as I turned 7. We took it for test drive,got back home to the bottom of our 250ft driveway which was about 30 degree incline straight up to the top then about 500ft to the house.While we were setting at bottom,my father says you wanna drive? Of course I thought we would go back on asphalt road,but no straight up the hill I went. First thing I drove,and how I learned to drive manual tranny.The rest is history..😁
Plenty of these out west still running.
Don ‘ t cry for this one
To Dave who made comment about yard with 39 Dodge Pick up bought by buddy : Do you have a current picture of the 39 Dodge Pick up you could share?
sorry no, that was almost 30 years ago, the guy passed and the truck was sold.
Most of the younger people are too wasteful and lazy to fix something. They want it new and don,t realize the price and troubles all these new vehicles can be. Just look at all the complaints on all or any late or new model vehicle. $5,000 put into this truck and you would have a more dependable and better looking new Dodge any day. Add a posi and it will go any place MOST of the 4 wheel drives go. I could use alot of these parts on my 71.
how much is it