Pony cars, muscle cars, and classic pickups are all vehicles that would seem to be here to stay when it comes to desirable vehicles amongst enthusiasts. This 1950 Dodge B-2B “Pilot House” Pickup would definitely rate as a clean classic, and I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Ikey H for referring it through to us. It really needs nothing now except for a new owner who is going to drive and appreciate the vehicle, while getting plenty of smiles and admiring glances wherever they go. The Dodge is located in Orange, California, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. The listing has been set to open at $9,500 in what is a No Reserve auction, but there have been no bids up to this point.
Finished in a combination of Hunter Green with Black rear fenders and side steps, the Pickup presents quite well. The body is very clean, with the only significant damage being a small ding on the passenger side front fender. The rest of the vehicle looks very straight, which is pretty impressive for what is essentially a workhorse. Amazingly, the timber in the bed is said to be original, and if this is true, then it has survived in truly extraordinary condition. As for rust, that doesn’t appear to be an issue, with nothing obvious in the supplied photos, allied to the owner’s claim that it is a completely rust-free vehicle. The trim, chrome, and the bumpers all appear to be in really nice condition. The “Pilot House” tag that the Dodge wears was derived from the incredible all-round visibility that occupants were afforded from inside the vehicle. The seating position was high, and wide expanses of glass offered panoramic views. This is further enhanced in this Pickup, as it has been specified with the optional rear quarter windows.
While the interior of the Pickup isn’t perfect, it certainly looks pretty respectable. The owner states that there is no headliner, but the cover on the seat looks like it is relatively new. The rest of the interior is complete, but there are a few tasks that the next owner might consider tackling. Some of the painted surfaces are showing some wear and could stand a refresh. The steering wheel is worn, it has some cracks, and the horn button is missing out of the center. I would either consider restoring or replacing this. One thing that I’ve said in the past about these classic pickups is that interior restorations are actually surprisingly easy to perform. If I owned this one, I’d repaint the interior, fit a headliner, slap a fresh rubber mat on the floor, and I think that it would then look pretty good.
The engine photos aren’t the greatest, but the owner compensates for this shortcoming with plenty of good news. Powering the Dodge is a 218ci flathead 6-cylinder engine, which in its prime, produced 95hp. Bolted to the back of this is a 4-speed manual transmission. The owner is quite candid about the fact that he knows little about the Pickup’s history, but he does say that the engine feels strong enough to suggest that it may have received a rebuild in the fairly recent past. He says that it runs like new, with great oil pressure. He also says that the addition of a custom dual exhaust means that it also sounds terrific. The only issue that he identifies is the fact that the brakes might need adjustment. Otherwise, the steering is said to be tight, and the Dodge drives very nicely.
Frankly, I’m quite surprised that there have been no bids on this Dodge B-2B Pickup at this stage. It is a clean and tidy vehicle that is ready to be driven and enjoyed immediately. It isn’t perfect, but it is a solid vehicle that is brimming with character. Given its current status, it is actually conceivable that someone could secure this great old classic with a single bid. Now that really would be something.
Come on, you folks in California, wake up, these aren’t $10 thousand dollar vehicles, outside of California, anyway. Love the snow tires all the way ’round, in sunny California. Sorry for picking on California, it is a great truck. Neat styling, extra cab windows, but again and again and again, 50 mph tops, rough ride and with the straight front axle, you’ll quickly find out what “bump steer” means.
One of the cleaner examples I’ve seen here and it’s a runner! Apparently not a stopper though, but those should be easy to fix. Original wood in the bed? That might need addressing but not a difficult fix.
As it sits? I’m with you, Howard, it’s not a $9500 truck. I think the seller must’ve accidentally turned the 6 upside down, as that’s more of a fair price for this nice old backroad utilitarian.
When I was 17 or so. one of my part time jobs was at a used car lot that often had several similar trucks. Some had a loop cut from an inner tube sheet metal screwed to the dash. It would be slipped over the shift lever to keep third gear from popping out.
Must have been a special on snow tires; you don’t see them on all four wheels very often. When I was a kid I used to see that a lot. And I don’t have any idea why someone would put snow tires on the front unless it was a 4×4. Good truck overall. You’re going to have some fun shifting those straight-cut gears; that’s a T-9 crashbox in there, almost the same to the one in a similar aged Ford. Yet, for some reason, the transmission never howled as much behind a six.
I’d pay $10K for this gorgeous Dodge LONG BEFORE I’d pay $10K for that ’78 Datsun 510 econowagon that was posted late yesterday!
& while some people (^^ see comments above ^^) might argue that it is more of a $6500 truck, let’s consider what it would cost you to buy a $3K “project” truck of similar vintage & then bring it up to this level. $7K in parts & labor expenses adds up pretty dang quick when you are dealing with vintage vehicles, and THIS truck could be driven & enjoyed TOMORROW!! NO waiting for your “project” to be finished, instead you could drive THIS truck to the parts stores to pick up the few parts that it “needs”, maybe tidy up the interior & the engine bay a bit, maybe install some new wood in the bed, OR just love it as it is, & simply drive it & enjoy it!! (y)
I’d be proud to have this in MY garage (& to be honest it IS already on my eBay Watch List!). :-)
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Oh! & newsflash to the post’s author: No bids on eBay doesn’t equate to no interest. Experienced eBay bidders don’t show their cards until the final minutes of an auction. & any REALLY interested party has probably already reached out to the Seller with an off-line cash offer!! :-O
Well Bear, if not for sounding like the seller himself you certainly have a flare for long winded dramatic essays!!
A nice, simple pickup in very nice shape. I like it for it’s originality though a serious brake upgrade is in order. However, the opening bid is too high.
I don’t know why the seller put a high opening bid on this Dodge. If you want to protect it, that’s what a reserve is for. If the truck fails to meet the reserve, the seller has the option of trying to work something out with the high bidder. If nobody places a bid because the opening bid was too high, the seller has no other option than to re-list it. Re-listing an item usually brings less money as people tend to shy away from an item that didn’t sell the first time. They usually think it didn’t sell because something is wrong with it. Start the auction with a low opening and get people interested enough to place a bid. Seeing a lot of bids on an item encourages other bidders. And for folks who actually place a bid, they can get caught up in a bidding war because nobody likes to be outbid, especially near the end of the auction.
I’ve been selling on eBay since 1999 and I’ve sold thousands of items there, some for big money including Tiffany lamps, Martin guitars and Catalin radios. To get the most for your item at auction, there are many tactics you can use to ensure a good price but a high opening bid isn’t one of them.
Nice unit.
The seller is up front.
He wants 9500. So thats where you have to start.
I am good with that approach.
I think it may well be worth it too.
Whats with the wiper blade sitting up on the passenger side ?
I agree.
Seller is doing a No Reserve auction, with a starting price of $9500. Simple. Honest. Straight forward. No BS.
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Personally, I PREFER No Reserve auctions over an auction with some unknown reserve. The way I look at it is that format provides an auction with one less unknown, and I really don’t want to waste my time bidding on a reserve auction only to eventually discover that the Seller has set a ridiculously high reserve that nobody bids to meet.
A Buy It Now price would be a nice to have, but often that price is either set far too high OR some Sellers undervalue their item & then end up leaving $$ on the table. A TRUE Auction is No Reserve with a stated starting bid & the last bidder standing takes it home!! Fair deal for everyone involved. (y)
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Did you notice the MISSING wiper arm on the driver’s side??
I would assume that the wipers will likely need some rework. (…or AT LEAST a replacement wiper arm for the driver’s side.)
Again….hmmm
Price might be a little high, but old pickup trucks are “cool” these days and for someone in the suburbs this would be the perfect truck for a drive to Home Depot to pick up some bags of mulch or a run to Starbucks. Easy to work on and easy to find parts for.
Either this truck is an older restoration, or its “original rare” “survivor” base coat / clear coat paint is failing. Nice truck though, with the “reserve” set at about what it’s worth, IMHO.
I bought a 1950 Dodge B2B 5 window 3 speed just like this one in Vermont from a old guy who found it in a barn when he went to buy a boat at an estate sale . I don’t know what he paid but I gave him 3800 for it , He told me the speed ometer says 23k I cant prove it and you cant prove its not true . I took it home to NY (on a trailer) and drove it to my local Dodge dealer . We put on the rack and pulled all the wheels , it still had era brakes on it and an oil filter with a 1958 date on it , oil came out like tar , engine was flushed and filter replaced, wheel cyl redone , new tail pipe , passed NYSI and I drove it until someone who wanted it more than I, made me an offer I couldn’t turn down. Kool old truck ! Only let me down one time when the original coil failed after 50 years . If it had been a Ford or Chevy in the same condition I would have gotten $9500 for it ,$6500 would be a fair price for this Dodge .
Id say 7700 is about right. Tighten up the suspension a bit and drive it!
I’m gonna need that bodywork damage on the drivers door repaired first. Wait a sec……..never mind. Great truck!
I like how the flat fender body line flows into the doors.
Starbucks?
Starbucks???
Starbucks sucks
Oh buy the way since you put the snow tire all the way around my truck can you make it 4 wheel drive now????