Several years ago, I read a great book by John Jerome: It was simply titled Truck. Written in the 1970s, it followed the author’s struggles with rebuilding a not-that-old-at-the-time 1950 Dodge that he was going to use for, well, truck purposes. Back then, that was a 25-year-old truck, and many of us can relate to the struggles of keeping an older vehicle on the go. If you don’t have the stomach for that kind of activity, however, you can skip the hard part with this running and driving 1954 Dodge.
The seller says that this is a California truck that made its way to Massachusetts in the 1970s, right around the time that Jerome was writing Truck. It was repainted decades ago, but it has “never had major body work or rust repairs.” Basically, this is a truck you can get in and drive without worrying about any major repairs or restoration work.
The seller doesn’t mention which of Chrysler’s six-cylinder engines powers this old Dodge, but my materials show that it should be either the 218 or 230 cubic-inch version, making 100 or 110 horsepower respectively. The seller claims that the engine runs well, idles perfectly, and needs nothing. It has a new battery, new tires, and the transmission works as it should (it’s a three-speed manual). As a guy who knows a thing or two about old things, however, my eye is on the discoloration on that radiator.
Dodge was well behind Ford and Chevy in sales in 1954, but that doesn’t matter much today (except maybe in parts availability). The interior still has a rubber mat on the floor, as it should, although the upholstery may have been changed at one time or another. It looks like an old truck ought to in here.
The seller has only owned the truck for five or six years, but has known about it since the early 1980s. It’s only been used in the summer for those 40-odd years, but the seller is unsure if the mileage is accurate. Seventy years is a lot of time to accrue a mere 18,000 miles, so I wouldn’t count on it.
Regardless, the seller has nailed the presentation of this 1954 Dodge: an old green truck in front of a stately, rural Massachusetts garage on a calm summer evening…who wouldn’t want a truck like this? The only sticking point may be the price: $18,500 on Craigslist. Given how popular trucks are right now, that may be about right. It’s not 1977 anymore, after all. Thanks to T.J. for the tip on this beautiful old truck.
I don’t know much about Dodge models, so this is probably a bonehead question: is this a d100 or some other model?
As far as I can tell, these were just called the “C Series” line, but I’m sure there’s more to it. The D100 moniker came later.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any brochures on this truck and I can’t find any pdf versions online, so maybe someone out there can add their expertise.
It’s a B series I have a 53 I’ve had it 40 years that price is about right. when in prime condition they go for $40,000.00 or more you can find them cheaper depending on the condition.
Maybe it is a C series 53 may have been the last of the B series.
Yep, 48 to 53 B series. 54 to 60 C series.
I happen to have that book TRUCK!
If I remember correctly, this may be a Dodge model D2 half ton pickup. $18,500 is a bit steep for me for a basic 1950’s truck. It is a good looking truck though .
Ive owned several old Dodge trucks mostly WM300 M37s W200s my M37 was a 54 3/4 ton rated military rig, WM300 was 1 ton with same motor originally a 230 CI flat 6 i bought a crated 251 and swapped it out. I think these C/D type trucks where rated at 1/2 Ton. A really good motor easy to work on, hell the whole series of dodges could be maintained in your yard. If i was gonna drop that kind of $ though id get a M37. Really enjoyed that book back in the 80s when my love of old Dodge trucks was kindled.
I’ve read those books, neat. I feel that this price is well within current parameters for a unit that can be used as it was intended with no worries about minor bed scrapes and wearing dust or mud hauling fence posts to the back 40. This is a 2 lane only truck as it’s most comfortable at about 45 mph. Being turn key makes it very appealing!
Love the second and third to last sentences of the write up. A few commenters around here could take note. Love the truck and property as well; idyllic. I’m envious.
Well said Eric B.
I graduated High School in 1963. The father of one of my classmates had a Dodge truck, purchased for use for a second home they owned. To discourage the son from getting a motorcycle he was allowed to drive the truck to school. The truck quickly became one of the official conveyances of class elduders as all it required was a second participant to hold a coin against the back of the prominently mounted ignition switch. The starter was activated by a floor plunger. That truck was a factor in making me the man I’m NOT today. Oh, well…..
Not a Dodge fanatic but that is one nice truck. It’s good to see something different and in such nice shape. The green really makes it perfect…I hope it goes to a good home and is kept in this condition, if not better…
Yes.. this is how they were. I was 5 then and the family biz had a 1 ton stake truck with this cab…. kids see things from their height… the oval pedals, the speedometer markings, the door and window crank plastic trims, the glove box in the center… I don’t remember the starter pedal… it had an unusual exhaust sound… I liked it…. it was kind of friendly…
I also was one of the readers of that book when I was a kid in the 80s.
Aaron may be on something about the radiator. There’s definitely been some leakage. Water pump looks like an old one too. The seller said that there is a small oil leak at the “valve cover” I’m not trying to be rude but this engine is a flathead and as such doesn’t have a valve cover per se. Not sure if the leak is coming from a fault in the head gasket but this could be a problem if the head is warped. But by the same token; the seller says it runs great so I believe a prospective buyer will want to check this truck out in person. The ask seems somewhat high to me but what do I know. The truck is worth what ever the highest offer is. This is a nice old truck and I would like to have it delivered to me for some back roads fun. But for a number of reasons it ain’t gonna happen. GLWTS.
Carbob, I’m going from memory here, but I seem to remember that those Chrysler flat head six’s had two rectangular removeable covers on the side of the block that you remove to adjust the valves, so that is probably what the seller was referring to. The covers did have a gasket around the outer edge.
You are correct – they are the valve covers so to speak….most all 6’s have them.
The side covers were for adjusting the valve lash. A long time ago back in the 70’s I had a 51 Plymouth car, and after that a WD21 1 ton 46 Dodge truck. They both had similar 218 flat 6 engines. I used to adjust the valves with the engine running, not difficult but I always got burns on hands from the exhaust manifold. No gloves for the fine operations using wrenches and feeler gauge. This was a “free job” that only required occasional replacement of the two gaskets, resulting in a better running engine.
I love older trucks and I can prove by all the ones I have owned and driven. They have all been Fords, Chevrolet’s and GMC’s only because I was never lucky enough to find a Dodge like this one. I don’t think this truck is over priced, if you think it is, I have a suggestion for you….Go find another one!
Read the book in college in 1978. To this day, every time I see an old Dodge truck, I tell the owner about the book.
Nice write up!
Yes, Russ you’re right about that. I didn’t think of that. If that’s the case then it is a relatively simple repair.
It’s a C series truck, 1954 was the first year with the one piece windshield and the round emblem on upper nose of the body/ hood area.
Nice looking truck though.
This truck would be ideal for warmer weather but maybe not when things turn cold. It doesn’t appear to have a heater and defroster.
Stillrunner: yep. I have a nice old 37 Int’l with a HD213 flathead and it has those two valve adjust covers on the block tucked in under the intake and exhaust manifolds. Kinda hard to get to though when the need arises.
It was January 1964, I had just arrived on a 90 acre chicken farm outside Sumner, Washington. I was 16 years old and had been kicked out of my dads home in Northern California after dropping out of high school. An older brother was the foreman on the farm and had a 55 Dodge pickup under a carport needing the transmission installed after having the flathead 6 and transmission rebuilt. It was the same color as this one, but had a granny gear 4 speed transmission. We put a new clutch and pressure plate and wrestled with that heavy old transmission until it finally slipped through the clutch disc splines and into place for bolting to the bell housing. My brother decided to sell the truck and a buyer soon drove away in it. We waved joyously as the old truck made its way down that country road and out of sight to us.
When I was a kid growing up in the 50’s and 60’s Dodge pickups were kind of like Internationals very few people would choose them over Ford, Chevy or GMC. They were sort of like a red headed step child in that if you had one you were kind of an outcast. Flathead engines were quickly going out of style and most of the other companies were already using overhead valve engines. I really do like the looks of this old truck though.
God Bless America
Is this truck in Massachusetts? The plates say Vermont?
I had one in Utah in the late 70’s. It was my hunting truck not very fast but it had a good heater. I sold it to my friend who drove it back to Colorado. It was a great reliable truck
Just did some research and found that both the D and F series used the same engine… a 230 cu in. 6 producing 110 hp and 194 ft lbs of torque… The one I mentioned above was capable of highway speeds back then…. because it routinely went to cities 90 miles away… or the guy just drove it full throttle… that is entirely possible… because we also had a maybe 51 Dodge pickup… previous body style… a heavy duty one. Someone overloaded it and the frame bent in half… truck was ruined…. Just another day at work…
Maybe there was a different engine avail….
My 1952 Dodge 1/2 ton came with the flat head and fluid drive a really neat drivetrain. I wanted to keep the drivetrain, but the block was cracked on driver side of engine damn near full length of block. Pulled everything out and made a street rod out of it.
Western Mass Craigslist but seems to actually be in Brattleboro, Vt. (not to far from western, Ma.)
Great truck and book.