With the abundance of high-end features available on trucks today, it’s easy to forget that it wasn’t too long ago that pickups were strictly utilitarian vehicles marketed to farmers, tradespeople and other down-to-business customers. That makes this 1964 Dodge D100 CSS (Custom Sports Special) a rare surviving example of Detroit’s earliest attempt at a modern ‘lifestyle’ pickup. This unrestored example from Fresno, California is for sale here on Craigslist for $4,000.
The Custom Sports Special (CSS) was an appearance (trim) package offered by Dodge on pickups from 1964 through 1967. It could be ordered on both ½ ton (D100) and ¾ ton (D200) models. For just over $300, buyers got bucket seats (taken from the Dart GT), a center console (from the Polara), hand-stitched carpet, chrome bumpers, and quadruple racing stripes. Other options included heavy-duty gauges and engine combos up to and including the mighty 426 wedge big-block (these latter options were known as the High Performance Package, or HPP). While this truck does not have the hi-po package, it does sport an HD gauge cluster.
Here’s a look at the CSS interior with black vinyl buckets and B-body center console. The 6-year old datestamp on these photos gives one pause, hopefully the soft parts have not deteriorated much beyond what we see here. Fortunately, since the seats were shared with the Dodge Dart, repop seat covers and molded foam are readily available. Also note the aftermarket A/C console and original radio.
In this photo we see the HD gauges – if the original buyer had opted for the HPP package they would have gotten a 6,000 RPM Sun tach instead of the 5,000 RPM unit seen here.
Under the hood lies the earliest incarnation of Chrysler’s venerable 318 small-block, the polyspherical or “poly” engine. The seller states it is not currently running. The massive (probably dealer-installed) aftermarket York A/C compressor lords over the front of the engine, but the lack of a belt could mean it hasn’t chilled the cab for a long time. That second hydraulic line peeking out on the bottom right of the photo indicates this is a manual-trans truck.
Finding one of these trucks with original ‘lightweight’ factory chrome bumpers is a rare event these days – many buyers bolted on heavier bumpers for towing or work, and a half-century of abuse turned many of the reminder into scrap metal. Again, it’s hard to draw conclusions from the old photos, but the rest of the body appears reasonably straight.
Classic pickups have enjoyed a resurgence of collector interest over the past few years, and the CSS/HPP trucks are on the forefront of that wave. A CSS/HPP registry tracks and verifies surviving examples, and offers a wealth of additional information (full disclosure: I own a truck in the registry). Sweptlines (the series name given to ’61-’71 Dodge pickups) appear regularly in film and TV nowadays, and there are active user communities on Facebook. And while the old datestamps seen in the photos in this ad are a bit troublesome, assuming everything is legit this is a very reasonable price for a CSS survivor. Check out the license plate – in Chinese numerology ‘888’ means triple luck, and the buyer of this truck might be extra lucky indeed.
I own a low mile ’65 CSS in red with small rear window. These trucks are indeed incredibly rare and very seldom come to market. What is unique to each of these, is that all important Data tag as seen on the door jamb of the driver’s door. All other items ‘may’ be faked, altho with some difficulty, but the real reveal is that very critical tag defining the truck as a CSS. Indeed, I am a bit surprised at the low value assigned to it’s sale, and even if it shows a bit of wear, it still appears complete.
The Sweptlines are great looking trucks, and IMHO their undervalued. This is a great buy, assuming the photos (despite the date stamp) are accurate, get it running and have a driveable project.
Not running? No under pics? $1,000.00. That’s it.
Picture maybe a little out of date with a date of 2011, unless his camera is too or the date stamp is not set correctly. Even so, if the photos are 7 years old, what does it look like now?
Top 2 pics are recent . Nothing changed just dusty and home to many cobwebs. Inside still looks the same. Thank you for sharing my truck.
Yo Jerry…sweet truck..what will it take to get it running?
What exactly doesnt work? Has it just been a long time since you drove it or did you park it for a particular mechanical breakdown?
Inquiring minds and potential buyers might be interested in the answers.which in turn might lead to a quicker sale……
Sweet truck. ’64 was a pretty year for the Sweptlines, and this is a very desirable ’64. Good thing it’s on the other side of the country from me…
Am I the only person that I heard the rumor of some early 60’s Dodge trucks that were built in Israel?
Built in Israel from the early ’60s to the late’80s. All with slant 6 and 3 speed manual. I have a brochure from 1981 that I got from the dealer in Jerusalem
Had two but only one a Sport, lesser had a 318 for few years, 383 4brl and auto. Only mods I made were wide flat gold center of hood, and along through box with thin pinstripes, dual exhaust and wide body color match of factory dark green steel wheels with small Dodge center caps.
Drove like a truck and non posi rear did not help launch with 4.11 gearing nor gas mileage.
For its time these were only sport trucks available and although but a 1/2 ton was great hauler for 64 Maxi Wedge and later circle trackers.
Sold it and guy transplanted suspensions to lower and added maxi 413 to win trophys.
My loss.
They were ugly trucks! Useful but ugly! That being said, I would certainly own one today if I could find one like this!
Dang rare and nice truck there Jerry ! These did race on the track with the 426 Wedge when they came out and kinda scared a few folks. The only one I ran across in these parts was already in a wrecking yard and in pretty bad shape. The seats were gone but I grabbed the counsol and dash with the tach….and the door tag….
The early 1964 HPP/CSS came with 413’s and later ones came with 426’s!
Only two HPP trucks with a factory 413 have been documented by the registry, and both are 63’s. They didn’t have the Street Wedge chrome dress up pieces. However given the way these were ordered and built, some carryovers could exist