Abandoned 1960s Dodge Farm Truck Gets First Wash in Decades, Roars Back to Life

Granted, early Dodge D-series trucks are nothing to write home about unless we're talking about the 1964 Street Wedge version, but that hauler is very rare and hard to find nowadays. The rig you see here is not one of those muscle trucks, but it's an early D-100 that's a bit more special thanks to its custom bed.

Used on a farm since new, the truck has had a rough and busy life, covering almost 300,000 miles (482,803 km). And once the owner was done with it, it was parked for good and sat for about a couple of decades. Dylan thought it was too cool to let it rot away so he decided to buy it, clean it, and get it running again.

Old vehicles that have been sitting for decades usually come with bad news when it comes to bodywork and internals. Because long-term exposure to the elements usually results in serious rust issues and stuck engines that won't fire up without a rebuild. But this 1960s Dodge took all those years of sitting like a champ. Not only is it still in one piece, but it looks like it could be someone's workhorse for years to come.

Luckily, this truck still has an engine under the hood. There's no info on whether it's a numbers-matching mill, but we do know it's of the inline-six variety. Based on the single headlamp layout, this D-100 is most likely an early second-generation model (1965-1971), so the engine should be a 225-cubic-inch (3.7-liter) Slant-Six.

It's not an impressively potent unit at 145 horsepower and 215 pound-feet (292 Nm) of torque stock, especially when compared to the V8s that were also available with these trucks, but they get the job done. And based on how easily it came back to life, it's also a reliable powerplant that doesn't need a lot to run and drive.

With the Slant-Six up and running again, Dylan gave the truck a much-deserved bath. And the process yielded surprising results, as both the cabin and the interior cleaned up nicely. It seems that all that grime obscured a decent layer of beige paint. And I bet it would look even better after a good polishing.

Yes, the truck needs a new front fascia, a bit more work under the hood, and new floors, but it's definitely a keeper. It could also make for a cool rat rod project with a V8 swap and a revamped rear section. I have no idea what will become of it, but hopefully, it won't end up as a parts truck. Check it out in the video below.