Photo: FirePro1 / Bring a Trailer
The Dodge A100 was a competitor to the Volkswagen Type 2, but also to the Ford Econoline and Chevy Corvair Greenbrier. The 1967 Sportsman example selling on Bring a Trailer is a great piece of American automotive history.
If you find this silhouette familiar, you’re not mistaken. The Dodge A100 van was a popular movie star, most obvious in the Batman TV series from the ’60s, where it was the preferred getaway vehicle of each episode’s villain. It also appeared in the Cars movies as Dusty Rust-eze, so there were plenty of opportunities to see the A100 in action. If you still didn’t, don’t worry, we’ll get you up to speed in no time.
Unlike its archrival Volkswagen Type 2, which had a rear-engine/rear-wheel-drive layout back in the days, the Dodge A100 came with a cab over engine solution. Not necessarily better, since the huge engine ate a lot of space in the cabin and made a lot of noise, but probably an improvement with the weight distribution. The A100 was offered in van and pickup variants, with the van being called Sportsman or Custom Sportsman.
This 1967 Dodge A100 Custom Sportsman was finished in bronze and white over tan and brown vinyl upholstery and was reportedly refurbished approximately 15 years ago. The split windshield looks terrific, as do the remaining 10 windows. Six of them are hinged at the top and swing open for additional ventilation, which is something that the Volkswagen Type 2 does not offer. The van was fitted with tinted glass and replacement weatherstripping in 2017, so it should be watertight.
The engine is a Dodge 225-ci (3.7-liter) Slant-Six, which delivered 145 horsepower when new. This is significantly beefier than a typical Type 2 flat-four engine. The power is sent to the rear wheels thanks to a column-shifted three-speed manual transmission which was notoriously difficult to shift. Both the engine and the transmission were overhauled during the refurbishment about 15 years ago.
The cabin features bucket seats in front, and Styrofoam and Dynamat sound deadening materials were reportedly installed during prior ownership. The rear cabin has a bench as its only furniture, but the possibilities for the A100 are endless. We can see how this Dodge could become a party bus with minimal modifications or a competent camper with more thorough work. If you like the idea, you’ll find it on Bring a Trailer, where the highest bid is $6,900 at the time of writing.
Unlike its archrival Volkswagen Type 2, which had a rear-engine/rear-wheel-drive layout back in the days, the Dodge A100 came with a cab over engine solution. Not necessarily better, since the huge engine ate a lot of space in the cabin and made a lot of noise, but probably an improvement with the weight distribution. The A100 was offered in van and pickup variants, with the van being called Sportsman or Custom Sportsman.
This 1967 Dodge A100 Custom Sportsman was finished in bronze and white over tan and brown vinyl upholstery and was reportedly refurbished approximately 15 years ago. The split windshield looks terrific, as do the remaining 10 windows. Six of them are hinged at the top and swing open for additional ventilation, which is something that the Volkswagen Type 2 does not offer. The van was fitted with tinted glass and replacement weatherstripping in 2017, so it should be watertight.
The engine is a Dodge 225-ci (3.7-liter) Slant-Six, which delivered 145 horsepower when new. This is significantly beefier than a typical Type 2 flat-four engine. The power is sent to the rear wheels thanks to a column-shifted three-speed manual transmission which was notoriously difficult to shift. Both the engine and the transmission were overhauled during the refurbishment about 15 years ago.
The cabin features bucket seats in front, and Styrofoam and Dynamat sound deadening materials were reportedly installed during prior ownership. The rear cabin has a bench as its only furniture, but the possibilities for the A100 are endless. We can see how this Dodge could become a party bus with minimal modifications or a competent camper with more thorough work. If you like the idea, you’ll find it on Bring a Trailer, where the highest bid is $6,900 at the time of writing.
Google News