A PLYMOUTH TRAILDUSTER? SOME CRAZY TRUCKS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TOO!

Although Plymouth actually built pickup trucks, panels and chassis cabs into the 40's, 1937 to 1941 specifically they never built any other trucks  until the 1974 Plymouth line.

1937 Plymouth truck shared much style with the 37 car line

1941 Plymouth truck much like the 1939 car line frozen in time

 74-83 Plymouth Full size vans, not the minivan, were nothing more than Dodge Tradesman vans with different badging. I guess Plymouth wanted a little extra to offer?

Had to show the first and most famous minivan that started a trend in 1984 on the heels of the full size Voyager.

I never like to go mainstream and a few years back bought a 98 Dodge Durango and removed all the Dodge and Durango names replaced with Plymouth and Trailduster, even a Plymouth nameplate in the grille from a 73 Fury I had. People would stop and ask and I would reply "Canadian" and they would say "oh yeah!" had a lot of fun!

    

 Plymouth built an SUV although they never made a pickup like brother Dodge Ramcharger did. 

 The roof ,passenger and rear seats were all optional! You did get a drivers seat! 

For some reason only in 1974 the door frames were part of the removable roof making it a full convertible, 1975 and up the door frames were part of the door and exactly the same as pickup truck parts

Engines ranged from slant six to 440 big block and most were equipped with 4 wheel drive 

In 1981 the new Ram look rolled in and the roof was no longer removable although the Ramcharger was around until 1993 the Plymouth only made that one year in 1981 before it was dropped! 

Looking at all the convertible Chevy Blazers and GMC Jimmy's getting the full custom treatment I started to look for a Plymouth Trailduster 2wd to play with.

A friend alerted me to a COPARTS auction down in Virginia listing a 1976 Plymouth Trailduster 2wd 318,auto, air conditioning,power steering, sport package,cruise control, full roof and passenger seat with 77,000 miles, hum?

This is what it looked like after arriving in NY

MAJOR WARNING ABOUT THINKING COPARTS CARES ABOUT THE VINTAGE CARS THEY OFFER!

I jumped through hoops for 24 hours registering and figuring out how to follow the strict rules of the COPARTS right of passage with a deposit to find I can not bid in the state of Virginia without a dealers license!! The fees rolled on and on ,internet fee, ok makes sense or does it? Gate fee and internet fee? Tax in Virginia, no I pay tax in my state when registering! None of the reputable shippers will pick up a car from COPARTS because they are so difficult to deal with! You must get the vehicle ASAP or storage fees compile daily. A friend with a flatbed can get it for me for a decent price and since I knew these guys a little tension was off because I could trust them. The only way I could bid is if I go through a broker, more fees!!! Finally much more $$$ later it is mine and my guy is on the way down.

My guy gets there and is held to an outer area to wait for my truck, gate fee and internet fee huh?

Here it comes on a forklift not rolled out and dropped on the ground like scrap metal, unreal!! 

  

 Looks different huh? Never taking the easy route and wanting a slightly rare 2wd Plymouth instead of the run of the mill Chevys I was met with my first obstacles, lowering one of these is not an easy task!  

 First we make it drivable, fresh gas with a carb rebuild and it is running and drivable

Of course it needed more attention, but with each tweak it gets a little better

 I get the title and it was a one owner truck purchased new by a local Virginia engineer at the age of 57 and when he passed away at the age of 91 I can only guess the estate settled and they traded it to a local Ford Dealer as seen on the title dealer transfers to NELSON FORD in Martinsville Va where the old guy lived. Been around cars long enough to know the Ford dealer wholesaled it out to COPARTS with no interest in it. Oddly enough I contacted the sales manager just for some history and he would not return my calls. In April I actually, by complete coincidence drove right past Nelson Ford and went in. I was met by fear and evasive attitudes and they insisted they knew nothing about the vehicle and was not in the computer!

I assured them I was the happy new owner and driving it around back home, I suspect there might have been some sloppy "paperwork" since the man had passed away. I know sometimes estate cars can be a little tricky, but am sure things are clear.    

It is on the way to my custom plans, it has been dropped 3" using  boxed custom lower control arms, extended custom made rear shackles and removal of some dead weight overload springs. Had these road wheels sitting out in the garage. Found an aftermarket half cab out west and waiting to get that on in place of the full roof. 

An old car always gives you some crazy stories to tell!

More Plymouth trucks?

 1983 Plymouth Scamp- AKA Dodge Rampage 1 year

1979-1980 Plymouth Arrow (Mitsubishi) AKA Dodge D-50

 This was recently for sale and tempting because it is so odd!

Looks like I covered all the Plymouth non-cars!

I had to toss in a few Mexico only Dodge Trucks for good measure and intrigue 

Built only for the Mexico market a 2 door Durango called a Ramcharger, lets see if I can get one and rebadge it as a Plymouth Trailduster? 

Never built beyond a conversion there were  several years of Dodge Suburban type trucks made.

Cross a crew cab pick up with a Ramcharger, just like the old Ford Centurions 

Ramburban?

 Ramcharger XL?

Another crazy conversion and pretty rare

1996 Dodge, are you ready? Trailcharger

 All custom built with a Chevy minivan liftgate I believe?

Converted by Show Trucks USA

 This is like the Bigfoot of Dodge trucks, 79-81? 

 No evidence of its origin at all?

 It's a work truck so it had to be produced someplace?

In Brazil they had this rather rare Cabine Dupla (Dual Cab) 

 With a one piece uni-body these unique trucks could have been the first Ramchargers or Ramburbans!

 It was common for extended and dual cab trucks in South America to have extremely short beds

All appear to be 1971 models

 Some custom side window treatments and note coil spring front suspension, USA models had solid axle with leaf springs

 More common 4 door the bed is much shorter

 This early 60's version looked more car like 

Throughout South America there were some crazy pickup creations  

 Car like trucks with trunk lids?