It’s Supposed To Look Like That: 1964 Dodge D200 vs 1967 International Travelall

Welcome to the end of the week! We’ve been looking at ugly but good-running cars all week, and we’re finishing off with a couple of old trucks from the 60s that get away with their ugliness thanks to that magical word “patina.”

Yesterday we looked at two captive imports with fresh but sketchy paint jobs. I didn’t realize there was so much love for the humble Geo Metro, but it took a pretty decisive win – even with a scary doll in the passenger’s seat. An incompletely-color-changed Ford Probe with an automatic and non-functional HVAC was no match.

I’ve owned the previous generation of both of these cars, with manuals in both cases. I don’t think I’d want the Probe with an automatic, so I’ll take the Metro as well. And that paint job is halfway to your very own racing livery! Just add some numbers and sponsor stickers, and you’re all set.

Fun fact: I am here writing this, in part, because of a disagreement with David over the term “patina.” He wrote an article over on the old site about some rusty-ass piece of junk Ford truck, claiming it had “perfect patina.” I wrote to him and disagreed, saying patina was more than just rust, and used my own truck as an example. I think I won the argument, because he wrote an article about my truck, which started a correspondence that eventually led to this gig.

Often, in classic car circles, “patina” is starting to mean “I was too cheap to paint it.” But sometimes, a vehicle has an original finish with such character and texture that it would be a crime to redo it. Such a condition must be understood to be ephemeral; it’s going to change over time as the vehicle gets used, especially when you’re talking about trucks. But that’s exactly what I like about them: every dent and scrape has a story behind it, and if you add a few of your own, you’re just contributing to that story. These two have a few tales to tell, I’m sure. Let’s take a look.

1964 Dodge D200 Sweptline – $4,300

Engine/drivetrain: 318 cubic inch overhead valve V8, four-speed manual, RWD

Location: Sherman Oaks, CA

Odometer reading: 11,000 miles (rolled over at least once, I’m sure)

Operational status: Runs and drives is all the info we get

As the smallest of the Big Three, Dodge’s trucks have always played third-fiddle to Ford and Chevy. Everybody wants an F-250 or a C10, which is a shame, because these old “Sweptline” Dodge trucks are really cool. And they’re the only trucks endorsed by Don Knotts! I mean, come on. This one is a three-quarter-ton D200, and based on the color, it may or may not have once been a US Forest Service truck like mine.

Two V8 engines were available in 1964: a 318 cubic inch small-block and a 413 big-block. The seller doesn’t specify (or maybe doesn’t know) which it is; based on reference photos I found online, I’m pretty sure this one is a 318. If I’m wrong, I’m sure a die-hard Mopar fan will let me know in the comments. It’s backed by what I’m reasonably sure is a four-speed manual. The seller says it runs and drives, but that’s all they say. It does look like it has a new battery and a few other new bits and pieces.

Inside, it’s just a good honest truck, with a bench seat, rubber floor mats, and a long gearshift lever. It has neither power steering nor power brakes, so you’ll get a workout driving it. Strangely, it does have air conditioning, but there’s no belt on the compressor, so it likely hasn’t worked in years. The seat upholstery looks practically new; I think it has been reupholstered.

It does have a little bit of rust in the corners; not even Southern California cars stay immune from the tin worm forever. Mostly it’s just well-used. There aren’t any major dents, but plenty of little blemishes, and a bunch of rope hooks have been added to the outside of the bed.

1967 International Harvester Travelall 1200B – $6,000

Engine/drivetrain: 304 cubic inch overhead valve V8, five-speed manual, part-time 4WD

Location: La Mesa, CA

Odometer reading: 93,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives, but on non-op registration

Big SUV wagons may seem like they appeared suddenly in the 90s, but they’ve been around for ages. The Chevy Suburban dates back to the 1930s, and Willys introduced the Jeep Station Wagon barely after the dust settled from World War II. In 1953, International Harvester entered the market with an SUV version of its light trucks called the Travelall. In 1961, the Travelall became the first full-size four-door SUV, a couple of years before the Jeep Wagoneer, and more than a decade before the first four-door Suburban.

Power for this big beast comes from International’s own overhead valve V8, displacing 304 cubic inches in this case. The transmission is a five-speed manual, but not like you’re used to seeing; instead of an overdrive fifth gear, it has a “granny” first gear. Fifth is a 1:1 ratio like a typical four-speed, so you normally just use second through fifth. It sends power to a dual-range transfer case. The seller has done a bunch of work on it: the brakes, fuel system, and cooling system have all been tended to, and both axles have been rebuilt. It runs and drives, but isn’t currently registered, and it sounds like it hasn’t had a proper road test since the work was done.

The interior could use some help. It’s not trashed or anything, just original and unrestored. You could live with it as-is if you just want an off-road toy. Travelalls were available with two rear door options, either barn doors or a fold-down tailgate with a power roll-down rear window. This one has the tailgate. The window has been replaced by Lexan, and the roll-down mechanism goes down but needs help going back up.

The outside has some surface rust, and it looks like someone has started to do some work on it here and there. The tailgate has the outline of old vinyl numbers, making me think it was part of a fleet at one time. It’s a little rougher than the Dodge, but it still looks fine as-is.

Some people really like their classic vehicles to be nice and shiny. That’s fine, but when they’re too nice, it can make you afraid to drive them. That doesn’t sound like much fun to me, especially when the classic in question is a truck. Take care of them, don’t abuse them, but don’t baby them either. These two seem to strike that perfect balance: mechanically fine, artfully scruffy, but not trashed. Which one of them could find a home in your garage?