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?
I’ve always liked that era of dodge trucks and you don’t see them much. I’ve always liked a green truck too.
Travelall looks like it needs lots of unobtainium parts.
My family owned several Travelalls. I know I should NOT vote for the Travelall. I have voted for the Travelall.
This is exactly how people ended up with a back yard full of Travelalls.
I also voted Travelall.
Priced the same, it’d be a harder decision, but I went for the Dodge truck. It’s got a few dozen too many tie-down hooks, but I’d keep it as-is.
I do love that era of Mopar Trucks, and IIRC from Friedberger that is a fridge door handle.
It got my vote.
Forced to choose I’d go Dodge as it it the better deal but actually if I had the cash this is buy them both kind of day.
Interesting point I am dubious that the main thing the Metro from yesterday needs numbers and sponsorship stickers to be race ready.
I love a truck and hate SUVs but I instinctively clicked “Travelall” – that said, what’s with the desk lamp on its dashboard?
Side note: there used to be a tow operator around here who would steal old street-parked vehicles and sell them for scrap. Tragically, he preferred IH Scouts and Travelalls because they had more steel than anything else out there.
That there is 1960s era map light technology.
RE your sidenote: You probably aren’t from the east coast then. Even if the engines are heavier in internationals, the bodies and frames are almost entirely friable rust around here. I’m looking out the window at a buddies 800 right now that is just Swiss cheese, pvc pipe, wood trim boards, and duct tape with a veneer of artfully applied bondo.
Western Oregon. Vehicles grow a protective layer of moss and lichen here.
Both today! Voted Travelall. Two great vehicles ans priced right!
Yeah, today’s a BOTH day. I’d be fine with either of them.
Travelall with the low range 1st gear and smiley face drivers door is the easy choice today!
I like them both, but I have long dreamed of owning a Travelall so it gets my vote. Honestly, if that particular one wasn’t so far from me I’d be on the way to look at it now.
I would likely take the Travelall just to steel the axles for my Scout. But it is a pretty clean example, and I am curious about the 5 speed. I also think it looks surprisingly rust-free. SOcal for you I suppose.
The poly Head 318 is an interesting motor in that ugly old D200. I would likely go for the 65 hood and grill over the homely old 64 and older versions shown here. but I hear these did have a 426 option in 64, so I suppose maybe an homage sleeper would be kind of fun.
I like them both, but the Travelall is so much more unique and clearly has had a lot of work done to make it driveable. I’ll have that one and finish the job of sorting it.
As a Scout Owner, I can tell you this is an ever increasingly expensive route to go, but it is kind of worth it to see peoples faces when you get one moving.
Oh, I don’t doubt for a moment that the sale price is just a down payment.
We had one around here just sitting abandoned on an abandoned property that I was just waiting on winning the lottery to find the owner to buy. It wasn’t even offered for sale, than one day it and the building were gone. Had I done some research I probably could have gotten for the price of a tow job 2 miles to my house.great patina, as it was originally black. I think darker colors provide the best start for patina base on my zero percentage experience.
Awe man!
The Dodge has patina, the IH looks like shit. Someone obviously started prepping it for paint and either ran out of time or money. The bondo smiley face on the driver’s door is kind of cute, so it has that going for it. I’ll go with the beautifully scruffy Dodge for my random crap hauling needs. The IH is a perfect candidate for a full restoration that I definitely do not have the time or money to pull off.
I like the Travelall better, but I really need to take a load of stuff to the dump, and with that pickup I’d be a dump legend
I really really like the Travelall more than I should, so that’s how I voted
I could use a truck more than a SUV, plus that FSG paint just looks so right on an old truck (and I’m not just saying that to get on Mark’s good side. Really! I’m not!)
As others have said, either would make a great weekend DIY store runner/cars and coffee ride.
Anyone else seeing scifi trucks rather than antiques? The Dodge looks like it came from the Fallout set, the International from the Mad Max set.
Like both of these choices very much. While I generally default toward 4-wheel drive trucks, in this case I voted Dodge because the green makes for a more stylish coaster for a beer.
I would bet it has an ultra low granny gear too, so even if the old poly has but 140ish HP, it will likely lift the front end and chirp the tires all the way to 5MPH.
I think the Travelall is pretty charming looking VS the ugly duckling Dodge, it’ll take some work but I’d smile everytime I walked past it wiating for my attention in my driveway.
I don’t like my stuff out in the weather, so give me that scruffy old Cornbinder.
Can we all just get over “patina.”
Yeah, paint jobs are expensive, so some exterior character is fine, but gross interiors that give you tetanus and smell like a stray cat birthing center are nasty.
You are so my brother from another mother!
I figure it just means you are too poor to afford paint.
My first 245 had a mouse nest behind the headliner that took months to discover and made the car smell real, real gross.
Eeeew! Thankfully, given three of my cars sleep their lives away in Maine 9-10 months a year, I have not had any rodent issues.
“gross interiors that give you tetanus and smell like a stray cat birthing center are nasty.”
Shots fired at one of David’s Jeeps…
ONE of David’s Jeeps?????? ONE?????????
I assume that Elise (not her real name) has put a stop to that. Women always seem to have a far more sensitive and refined sense of smell than men.
So are you questioning the way DTs vehicles smell or the way DT used to smell? Jk
Yes? I’ve seen the pictures, I can only imagine the aroma(s). Thankfully. 🙂
Especially pregnant women.
Take a look at the Travelall ad, pic 12 of 13. What’s that stuff dangling loose underneath? Looks like parts of a fuel system.
The car my parents had when I was born was a ’67 Travelall in the same color, so I voted for that without any other reasoning. I’m sure my dad purchased as a surplus from some company. It was his SAP.
They owned it long enough for me to have christened it the “Daddy Car” since I recognized it out the apartment window when my dad came home from work. I also remember having the entire cargo area as a mobile play area and setting up little races with Matchbox cars to see which would win when the car braked.
From my understanding when it comes to Mopar, is that big blocks have the dizzy on the front of the block, and small blocks tucked it in the rear, so I’d say you’re correct with the 318 assumption.
This was a legitimately hard choice. But with a family of 3 and a 120lb rottweiler, I’ll take the one with more seating.
I won’t fault anyone for picking the Dodge though, it has a lot of charm and character going for it.
Now hold on, these are old school vehicles and as such the pickup has the same space available as the Travelall. I think you need to first ask yourself what kind of odors are the dog and kid putting out and if you want those odors on the interior or outside. I’m sure the dog would prefer the bed to the seats and as a kid I always loved riding in the bed over the bench. Especially since you can’t car surf in a Travelall
I don’t think you’d go wrong with either, but I’d rather have the Dodge. Cheaper and it at least has the dream of AC.
It would probably be cheaper and easier to add aftermarket air to the Travelall than to fix what’s in the Dodge. And better when you are done.
I can’t get over the size of that compressor. No wonder cars lost 2-4 mpg when you wanted cold air.
Yup, the old piston-based compressors were beasts.
I’m not a big car person but the Traveall hits the right design and it thing for a classic.