1940 Dodge 1/2-Ton Pickup Streetrod

Description

Vintage trucks are red hot, and with all the Chevys and Fords running around, what's a Mopar fan to do? Well, you could grab this great-looking, wild 1940 Dodge ½-ton Streetrod pickup that has a lot of old-school Mopar charm with thoroughly updated hardware underneath. You probably won't see anything like this running around and you can actually drive it to and from the track without a second thought, making it a great hobby vehicle that's more than just an untamed beast.

It's had a lot of custom work put into the recent build (finished only 2062 miles ago), but one of the coolest thing's about this truck is that it's not as radical as many of its brothers. It's not kicked in the air way up front, it doesn't have an unmanageable drive train and window-shattering soundtrack, nor does it have a wild paint job that makes your eyes squint. In fact, it's actually quite slick and even subdued, well, for a streetrod build anyway. The cool-as-ice Dark Blue Metallic paint is the biggest factor to this Dodge's killer looks, as it was obviously laid down by professionals over laser-straight bodywork. As a top driver-quality finish it's much nicer than most, and a weekend spent with a cut-and-buff would easily restore some glory back in. But even as it sits, the curb appeal is off-the-charts, and because of the unique look of the '40 Dodge pickup and that wicked stance, it's going to get a ton of attention at the car show. The curving shape is familiar, simply because everyone loves pickups of the '40s, and with the headlamps perched high on the tops of the front fenders, LED taillights set inside the custom rollpan out back, and with those borderline erotic sweeping fenders and rear quarters that are met with paint-matched running boards, this Dodge's unique look will always stand out in a crowd. The bed was custom finished with paint-matched walls and a wood floor set together with chrome rub strips, and although it could easily haul half of Home Depot away, I'd be reticent to carry anything heavier than a pillow back there because it's so darn nice. Dodge's unique front grille and hood were left well enough alone in this build (a trademark design that was one of the best of the era), with chrome trim and a hood ornament that really sets the tone up front, and the billet-style bumpers at the endcaps provide just enough custom flash against the slick blue finish.

As timeless as the exterior seems, the updated two-tone gray-and-black interior complements it perfectly. The bench seat looks appropriate for 1940, although it's a late-model piece that was custom upholstered with high-end vinyl materials and ostrich-style black inserts. The door panels were trimmed to match, the floors were lined with thick, insulating carpets to shield the cabin from the outside world, while up top the headliner was set with a beautiful gray suede that ties everything together wonderfully. It's all new, of course, including that custom center console unit that houses controls for the power windows, a vintage-looking analog clock, the full Vintage Air A/C control unit (along with a centralized vent), and even a cleverly installed JVC AM/FM/CD/AUX/BT head unit at the side that powers the kickin' stereo. The original steel dash was painted dark blue to match the exterior, but we love that the builders chose to integrate a custom dash bezel filled Dakota Digital dials just ahead of the driver that keep a close eye on the organized violence tucked under the hood. All this new tech gives the cockpit a pure resto-mod look, punctuated by the polished banjo-style steering wheel mounted atop a tilt column at the helm. With all those creature comforts and great options, it's obvious the builders were thinking about driving when this truck went together.

And those very hauls we mention are considerably easier with the V8 monster under the hood. With 502 cubic inches, a Holley 4-barrel carburetor, an aluminum intake, and an old-school set-up and chromed-out look, this truck runs and drives beautifully. Dress-up pieces like the finned chromed valve covers, chrome alternator, chromed air cleaner, and chromed pulleys make it sparkle and the clean and open-air look in the engine bay is a testament to the careful build. Dig all the neatly organized and detailed plumbing and wiring, a big aluminum radiator, and smoothed and painted firewall, all of which make this Dodge really stand out in a crowd. The heavy-duty transmission is a TCI 700R4 4-speed automatic that handles highway travel with great aplomb, and a Corvette independent front and rear suspension was swapped in to truly put this truck into vaunted resto-mod territory. With all that Corvette DNA underneath it drives like a brand new rig, further assisted with modern power steering and power4-wheel disc brakes. Long-tube headers hug the block and dump into a Flowmaster dual exhaust system that sounds absolutely wicked, exiting at either side right before the rear wheels. The frame was painted and detailed very neatly, so it can be shown-off with pride, and like mentioned before this Dodge sits just right, with just enough 'rake and slam' so that regular street driving is always on the menu. The classic big-and-little rim look is a must, and this Dodge looks great with bright American Racing Torque Thrust wheels wrapped in 215/45/17 front and 255/45/18 rear performance radials that finish off this truck perfectly.

Very well built and ready to enjoy, this killer resto-mod Dodge delivers unlike any truck we've ever featured. Take a closer look, this unique pickup won't last long. Call today!