So, I'm a car guy by nature and it seems I constantly have a project going at all times. I'm not new to MOPAR, but this is my first Dodge truck. For years I've had a 360 motor on an engine stand and have been looking for something to put it in (long story short, I bought it for a Dart and ended up getting a Roadrunner).
I recently went did cross country road trip in my 1987 FJ60 from Georgia to California and back, hitting most of the national parks along the way. While not planned, I ended up being in California during the Concours D'elegance in Pebble Beach and then the Good Guys show in Pleasanton the week after. I had originally planned to come right back, but then my transfer case started making some crazy sounds; upon further inspection it had chipped a tooth and required a full overhaul. The extra week put me on the prowl for an old dodge and I came across this 1966 D200.
Craiglist was where I found the truck; it had a 318, manual, dana 60, etc. The truck was located in Oakland and I wasn't very keen on going into a rough part of town, but for the price it was worth the trip. The owner was super cool and told me the back story on the truck, how he had bought it over a decade ago, sold it to an older lady, and then she died and he got it back. The truck still had a Nevada title, was virtually rust free, and had been owned by a guy that was really into his truck. It had a lot of custom stuff to include a mallory distributor, old square coil, crazy lights and mirrors, etc. Some of the modifications were good, but some were terrible. It has a quadrate off of an Oldsmobile and the previous owner hacked out the small rear window.
I bought the truck and shipped it from California to Georgia. After a day of work in the engine bay I had the old 318 fired and running smooth.
Goals:
Replace rear window and Weld all drilled holes --- I purchased a panel in California and already dropped it off to have it welded in at a friend's body shop. He's not going to touch the paint and I plan to make it a neat patina by hand sanding it.
Replace the carburetor to something stock; still doing research.
Get stock 3 hole mirrors and remove crazy lights / side mirrors.
Find a stock seat if possible???
Bring life back into a truck that would have been scrapped if I didn't buy it and preserve it.