Got a new project

Like I need another project to spend money on but I've wanted a 70's 2wd short bed for years. Have had a few but thy were rusty, no title etc. Found this little gem locally on C/L so now I'm the proud owner. It is a 78 D100 with a 75 front clip.and clear CO title. Was originally a Colorado CDOT truck. Really solid needing only a few real small patches. Solid floors, roof, rockers etc. Has as 86 318, 727, power dics and manual steering. Got it running. Have a bunch of parts including a bed though I'd like to fine a nicer one. Have a pair of real nice Ramcharger buckets. For now I'm just fixing and replacing things to get it on the road but later on will be getting lowered 3", a/c, 8 3/4, overdrive and a 5.9 Magnum with EFI.
250.00 well spent I think.

Would like to decode this date tag. Galen's book doesn't show anything.

$250? you did well!

I didn't think GG had started selling misinformation about trucks. Somebody, maybe Detroit Muscle or Vans, just spent years compiling a truck fact book that's worth tracking down. For now, I'll just say don't think about it the way you do car fender tags and build sheets because the truck side of the house worked differently up until at least the mid 80s. Everything starts with a T.O.N. (truck order number) which is exactly like the order number on the car side except that it shows up on the fender tag. No clue what went down the assembly line with the build in progress but I've never seen a car style build sheet. The thing ya did get was a "Equipment Identification" label on the bottom side of the hood showing all the option codes installed w/ handy english translations. The T.O.N. may also appear on the door jamb sticker.

Ya the Equipment Identification is missing from this truck as the hood is off of a 75 Power Wagon. I do have it for my 73 W200. Was just curious about the date plate on the core support. I know trucks such as Machos and Warlocks had the data plates.
It's not big deal cus this truck won't be like it came from the factory when I'm done.

Just got the title transferred to my name this morning. Gotta love our DVM here. Was in there for a whole 10 min.
Now I'll get things done on it.

Look for the equipment list on the glove box lid. I think I found it there on one of my old Dodge trucks.

Thats been change to.

The "safety orange" exterior with red interior is pretty wild !
Of course, that interior could have been changed...

there is a tag under the cowl, but I have no idea what info is on it. Pretty sure you have to pull the cowl to read it.

The red interior is from a later 80's truck, Original interior probably was black.
Orange is the original color. That is the CDOT color. Then was blue and then white.
I'll be pulling the cowl plate to clean out the leaves soon.

the fender tag does show the paint code - PYxxxx.

here's what the door tags can look like. one has T.O.N., one has MDH.

Yep the same tags that have been on the 30 or so of the 72-80 trucks that I've owned over the years.
I was just curios about the date tag on the core support. Most trucks don't have that. Here is one from a 77 Macho that I built a few years ago. Guess it designates the Macho package. Special trucks like Machos, Warlock and probably Little Reds got this tag., I'm thinking maybe because it was a CDOT truck is why it has it.
1978 was a popular year. I've owned several in the past and have another 78 D200 Club Cab that is getting a Cummins 12 valve with a 518 tranny. That will be tow rig. Also have another 78 W150 that I'm parting out.

would love to find a parts truck for that price around here.

One of the bennies of living in the desert. Clean metal.

no doubt, but I'd be happy to find a rusted to death one around here. Wanting to do a '70s dash swap in mine.

Trucks have a build sheet. It is a "Warren Truck Building Order". My original Roundup pkg. truck that I bought in late '78 had 3 (duplicates) and I have a LRE that came with 2. It does seem that probably many trucks got out the door with none.
I can post one if anyone is interested.

Yes please post a pic. I've never seen one for a 72-80 truck including for the ones that my family bought new which I still have one. The more that I think about I've probably owned more like around 50 of these. Heck I have 5 right now.
I've had the Equipment Identification some under the hood and some in the glove box lid. Have also seen the option tag under the cowl plate.

Congratulations. I'm a bit jealous here but, looking forward to the progress.

They can be found in several locations: under the floor mat, under the insulation padding that is under the seat, behind the dash, and the most bazar to me has been in the transmission crossmember. One of the 2 that I have for my LRE has dealer installed undercoating on it, luckily on the backside only.
Here's one from my '79 4x4 Roundup pkg. truck:

Cool thanks. Never seen a Warren build sheet.
The weirdest place I've found a build sheet was on a 68 Satellite from AZ and the sheet was folded under the pinon snubber on top of the diff. Was there for 30 some years.

Thanks

In the transmission cross member or somewhere else stupid underneath is the most common one I've heard before. I haven't seen one for mine yet.

Well was a little disappointed to see that is not a roller after pulling the intake off.

Got a 78 I am parting out, some of the dash stuff is missing now though...

I'm gonna assume one of the bits missing is the woodgrain dash face. If not, pm a price and how are the door panels?

Got a few things done last week before my migraines set in.
Gave it a deep cleaning inside and out.
Had several things on the shelves that I threw on. LD340 intake and Holley 1850 carb. Fan shroud and overflow bottle. Nicer dash parts. Bed, tailgate and bumper. Different grill. Had some cop car wheels with caps and Cooper 275/60/15 tires. Bought some Cooper 245/60/15 tires for the front which cost more that the truck did, lol. Got some of the small outside mirrors still to put on.
It runs pretty good and the motor and tranny don't even leak. The rear end does but it is getting replaced with an 8.75.
Got it insured and tagged and am driving it. Have a great time with it. All this is temporary as I'm going to take it apart and rebuild it with many upgrades and new paint.

Sounds like you had some parts layin around so ya threw a truck at it. Nice.

Ya pretty much

Good score. How’s your fuel tank.

Love that dash!

Well it was fine until I found a hole with a plug in the side of it. Truck had a utility bed on it and they drilled a hole into the tank when mounting the bed. But of course I had another one. Downside is a I have 4 sending units but none that work.

I recently bought a former CalTrans (CA DOT) D100 that is safety orange (CalTrans Orange?) and it’s the same orange they are painting their trucks with today. Good score. I’m looking for just a few little parts and would like to run a wishlist by you if you feel like parting with anything or know where any of this can be found.

I need a drivers side front side marker light trim piece. I would also like to find a headliner and radio as well. Any idea if vans or other vehicles had the same radio?

Colorado CDOT trucks such as my 78 are the same color. Sure I'll sell what I don't need. I'll check on the trim piece. Don't have a headliner. What year radio did you need? 72-74 or 75-80?

75-80. Thanks

Tanks Inc will make you a new tank.

PM sent.

Well I got to drive it for one day. Drove it all over town and took it home and parked it outside. Went out the next morning to start it and it coughed and sputtered. Would not fire and spit fuel out of the carb. Towed it back to the shop and pulled the valve covers. Has 6 bent push rods two so bad that I can't get them out.
Oh well. I have a mild built 360 with X heads that is going in. Just ordered up a set of Hooker headers.

Got the 360 all painted up and ready to install. Pulled the 318 out yesterday. Going to clean and painted the frame in the motor bay tomorrow. Ordered a front seal for the 727 which will be here on Wednesday. I have a line on a 91 van with a 518 tranny that the guy said he'd sell but can't get him off of dead center so hopefully that will happen later.

Have this parts truck that luckily had a 360 in it so I pulled that motor and tranny cause I needed the 360 torque converter and a few other parts. I went ahead and stripped it and another 75 down so I have a pile of parts to use.

Sway bar?

Sorry that is the one I'm using on mime.

You a busy guy.

Oh well, had to ask

In all your stuff would you happen to have the three pieces for the cab beltline chrome? My '72 W200 could use it. Looks like this.

Probably do. I'll check

Thanks.

Well I have the long piece but can't find the corner ones. I'll keep looking.

I appreciate it. Thanks again.

Got the 360 installed today. Seems to run good. Radiator started leaking and need to get exhaust on it. Also the tranny dip stick is in the way of the headers so need to do a little relocation there.

sweet!

Nice truck, Im jealous. Whatever you do do to this truck, please don't lower it?

I did it. I lower it to where I want it. I didn't slam it to the ground. I still want to use it as a truck. I installed an 8.75 3.55SG with 11"x2.5" brakes and did an axle flip. I built a set of leaf springs and use that to set the rear height. In the front I cut a coil. I also added a front sway bar. I still need to go through the front end but for the most part I'm done with the chassis work. It corners and handles much better. Is fun to drive.

I don't know what others have done but I had to move the shock cross member forward to line up with the car shock plates. No biggie.
Before and after shots. Sorry Jim and Don but she is my rig. You guys probably wouldn't like how loud it is either.

I also installed some Ramcharger buckets that I had in another truck. Had some new Autometer gauges and a stereo on the shelf so threw them in too. Oh and changed form manual to power steering. Really needed that.

Very nice.

Make it your own, not all of us will like it, but not our truck or our $$.

Okay so this truck I lifted 4" so it all balanced out in the end.

Sweet Mopar! Good luck with it! Should be fun fixing 'er up!