Texas Dodge 200

We're in West Texas for the winter. Looking around town I've seen a bunch of trucks to admire. Old trucks tend to last out here, because it's so dry. And the Texas highways are smooth. I like what sunlight does to old trucks. It fades the paint, of course, buffs it down to a matte that I find appealing. And I like the layering of paint, primer, and surface rust. (Don't like the word patina, but there it is.) Winter light here in the high desert is a beautiful instrument, and the air is so clear that dusty old objects often own a kind of sharp self-possession that makes the act of looking a delight. So here it is: the male gaze, focused on aged machines rather than youthful females. I admire the blue in this Dodge 200, which I estimate to be a 1970 critter.

The line started with a 100. The 200 was the 3/4 ton pickup. I don't know much about these trucks but should you want to learn more, start here. Autoliterate found one 1966 Dodge (with 24000 original miles!) for sale in Canada back in 2004 for $4200  (Dodge trucks were sometimes badged as Fargo trucks in the great white North):



There is a 1962 Dodge Power Wagon (the 4wd version of these trucks) up at ebay with a buy-it-now price of $2495.  My sense is that Dodge trucks are valued quite a bit lower than Chevrolets and Fords of the same vintage.

Autoliterate admires plain-Jane trucks and there's nothing plainer than the "Sweptside Special" trucks Dodge dealers were offering to commercial and fleet buyers in the early 70s. Much prefer them to the garish, optioned-and-chromed "Dude" editions offered by the same dealers, same years.

                                      plainest of Janes

And back to that West Texas light: