Lets see pic of your trucks

[vikingminer49er]

More photos of the Palomino as received.

[vikingminer49er]

The dealer decal on the tailgate of the Palomino indicates it was originally delivered to Lamar, a small town in southeastern Colorado.  The truck was advertised in the High Country Shopper, a local-circulation, classified-ad, weekly publication, and purchased locally in Crawford Colorado.  When I saw the ad, I hurried to Crawford with my checkbook, and drove the truck home the same day.  Truck is a relatively rust-free western truck, as can be seen by the condition of the floor.  The original seat material was removed, and the original manufacturer was determined to be SMS Auto Fabrics of Canby Oregon, south of Portland, in the heart of Navajo country.  Contacted SMS Auto Fabrics, and found out they no longer had the original material available, since they had sold the remainder to a Palomino collector in California that has about a dozen of the trucks.

[vikingminer49er]

Rather than purchasing imitation-Navaho-blanket-style, Chinese-made seat material for the Palomino, I located a place in New Mexico, about halfway between Gallup and Shiprock, and about ten miles off the paved highway, known as the Two Grey Hills Trading Post.  Took them the best remaining seat panel from the Palomino, and asked to have four seat panels, in the two different sizes for back and bottom, made as replacements.  Of course, the Navajo artist made whatever she wanted.  Notably, she only used the undyed wool she had available, and made whatever design inspired her.  So, all four panels are different.  Took the blanket panels to Duncan & Sons in Grand Junction, and had them made into new seats.  Although not original to a 1979 Dodge Palomino, they are original to this 1979 Dodge Palomino.

[vikingminer49er]

We drive the Palomino occasionally for fun adventures and parades.

[vikingminer49er]

Judy loves her show truck.  She brought home the Blue Ribbon from the Delta County Fair Parade last August, and she proudly displays all her ribbons from the local Fair.  Our kitchen is wallpapered with ribbons from her cooking.  Keith Martin, Editor and Publisher of Sports Car Market, The Insider's Guide to Collecting, Investing, Values, and Trends, was the guest celebrity at the Gunnison Colorado Car Show a few years ago.  He selected the Palomino, along with four other vehicles, to give an exhibition on valuation.  He gave us a very high value for an old 1979 Dodge pickup, based on condition and uniqueness of the Palomino.  Not sure Judy would sell the truck now.

 

https://www.sportscarmarket.com/about/keith-martin

[vikingminer49er]

Truck 50 is a 1986 Dodge D350 Pickup, with a 360-cubic-inch engine and automatic transmission, purchased locally near Paonia Colorado from a previous co-worker this past year.  Uncommon features of the truck include bucket seats, sunroof, dual stacks, and a narrow bed on a dual-rear-wheel drive.  Really didn't want another project, but Judy is a good friend of his daughter-in-law, and had me go look at the truck.  The guy was cleaning up his place, and wanted his grandson's project removed.  Like a good neighbor, we helped clean up his place, and got one more truck around our place.  He turned down my offer, arguing that since he couldn't find the key, and the truck was missing the tail lights and radio, he should take less than I offered.  First time that ever happened.

 

Managed to load the truck onto the hauler, by disconnecting the linkage to get the transmission out of the park position, and minor steering adjustments by side-pulling with the guy's tractor.  Before I unloaded the truck at our place, hauled it down to the locksmith in Delta Colorado, and got a new key for the truck.  Truck came with 5-mounted wheels and tires, an extra wheel in the bed that doesn't fit the truck, and plenty of well-used spares.  Of course, the one side with the single-rear wheel and tire didn't hold air.  Got enough tire on all four corners to roll the truck around.  Now the truck will probably sit in my truck yard until I can find someone to help clean up my place.

[vikingminer49er]

[vikingminer49er]

Skipped a truck, and no one noticed.  Truck 49 is a 1979 Dodge W100 Parts Truck, with a 318-cubic-inch engine, 4-speed transmission, full-time four-wheel-wheel drive, and short wheel base, purchased locally near Paonia Colorado.  This truck is a true Rat Rod, dragged from the pinyon/juniper forest.

 

Normal procedure when a truck is brought home is to clean the trash and debris from the truck, wash it, and evaluate what is remaining, before deciding what to do with the truck, potential value, and where to park it in the truck yard.  After the truck was cleaned out, and while washing the truck, the dog told me I wasn't done yet.  The dog persisted in sniffing around the cab of the truck trying to tell me what I missed.  Removed the seats for the dog to continue inspection.  Almost removed the behind-the-seat fuel tank, until the dog focused on the small gap next to the door where there is an opening between the inner and outer sheet metal for the roof of the cab.  Removed the interior dome light above the seat, ran the water hose into the dome light opening, and washed out both sides between the inner and outer sheet metal.  The dog was correct, as usual, since debris flowed out of each side opening near the doors.  Then the fun began.

 

Last thing to wash out of the driver's side opening was a pack rat, who had taken up residence in the truck.  When the rat hit the floor, it took off through the firewall, into the engine compartment, seeking refuge behind the driver's-side fender and headlight.  Additional washing in the engine compartment sent the rat back through the firewall, and behind the dash and gauges.  Thorough cleaning of the back side of the instrument panel with the water hose failed to dislodge the rat.  Removed the small piece of the late 1970's dash panel to the left side of the gauges, and uncovered the rat clinging to the instrument panel wiring. 

 

A quick blast of water, directly on the rat, sent it down to the floor.  Since the dog and I were standing in the open driver's-side door, the rat headed to the passenger's side.  By now, alerted by the commotion, Judy was standing in the open passenger's door with a pitchfork.  Imagine the horror in the poor rat's eyes when confronted with a woman with a pitchfork.  The rat wheeled around to take on the dog and I.  The dog grabbed the rat and left the area.  We never saw the rat again.  So unless the truck comes with a rat, it will never truly be a Rat Rod.

 

The truck is slowly disappearing.  First thing to go was a lot of the blue paint during hot-water pressure washing, revealing a white truck underneath in places.  Next the short pickup bed, with the chrome steps, like on the Little Red Express of the era, disappeared.  Then the doors, front springs, and seats all disappeared.  Unless it all disappears, may have to put a cab from one of the 1948 Dodge parts trucks on the frame, and rebuild the suspension into a rock-crawler buggy.  Think the prospect of the rock crawler may wait a long time, unless someone comes along that wants it more than I do.

Edited January 30, 2020 by vikingminer49er

[vikingminer49er]

More photos of the potential Rat-Rod, Rock-Crawler Buggy.

[vikingminer49er]

Noticed when I posted the photos of the 1986 Dodge D350, there is another truck I skipped over.  Will have to add it to my list.

 

Truck 51 is a 1975 Dodge W200 Parts Truck, without engine, transmission, or bed, that was given to me by a guy I know in Grand Junction Colorado.  Truck still has good sheet metal on the remainder, especially the grill and bumper, and some good clearance lights and an old-style spotlight through the roof.  Like the in-cab roll-bar cage and the steel fuel tank at the rear of the frame.  Still had the transfer case for the full-time four-wheel drive.  Have no idea what to do with the truck except to salvage parts for other trucks and projects.

 

Didn't have any photos of the truck, so went out yesterday to get some.  See another parts truck I missed.  This good go on for a long time.

[Tooljunkie]

On 1/30/2020 at 6:31 AM, vikingminer49er said:

Skipped a truck, and no one noticed.  Truck 49 is a 1979 Dodge W100 Parts Truck, with a 318-cubic-inch engine, 4-speed transmission, full-time four-wheel-wheel drive, and short wheel base, purchased locally near Paonia Colorado.  This truck is a true Rat Rod, dragged from the pinyon/juniper forest.

 

Normal procedure when a truck is brought home is to clean the trash and debris from the truck, wash it, and evaluate what is remaining, before deciding what to do with the truck, potential value, and where to park it in the truck yard.  After the truck was cleaned out, and while washing the truck, the dog told me I wasn't done yet.  The dog persisted in sniffing around the cab of the truck trying to tell me what I missed.  Removed the seats for the dog to continue inspection.  Almost removed the behind-the-seat fuel tank, until the dog focused on the small gap next to the door where there is an opening between the inner and outer sheet metal for the roof of the cab.  Removed the interior dome light above the seat, ran the water hose into the dome light opening, and washed out both sides between the inner and outer sheet metal.  The dog was correct, as usual, since debris flowed out of each side opening near the doors.  Then the fun began.

 

Last thing to wash out of the driver's side opening was a pack rat, who had taken up residence in the truck.  When the rat hit the floor, it took off through the firewall, into the engine compartment, seeking refuge behind the driver's-side fender and headlight.  Additional washing in the engine compartment sent the rat back through the firewall, and behind the dash and gauges.  Thorough cleaning of the back side of the instrument panel with the water hose failed to dislodge the rat.  Removed the small piece of the late 1970's dash panel to the left side of the gauges, and uncovered the rat clinging to the instrument panel wiring. 

 

A quick blast of water, directly on the rat, sent it down to the floor.  Since the dog and I were standing in the open driver's-side door, the rat headed to the passenger's side.  By now, alerted by the commotion, Judy was standing in the open passenger's door with a pitchfork.  Imagine the horror in the poor rat's eyes when confronted with a woman with a pitchfork.  The rat wheeled around to take on the dog and I.  The dog grabbed the rat and left the area.  We never saw the rat again.  So unless the truck comes with a rat, it will never truly be a Rat Rod.

 

The truck is slowly disappearing.  First thing to go was a lot of the blue paint during hot-water pressure washing, revealing a white truck underneath in places.  Next the short pickup bed, with the chrome steps, like on the Little Red Express of the era, disappeared.  Then the doors, front springs, and seats all disappeared.  Unless it all disappears, may have to put a cab from one of the 1948 Dodge parts trucks on the frame, and rebuild the suspension into a rock-crawler buggy.  Think the prospect of the rock crawler may wait a long time, unless someone comes along that wants it more than I do.

I always liked the quad headlights. 
my 80 power wagon would like to have them. 

[vikingminer49er]

Thank you to all who have reacted to, or commented on, my hysterical collection of old Dodge trucks.  As noted before, all my trucks are available, but as a law-abiding member of P15-D24, requests are to be officially listed in the Classified section of the website; however, there are no rules that I know of for content of personal messages to me.  I have seen 1970's sheet metal on 1980's trucks.

 

Speaking of parts trucks, here's another one that I skipped over, and no one noticed.  Spotted it next to Truck 51, the 1975 Dodge W200 Parts Truck, when I was out taking photos.  Didn't have photos, or files, for the trucks before, which explains why I missed them.  Truck 52 is a 1973? Dodge D300 Flatbed Parts Truck, with a 318?-cubic-inch engine and 4-speed transmission.  The question marks are because I'm not sure of the VIN. as the door-pillar, printed sticker is no longer readable.  Not much left on the truck.  Mainly bought the truck locally near Paonia Colorado for the flatbed, plus some other parts that are no longer visible on the truck.

[Trucker Tim]

Thanks for all the pictures, the history and my all time favorite, the plight of the hot rod rat! Too Funny!

[minicooper]

I don’t have a concrete floored, heated garage to work on my truck, so when my wife isn’t home, I borrow “her” horse barn.

[vikingminer49er]

Truck 53 is a 1989 Dodge D250 Parts Truck, that used to have a Cummins 6BT, 12-valve engine and 5-speed, Getrag transmission, purchased in Colorado Springs Colorado.  The truck was originally from Wisconsin, with just the right amount of rust to become a donor truck.  Truck did the Big 4, before I took it apart.  Transplanted the engine and transmission into my 1974 Dodge D600 Hauler.  Still has some parts available.

Edited February 2, 2020 by vikingminer49er

[vikingminer49er]

Truck 54 is a 1989 Dodge W250 Pickup, with the first-year, Cummins 6BT, 12-valve Cummins diesel engine and Getrag G360, 5-speed transmission, purchased special-order, built-for-me, brand-new, before they were readily available, in Loveland Colorado.  Like Truck 43, my 1974 Dodge W100 Pickup, I knew what I wanted, and what I was going to pay, before I walked into the smaller-town dealership.  Once the order was placed, just had to wait for Dodge to build and ship the truck.  Was working at a gold mine in Nowhere Nevada at the time, and had to return to Loveland Colorado, to take delivery.  It sure seamed like everywhere we went with the truck the first year, someone would ask about the truck.  "Hey!  How you like the Dodge" was heard often.  One guy even pulled up alongside in Fallon Nevada, while we were going down the road, to shout that he wanted us to pull over, so he could ask questions.

 

Have about 285,000 miles on the 1989, so it hasn't been over-used.  Have heard of much higher miles on many Cummins-diesel trucks.  Right now, I have two other Cummins trucks with over 300,00 miles.  Also, I have two other Cummins trucks with just over 100,000 miles.  These 12-valve, Cummins-powered trucks were produced from 1989 to 1997, with some also made in 1998.  With the introduction of the 24-valve Cummins, "Infamous-53-Block", made in Bazile from 1998 to 2003, Dodge, or should I say Ram, trucks were past their zenith.

 

Don't have any digital photos from the early days of this truck.  Repainted the truck for the first time when it was probably in it's first ten years.  EPA-450/3-88-009, Reduction of Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Automobile Refinishing. October 1988, is the reason automotive paint on the 1989, and most cars and light trucks into the 1990's, lost the clear coat, and then the paint on surfaces exposed to ultra-violet (UV) sunlight, generally horizontal surfaces, like the hood and roof.  Thanks for nothing.

 

Repainted the truck again in 2014, and have photos from the body and paint shop.  That was about the same time the U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), "helped" close the coal mine where I worked.  President Barack Hussein Obama II was waging the War on Coal, in the name of "Climate Change," resulting in extremely poor market conditions for all energy producers.  At 64-years of age, without steady employment, I kicked my truck collecting into high gear.  I was supposed to have re-finished the trim and molding for the 2014 painting, but I was too busy collecting trucks to get it done.  Drove the truck without the trim for a while.

[vikingminer49er]

More photos of the 1989 Dodge W250 Cummins Pickup at work.  Then one day, got into a tight spot, and damaged the rear bumper and bed corners.  The chrome started to peel off the front bumper guard.  Even though it was too soon for another re-paint, hated to see one of my prized trucks showing the wear and tear of the road.  The truck had hauled from Pennsylvania to Nevada, and many places in between.

[vikingminer49er]

Got a really good buy on a 1994 Dodge W3500, Dual-Rear-Wheel Pickup, and started to pull my trailer with it.  This past year, we decided to re-finish the 1989 Dodge W250 Cummins Pickup.  Photos from the paint and body shop.  Also, spent the last year re-finishing the trim and molding.  Never volunteer for this job.  It has taken years to straighten, sand, and polish these pieces to a mirror-like finish.  Promised to have them done by Christmas, and delivered them to the paint and body shop on December 20, 2019.  Since then, the paint and body shop has been busy with the normal amount of deer, elk, and slippery-road damage for the fall and winter seasons.  The shop is storing the truck until spring weather.  It's finished, but Judy won't take it out of storage, or let me take photos of it, until it comes home.  We plan on building a new super truck barn, for storing our finished trucks, as soon as the weather allows.  I expect Judy's new 1989 truck will be the first one through the door.

Edited February 4, 2020 by vikingminer49er

[vikingminer49er]

Truck 55 is a 1990 Dodge D250 Pickup, with a Cummins 6BT, diesel engine and automatic transmission, purchased near Delta Colorado.  The truck was purchased new by an older gentleman, who drove it for 20 years before he passed on.  His daughter inherited the truck, but did not drive it.  When she passed on, the truck was inherited by his granddaughter, who also did not drive it.  I bought the truck from her. 

 

After sitting for many years, the truck needed tires, but started right away, and operates well.  Fixed a few minor items, but generally haven't done much to the truck, other than give it a newer front bumper.  The exterior suffers from the EPA-mandated paint, with a couple small dents.  The interior, and the bed of the truck are nearly flawless.  The dash has a cover, and the bed has probably had the camper shell since new.  Odometer has just over 126,000 miles.

[vikingminer49er]

Truck 56 is a 1990 Dodge D350 Pickup, with the Cummins 6BT, 12-valve, diesel engine and 5-speed transmission, purchased near Montrose Colorado.  Truck is a little rough, but is operational, and has just under 175,000 miles on the odometer.  Bought the truck mainly for the Cummins engine and drive train.  Most likely the truck will end up as a parts donor.  Already have the front bumper on Truck 55, the 1990 Dodge D250 Cummins Pickup.

[vikingminer49er]

Truck 57 is a 1993 Dodge D350 Dual-Rear-Wheel Pickup, with the Cummins 6BT, 12-valve, diesel engine and 5-speed transmission, purchased in Fruita Colorado.  Pretty rough truck with just over 322,000 miles on the odometer, but runs and drives well.  Drove it the 80 miles home with no issues.  Currently repairing some minor issues, and will be replacing the broken grill.  Fun part of the truck is the overall appearance, the front bumper guards, and the replacement hood ornament.

[vikingminer49er]

Truck 58 is a 1994 Dodge W3500 Dual-Rear-Wheel Pickup, with an 8.0-liter, V10, gasoline engine and automatic transmission, purchased locally in Paonia Colorado.  After having hauled most of my trucks with the 1989 Dodge W250 Cummins Pickup, it was time to get a different truck to pull my trailer.  When purchased, the 1994 needed considerable work before being road worthy.  Since it wouldn't back up, the first item was to rebuild the transmission.  Second item was six new tires, and the list went on from there.  Intermittent-faulty, manifold-absolute-pressure sensor took some time to find.  Re-core the radiator, rebuild the brakes, and other items to numerous to remember, to finally get to the Big 4: runs, drives, stops, and backs up.

 

Once on the road, this truck is a beast.  At approximately 320-horsepower, it has twice the power as the approximately 160-horsepower 1989 Cummins, with approximately the same torque.  Of course, with twice the horsepower, it consumes twice the fuel.  This truck is fast enough to pass everything, except the gas station.  Probably why the V10 was not very popular, and had a relatively short production run.  Once the computers took over the engine controls in 1994, it wasn't long before the "magnum", electronic-fuel-injection engines replaced the carburetors.  The old 318-cubic-inch engine became the magnum 5.2-liter engine.  The 360-cubic-inch engine became the magnum 5.9-liter engine.  Two cylinders added to the 360-cubic-inch engine became the magnum 8.0-liter (488-cubic-inch) V10 engine.

[vikingminer49er]

After a couple short hauls to test the truck, thought it was time to take the truck on a longer run.  Hauled the 1965 Ford N500 down to Aztec New Mexico for the Antique Truck Historical Society Show.  To get from home to there requires going over three passes in the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado.  Probably the most famous is Red Mountain Pass between Ouray and Silverton.  Headed down on Friday without any problems, and returned on Sunday, in beautiful, sunny, fall weather.  As usual practice, like to stop after clearing the top of the pass, to cool down the engine, and check the brakes before heading down.  Stopped at the remains of the Idarado Mine on the north side of Red Mountain Pass.

 

All was well, until getting to the top of the switchbacks at the south end of Ouray, when the brake pedal went to the floor.  Already in low gear, at about 25 mph, scrubbed some speed off going through the switchbacks.  Landing at the grade break on the south end of Main Street, the truck and loaded trailer slowed to about 15 mph.  Sunday morning, and not much traffic, proceeded on down Main Street, Ouray Colorado's version of a run-away-truck ramp.  As I reached about 4th Street, saw a small car make a U-Turn a couple of blocks ahead.  Following well behind the small car, kept my eyes on the street ahead.  At the 8th-street, prairie-dog crossing, I spotted a few pedestrians venture out onto the run-away-truck ramp.

 

I immediately hit the horn, as the small car braked for the pedestrians, now in the middle of the run-away-truck ramp.  The prairie dogs scattered, as I saw the rear of the small car disappear under the front of my hood.  Didn't notice what happened to the prairie dogs, as I was focused on the rear-seat passenger of the small car, who was turned around and looking at me.  Pushed the small car into a luckily-vacant parking space across the intersection of 8th and Main, as I traveled on past, and down the grade.  Finally stopped the truck and loaded trailer across from the Ouray Hot Springs Pool, at the bottom of Main Street, about a half mile from the scene of the collision.  As I exited the truck, two vehicles stopped to let me know no one had been injured.  The second vehicle gave me a ride back up the hill, to wait for the local police to arrive.

 

It was quite some time before the local policeman arrived on Sunday morning to begin his investigation.  The small car was hauled away, a total loss.  The policeman finally gave me a ride back to my truck, parked along-side the road at the bottom of the grade.  While the policeman inspected my truck and loaded trailer, I checked for damage to the front of the truck.  Completing his investigation, he issued me a careless driving citation, and left.  After pulling the small car's rear bumper from underneath my truck, I proceeded on home, taking a lesser-traveled bypass around Montrose Colorado.

 

Made my appearance the following month at the Ouray County Courthouse, the same courthouse used by John Wayne during the filming of True Grit.  The prosecutor said he couldn't establish careless driving, but based on the police report, and my accident statement, he could establish faulty equipment.  Saved my breath, and paid the $58 fine on my first moving violation in 50 years.  Already had the brakes rebuilt by the time of the court appearance, and before the insurance company had settled for the damage to the small car.

[Todd B]

No trailer brakes???

[vikingminer49er]

Of course, the 2006 Titan Trailer has trailer brakes.  Without them, the speed on the run-away-truck ramp would have been faster, and the collision would have been worse.  Trailer brakes helped slow the truck and loaded trailer, and generate lots of smoke when applied too much, on too steep a grade.  U.S. Highway 550, the "Million-Dollar-Highway", coming from Red Mountain Pass to the south, drops along the Uncompaghre River, at the base of Mt. Abrams.  The box canyon, with the town of Ouray, can be seen in the distance in the first photo, below Mt. Abrams in the far center.  The view from the Ouray Overlook shows the switchbacks at the south end of Ouray, in the fore-ground of the second photo.  The third photo, from high above the west side of Ouray, shows the switchbacks to the right side of the photo, below the Amphitheater in the distance.

 

Continue to use the 1994 Dodge W3500 Dual-Rear-Wheel, V10 Pickup with the 2006 Titan Trailer, primarily as my long-distance hauler.