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Thread: Looking for info, if you recognize this truck...

  1. #1

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    1979 Dodge D-50
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    I.D.K.?

    Looking for info, if you recognize this truck...

    Good evening everyone,
    Back in the mid to late 80s. I had a custom '79 D50 sport, 5 speed overdrive, fender flares on the front wheel wells, a false step side with cosmetic exhaust stacks, and the bed appears to have been replaced with wide fender wells in the back. It was bumble bee yellow, with 5 graduated strips on the bottom of the truck.

    I've started researching how to rebuild my truck, and was wondering if anyone knew this build or recognized any of the parts.

    If I remember correctly, there was a sticker inside the cab, on the instrument cluster, stating that the builder was oiut of Rutherford, New Jersey.
    truck.jpg

    Pardon the two slackers in the pic (me in the back), I'm still looking for more pics of this runner.

  2. #2

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    1987 Dodge Power Ram 50
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    a step side D50? I have never even heard of one much less seen one! I can't help you out on this one but thats a cool looking truck! found any more photos?

  3. #3

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    1985 Mitsubishi L200
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    They were a custom built tub that came with the exhaust stacks. We've had a member who had one but the stacks were removed IIRC. I remember seeing something like this posted up ages ago. It's hiding somewhere here... but I don't know if it's this particular truck. Even if it is, the owner may have either moved on or sold the truck etc.
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  4. #4


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    1981 Dodge D-50
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    Ford V8
    You used to be able to order them for mini trucks in the 90's. Most big body kit manufactures had them. They were a fiberglass box that fit to your truck. they were for Izuzu pup, Chevy Luv, D-50's, Toyota's, Mazda's, etc. If you look up Mini truck Stepsides in google images you can see all those trucks had the same box.

    Look in some old Mini-Truck'n mags and you can find some of the company's that sold them.

  5. #5

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    I.D.K.?
    Truck bed was steel. Wheel wells that extended out were fiberglass. The "step" side that the exhaust stacks pop through were fiberglass.
    I cant thank you all enough for this info!

  6. #6

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    I.D.K.?
    Thanks to your responses, I think I found the bed!!!
    '79 Datsun 620 "Step Side" kit!
    California-stepside.jpg

    Those are (I think) precisely how the bed and butt end of that truck laid out, including the placement of the telescoped tail lights!
    Originally when the truck came to our family, the rear wheels were fat boys with turbine mags on all four wheels... *just* like this picture!
    On thing they did with my D50 was to lower the stance in the front (or raise the butt) a little, maybe a 1/4 to a 1/2 inch... just enough to make the body line slant forward.

  7. #7

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    I.D.K.?
    Nope, not an exact match, but I'm betting the designer/builder in NJ was using this Cali StepSide as a template for the end result. Rear wheel wells taper at the bottom, where mine did not. The fender flare on the front is also similar to what mine was (mine were harder edged, and a bit more dramatic).
    But I am on to something because of you all, THANK YOU!!!!

  8. #8

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    I.D.K.?
    Holy Smokes! You guys have another one of these stepside trucks in your forums! I relaize my memory was not as good as I'd hoped, but this truck was built by Budd ANderson in Charlotte, NC. In the new member introduction forum, there was a poster who had a red one of these! The sticker on the instrument cluster was exactly the font and location that mine was! Now I know who the work was actually performed by!
    Just keep digging, and keep on finding!
    There was a hint thrown my way from a D50 group member on Facebook telling me there was another one on y'alls forums...
    TOO COOL!!!!

  9. #9

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    It seems you found the thread. I remembered it as I'd posted on it a few years ago. The member has been inactive for a while now.
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  10. #10




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    I was the one on FB that said there was info on this forum. I knew it was in here, just didn't know where it was.
    Pennyman1
    The best Dodge that Dodge never made
    Living the D-50 lifestyle since 1980

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