Dodge will unveil 14 customized vehicles, including a pair of concept trucks, at the 2019 SEMA Show next week in Las Vegas. One of those trucks is a 1968 Dodge D200 heavy-duty pickup that has been transformed into — OK, take a deep breath — the Candied Delmonico Red and Dairy Cream Mopar Lowliner concept.
“Customization of classic trucks continues to be a hot trend in the aftermarket world,” Dodge and the Mopar parts team said in a news release.
Designers, engineers and mechanical staff boxed the C-channel frame, lengthened the wheelbase for a more dramatic stance, a stance enhanced by “substantially” lowering the right height with air suspension, and fabricated a power-tilt hood to showcase the 5.9-liter Cummins diesel engine they installed. The engine is linked to a 6-speed manual gearbox.
The wheelbase was lengthened by moving the front axle 3 inches forward, thus pushing the front wheels toward the car’s front corners. The car rides on custom, 22-inch “smoothie’ wheels. The wheel wells were widened by 5 inches to house the wide rear wheel and tire package.
The air suspension has three modes — low, driving and driving height plus.
The interior features the original bench seat but covered in distressed orange-amber Blazing Saddle Tan leather. The headliner also is leather with a Mopar Omega M logo stitched in.
Among the other custom vehicles making debuts at SEMA on the Dodge/Mopar stand are the Ram 1500 Rebel OTG (Off The Grid), a truck with an off-roading/overlanding theme; an accessorized Jeep Wrangler Rubicon; a heritage-inspired Jeep Gladiator Scrambler; the Jeep Gladiator J6 Moab concept; the Dodge Challenger Mopar ’19; and the 2020 Mopar Dodge Challenger Drak Pak, designed to deliver a turnkey vehicle to sportsman drag racers. Only 50 of the Drag Pak cars, certified to produce ETs as quick as 7.5 seconds, will be produced.
Am I the only person in the world that hates the lowering of cars and trucks. I mean, especially a truck. I don’t get it.
The destroyed D200 is an example of how Chrysler has lost their way. I’m embarrassed for all the great engineers and designers of years gone by. What a waste…