Dodge A100 Hell Project: You Want Luxury? Here's Luxury!
These days, we’ve got endless choices in plush, comfy trucks. Back when my 1966 Dodge A100 project van was built, the top trim level of the A100 was the Sportsman Custom, and that was one of your few luxury-truck choices at the time. Naturally, I insisted on a Sportsman Custom when I went shopping for a vintage flat-nose van. With the Sportsman Custom, you got such creature comforts as ashtrays, an AM radio, and— best of all— a steel step that popped out when you opened the side doors. The one on my van wasn’t exactly working when I bought it, but some bashing with a sledgehammer careful adjustment and hosing down with Liquid Wrench judicious lubrication fixed it right up!
Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Autoblog, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars and Capital One.
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Maybe you can find an Oriental rug cheap on craigslist and install that?
Muriles, Here's a really nice A100 pickup that was downstairs with the rat rods at the Detroit Autorama. There was an A100 van next to it, but it wasn't in nearly as nice shape.
I didn't post it on Cars In Depth yet, but you can see it in the Flash player. I also included what I think is a '53 Chevy Sedan Delivery, apparently the parts runner for what I hope is a fictional company named Dirty Sanchez Speed Equipment.I have two tilt and swivel captain's chairs, with fold down arm rests, and a bench seat from my '80 Ford Club Wagon (in a muted red, the van was traded in the C for C program) that would be sweet in this van. I'd let 'em go right as they are taking up space in my garage and barn. Are you anywhere near central Ohio (Columbus area)?
I cannot believe I haven't visited in ages. My first vehicle, to ride in, drive, and own, was a '67 A-108, the "long wheelbase" version. It was ordered by my father in '67, I appeared a year later. It had the OEM bench seats, and all options but the high-end trim. However, and you've likely already discovered this, beware when opening the door while the step is connected. It's at perfect shin-level.