If the Ford Model T kickstarted the automotive America, pickup trucks of all shapes and sizes helped build it and became the quintessential American vehicle class and one of the strongest symbols of the country. In the early days of the automotive industry, almost every manufacturer had some kind of a pickup truck in their model lineup. But as the industry grew and customers became more demanding, just a couple of companies survived. Among those, Dodge and their B, C, D Series and Ram trucks were among the most famous and popular models. Dodge was one of the pioneering companies in this market which has been introducing a lot of new technologies over the years. Constantly battling Ford and Chevrolet, Dodge was able not only to outsell the competitors on a couple of occasions, but to become dominant in some foreign markets too.
The true history of Dodge pickup truck starts as far as the late 1920s when Dodge Brothers introduced one of the first true pickups, the model actually constructed as a pickup rather than a chopped up sedan. This approach proved very successful and Dodge trucks immediately became a symbol of durability and quality in rural America. In the early 1930s Dodge introduced its famous Ram logo on the nose of their truck as a sign of their ruggedness and power. It was used through the 1950s and returned in 1981 when the new generation of trucks was introduced and the name Ram officially returned. Before that, Dodge produced trucks named after letters of the alphabet (B, C, and D Series) and we will cover Dodge trucks made after the Second World War only, since they are the most relevant, sought-after by collectors and they show the evolution of Dodge pickup in the best light.
Dodge B Series (1948-1953)
The post-war economy in America was in need of working vehicles and Dodge jumped to the opportunity presenting a fresh new B-Series pickup truck in 1948. It was modernly designed and well built, however with fewer options compared to the competitors. Those were simple and rugged vehicles for working people, affordable and cheap to maintain. In other words, perfect for working America and countryside. Dodge produced a few variants in terms of payload and even sold naked chassis to the commercial buyers to turn them into vans, delivery vehicles or buses. The main selling points of the B Series were simplicity, strong engine, roomy interior, and tough mechanics. Just want you would need in a vehicle like this.
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