Most of us have made a deal with ourselves that only makes sense in the moment. The Utah man behind @Rudysadventureanddesignreal made one at a race, and it ended with a 1974 Dodge D100 and a very wet drive home.
At his dad’s Smash & Dash 250 event, a race for cheap cars, he spotted the truck for sale in the vendor show. He calls it the most beautiful one he has ever seen. So he struck a deal with the seller: if he won his races, he would use the winnings to buy the truck.
A Win, But No Payday
He won the first race outright after 45 minutes and finished third in the second, a race for Ford Rangers. Then came the catch.
“There actually isn’t even a cash prize,” he says. It was just the trophies.
A deal is a deal, though, so he dipped into his savings. A few days later, he met the seller in Salt Lake City to pick it up. The seller warned him that the wipers and the fuel gauge don’t work, and he left a spare fuel can in the truck.
“I’ve never bought a car and looked at it so little in my entire life,” the buyer admits.
A Rainstorm With No Wipers
He figured the wipers wouldn’t matter during a dry spell. Instead, he drove off straight into one of the heaviest rainstorms he had seen in years. The windows fogged up, and he had to pull over.
“I can’t see a lick of anything,” he says.
The brakes proved just as unpredictable. They grab when he wants them gentle and fade when he needs them. A quick stop at a tire shop replaced the worrying front tires, and they spent the night in Tooele rather than trust the old truck in the dark.
Quirks On The Back Roads
The next day, they took the long way home on back roads and dirt tracks. About 60 miles in, he lists what he has learned so far. The steering is tight, with only about two inches of play, but rain leaks into the cab. The speedometer reads about 20 mph high, and a noise from the drivetrain comes and goes with engine speed.
With no working fuel gauge, they nursed it to a gas station, where it took 12 gallons. They also made a detour to look for geodes, but came away empty-handed.
What To Know Before Buying An Old Truck On Impulse
His trip is a fun reminder of what to plan for when an old truck catches your eye:
- Check the wipers, lights and gauges before a long drive, not after you’ve left.
- Carry spare fuel if you can’t trust the fuel gauge.
- Look hard at the tires. Old rubber is often the first thing to fix.
- Drive gently until you learn the brakes, especially on an older truck.
- Leave extra time, and don’t be afraid to stop for the night.
Where The 1974 Dodge D100 Stands Now
After two days, the D100 made it home with almost no problems. Along the way, he called it the cleanest running V8 engine he has ever driven home.
He doesn’t have plans for it yet, since he has other projects waiting. For now, the truck sits at home, and he is asking for ideas on what to do with it next.
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