Vehicle Description
1948 Diamond T 201 One-ton Pickup Truck ?Recent full restoration
?Next-to-last model year for the Model 201 ?One of about 7,000
examples of the Diamond T 201 ?GM 350 CID V-8 crate engine with
aluminum intake and Holley carb ?700R4 four-speed automatic
transmission ?Vintage air-conditioning, power brakes and split
crank-out windshield ?Black exterior and reupholstered
gray-and-black interior with dual fold-out windshields ?Original
dashboard and gauges ?119-inch wheelbase and 8,000 GVWR
?Side-mounted spare tire and amber fog lights If a unique classic
truck with hidden modern conveniences sounds appealing, read on. We
have a 1948 Diamond T 201 one-ton pickup here at MotoeXotica
Classic Cars. This truck underwent a full nut-and-bolt restoration
and is one of about 7,000 examples of the Diamond T 201 model
produced and even less still survive today. It has also been
upgraded with modern running gear to better cope with contemporary
highway speeds. Dressed in shiny black, this truck?s paint and trim
are in overall excellent condition, as expected after its
restoration. The body is straight and solid, there?s a side-mounted
spare tire on the passenger side, complete with Diamond T cover, a
pair of amber foglights are perched over the front bumper and the
cargo bed sports a wooden floor. A chrome front bumper and a black
rear one fit tightly to the body. This Diamond rolls on Firestone
Transforce HT tires, size 235/85R16 at every corner and each tire
is mounted to a black, steel wheel. The tires and wheels are all in
very good order. It has a 119-inch wheelbase and an 8,000 GVWR,
signifying that even Diamond?s light-duty trucks were made for
heavy-duty work. Under the hood is a GM 350 CID V-8 engine backed
by a 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission. This trusty
combination allows this Diamond T to keep up easily with modern
traffic. Driver convenience features include vintage
air-conditioning, power brakes and a split windshield with separate
crank-outs for each pane. Inside, the gorgeous black and gray cab
has a gray split bench seat, black carpet and a gray headliner. A
black, three-spoke steering wheel with a gray wrap echoes the rest
of the interior?s tone, as do the black and gray inner door liners
and the black metal instrument panel with the gorgeous original
center-mounted gauges but the fuel gauge works intermittently and
the horn, wipers are inoperable. Crank-out windshield panes and a
floor-mounted shifter complete the interior. ?Trucks don?t have to
be homely,? is a tagline that Charles Arthur Tilt, who founded
Diamond T, often told his employees. The truck was based on a
unique X-frame undercarriage that added support to the already
sturdy chassis, with an I-beam front axle up front, and 13-leaf
rear springs. The truck rolled on 16-inch cast-iron wheels. A
luxury car-inspired chrome grille, dual fold-out windshield panels
and car-like interior appointments were used to appeal to the more
?refined? trucker. Full wheel covers and a running board-mounted
spare were also standard equipment. After dabbling with building
custom-bodied cars sold locally for a few years, Chicago?s Charles
A. Tilt responded to a customer?s request in 1911 that paved the
way to a financially profitable future ? could he build a truck?
Diamond T trucks soon garnered a reputation for high quality parts
and assembly practice. By 1926, Diamond T built vehicles as large
as 12 tons, including a six-wheeled variant. In the midst of the
Great Depression, features like V-windshields and steel-roofed cabs
debuted. After he handily met the federal government?s request for
military transportation during World War I, Tilt noted customers?
increased speed and comfort demands, prompting him to streamline
his truck exteriors and offer features such as air-cushioned tires.
Tilt began to bedeck his trucks with chrome trim on the lights and
running boards, too, making his competition appear utilitarian to a
fault. After considering the ?big picture,? during the 1930s, Tilt
was the first to offer a one-year/100,000-mile warranty on his
products equipped with ?super service engines? from Hercules. After
World War II, Tilt stepped down from president and general manager
of the company to chair the company?s board while his younger
brother, Ned, replaced him. He led the company through the next
dozen or so years until White Motor Company bought Diamond-T in
1958. ?Trucks don?t have to be homely but they can feel like a
home? is the complete slogan from Tilt regarding his trucks. If
you?re interested owning the Cadillac of Trucks, appreciate
Depression-era vehicles or just want something different, you owe
it to yourself to stop by MotoeXotica Classic Cars today to check
this one out. VIN: W767822 This truck is currently located at our
facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer
shows 70,506 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and
clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!? Note: Please see
full terms and conditions listed below that pertain to the purchase
of any said vehicle, thank you.
