Vehicle Description
This 1957 Dodge D100 Sweptside Pickup is a gorgeous luxury pickup
truck and an example of the 1st year Sweptside "Forward Look"
design. In the early decades of the 20th century, pickup trucks
were considered work vehicles where style and comfort was
sacrificed for practicality and utility. However, in the early
1950s consumers began seeing trucks that were a bit more stylish
and a bit more comfortable because manufacturers began to realize
that trucks had to serve the two purposes that people were using
them for, personal transportation and work. In the mid-50s,
Chevrolet released its Cameo Pickup, a spruced up version of its
1/2 Ton Pickup with impeccable style while retaining the utility of
owning a pickup truck. With the release of the Cameo, a new
category of truck was born; that is, the luxury pickup truck. In
the years that followed, Chevy's competitors followed the GM
marque's lead. Ford's version of a luxury pickup was the Ranchero
which was said to have been inspired by an Australian farmer's wife
who had asked the local Ford plant to build her "a vehicle to go to
church in on a Sunday, and which [she] can carry our pigs to market
on Mondays?" Another such example was the 1957 International
Harvester Golden Jubilee Pickup that celebrated the manufacturer's
50th Anniversary. The Mopar version of a luxury pickup debuted in
May 1957, the Dodge D100 Sweptside Pickup. Partially hand-built by
Dodge's "Special Equipment Group," the Sweptside took a long
wheelbase 1/2 pickup and integrated the rear quarter panels and
bumper of Dodge station wagon. While the Sweptside D100 pickup box
internally and tailgate looked stock, both were actually narrowed
to accommodate for the new station wagon rear fenders. The other
major happening at Dodge at the time, along with at its Mopar
sister marques, was the introduction of Virgil Exner's "Forward
Look" design campaign. The Forward Look design philosophy took its
inspiration from the aerospace industry and the results yielded a
lineup of gorgeous vehicles looked as if they were from the future.
While Dodge's trucks retained similar cab design as the previous
year, the area from the front cowl to the front of the trucks
received a Forward Look facelift. Besides trim updates, this change
in style was accomplished by revising the headlight design to the
"forward-thusting" hooded headlight design that would only stay in
place for the 1957 model year. Dodge produced the Sweptside D100
Pickup for a very short time, approximately May 1957 thru January
1959. Due to a short production run and limited sales, the Dodge
Sweptside has become one of the most collectible 50s pickups of the
era. While no one knows the exact production number, it is believed
that around 2,500 Sweptside trucks were produced during the span of
May 1957 thru January 1959, which makes this 1957 Dodge Sweptside
the second rarest model year and thus one of the most cherished by
collectors. Powering this '57 Dodge Sweptside is a 230 Cubic Inch
L-Head Inline 6 cylinder engine paired with a single barrel
carburetor that together were said to have created 120 horsepower
when new. The 230 Straight 6 is backed by an automatic transmission
that is shifted using a dash-mounted push-button shifter. Exhaust
exits this Dodge's six cylinder engine via a single exhaust port
that generates a nice throaty sound out of the rear. Riding a set
of wide whitewall tires, each paired with a full size Dodge
wheelcover, this Sweptside Pickup has a truly classy look whether
parked or cruising down the road. This D100 sports several
desirable options including a chrome front bumper, turn signals,
and driver's side outside mirror. The long steel pickup box
features a wooden slat bed, Dodge-branded steel tailgate, and of
course the iconic '57 Dodge rear quarter panels and special back
bumper that make this D100 a true Sweptside. The steel body has
been refinished in a beautiful two-tone paint scheme consisting of
Bayview Green and Mojave Beige that completes the exterior look of
this truck. The interior on this '57 Dodge Sweptside is absolutely
gorgeous! The bench seat has been reupholsterd in beige tweed cloth
along with beige vinyl. The matching upholstered door panels,
headliner, driver's side sun visor, painted dash, and steering
wheel are all in wonderful condition and appear to retain a nice
stock appearance. The aluminum-trimmed instrument cluster is
equipped with a 110 MPH speedometer, oil pressure gauge,
temperature gauge, amp gauge, and fuel gauge. Whether you're buying
your very first classic pickup truck or you're adding to an
existing collection of Mopar pickups, this 1957 Dodge D100
Sweptside Pickup would make an excellent choice. Give Ellingson's a
call today at 763-428-7337!
*230.2 Cu. In. Inline 6
*Single Barrel Carburetor
*Push-Button Automatic Transmission
*120 Horsepower
*12 Volt Electrical System
*Wide Whitewall Tires w/ Full Wheelcovers
*Bayview Green/Mojave Beige Exterior
*Beige Tweed Cloth/Vinyl Bench Seat
*Wood Bed w/ Special Sweptside Box
*Driver's Side Outside Mirror
*Stock Instrumentation
*Odometer Reads: 25,349 Miles
