House of Hotrods Goes All-In With a ’64 Dodge D200 Power Wagon Crew Cab
When a crew of talented hot rodders get their hands on a project, plans can quickly escalate from a quick rebuild to a full-on custom creation. Case in point is the House of Hotrod’s ’64 Dodge D200 that was intended to be parts chaser and something to cruise to lunch. Before long the shop owner realized the build was getting out of hand and told the crew to just go all the way with the project. That’s simply how House of Hotrods does things – go big or go home!
As the body was blown apart, the crew set about building a chassis to handle the huge Dana 80 dually rearend sourced from a scrapped Ford. The entire frame was strengthened and in knowing that an AccuAir E-level system was going to be used, a custom set of control arms was built to secure a pair of spindles from an ’84 2500 GM rig. The rear received similar treatment with a handmade control arm and wishbone setup. A set of custom 22-inch American Force wheels and caps were machined then wrapped with low-profile redline tires.
When it came to the drivetrain, there was really no other choice for a Dodge D200 dually other than the proven torque and power of a Cummins diesel. A 12-valve six-cylinder was sourced from a ’94 Dodge and the internals were upgraded before being introduced to a Banks Twin Ram Powerpack intake system. The team fabbed up a new header and oil pan and a unique enclosed intercooler assembly. The original 48RE transmission was rebuilt and reunited with the Cummins and the entire setup received the custom detailing and paint you would expect from a hot rod shop.
As the chassis came together, the body was basically built from scratch other than the front doors. Speaking of doors, note the suicide treatment and reversed handles of the rear pair. Headlights from a ’64 Chrysler 300 were added along with a custom grille and hood nose. The windshield was split and all of the drip moldings were removed while a set of taillights from a ’53 Chrysler were grafted in out back. The very recognizable gas filler door from a ’69 Charger was added to the bed floor, which is flanked by a pair of reworked Ford dually fenders.
When it came time for color, the crew worked with PPG to develop a unique HoH house mix featuring a dark green pearl base. From there, they sprayed on a layer of red ’flake followed by green ’flake and clear. The end result is a different look depending on where you’re standing and where the sun shines. You may see a root beer color, black, reddish green, or a lot of metallic and green.
The interior is just as custom as the exterior, starting with a set of seats from a 2001 Lexus that Ray Delgado wrapped in a distressed leather. A custom console on the floor and on the roof splits the cab, giving passengers plenty of personal space and cup holders (in case the crew does take it for lunch). The entire dash was reworked and filled with Vintage Air vents, Classic Instruments gauges, and a drumming Alpine stereo. The driver’s steering input is directed through a ’63 Imperial wheel along with a beefy, one-off shifter.
What started as a lunch wagon morphed into a custom crew cab Dodge D200 dually that has been taking the truck world by storm everywhere it’s been shown. Which is exactly what House of Hotrods intended.
Photos by John Jackson
