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1957 Dodge D-100 Sweptside

Pickup

In mid-1957, Dodge introduced its Sweptside pickup to compete head-to-head with Ford's passenger car-based Ranchero and Chevrolet's Cameo Carrier. Dodge Trucks' Special Equipment Group wedded the finned rear quarters and rear bumper from the 1957 Dodge suburban two-door station wagon to the flanks of a standard Dodge half-ton pickup. Along with new styling, the truck was given an optional V-8 engine that Dodge the most powerful engine in the light truck field.

Sweptside pickups came standard with the custom cab, which added a glove box, two-tone seat material covering foam rubber cushions, two sun visors, a wraparound rear window, and 2-speed wipers. Custom cab exterior features additional chrome trim and embellishments. Dodge offered the Sweptside with two-tone paint, wide whitewall tires, and full wheel covers.

All 1957 Dodge trucks received a bold new Forward Look front-end design with hooded headlights, a stylish new grille, and a fully-opening, rear-hinged hood.

by Dan Vaughan

Pickup

Joe Berr, the manager of Dodge's Special Equipment Group, is said to have come up with the plan for the 1957 Dodge Sweptside, which was introduced partway through the model year in an attempt to spice up Dodge's truck line, by adapting quarter panels from the Dodge two-door station wagon. To further integrate the finned quarter panels with the truck cab, special chrome trim was added, as was a two-tone paint scheme. The Sweptside concept was a hit with Dodge dealers and the trucks were built....though never on the production line. Only a couple thousand of these special factory customs were assembled in 1957 through the 1958 model year.