Kiss from a Rose: 1949 Dodge B1-B-108





























After a few months of hitting one obstacle after another, my brother's 1990 GMC K2500 is finally running and driving. During that time, my dad and my brother began looking at vintage Dodge pickups for sale so my brother could build up a Dodge pickup truck as a nice-weather driver. Vintage Mopar trucks are a rare sight today, and make a nice affordable alternative to the more-common classic GM and Ford trucks. A prime example is this 1949 Dodge B1-B-108 pickup truck, which has earned the apt nickname "Yellow Rose". Find it here on eBay in Northridge, California, with a Buy-It-Now price of $12,499.99.



























Hailed as the first postwar trucks available from Dodge, the B-series pickup truck was introduced in 1948 to replace Dodge's prewar pickup trucks still being sold at the time. This Dodge B-series is a half-ton B1-B model, and is one of 299,900 built from 1948 to September 1, 1949. Painted white, yellow and gray, the truck appears to be fairly solid with very little rust. The diamond plate steel in the pickup bed looks to have replaced a wood bed, so I would ditch it and install proper wood slats. The truck appears to have been originally pale yellow, so I would address the rust and repaint the truck in its original color. I would also ditch the generic radial tires and swap on a set of bias-look blackwall radials. 





























Taking a peek under the hood, you'll see that a 218 cubic-inch flathead inline six resides in the engine bay. Rated at 95 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque, performance is nothing spectacular, but will get the job done. Featuring 67,000 original miles and shifting a three-speed manual transmission, this B-1-B features a 12-volt conversion, an overhauled carburetor, cleaned gas tanks, and new brakes, battery and ignition switch. I would drive with the flathead six for a while before swapping to a Firepower Hemi and four-speed manual transmission.



























As soon as I saw this interior, the theme song from Sanford and Son immediately popped up in my head (Fred and Lamont Sanford drove a 1951 Ford F1, however). Inside, a brown vinyl seat contrasts nicely with the yellow-painted metal parts. The floor needs a new rubber mat, and before installing it I would scrape some of that coating. The gauges appear to be in decent shape, and I dig the overdrive mounted on the steering column; I would have the steering wheel redone and swap the white shifter ball for a black one. Overall, this Dodge B1-B-108 has a lot of potential, and once all the necessary areas are addressed, this would make a cool shop truck and or cruiser. What are your thoughts on this half-ton Dodge B-series pickup?
Location: Northridge, Los Angeles, CA, USA

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