Gallery Page 245

1986 D100 School Project



Mike Crosby teaches at Florence Career Center in Florence, SC. They are a feeder school for Florence Darlinton Tech, which houses one of the best Welding schools in the country. All the work on this 1986 was done by his high school students, in their 2nd year of welding.

The truck is a 1986 D100. It ran great when Mike drove it to school. It has a Slant 6 with 225,000 miles on it. It only got 9 mpg, which is a little rough on the wallet.

Mike's school distict has implemented a "senior project" program that is designed to show prospective employers a physical project to showcase skill level. They are still working out the kinks with the projects, but this year's class built 2 utility trailers and did the work on the 86 Ram.

The students fabricated the lowering plates for the rear suspension, removed the top, and moved the radiator to behind the cab. They reused the top as sheet metal for covering the tops of the doors and boxing in the windshield frame and back of the cab.

The front is a true "mutt". The lights are from a 1984-85 BMW (free), the grill is a mesh left over from a job that the senior instructor had at his shop. The top of the front end is a sectioned rear bumper from a 1970 Torino. The other is a section of rear bumper from a 1968 Mustang fastback. Mike's intent was to be able to fabricate using materials already on hand and reusing as much as possible. The only item purchased was the radiator fan. It had to be electrically controlled due to its location.

The bed is fabbed from scrap pieces of angle iron left over from other projects in the shop. The gas tank is a stainless keg with the the orignial filler neck and fuel pick-up assembly welded in. The lights in the rear are good old trailer lights.

It obviously still a work in progress, but Mike thought it was a great bunch of projects for the students. Each of the projects have 2 students assigned. Total cost fo the transformation was $83.26. Showing the kids how to reuse, recycle, and fabricate with scraps, and end up with a one -off true rat rod...PRICELESS.





Relocated radiator Frame


New Radiator in Place


Custom Door Panels


Proper Used of a Samson Mic


Note the Sherrif's Plate


It's Just So Weird


New Bed Because the Old One was So Big and Useful


Even Momma Thinks Its Ugly


Let the Good Times Roll


Doesn't This Look Like a FUN Class?


Check out the Power Point Presentation


Please help name this "mutt". Mike and his class have been racking their brains trying to figure out a good name. Some suggestions so far are: FrankenDodge, Frankentruck, Dis N' Dat Dodge, The Mopar Mutt.

To learn more about this school project or to suggest a name for this truck contact Mike at: MCrosby@fsd1.org



Are you proud of your Dodge truck or car? Want to show it off? Please email me a pic along with a description of your vehicle and I will add it to the Gallery.


Joe Leonard 2011-04-12