The History of the Dodge Truck

Since its inception in 1914, Dodge has produced a wide variety of pickup and multi-purpose trucks, ranging from the compact Dakotas to Power Wagons to the Class 5 5500 series trucks. The marque has consistently engineered and designed its trucks to fit any need and for any buyer. It's known primarily for the Dodge Ram light-duty pickup and heavier commercial vehicles.

History

Dodge earned its reputation as a builder of rugged and dependable trucks during World War I when large quantities were sent to France for front-line duty. Since then, it has crossed over from civilian light-duty use to commercial work, providing vehicles for ambulances, tow trucks, multi-purpose vans and even school student transportation.

Significance

Commercial use of Dodge trucks increased dramatically in the 1950s with the development of the more powerful and versatile Hemispherical "Hemi" V-8 and later the 5.9-liter Cummins diesel engines used in school buses.

Function

As the needs of businesses increased after World War II, Dodge offered an extended line of mini-vans, panel trucks and chassis cabs that could be customized by the buyer to suit individual needs.

Types

Models include the standard compact Dakota, the light-duty Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500, the Power Wagon, Town Wagon, forward control vans, full-size transportation vans and the big Class 4 4500 and Class 5 5500 trucks.

Features

The 2009 Chassis Cab 3500 comes with an ambulance prep package for municipal service and features a 355-horsepower Hemi engine.

Size

By 2009, the wheelbase for the standard cab 4500 and 5500 series trucks were 144.5, 168.6, 192.5 and 204.5 inches depending on whether they featured single- or dual-rear wheels.

Fun Fact

Dodge assembled Commer 1500 FC mini work vans in Iran in the early 1960s.

Resources

• Dodge truck details.