In the world of classic trucks, there are a ton of killer models to choose from and some more popular than others, but one you don’t see all that often in the Slam’d world is the Dodge Sweptline, or really anything Dodge for that matter. That is unless you know where to look. Lucky for us, our friends over at Lakeside Rods and Rides know a thing or two about classic, custom Dodges and we were fortunate enough to see some of their latest creations firsthand, including this 1965 short box pickup owned by Kirby Wilcox, at the 2015 Goodguys Heartland Nationals. Now if this custom Sweptline doesn’t scream Slam’d Mag, then we don’t know what does!
Photos & Words: Lindsey Fisher
Owned by Kirby Wilcox of Alexandria, Minnesota, this gorgeous ’65 D-100 short box Sweptline pickup is the perfect example of doing something “different” and nailing it right out of the gate. Not only does it maintain it’s classic body lines, it also incorporates a number of vintage touches, right down to the trunk in the rear and the custom intake topping off the engine bay beautifully. But this isn’t your typical old-school classic truck. After all, it is a Lakeside Rods and Rides build which means there’s an undeniable balance between classic design with modern functionality.
Kirby has been into cars and trucks as long as he remembers, reflecting to us that he started out building model cars and souping up pedal bikes before moving on to bigger projects, like go-karts and mini bikes as he got older. Moving on to custom cars and trucks as an adult was just a natural progression, and Kirby has certainly had quite the collection over the years, including a ’68 Z/28, ’66 Nova, ’61 Nomad, ’63 Bel Air and even a ’62 Rambler. Though they all hold a special place in Kirby’s heart, one of his favorite builds was his previous D-100 pickup, also built by Lakeside Rods and Rides. This truck is what inspired this “new and improved” Sweptline build now holding down Kirby’s garage.
Wanting to upgrade the suspension in the old truck, Kirby ordered a Fatman crossmember with air ride and a Ridetech rear 4-link kit. But even before the new suspension parts showed up, Kirby found another D-100 on eBay and just couldn’t pass it up. This caused the choice to come down to putting the new suspension components on the old truck or incorporate them into a whole new build using the newly purchased pickup. With his wife Pat’s swaying influence, Kirby chose the later and the result is the incredible custom truck you see here.
With the desire to have something new and different, Kirby once again turned to Roger Burman of Lakeside Rods and Rides to take on the project. Burman had built a few vehicles for Kirby in the past, including his other D-100 and he knew Burman could be counted on to create the one-of-a-kind piece he desired with this new build. Once the truck was in Burman’s hands, it was completely tore down for a full frame-off build. After the frame was prepped, minor body work, which included accentuating the factory lines and perfecting the gaps, ensued. The final steps of the build were configuring the drivetrain and completing the interior.
As you can tell, Kirby’s pickup has gone leaps and bounds from factory original, although it still maintains its classic charm. Under the truck, you’ll find that Fatman crossmember, Ridetech 4-link, control arms, and ‘bags. This hearty suspension combination helps keep the truck planted atop the 18- and 20-inch US MAGS Heavy Artillery wheels wrapped in Falken rubber, while Wilwood discs provide superior braking power.
With every performance-built suspension should come a performance-built engine, and the crate 360ci V8 bored out to a 408 under the hood of Kirby’s Dodge definitely doesn’t disappoint. Adding insult to injury, the engine is beefed up even more with Magnum cylinder heads, a customized Edelbrock intake, and plated headers and exhaust. Behind the massaged powerplant you’ll find a 727 transmission.
While the power and performance of this truck are certainly admirable, it’s the finite details that truly put this build in a league of its own, starting with the amazingly clean body lines. This may have very well been how Dodge wanted their trucks to look back in the day, but you won’t find anything “factory” this buttoned up and sleek. That comes compliments of countless hours poured into the truck by Burman and his crew. In addition to the perfected body lines and gaps, the truck also features a custom bed floor and wheel tubs to accommodate the ‘bagged suspension and wheel combo. As an added touch, a vintage trunk that Kirby and his wife found was incorporated into the truck bed to conceal the rear diff when the truck is fully laid out. Topping off the truck’s body is a two-tone paint scheme borrowed from modern-day Fords. For the truck’s main color, PPG 2014 Ford Mineral Grey was chosen, while the roof and cab surround feature 2015 Tectonic Silver in an elegant matte finish.
Inside, the truck features a custom yet simple interior by Dan Weber of Weber’s Custom Interiors, giving the eye plenty to look at without going overboard. This includes a leather-wrapped bench seat and matching door panels, smooth body color dash with gauges from Dakota Digital, custom center console and a cowhide headliner with matching storage bags on the doors. Of course, we can’t forget the leather trimmed carpeting, which puts the finishing touch on an already amazing interior.
For a truck that was built as a working man’s pickup back in the day, this D-100 certainly has stepped up its game. But with names like Roger Burman and Dan Weber, along with an experienced owner looking for something unique, this build was no “crap shoot” and definitely not the result of “luck” but rather hard work and perfect vision – check out the specs below for more info:
Slam’d Specs
Owner: Kirby Wilcox
Vehicle: 1965 Dodge D-100 Short Box Sweptline Pickup
Hometown: Alexandria, MN
Wheels/Tires:
Front: 18×8-inch US MAGS Heavy Artillery wheels
Rear: 20×10-inch US MAGS Heavy Artillery wheels
Tires: 245/45/18 (front) and 275/40/20 (rear) Falkens
Brakes: Wilwood discs
Suspension/Chassis:
Front: Fatman cross member and Ridetech airbags
Rear: Ridetech 4-link and airbags
Ridetech control arms
Ford 9-inch rearend
Performed By: Lakeside Rods and Rides of Twin Lakes, IA
Body/Paint:
Body left mostly as the factory intended with subtle custom touches
Reworked bed floor with custom wheel tubs and functional vintage trunk
Custom “408” grille
Custom tailgate chains
Performed by: Lakeside Rods and Rides
Painted PPG 2014 Ford Mineral Grey with 2015 Techtonic Silver (matte) over the cab
Painted By: Bobby Hofbauer
Interior/Stereo:
Leather-wrapped stock bench seat with matching leather door panels
Matching leather trimmed carpet
Cowhide headliner with matching door panel pouch detail
Custom center console
Smoothed body color dash
Dakota Digital gauges
MP3 head unit with hidden amp and speakers
Performed by: Dan Weber of Weber Custom Interiors of Alexandria, MN
Engine/Performance:
360ci Dodge crate engine stroked to 408ci by Blueprint Engines
Magnum cylinder heads
Edelbrock intake
Stock headers/exhaust with custom plating
727 transmission
Special Thanks from Owner:
“Roger Burman at Lakeside Rods and Rides, Dan Weber at Weber’s Custom Interiors and my wife Pat for being awesome.”
