This Classic Pickup Has a Surprise in the Bed

All those years ago

The story of this pickup begins decades ago when it was purchased brand new from Ed Nystrom's Dodge in Fosston, Minnesota by the current owner's grandfather. Tom Dunrud can still remember as a child riding in the bed while on the way to the creamery to deliver milk. Sadly, his grandfather passed away in 1973 and the truck went to his uncle who used it on his farm until it was retired from duty in 1980. Fast forward almost three decades later and Tom had finally convinced his uncle to hand over the keys to the truck. Over the years his uncle had grown nervous that the truck would be crushed but was now at peace knowing that it would go to someone in the family. 

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The family circus

His uncle had kept the body sound and the condition of the paint held a charm that no brand new paint job could match. The few dents that were there got soundly handled by being pounded out and a few holes that were present were filled. As far as the condition of the exterior, those were the only problems the old pickup had. The body was then hit with three layers of matte clear in order to preserve the patina that the pickup was in. 

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You're the boss

Tom then made the choice to boost the horsepower levels up to a more contemporary level by adding a supercharger to the engine. However, that supercharger may not have gone where most folks would look for it, Tom put it in the bed of the truck. Why? Because there was plenty of room back there and because he could. This the kind of freedom you get when you are a bit of a tinkerer and can do things whichever way you please. 

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Outside the box

Tom machined a custom billet aluminum timing cover that doubled as the front bearing support for the three-piece PTO shaft that runs off of the crank. The PTO shaft runs from the front of the engine, under the headers, under the cab, and drives another set of fully customized and handmade sprockets. The shaft is spun is spun using a Bando synchronous belt. Knowing that the PTO shaft might be under some hefty level of stress, Tom reduced the speed coming from the crank by 50% and then increased it back to normal speed by the time it reached the blower's mounting position in the bed.  

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Hobgoblin in the bed

We think his grandfather would be proud of Tom and what he has done with the truck he bought all those years ago. 

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