SEPTEMBER 30, 2014 (OCTOBER 2014): A ’57 DODGE PICKUP SURVIVES A DIVORCE AND STAYS WITH ITS LOYAL OWNER

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Dwight Bergstrom has a strong attachment to his 1957 Dodge pickup truck.

 

We spotted owner and truck at an early June 2014 car show and wanted to get the story because ’57 Dodge pickups are not common guests at shows.

 

The fleetside box is actually off a 1958 truck because Dwight liked the look and wanted it on his ’57.

 

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Dwight did most of the work on his truck in the early 70s when parts were still available at the local Dodge dealership parts department.

 

The truck got new brakes, front end, springs, plus the rear end was changed in 1974. Dwight was wise to invest in NOS (“new old stock” for the curious) parts when they were sold at face value by the dealership.

 

These days the price for NOS parts is somewhere between your first born and your soul, so Dwight was a visionary back in 1974.

 

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The relationship between Dwight and his truck was put in jeopardy when he headed into a divorce. The Dodge was his “courting truck” for his future ex-bride and he had stronger feelings for the pickup than his wife when the marriage came to an end.

 

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Dwight lost a lot of ground and was forced to “sell everything else” in his words, but he was able to buy his wife out of her share of his beloved truck.

 

Dwight told us his vintage Dodge truck was more “faithful than his wives” and he wanted to continue that relationship.

 

The truck was repainted in 1972 and the original tan paint on the hood was changed to its current color. All of the restoration on the truck preceded a lengthy storage period that lasted over 30 years until Dwight’s second wife convinced him to bring it out of storage.

 

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Dwight has spent plenty of time behind the wheel of his Dodge over the past five years and he will even drive the truck in seasons that are not summer.

 

The Dodge has its original 313 V-8 and the iconic push button automatic transmission made famous by Chrysler Corporation in the 50s. The rakish front end of the Dodge is part of the “Forward Look” designs from the Virgil Exner years at Chrysler.

 

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Exner was the man behind the 50s finned era at Mopar and his legacy defined the style of both car and truck divisions for Chrysler during the Eisenhower years.

 

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The bucket seats in Dwight’s Dodge were not part of the Chrysler option list in the 50s.

 

Instead they were donated by a 1966 Chevy, but Dwight still has the original bench seat for his truck.

 

 

Dwight is a pretty confident guy and he is not afraid to drive his Dodge at 70 mph (about 110 km/h) on the highway. He has plenty of faith in his 57-year-old power-train and likes to keep up with modern traffic on the road.

 

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The final words on this stylish ’57 Dodge truck come from Dwight; “I will never sell this truck.”

 

We at MSCC believe him because the two of them have been through a lot together over the years.

 

Jerry Sutherland

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