01 February 2014

Owned by David "D200" VanderBroek Bolter # 37691 Submitted by Frank "Stranger" VanderBroek Bolter # 32224 Madrid, Iowa

1965 Dodge D-200

"The Dodge - a Father & Son Project"

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From Frank :

Then in late 2012, on a frequent salvage yard run, me and my buddy Stuart were searching for treasures. We ended up at YAWS Salvage Yard in Des Moines, Iowa. We announced we were looking for a "We-will-know-when-we-see-it!" and were granted permission to go "Treasure Hunting."

This being a large operation with probably 25 L O N G rows of all and any type of vehicles, we started walking. Row 1, row 2, row 3 --that's neat. Row 4, and on and on.

About 2 1/2 hours later, last row, around a corner, the clouds parted and a ray of sun settled on a cement slab and on a 1965 Dodge D-200. It looked a little weird and something was not quite right about it.

As we got closer, it finally registered it was painted a faded drab olive green, stepside, the tires looked wrong and on closer inspection showed 8.00 x 19.5 ... hmmm.

Glass was all good, interior complete minus ignition switch and gas filler tube. Opened the hood. A 225 slant six minus spark plug wires and carb. Put pressure on belt and rotated motor three times! Stuart called to me and said, "Hey, look at this!" He was squatting near the driver's side door. I went and looked. On the door was stencilled, "Property of U.S. Army." O.K.! Now it made sense!

I walked around "The Dodge" four or five more times. Wood missing or rotted in the bed, tailgate straight. Box and rear fenders great shape. Rear bumper straight. Dent on driver's front fender. Front bumper a bit bent and twisted. Two flat tires.

All in all, a great "Father / Son project."

I told Stuart, "I think I finally found it!"

He said, "Found what?"

I replied, "Something that will make my son SMILE!"

With that we headed back to the office and I asked the owner about "The Dodge." He said it was for sale, clean title, and he wanted $1000. I thought a bit and countered: "$750?"

He didn't bat an eye and said, "Ya, I'll do that."

I asked if he could deliver it to Madrid. He came back with, "For $50." I shook his hand and said, "DEAL!"

A day later I went back to the yard and paid the price, received the title, and the loaded "The Dodge." The driver followed me home and unloaded what was going to be my Son's new toy! I called David and said he had to come visit asap.! He told me he had a day off in two days.

I pulled the flat tires, cleaned the rims and oiled the tire beads and (with some colorful language), finally got the tires to air up! (They are still holding air! Believe it or not!)

Two days later, my Son arrived and asked, "What's up?"

I tossed the shop keys to him and told him to go look! I watched him go unlock, and walk in. Then I went out and walked in to find him slowly walking around "The Dodge" with wide eyes and mouth open.

He finally spotted me and his look of surprise changed to a smile you could not knock off with a sledge hammer! He stammered,
"When ... Where ... How ...I LOVE IT!!!"

He 'bout knocked me down with a monstrous hug! (He is bout 6'1" and 290lbs.)

Four days later, on his next day off, he came visiting with three of his buddies and broke out the soap, degreaser, window cleaner and power washer. I just stood back and watched "The Dodge" become clean and the boys were in need of a washing machine and a shower, with more thumbs up an smiles than I could count!

We have located a carb, floor patch panels, rockers, four new tires, and a complete parts truck with 4x4. The real fun is about to start as soon as a couple side jobs are completed.

A resurrected piece of history and old iron will soon be on the road with a very happy owner! For me ... time with my son ...priceless!

Stranger
Frank in Iowa

Frank (not really a "Stranger" when we met him at the 2013 Stovebolt Reunion in Kansas City ... one heck of a friendly guy ... a little shy maybe) is a great story-teller! He has " the fever" as you can tell from his stories and his project prictures. He started out on Stovebolt with a 1955 Second Series Chevrolet Shortbox NAPCO known as "Mater's Cousin." It wasn't long after that he was saving a 1959 GMC 370 LCF from the crusher! Frank's son David soon got "the fever" and although not a Stovebolt, he and Dad are restoring a 1965 Dodge D-200 -- another neat story that's only just begun. He also has quite a display of Past Projects in his Photobucket album.

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