22nd Nov 2008, 13:43
My Yellow 79 D-50 SPORT was still running when oil started showing up in the coolant at 428K miles. I took the engine to a machine shop to have it rebuilt, they went broke and I lost that engine. Over its lifetime, I had it painted four times before the passenger side was blasted with gravel off a roof in 110 mph winds. I had an employee tow me, engine-less, to the wrecking yard. On the way I realized why I had kept that truck for 23 years, and had him tow me back to the shop. The next day I had someone else take it away. I am still looking for another truck like that one, it was built on a sports car frame (Sapporo) and fit like my favorite slippers. I had very few repairs, a great ride, and incredible dependablity...I worked that 2.6 engine like it was an eight cylinder in a three quarter ton. I overloaded that truck many many times all over the western states in temperatures from below zero to 120 degrees. From interstates to winding high mountain roads it was both a great sales/delivery vehicle and a real work horse...the only thing that could have improved it was an extended cab... What a Pick-up!
14th Nov 2010, 13:42
I just recently purchased a base model D50 1979. It's nothing short of simplicity at its best! I needed it to get to and from work. As far as I can tell, it's the 2.0 with manual 4spd (LOL if it is a 5 spd, I haven't found that final gear yet), but it definitely beats having to contend with the fear of computer replacement and ill functioning electronic components, as found in today's "vehicles".
Simplicity, thy name is D50. Keeping it in the k.i.s.s. theory.
13th Jan 2011, 22:26
I bought a black and yellow D-50 from a Goodyear franchise for 150 bucks. Been awhile since I'd seen a truck like this. Mini truck with a rollbar! Owner said the "igniter" was out and didn't have any spark to the plugs. I bought a new distributor for 190 bucks, and slapped a battery in it, and drove it home. Named it the "Shop truck", because that's what it is! Registered it as an "antique vehicle". Runs great!
13th Mar 2011, 07:13
A family member just donated a 1980 D50 Sport to me. It is yellow with a little bit of rust, and for the most part seems like a solid runner. However, I have been warned about an issue with it stalling after being driven a little ways. It was recommended that I replace the carb. Any other ideas or suggestions?
DJ.
13th Mar 2011, 10:55
Its good to see the old D-50 still alive in America... when the Japanese giant Mitsubishi built that for Dodge back in the 70s and 80s... I had no ideal that they would hold up that long... Another Japanese import that was rebadged for Dodge that had a good run back then was the Dodge Colt, among others that lasted a long time...
15th Jan 2007, 09:05
This is an update on the D50 that is the subject of this review. Amazing!, still going strong at 425,000 miles. When my father retired from farming a few years back, he kept his old farm pickup which finally died. I gave him the D50 with the stipulation that I get it back when he decides that he is through driving. It left some BIG shoes that a 2000 Nissan Frontier with a V6 and 5-speed don't come close to filling. Barring disaster, I plan on driving the D50 into my retirement.