Vintage Views – Diamond T Model 201
Diamond T pickup trucks came as a surprise to me. I’ve always known DTs as heavy trucks from the time my father bought a ’28, converted it into a fuel tanker, and used it for local parades.
Big, brutish haulers sparring nothing to make them strong and reliable, They were just what founder Charles Tilt aimed for, and for many years, just what the serious trucker needed. Starting in 1936, DT decided to add a line of light trucks to fill out its offerings and allow its customers the pleasure of owning a fleet of all DT trucks. Two years later DT redesigned them and started making the Model 201 pickup trucks, which continued until 1949. They were
offered either as 1-ton pickup trucks, or as single or dual-wheel cab or chassis with the expected missed production during WWll. Pre-war trucks could be ordered with standard cabs or with deluxe cabs, which had crank-operated twin windshields; more stainless and chrome;
convenience and comfort options; a banjo steering wheel; a turned metal dash; full wheel covers; and while the standard cabs were painted Diamond T Red, the deluxe added a green band at the beltline. Pre-war 201 panel and open-express models were available in addition to the pickup and cab or chassis, but not post-war. All cab or chassis bodies except the pickup were installed through dealers or by the owners.
The featured ’48 Diamond T Model 201 1-ton pickup truck is an excellent example of the series with a stellar history. It rolled off the Chicago assembly line and was shipped to Mitchell, South Dakota, where it was purchased by a farmer who loved the look of it and bought it to travel the 2 miles back and forth to town. When he traded it for an El Camino in 1969, the old 201 had traveled only 11,000 miles in 21 years.
The next owner was a fur buyer from Cog swell, North Dakota, who had the truck cleaned and repainted so he could use it as a rolling ad and in parades. He owned the DT for the next 20 years and managed another 6,700 miles in that time. When Bill Pohl, the present owner, bought it in 1989, it still had two of the original tires on it (recapped). In 1991, Bill and friend Dave Kelley started a 13-month frame-off restoration that left the truck one of the nicest around -and an award winner. Surprisingly, the engine is still original except for the gaskets and the seals, because when the engine was inspected, it was detennined that there was no need to tear it down.
The engine is a Hercules QXLD3 L-head six with 236 cubes producing 91 hp at 3,200 rpm and 190 Ib-ft of torque at 1,400 rpm. The (3) suffuc indicates the Hercules had three gears in front: one to drive the cam, one to drive the water pump, and an idler. The fan and generator were belt-driven. The chrome-nickel iron block houses a seven-main, counter-balanced crank, and the engine is fully pressure-lubed.
Fuel is fed through a single Zenith big-block, and the resulting power is managed by a Warner r9 non-synchro four-speed that will turn you into a double-clutching fool, according to Bill. It uses a Clark straight-axle up front, and the 1-piece open driveshaft twists a Clark R650
full-floating axle with a 4.62:1 ratio that me’ilns the Dr won’t get there too fast, but it will pull stumps.
The 201 also has four-wheel, hydraulic, 14-inch drum brakes for stopping power and a frame with both perimeter and X-section rails, making it extremely stiff. It uses a 119-inch wheelbase and 7.50-16 tires riding over cast hollow-spoke Firestone rims, and came with full chrome-plated wheel covers.
Options for the Diamond r 201 included the pickup body for $165; the deluxe cab for $215; foglights at $11.25 per pair; a governor for $5.75; and a heater and defroster for $35. An extra mirror on the right side cost $3.75; directional signals added $24; stop and taillight for the
right side, $3.40; matched dual horns, $6; and rear shocks were $20; while an oil filter was a great investment at just $8. Six ply 6.50-16 tires cost 16 bucks, while an upgrade to 7.50s added $50 plus $10.60 in Federal tire tax. If you wanted dual wheels (not available on
the pickup), it cost you a whopping $92 plus tax at $11.34.
The base price in 1948 was $1,275, and typically the Dr pickups were about 25 percent higher than comparable GM/Ford/Dodge trucks of the day.
What this meant is that the 201 was never a fast seller. In fact, the primary reason these trucks were continued so long was that it was embarrassing to have Dr dealers drive other brands as shop trucks. Although those who owned them appreciated them for their strength,
durability, and reliability, they were not as commercially viable as the mass-produced competition. As it was, Diamond r sold a majority of
these trucks to dealers -although they were available to others by request. For this reason, Dr did not promote the 201 in its regular ads after WWII, and it was prililarily sold by word of mouth, making the original numbers slim and the survivors slimmer.
What about your truck? Have something that fits this column?
Get in touch at roddoc@madisontelco.com or at P.O. Box 204, Mt. Olive, IL 62068. 7R
