1965 Dodge D200: A Forgotten Crew Cab Reborn With A Cummins 12-Valve

Zach Hidalgo, a 22-year-old design engineer at Cognito Motorsports, found this 1965 Dodge D200 crew cab by pure chance. He says, “I saw a truck that needed saving in a scrapyard.” The former Forest Service truck was actually lurking in the background of a photo of another vehicle for sale. He approached the owner with an offer, a deal was struck, and a build began that would encompass seven months to create this awesome truck.

Rust Everywhere, But The Truck Was Mostly Complete

The truck was in rough shape. The wheels were locked up, and the doors and floor pans were rusted through. On the upside, it was complete except for the front bumper. The key was still in the ignition, the previous owner’s belongings were scattered inside, and the service bed was packed with parts. Zach definitely had his work cut out for him.

Cummins 5.9 12-Valve Diesel With Compound Turbos

To kick off the build, Zach scored a 2008 Ford F-250 frame from Facebook Marketplace for $500. The Dodge had once been fitted with a Ford 351W V8 and a four-speed automatic, but he had no interest in reusing that setup. Instead, he went big and set a built Cummins 5.9-liter 12-valve running compound turbos between the framerails. The primary turbo came off a John Deere combine. The engine also sports a ported and polished head, ARP head studs, an upgraded injection pump, and a three-piece exhaust manifold. The result is a dyno-proven 550 horsepower.

Cooling comes from a second-gen Dodge-application Cold Case aluminum radiator with an OE second-gen Cummins clutch fan. Exhaust exits through a custom 4-inch pipe and a Coffin muffler. Dual Optima RedTop batteries help provide current.

Allison 1000 Transmission, NP273 T-Case

Bolted to the Cummins is a Merchant Automotive–built Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission. Right behind it sits a rebuilt NP273 two-speed transfer case from Zumbrota Drivetrain.

Dana 60 Up Front, Ford 10.5 Out Back

Zach also sourced a pair of axles from Zumbrota Drivetrain. Up front, a Ford Dana 60 packs a Yukon Grizzly Locker, Yukon manual locking hubs, and Apex Chassis billet steering links. Out back, a Ford 10.5 carries another Yukon Grizzly Locker. Both axles spin 4.10:1 gears.

Front Coilover Conversion, 35s, And More

The suspension is built to take on whatever off-road terrain Zach throws at it. Up front, the truck runs a coilover setup with Icon Vehicle Dynamics 3.0 remote-reservoir units, Icon 2.5 piggyback-reservoir secondary shocks, Cognito Motorsports radius arms, and a Carli Suspension Torsion Sway Bar Kit.

Out back, Carli 1-inch-lift leaf springs team up with Icon 2.5 piggyback shocks. Every 2.5 shock on the truck features the company’s Compression Damping Electronic Valve (CDEV) and Icon Intelligent Control. A Hellwig Products rear sway bar and Cognito adjustable traction bars round out the setup.

The big Dodge rides on 9-inch-wide Icon Alloy Recon Pro wheels wrapped in 35×12.50R17LT Toyo Open Country M/T tires.

Shortened Chassis, Lengthened Service Body

“I wasn’t able to find or buy a single piece of sheetmetal for this truck,” Zach says. After sandblasting, he had to build several parts from scratch, including floor pans, cab corners, and rocker panels. The Ford chassis was too long, so he shortened it by 8.5 inches. Once the restored Dodge body was set on the frame, he crafted a custom 12-inch high-clearance rear service-bed bumper and reworked the service bed’s wheel arches. Other exterior upgrades include a custom front bumper, Baja Designs lighting, and Chevy Cypress Gray paint.

Vintage, But Modern Interior

The truck’s interior blends vintage style with modern upgrades. It features TMI front and rear seats, GlowShift gauges in the factory dash, a modified factory steering column, and an aftermarket Peterbilt-application steering wheel. The firewall and bed tub are coated in Raptor Liner, and the cabin got an aftermarket audio system plus custom plaid door inserts and headliners.

Fav Feature: Cummins

When we asked Zach to pick his favorite feature, which is no easy task on a build this awesome, he said, “The 12-valve Cummins swap, because it offers plenty of power and reliability to make it to any destination.”