The Dodge A100 is a range of compact vans and trucks that Chrysler built from 1964 to 1970 under the Dodge name in the United States and as a Fargo in Canada. Its forward-control layout put the driver above the front axle and the engine between the front seats, just behind the front wheels.
Dodge A100 at a glance
| Maker | Chrysler Corporation (Dodge; Fargo in Canada) |
|---|---|
| Production | 1964-1970 |
| Class | compact van and pickup |
| Layout | forward control, cab over the front axle |
| Construction | unibody |
| Wheelbase | 90 in; 108 in for the A108 |
| Engines | 170 and 225 cu in slant-six; 273 and 318 cu in V8 |
| Rivals | Ford Econoline, Chevrolet Van, Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier, Volkswagen Type 2 |
| Replaced by | Dodge B series for 1970 |
| Famous example | the Little Red Wagon exhibition drag truck |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Dodge A100.
History of the Dodge A100
The A100 competed with the Ford Econoline, the Chevrolet Van, the Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier and the Volkswagen Type 2. The range included a pickup truck and a van, both with a forward-control design: the driver sat on top of the front axle with the engine between the front seats, just behind the front wheels, making the vehicle a cab-over. The unibody bodies sat on a short 90-inch wheelbase. From 1967 to 1970 Dodge also offered the A108 with a longer 108-inch wheelbase, a version that was popular with camper conversion companies.
The engine range changed over the years. From 1964 to 1966 the base unit was the 170 cu in slant-six with 101 hp, while the 225 cu in slant-six of 145 hp was available throughout production; the 198 cu in slant-six appeared for 1970 with 125 hp. V8 power arrived with the 273 cu in LA engine in 1965-1966 and continued with the 318 cu in LA V8 of 210 hp from 1967 to 1970.
From 1966 to 1971 Dodge also built L-Series medium-duty cab-over trucks with a tilting forward-control cab based on the front body of the A100. The same cab was used in Villaverde, Spain, to build the Barreiros 42/45 and 42/55 trucks after 1969, with a locally built inline-four diesel.
The A100 was replaced for 1970 by the larger Dodge B series, which was only available as a van and did not include a pickup. The A100 also became familiar away from the showroom: a substantially modified, Hemi-powered A100 pickup called the Little Red Wagon, driven by Bill “Maverick” Golden, was a popular drag strip attraction from the 1960s into the early 2000s. The van appeared in the television series That ’70s Show and in the film Cars as the character Dusty Rust-eze, and an A100 in various colours was a frequent getaway vehicle in the 1960s Batman series.
Design and features
- Forward control: the driver sits over the front axle and the engine sits between the seats.
- Short wheelbase: just 90 inches, with a 108-inch A108 offered from 1967.
- Van and pickup: the range covered both body styles, unlike the B series that followed.
- Little Red Wagon: a Hemi-powered A100 pickup that became a famous wheelstanding drag truck.
Dodge A100 versions
- A100 van: the compact forward-control van.
- A100 pickup: the matching light truck, base for the Little Red Wagon.
- A108 (1967-1970): the long-wheelbase version favoured by camper converters.
- L-Series trucks (1966-1971): medium-duty cab-over trucks using the A100 cab front.
The A100 was replaced by the Dodge Ram Van line, and its chassis ideas lived on in the Dodge LCF series. More Dodge models are in the Dodge collection.
Sources
- Dodge A100, English Wikipedia: layout, engines, L-Series, popular culture
.jpg){kind=link}