Dodge 300

Last updated

Dodge 300
Dodge 300 (LAD) in grimy grey.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Dodge UK
Production1957-1965
Assembly Kew, United Kingdom
Body and chassis
Body style Cab over
Platform LAD cab
Chronology
Successor Dodge 500

The Dodge 300 was a medium- to heavy-duty cab over truck built by Dodge's British arm at their Kew plant from 1957 until the mid-sixties. It was replaced by the Ghia-designed Dodge 500 which appeared in late 1964. [1] Following the retirement of the 300, Dodge's Kew plant was shuttered as production was moved to Dunstable. [2]

Contents

Design

Truck and tractor models were available, as well as a four-wheel drive model for military use. The weight range offered was from 5 to 9 long tons (5,100 to 9,100 kg), with the tractor models being rated for 10 or 12 long tons (10,200 or 12,200 kg). [1] Most Dodge 300s received diesel engines from Perkins.

The Motor Panels cab design used was shared with Leyland and Albion. [2] It is therefore often referred to as the "LAD" cab (Leyland-Albion-Dodge).

Bus Models

A bus variant of the Dodge 300 was developed in the early 1960s, but only eight were built. A prototype model S306 with a Leyland engine and Weymann bus body was built in 1962 (registered 2498PK), followed by a model S307 with Perkins engine and Marshall bus body in 1964 (registered 3033PE). These were used as demonstrators by Dodge, but the only orders which resulted were for six S307 models with Strachans coach bodies which were delivered to Rickards of Brentford later in 1964 (registered AYV93B to AYV98B).

1972-1982 models

From 1972 on, a new Dodge 300 series of heavy lorries was sold in the UK. These were made in Spain by Chrysler Spanish subsidiary, and included a 38-tonne tractor and four, six and eighth-wheelers rigids. Sales took off well, and the model was not dropped until 1982, well after Renault Véhicules Industriels took control of Chrysler Europe truck operations.


Related Research Articles

Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis North America, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above Plymouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leyland Motors</span> Lorry and bus manufacturer

Leyland Motors Limited was a British vehicle manufacturer of lorries, buses and trolleybuses. The company diversified into car manufacturing with its acquisitions of Triumph and Rover in 1960 and 1967, respectively. It gave its name to the British Leyland Motor Corporation, formed when it merged with British Motor Holdings in 1968, to become British Leyland after being nationalised. British Leyland later changed its name to simply BL, then in 1986 to Rover Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commer</span> British van, lorry and bus manufacturer

Commer was a British manufacturer of commercial and military vehicles from 1905 until 1979. Commer vehicles included car-derived vans, light vans, medium to heavy commercial trucks, and buses. The company also designed and built some of its own diesel engines for its heavy commercial vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ram pickup</span> American full-size pickup built by Stellantis

The Ram pickup is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by Stellantis North America and marketed from 2010 onwards under the Ram Trucks brand. The current fifth-generation Ram debuted at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, in January of that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Associated Equipment Company</span> British vehicle manufacturer

Associated Equipment Company (AEC) was a British vehicle manufacturer that built buses, motorcoaches and trucks from 1912 until 1979. The name Associated Equipment Company was hardly ever used; instead it traded under the AEC and ACLO brands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge D series</span> Motor vehicle

The D/W series is a line of pickup trucks that was sold by Dodge from October 1960 to September 30, 1993. The same basic design was retained until the October 1993 introduction of a completely redesigned Ram. The D/W series shared its AD platform with the Dodge Ramcharger/Plymouth Trail Duster twins. 4x2 models were designated D, while 4x4 models were designated W.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge C series</span> Motor vehicle

The C series is a line of pickup trucks sold by Dodge from 1954 until 1960. It replaced the Dodge B series of trucks and was eventually supplanted by the Dodge D series, introduced in 1961. Unlike the B series, which were closely related to Dodge's prewar trucks, the C series was a complete redesign. Dodge continued the "pilot house" tradition of high-visibility cabs with a wraparound windshield introduced in 1955. A two-speed "PowerFlite" automatic transmission was newly available that year. The Dodge Town Panel and Town Wagon also used the new design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge B series</span> Motor vehicle

Dodge has used the B series name on two different vehicles, a pickup truck and a van.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seddon Atkinson</span> Company

Seddon Atkinson Vehicles Limited, a manufacturer of large goods vehicles based in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England, was formed after the acquisition in 1970 of Atkinson Vehicles Limited of Preston by Seddon Diesel Vehicles Limited of Oldham. In 1974, the firm was acquired by International Harvester, which sold it in March 1984 to the Spanish group Enasa which made it a subsidiary of Pegaso. In 1990, it became part of Iveco which used the brand for various types of specialised vehicles in the United Kingdom. The range of models produced included EuroMover, Pacer and Strato, which are aimed at refuse collection, recycling and construction operators.

Scammell Lorries Limited was a British manufacturer of trucks, particularly specialist and military off-highway vehicles, between 1921 and 1988. From 1955 Scammell was part of Leyland Motors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge 50 Series</span> British truck

The Dodge 50 Series, later known as the Renault 50 Series, were light commercial vehicles produced in the UK by Chrysler Europe and later Renault Véhicules Industriels between 1979 and 1993 as a replacement for the earlier Dodge Walk-Thru stepvan and smaller Dodge Spacevan cab-over van. The Dodge 50 series utilized the same cab as the American Dodge B series vans, however in a modified state catered for European regulations. The chassis however was British-deisgned and had no parts shared with the American van, being significantly bigger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karrier</span> British commercial vehicle manufacturer

Karrier was a British marque of motorised municipal appliances and light commercial vehicles and trolley buses manufactured at Karrier Works, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, by Clayton and Co., Huddersfield, Limited. They began making Karrier motor vehicles in 1908 in Queen Street South, Huddersfield. In 1920, H.F. Clayton sold Clayton and Co's Huddersfield business into public listed company Karrier Motors while keeping their Penistone operation separate. Mechanical and electrical engineers Clayton & Co Penistone, remain active in 2020 as Clayton Penistone Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge 500</span>

The Dodge 500 was a heavy duty truck introduced in 1964 and built in the United Kingdom by Dodge. It replaced Dodge UK's earlier 300 series cab over trucks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge 100 "Commando"</span>

The Dodge 100 "Commando" models also known as Dodge Commando 100 Series are 7.5–28 short tons (6.8–25.4 t) trucks built by Dodge in England, primarily in the 1970s and 1980s. A previous Dodge 100, known informally as the "parrot-nose" or "Kew Dodge", was produced in the 1950s at a factory in Kew, London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Military Pattern truck</span> 3 ton 4x4 Cargo

Canadian Military Pattern (CMP) trucks were mutually coherent ranges of military trucks, made in large numbers, in several classes and numerous versions, by Canada's branches of the U.S. 'Big Three' auto-makers during World War II, compliant to British Army specifications, primarily intended for use in the armies of the British Commonwealth allies, but also serving in other units of the British Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge WC series</span> American WWII light military trucks

The Dodge WC series is a range of light 4WD and medium 6WD military utility trucks, produced by Chrysler under the Dodge and Fargo marques during World War II. Together with the 14-ton jeeps produced by Willys and Ford, the Dodge 12‑tons and 34‑tons made up nearly all of the light 4WD trucks supplied to the U.S. military in WWII – with Dodge contributing some 337,500 4WD units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leyland Comet</span> Motor vehicle

The Leyland Comet was a long running badge used by Leyland for a series of trucks intended mainly for export markets. The name lives on in India, where Ashok Leyland still uses the badge today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge 100 "Kew"</span>

The Dodge 100 "Kew" was a range of trucks made from 1949 until 1957 by the American Dodge company at their British factory in Kew, London. The trucks were often nicknamed the "parrot nose" due to their distinctive shaped bonnets and grilles. Most of the trucks were powered by either Perkins diesel or Chrysler petrol engines. The cab body was built by Briggs Motor Bodies and was shared with the Ford Thames ET6 and Leyland Comet. They were featured in the 1957 film Hell Drivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commer FC</span> Motor vehicle

The Commer FC was a forward control commercial vehicle produced by Commer from 1960 to 1976. During its lifespan, it was developed into the Commer PB in 1967, and the Commer SpaceVan in 1974. After the Rootes Group, which owned Commer, was purchased by Chrysler, the SpaceVan was also sold under the Dodge, DeSoto and Fargo marques. From 1976 onwards, the van was only sold as the Dodge SpaceVan, and it remained in production until 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge T-, V-, W-Series</span> Motor vehicle

In 1939 Dodge presented a completely new designed line of pickups and trucks. Formally the T series for 1939, V series for 1940, and the W series from 1941 through 1947, the trucks became mostly known as the Dodge Job-Rated trucks.

References

  1. 1 2 Wright, Kelsey; Zatz, David. "Kew Dodge: Dodge Trucks from the United Kingdom". Allpar Trucks. Allpar LLC. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 "A Brief History of Dodge Trucks in the UK". Rusty Trucks. Retrieved 16 May 2014.