Dodge and Dodge Ram Pickups: An Illustrated History
Dodge and Dodge Ram Pickups: An Illustrated History
ITEM E517
By Pat Foster
The history of American automotive brands illustrates the tenor and spirit of their times. One of the most important is century-old Dodge/Ram trucks, a sales juggernaut that once propped up Chrysler Corp. and now does the same for international auto giant Stellantis. In Dodge and Dodge Ram Pickups—An Illustrated History, award-winning automotive author Patrick Foster details the genesis of today’s hot-selling Ram pickups, vans, and four-wheel drives. His research takes the reader from the Graham brothers (who built the first trucks sold through Dodge dealers) through Ram becoming a standalone brand in the 21st century, at which point it occupies the number-two position for light-duty truck sales in the world. Dodge/Ram enthusiasts will love this book, as will truck lovers in general, with its richly illustrated pages and detailed text.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patrick Foster is one of America’s best-known automotive journalists and a dedicated historian/author who has been writing for more than 25 years. Foster is a feature writer and columnist for Hemmings Classic Car and Old Cars magazines and a feature writer for Collectible Automobile and Vintage Truck magazines, as well. He has written 34 books and contributed material to several others. Accolades for his work include the Lee Iacocca Award, one of the most coveted honors in the car hobby, for excellence in automotive writing. Born in Burlington, Vermont, Foster resides in Milford, Connecticut.
Sftbd., 130 pgs., 8-1/2" x 11"
The prolific and well-regarded Pat Foster brings his knowledge and writing prowess to the history of Dodge and Ram volume sellers. He documents the half- and 3/4-ton pickups with “some coverage of the one-ton jobs” from their origin in 1914 through to a brief look at offerings for 2022. The book is laid out in eight chapters arranged chronologically to engagingly and informatively (two qualities not always guaranteed to be paired) tell that story. Each chapter is further subdivided by years. Chapter 1 begins the story with the role played by two sets of brothers—the Grahams and Dodges—and Walter P. Chrysler’s purchase of Dodge. Chapter 2 focuses on the significant role Dodge played in World War II, while Chapter 3 addresses the postwar models through 1953. The Dodge Model Cs are dealt with in Chapter 4, with the D/W-series models of 1957–71 covered in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 surveys 1972–80 and Chrysler’s tough times. Chapter 7 deals with what Foster calls the brand’s “struggle to recover” during 1981 to 1993. The final chapter offers an account of the “bold” 1994–2022 models. The collection of 179 black-and-white and color illustrations—photographs, sales literature, and advertisements—and their informative captions enhance the text.
Book Review by Robert Gabrick
