1975 Dodge B200 Royal Sportsman Maxiwagon for sale on BaT Auctions - ending December 29 (Lot #94,602) | Bring a Trailer this is really nice. good rims, really nice interior, good colors etc.
The Master cylinder mounting is clever. However, how does one check the fluid level, on one of these?
Same way on all others--pop the top and look inside. Looking in isn't blocked, but getting the wire bail off the lid's a PITA.
We had an 87 15 passenger Dodge van and then upgraded to a 94 15 passenger Dodge van. The dipsticks for the engine and trans do come out to the front of the engine compartment, as well as the filler neck for the engine oil. It was always my duty to check the oil before we left on a road trip. I am of the opinion that the dipstick on the Dodge vans of this era was the longest ever produced. (this is all conjecture of course, I honestly have no idea. But they were really freekin long)
They placed the entire unit in quite a vulnerable spot, if one of these vans were to rear-end a semi trailer or loading dock. Not that it's likely to happen. But in today's overprotective legislation environment of which cars are now designed as if an accident were inevitable, placing the master cylinder that far up front would be unthinkable. Once that mechanism locks in the middle lane of a freeway, after a collision, there's no way to drive off to the side. There's plenty of room enough to where a master and booster could fit under the floor board. In fact, there are conversion kits of this sort already available for hotrodding: https://www.partsforhotrods.com.au/...mbly-w-booster-master-cylinder-prop-valve-kit
Those are for cars that originally were built with their master cylinder under a hatch below the floorboard. Trying to bleed them is such a PITA also. Anyway, a collision has no bearing--the vehicle's gonna come to a jarring halt anyway.
Yeah, if hit at bumper level where the wheels would get locked, I suppose. Either which way, it's a no-win situation
I think it may suffer from the same problems as say, a '58-60 Lincoln, a postwar Power Wagon or a really nice old Caddy 75 Limo - it's just too much car (or truck) for most collectors. I'm not really a Dodge van kinda guy, but I have to say, this thing is kitted out nice and if you really had to own a vintage Dodge van, this would be the one.....
I'm guessing, it's not something of which one would associate with increasing in value or maybe even holding its value, over time. If it instead happened to be a Nomad in this shape, that would have been quite a vibrant auction. It's still a utility vehicle and is likely to keep serving as one, whereas well-kept expensive classics end up retiring mostly in private collections
Same discrimination that keeps the value of our wagons relatively low. They were never the Bell of the ball when new and it stays with them even now.
