Come meet Green Bean, the 1955 Dodge C1-D6-126, 1 Ton, Stake Bed Truck.
A well used and taken care of truck, read below to find out her story and some history. See what Bob Morton has done and where this is heading.
Don’t forget to scroll down to see all of the pictures.
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Make, Model, Year:
1955 Dodge C1-D6-126, 1 Ton, Stake Bed Truck.
This is Green Bean.
She was ordered from Munson-Smith Motors of Tacoma, WA on 12/15/1954 and delivered on or about 1/3/1955, officially making her a 1955 model, though she was built in 1954. Total cost with heater/defroster, electric wipers and turn signals was $2,214.50.
Her new owner was Tashio Fujioka, of Vashon Island, Washington, a second generation Japanese American born in 1912, who along with many others spent WWII interned in an American concentration camp in Tule Lake, California.
While he was away his house on his strawberry farm was used as a birthing center. Many babies were born there during the war.
After the war, when he returned from imprisonment Mr. Fujioka, still genuinely believing in the American Dream, spent many decades working hard on his farm.
It was during this prosperous time that he bought and used this old farm truck. Tashio never married and had no children; he died in 2010 at 98 years old.
I’ve been to the island a couple of times. I’ve been to the farm which has new owners and is now a sustainable farm. I was given a tour and I got to see the ornamental trees he planted decades ago. I’ve been in the shed where Green Bean spent so much time, out of the weather, when she wasn’t working.
We were invited to the annual Strawberry Festival there and were featured in their small town parade to honor all of the Japanese American farmers from the island.
The old truck was briefly owned by two others before I bought her a few years ago.
She was impeccably cared for by her original owner.
The original paint still shines nicely, showing just a bit of patina in a couple places. The interior is still all original: door panels, seat upholstery, headliner, dash and paint all nicely preserved.
The original drive train has never been out or rebuilt, though some gaskets, seals, hoses, etc. have been replaced for reliability.
All new bias ply tires and brakes were installed, and a gear change from 4.89 to 4.10 helps to make her more drive-able.
I added a right-hand brake and tail light using NOS parts.
I also added an in-cab rear-view mirror and seat belts as safety upgrades.
The wooden bed and side rails are all 100% original and in near perfect condition. The only cosmetic change was to paint the wheels the correct shade of green to match the rest of the truck.
Green Bean is happy to be in a parade, go to a car show, load up for the dump, help someone move or drive over a mountain pass (at her own speed, of course).
She spends most of her time in our home shop with her little friend, my 1972 Plymouth Duster running a Slant 6.
I am her caretaker for now, but eventually she’ll go to a deserving grandson.
I hope to get her to a Vintage Truck show here in Washington State soon.
Check out the pictures below, make sure to click on the picture to see the full version.
Before you go, check out these articles. Restoration and I’m going to fix it someday
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