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Posted by MoparNorm on Sunday, June 15, 2008 at 11:28:27 :
In Reply to: Re: Sweptline, Sweptside, Utiline...? posted by Glenn Reid in CA on Saturday, June 14, 2008 at 20:22:54 :
Glenn,
What Eric wrote is fairly close, except for the part about Don Bunn and Sweptline Era name. Dodge called the Sweptline truck, the "Dart" in 1961, I've never seen it called a Power Giant after that, but I suppose a uniformed copy writer or pundit from those times could have mistakenly called the Dart trucks, Power Giant's. However, from 1962 until 1971 Dodge called it the Sweptline. In Dodge brochures, from the outset, the terms Sweptline and Utiline have been used to describe the bed types as well as the "Sweptline Era" of '61 to 71'.
Terms such as Smoothside, Fleetside, Stepside, etc, are terms from GM and Ford and are not for polite conversation in mixed company....= )
I have a collection of original Dodge brochures, the term Sweptline has been a factory term from the beginning, Don Bunn just copied what he read.
If you look at the Sweptline Bed, you'll see the stylized 'swept' belt line, that line runs from the headlights to the tailgate, making the Cab an integral part of the Sweptline Truck, even though beds are differentiated by the terms Sweptline and Utiline, the term Sweptline is indeed the name given by Dodge for (1961 Dart, by default) 1962 to 1971 Dodge Trucks. The Sweptline actually did continue until 1973 in the 600 and up series, finally replaced by the "Lifestyle Era" body that ran from 1972 until 1993 when it was in turn, replaced by the Ram.
As far as "Power Giant" is concerned, the first time I see that in print, in the 1950's, is when a Dodge brochure for the Chicago Auto Show refers to the VC800 and P500 with the Cummins V-6 diesel with a Turbo, the Cummins Turbo Diesel engine was called the "Power Giant" and the name stuck...unfortunately the brochure is undated.
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