I have a pic of the broshure for one of these trucks...

Hi Sam, many conversion companies offered up scale paint, overhead consoles, wheels, names, aftermarket radios, and yes even cb radios. They tended to be regional. Anywhere from tasteful to gaudy was the theme. At the dealership I worked @
we sold 3) 76's a used 77, & used 79 that I can thik of off hand. Probably nothing as tasteful as the MACHO. Most conversions tended to be overpriced.

Horace...
Do you remember what they were, I remember you sold a few of the Viking Special trucks, but what were the other ones?
Sam

Does anyone have much info on spotting a first gen Dude? If I'm not mistaken, there's one sitting off the side of the road in Nixon, NV. It's yellow with a black C stripe similar to a 70 Super Bee. If memory serves me correct, it's a longbed, too.

Cody....
all of the original dude trucks were long beds, and were available in some of the same hi-impact colors as the muscle cars were...yes, it had a similar "C" stripe on it...if you do a google search and add "Don Knotts" to the search, you will probably pop some mag ads from 70-71, as he was a spokesman for them..

1st the the factory Dude had a stipe similar to the 70 SB but there was a like the head of a c'boy w/ hat if memory serves. One color was a maroon not available on other Dodges PU. Seems they had the "fake" vinyl roof a splater paint flat black.
I'll prob look up details.

Chry Corp seemed to be adaptable later season or extra models prob something auto makers should think about now. I remember a 52? Dodge w/ factory 2tone green my dad had sold new. Of, course there's the Sweptwing 57, 58, 59s. The real Dudes. The 76 Purple Vikings ( which Ford did in 71-72); 79 Pittsburgh Grabber: 76 started Warlocks; 77-81 Macho; 78-79 Express; Snofiters;Big Horn;
Palimino; 75 Custom Special, Street Van(great sellers). Remember ther was the mid year 243 Mitsubihi(sp) Diesel avail on 78 Dodges. Chrysler was adaptable in cars as well White Hat Specials, 58 Spring special, Regal Lancer, Midnite Charger & of course lots more. IT IS CALLED MARKETING STUPID, maybe you don't have to give the store away just make a neat pkg someone might want to purchase.
Sometimes something as simple as spring colors (3) in 58, (2) in 54 (4) in 69 or a very hot Panther pink or smashed bug geen in 70. Whatever happened to American ingenuity? Was it too much money for so called executives out of the gate ? Enough of that.
We used to order car colors on some new pu, the regional office didn't like it but they went over well. Roll up your sleeves get 'er done

All companies made trucks available often in the form of pool vehicles where the conversion company took many trucks which were ready to be converted a few ahead of time as a true "DEMO" others ready & waiting. Viking(not to be confused with 76 Vikings) in Flandereau SD was one. Often dealers tended to deal w/converters regionally desrination charges of couse making them more attractive price wise. Also it was easier for closer convertors to call on dealers.
Convertors would add the all important CB(remember those), aftermarket radio, popular was fancy paint, maybe a seat change probably more so in later years, wheel & tire change was common, over head consoles were common, I don't think there was much for suspenion changes except the Top Hand which really seemed to have Dodge's blessing. Remember this was also being done to Vans as well.
There was the Gentleman Truck, War Horse I'm sure there was host & host more.
How you get Viking Conversion for a name in SD would be interesting. In a word Sam, anything really went w/ conversions. Dodge or ? sold a pu, a conversion company did some work made $, customer was happy. Later these conversions had have certain % done to qualify. Some were even shipped w/o seats from the fact.

Wow, that's one thing most of us don't have.
First hand knowledge.
Horace I read your post 3 times.
Really cool stuff. Think it's why I love the internet.
Have always wondered how many MACHO's were made?
And have searched (in Vain) for an 81 MACHO TRUCK
for several years now. Why aren't there any 81s out there?

On moparstyle.com go into forums, then Dodge Plym Fargo trucks the thread "unusual older Dodge trucks" 4th page posting by slantsick shows the real Dude flyer.
It's lime green w/ full lengt c stripe w/ a caboy hat on the stripe. Don Knotts is prauising the DUDE

the original DUDE truck

here is another one of those Don Knotts Dude in blue
http://bringatrailer.com/2009/01/25/the ... e-pick-up/