We just took a close look at an early Dodge D-series pickup the other day. but I just can’t pass by these two shots of them by Curtis Perry in front of overnight lodgings. Is this too good to be true? The Coed Lodge? As in men and women are allowed to rent a room together? Or just that women are allowed to rent a room? Another time; another place…Reno, Nevada, actually.
Things are a bit less complicated at the Peoriana Inn, which is located in Idaho Springs, CO. These shots from all over the remote parts of the West is giving me a strong urge to get out on the road and retrace some of the many back highways and byways that we covered in our old Chinook mini-motorhome. Unfortunately, it’s a bit worse for wear, so I need to start looking for something a bit newer.
Dodge got a lot of mileage out of that body–12 years with really the only difference in the three distinct nose treatments.
Not as much as they got out of the next one–21 years with only grille changes and a “shoulder line” in 1981 for the “all-new” Ram.
Idaho springs…LOVE that little ex mining town. They take their history and preservation of it pretty seriously…something any CC’er should be able to get behind. If I remember right, thats where Tommyknocker brewing is also. My sis and BIL love going up to ID spgs to unwind and hit up the brewery.
These Exner era D-series just dont get old. Does any old pickup look more at home in a rustic western setting? This is setting up a serious roadtrip itch that Im gonna have to scratch soon…
I haven’t been to Idaho Springs but have been to some of the nearby towns in the Rockies, a curious mix of various degrees of preserved old buildings and giant casinos. Pretty rugged and spectacular country, we were happy to visit in summer!
I wonder if the Peoriana Inn is in some way inspired by Peoria IL?
My grandfather’s last vehicle was a ’71 Dodge 4×4 pickup, green. Final year of this gen.
With plowing kit for Wisconsin.
Be careful what you post, Paul. You might put some of us into something akin to a sugar coma with all these great shots of these Dodge trucks.
As an aside, the Peoriana photograph looks perfect to be used as a poster.
Was stationed at a Navy unit at Fort Detrick in Frederick Md. The unit has an old short wheelbase dodge with slant six. When we had to put on an exhibit the Falcon was the officers Limo and we used to fight over who got to drive the truck.
Acceleration would make you think it was a briggs and stratton lawnmower engine but it would pull down a building. Would have loved to take it with me when I left.
Ha! The IDF infantry had W200s but they were 10 times better than the Israeli made Beeps or Mutts. The Israeli Navy’s missile strike craft (where I served) had two vehicles per MSC: a Renault 4 (used by the skipper) and Peugeot 404 or 504 pick ups. The Commodore had a Valiant…
IDF W200
Idaho Springs, CO will had a 1994 Caprice 9C1 still in service back in 2009 and I called them in 2011 or so they still had it.
These are some nice photos indeed and the Dodges only add to the photos’ atmosphere.
What’s a “Cable Air Conditioning Phone”? 🙂
This motel appears to be in Reno, and Coed Lodge is the name of the place.
I love these old motel signs that include things like “Color TV.” There are still a few around SoCal that the owners leave up for obvious reasons – my favorites are the ones that say “RCA Color TV.” I am most likely not the only one here who remembers motels with black and white portables in the corner (the shame). I remember a surprise encounter with one in a Las Cruces, New Mexico Holiday Inn circa 1972. Not something you’d expect in what was at the time a higher end chain.
Reminds me of how the first Motel 6 places (back when it was really only $6 for a room) only had B&W televisions. I don’t think they had A/C back in those days, either. Maybe not even a phone.
I guess when they went to color televisions, A/C, and telephones, they had to jack up the rates…
I can recall Motel 6s in the late 70s where it was 50c extra if you wanted to watch the B&W TV.
BTW, the very first Motel 6 by the beach in Santa Barbara is still there. It’s not exactly $6 a night anymore — on a summer weekend their room rate is $195.
I did a little reading about the history of Holiday Inn and sure enough – founder Kemmons Wilson insisted that all HI rooms have televisions, air conditioning, and telephones. Motel 6 and Super 8 scaled things back for the budget traveler.
I do remember that Motel 6 in Santa Barbara. Did not realize it was still there. I also remember the Sambo’s restaurants headquartered in Santa Barbara, with 10 cent coffee and an ill-chosen theme that turned out badly for the owners, Sam and Bo:
http://everything2.com/title/Sambo%2527s
Here’s one in Mojave, CA that brags about the rare luxury amenity of TELEVISION. The sign is gone now but was around until the late 00s.
White’s was a country wide chain back in the day .
For many years the sings remained here and there along Rt. 40 long after the buildings were abandoned and demolished .
-Nate
I honestly think that motels shouldn’t have TVs at all. They should be quiet places. I have had my sleep ruined many times by some simpleton who had it turned up loud, and the management wouldnt do anything about it. The concept is obsolete in an age of ubiquitus tablets and smartphones. Put in wifi and be done with it.
Courtesy of Google Street View, here’s another view of the Coed Lodge with a circa late ’80s Dodge truck. The topper over the utility body is an odd touch.
Those two photos are great ~ might make good postcards .
Hard to kill those old dodges , even in the South West rust gets the forward cab mounts , nothing else can stop these .
-Nate
Those old D-series Dodge trucks were the absolute ugliest trucks ever made, especially as that style lasted into the 1970s!
However, they do have a certain charm about them which I can’t explain. Perhaps the styling – or lack of it – is what made them have a certain appeal, like the ugly sister or brother, but with a heart of gold that drew others to them anyway.
Compare a 1971 model with the same year GM and they look as if from a different planet! Still cool, though.
Another nice photo. Curtis Perry is killing it.
+1