posted at the Cohort by Nathan Williams
Every car has a story, but this one’s is a bit complicated. Yes, this is a former British military truck, befitting its very British name. And yes, that is a Dodge van cab, as originally used by Reynolds Boughton. Here’s my best shot at explaining it.
In the late ’70s, Chrysler Europe was in desperate need of a new light-medium truck, as the old Commer PB was very long in tooth. So they hit on the idea to use the American Dodge van cab, and adapt it to a very different European chassis. In the middle of developing what became the Dodge 50, Chrysler bailed on Europe and sold their ops to PSA. But PSA had no use for the Dodge truck line, as they had their own line, so the Dodge was sold to Renault. So these were sold by Renault, as the Dodge 50. It’s a small world after all…
The line included several models going up into the low-medium class.
Most had one of three Perkins diesel engines, but a version of the 225 slant six was available too.
The cab interior was totally different than the US version, with a very simple dash and a modular IP, which made it easy to locate it on either side for RHD and LHD.
Here’s a better view of that dash. There was also a step van version too.
That brings us to the Reynolds Boughton RB44. It was a private venture, and after a lengthy development, went into service with the British Army in 1989, or 1992, depending on the source. Some 2000 were built. It too used a Perkins diesel engine. And it looks mighty tough. And obviously, the cab was bought from Dodge, meaning Renault actually.
And this is obviously a privatized RB44, with its military front end intact but nicely refurbished. It undoubtedly makes a very capable rig for overlanding. I’d have one of these as a second van, for when the really rough stuff calls.
Here’s a shot of the back end, sandwiched between two more conventional vans.
We’re these cabs, either as assemblies or individual stampings, shipped from the US to a Europe? Or did they duplicate the tooling there? Fascinating in any case, and in a sense, the opposite of the Ducato/ProMaster lineage.
I’ve seen exactly one Dodge-Renault 50-series so far, 4 years ago, at a major show for Renault vehicles. At first, I had no idea what I was looking at.
It was a 1984 S56 motorhome-conversion with the 4-cylinder Perkins diesel. Originally a full-size panel van, just like the white one in the brochure.
Ironically the white camper behind is a Talbot which is part of the Peugeot side of the fall-out from the Chrysler Europe story, while the other van this Dodge replaced was the Commer/Dodge Walk-Thru, hence the large parcel version.
And ironically, that Talbot is also the same van as the first gen Fiat Ducato. These vans were sold with an Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Peugeot, Citroën and Talbot badge.
Fascinating — I never would have guessed how this came to be.
Another unknown Renault pairing!
The styling looks distinctly different, but the only real difference is that the parking lights are under the headlights (GMC style) instead of in the grille. I like the Euro way better.
All those amazing variants and I’ll bet you could take the doors off any one (except the high roof model) and swap with any and every North American 1971-78 B-series. It doesn’t appear they changed anything.
The Dodge 50 is actually the second RB-44 cab, Reynolds-Boughton originally used Ford A-series cabs like this fire engine until Ford stopped making them. The A series was a sort of super sized Transit that filled the gap between the medium duty D series/Cargo and the largest Transits.
Reynolds-Boughton made all sorts of 4×4 conversions and specialized body work including wreckers and garbage trucks and still operates as Boughton Engineering making bodies and equipment.
The Ford A is the largely forgotten Transit even though it was done in the Matchbox range (61d). There were parcel van versions too and it was used for minibuses, as were the Dodge 50s.
I seem to remember these used to be quite popular for horsebox conversions, I remember seeing quite a few of them on the roads when I was younger, as well as the army versions.
the one pictured is an E registration so would be from 1987/88.
Paul, this is very interesting to the old truck guy that I am. Unfortunately, those Perkins Diesels were not installed I the U.S. versions which would have made them quite fuel efficient. I had fun reading the German, too.
Wow, that’s wild, it looks pretty good though. Can’t recall ever seeing one but if I did now I’d be wondering what exactly I saw. One of the most interesting Cohort finds to date IMO.
So I see, from the 4th pic in this article. I’m guessing the text about it was on the previous page…any chance we might see it?
I’m honestly so happy you picked up in this one.
I’ve posted a few things to the cohort but this was down with an honest opinion that it’d be right up your street.
I’ve a few photos of pre paint job when it was very very green, but have never had the opportunity to talk to the owners. Yet