As an attendee at the SEMA Show, you expect to see greatness. After all, this is the biggest automotive show in the world, and who wouldn’t bring something nice, right? After seeing a few pictures and videos of a few items from the show, it isn’t uncommon to see some less-than-stellar fabrication or painting skills. For the guys at MOPAR, though, this sadness was not something they would accept when building this ultra-cool D200 hauler.

A few weeks before the show, a leaked rendering of an immaculate D200 Dodge truck was spotted, and ever since that sighting, I couldn’t wait to see it in person. Sure enough, it didn’t disappoint. Surrounded by done-up Jeeps, all-out race cars, and even the 2020 Drag Pak Challenger, this 1968 Dodge D200 pickup was by far the best looking thing in the area.

This red hue looked familiar for some reason. During our outing with Ram trucks just a few short months ago, we noticed this very same Delmonico Red color on the late-model trucks. You guessed it, This “Lowliner” custom is coated with that same paint. All I can say is it rocked the showroom floor. Between this red coat and the “Dairy Cream” accents, this is a mean-looking truck.

Customization of old trucks continues to be a growing trend in the aftermarket world, so Mopar designers rescued this ’68 heavy-duty and turned it into this candied beauty you see.

The designers fully boxed the original C-channel frame, substantially lowered the ride height, and lengthened the wheelbase for a more dramatic stance. Believe me when I say it looks dramatic. But, that’s not all. On the nose, the crew also designed a custom power-tilting front end that hides the legendary 5.9-liter Cummins engine and six-speed transmission that rides between the frame rails.

The front axle of the truck is moved 3 inches forward, pushing the front wheels closer to the front corners for a more proportionate look. Also, a custom air-ride suspension is added to the front and the rear of the Lowliner with three modes: Low, Driving Height, and Driving Height Plus.

Other cool features we’ve noticed are the delicate ghosting of the Mopar Omega M logo on the front fenders and the “DODGE” logo on the tailgate.

To package the air-suspension components and relocate the fuel tank, the truck’s bed floor was raised 6 inches, by welding a late-model Ram bed floor in its place. To house the larger tires, the rear fenderwells were widened 5 inches.

As for the wheel and tire package, Lowliner features a ’60s “smoothie” look. The wheels are custom-designed and measure 22×9.5 up front and 22×11 on the rear. The wheels are wrapped in 285/35R22 and 325/35R22 tires for a muscular appearance.

To streamline the exterior of the Lowliner concept, designers created a smooth body surface by eliminating elements such as door handles, badging, fuel filler cap, and radio antenna. The original headlamps have been replaced with 7-inch LEDs, and the taillights are a custom-built package with integrated backup lights.

Looking at the interior, the original bench seat has been covered in orange-amber Blazing Saddle Tan leather with a distressed look. The headliner is also leather with the Mopar Omega M logo stitched into it. The original 1968 steering wheel has been retained with the original Dodge Fratzog emblem on the horn ring cap. Instrumentation has been re-worked with seven custom Mopar gauges mounted to a unique “engine turned” aluminum panel. To top it off, the floor-mounted shifter is topped with a translucent, metal-flaked ball stamped with the Cummins logo.

Chassis 

• 24-valve Cummins engine
• Six-speed manual transmission
• Custom four-link rear suspension, DANA 60 axle with 3.65 gears
• Custom-built independent front suspension
• 13-inch front disc-brake rotors, six-piston calipers
• 12-inch rear disc-brake rotors, single-piston calipers
• Custom rack-and-pinion steering
• 12-gallon fuel system
• Single 4-inch exhaust with twin outlets

Exterior

• 1968 Dodge D200 Sweptline (Camper Special) 2WD
• Custom “Smoothie” billet wheels
• Candied Delmonico Red exterior paint with Dairy Cream accents
• Custom shaved ornaments
• Custom electric door poppers
• Custom LED headlamps
• Custom LED taillights
• Custom power-tilt front end

I realize this is a one-of-a-kind build, but I am praying there is more of this out there in the process. Builds like this deserve some credit for the quality and time put into them. What are your thoughts on this custom “Lowliner” build from the guys at Mopar? Let us know in the comments below. Stay tuned to Diesel Army for more news and discussions from the diesel performance industry.