1964 Custom Sports Special and High Performance Package

This Truck was submitted to the CSS Registry in 2006 by Jeff Delfeld and is being made public in 2021.

Jeff writes:
In 2006, I hired a gentleman, “Abe” to repair my irrigation well. Through the project, we talked many hours about motorcycles, guns, cars and trucks. I told him I had a 2005 Dodge RAM SRT Pickup. After looking at the SRT, he looked at me and said I have the predecessor to that truck. He said that his truck had factory traction bars (torque rods), dual point distributor, bucket seats, factory sun tac installed in the dash and push button torque flight automatic transmission with a 426-street wedge motor. Not really knowing what he meant, what he was talking about or if he just put a big motor in a truck for racing, when he was young, I was interested in seeing his truck. That day during our lunch hour, I went home and did some research on the Internet and found Ben Simons CSS/HPP Registry website.

A few weeks went by, and I called Ben Simons with the CSS/HPP Registry, and sent him pictures of the VIN, Dataplate, and SERT. Ben verified this truck was the real deal.

This 1964 CSS/HPP426 D-100 Street Wedge, had been parked in the field for 30+ years. It needed some work, but I couldn’t believe that it really did exist. I asked him if he wanted to sell it. He said he wanted to keep it for a while and he wasn’t done with it yet. I respected and understood that.

As his story goes, the truck was purchased new by an unknown person, paid for upfront before it could be built, in Omak Washington. At some time the original owner traded the pickup in at Goery’s Dodge Chrysler/Plymouth Dealer, in Brewster, Washington, where Abe purchased it in his early 20’s. When I met Abe I believe he knew what he had with this pickup, but the hours we spent together working on it and the stories he shared will always be treasured. For example, he was sitting in the movie theater when a young man approached him and wanted to race him. After several times Abe telling him no, he was there to watch the movie, the guy didn’t take no for an answer, Abe got up, they raced several times with Abe beating him every time and Abe made it back to the movie while the previews were just getting over. The more I listened to his stories, the more research I did to better understand about this pickup since I never knew it existed.

As our friendship grew the CSS/HPP 426 D-100 Street Wedge became Abe’s and my project one winter. We hauled it to my shop. We cleaned the engine, replaced hoses, belts, windshield, some wiring, re-built the carburetor, recovered the seats with original replacement seat covers, new carpet on the floor, new headliner, completely new brakes system, cleaned fuel tank, over 80 hours hand buffing to keep the patina and bring back the original color. I have the original wheels but replaced them with new tires and wheels since we take it out and drive it around town.

Original Undercoating still doing its job after 56 years. The Truck had little or no rust.

Over a 12-year period, getting to know Abe, our friendship grew, we all went to the car races, Barrett Jackson Car Auction, SEMA and several other events. We always found ourselves talking about the truck, his stories, how fast he got the truck to go, and how it ran. As we worked on the truck together, I found my interest in buying the truck went away, because in the beginning I would have given anything to own the truck, but now the friendship and listening to the stories was really all I needed.

We talked about taking the pickup to Carlisle, Pennsylvania to the Mopar Show when we were done working on it. Unfortunately, Abe got ill and the illness progressed rapidly. Just prior to his passing, he told me he wanted me to have the pickup. With reservation, I bought the pickup from him, knowing it wasn’t going to be the same without him, his stories and the fun we had. In 2020 we hauled the pickup, we now call “Abe” to the Chryslers at Carlisle show in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, as our own memorial to our dear old friend.

The truck is now located in Okanogan, Washington, owned by Jeff Delfeld and Sheilah.
We would like to give a very special thanks to Ben Simons, for his knowledge of the CSS/HPP, the research he has performed, his knowledge is unbelievable and his willingness to share is truly awesome. Like Ben told me at one time, it is not all about the truck, it is about the people that own the trucks and the impressions they leave us all with.

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