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Obscure pickup from the 1940s goes on sale with an engine swap

Maxmotive from Pittsburgh PA, USA is asking for $89,500 for a thoroughly restored and modernized Diamond T pickup truck. The ride from the year 1942 costs about as much as a brand-new BMW X5 in one of its top specs for the United States.

C. A. Tilt founded the Diamond T automotive brand in North America in 1905, adding his last name initial to his company’s name. Having built regular passenger cars for a while, Tilt eventually switched attention to commercial transports. His company affectively ceased operation in 1967 after being absorbed by another automaker.

In the years of the World War II, Diamond T had temporarily prioritized making army vehicles. Its civilian car lineup trickled out and looked rather old-fashioned even by the standards of the time. This example from 1942 managed to survive to the present day almost unchanged except for a resprayed exterior and new polished chrome parts. The company that restored it also added a climate control system to the cabin, a multi-spoke steering wheel and an audio system. It looks fresh with a light blue exterior and a matching cabin, but the listing is light on details.

Power for the Diamond T was originally provided by a Cummins inline diesel. This particular machine was swapped to a 5.7-liter Chevrolet V8 equipped with Edelbrock carburetors. The listing doesn’t mention the output, but it usually starts around 450 PS (444 hp / 331 kW) with only minimal upgrades.

A three-speed automatic transmission carries the momentum to the wheels, while a custom exhaust system ensures a decent soundtrack. The front suspension uses components from General Motors trucks, and the front brakes are disc-based.