The winters may be long in Vermont, but for Hooniverse-reader Joe they serve as a time to stay warm by way of fabrication. In fact, it took three (described by Joe as “long”) winters for his 1946 Dodge COE to come to life. For those of you asking what COE means, it refers to the cab over engine layout that is reserved for larger trucks. This particular Dodge isn’t your standard COE, because Joe put a lot of work into making it roll, so hop past the break for a bit of insight into his handy work.

The truck we showed you at the beginning didn’t start life as a single unit. It’s been stretched, and required taking torch to the metal of three cabs and eight doors. To make sure the now-custom body was ready for anything Vermont could throw at it, the entire unit was sandblasted and then coated with POR15. Furthermore, the undersides of the fenders, bed, and running boards have been treated to a splash of rubberized coating. Bring on the rocks and salt!

Speaking of the fenders, the rear units were plucked from a 1950 Chrysler New Yorker, and then shaved to fit. It’s not all Dodge for this COE, however, because the art-deco beast sits atop a 1997 GMC 1/2-ton frame complete with its two-wheel-drive running gear.

In his email to us, Joe thanked us for running “a great site”. We say nuts to that… thank you Joe, for sharing this piece of motoring excellence with us. Don’t be surprised if you hear a knock at your door, with a representative from Hooniverse attempting to pry the keys from you hand in exchange for a 12-pack of Long Trail, and a 1/2 hour of driving time. Also, you should expect this beast to make an appearance later in the year, because I’ll be damned if this isn’t Hooniverse Car of the Year potential.

Thanks again Joe!