One of the most interesting and curious project trucks of the Specialty Equipment Market Association Show is in the Mopar booth, which is showcasing a Bulldozer Orange Ram 3500 regular cab pickup truck. It sports a Cummins engine and all sorts of Case branding.
For those who may not know, Case is the name of the heavy-duty agricultural (Case IH) and construction equipment (Case CE) sides of Fiat Industrial. Thirty years ago, Case merged with a portion of International Harvester, becoming Case IH, then fifteen years ago, after purchasing New Holland (which had both agricultural and construction divisions), Case CE was created. All of that is probably more than you needed to know but, clearly, the folks a Ram Truck wants us to see the strong and deep their work-duty roots run.
This Case Ram is an interesting attempt to combine the strengths of both brands in a single “new” truck. Some may recall the Sterling Truck Co., owned by Daimler when it owned Chrysler, and the attempt Sterling made to use the heavy-duty Ram pickups for more commercially oriented customers. The co-branded trucks (then called Dodge) were on sale for less than 10 years and were eventually discontinued when Daimler sold Chrysler.
Beyond its dramatic color, the pickup bed uses a set of surf-style roof racks to secure oversized equipment as needed; it also offers lockable slide-out storage bins to safely carry tools and construction material. The Case Ram concept uses a Power Wagon hood for a little more drama up front, as well as several Case graphics around the lower valance of the pickup.
Of course, Mopar has accessorized this beast with heavy-duty running boards and splash guards behind the dualie wheels and tires, as well as a leveling kit and a unique Power Wagon-styled hood. The construction orange theme carries through inside the truck with Katzkin seat covers and door trim as well. Ram would not say what this pickup means for the future of Ram or Case CE, but it definitely is the buzz of the show floor.
(Editor's note: the text of this story has been modified to more accurately reflect the distinctions between the Case IH and Case CE divisions.)
