Do any of you truck guys remember these Ramcharger's?

[694spdRT]

I was going through some old pics and found a one of my old 1979 Ramcharger when it still looked good in about 1985. The paint job and decals are factory. The only other one I have ever seen was in a documentary about a shootout Gordon Kahl had with U.S. Marshall's in the early 80's. Anyone know if it was a special package or had a name like some of the other trucks Dodge had at the time?

I still have the truck but, it is in pretty sad shape now. Nothing real special otherwise, just a 318 2bbl originally.  

The 2nd pic is the U.S. Marshall truck involved in the shootout.

[GTX]

I recently sold my Ramcharger after about 10 years and got the Navigator. I had even just put a 360 4bbl in it from the old 318 2bbl.

The Navigator is nice but let's face it, not a real truck by any means. I REALLY miss my Ramcharger!

My father in law sold his '79 after about 17 years finally. Love those things and also the Trail Duster cousins.
If I had room I'd buy another Ram in a minute but with a 440. Yours has the removable top doesn't it?

[694spdRT]

Yes, the top is removable. I never took it off though. It is sad because the truck only has 55K miles on it but, the body is shot. I put a 400 4 bbl in it about 10 years ago for snow plowing. About the same time I bought a rust free trail duster body tub for it but, never got around to working on it. I still might someday but, the truth is it would be cheaper and easier to just buy another nice Ramcharger. I found a factory 440 Plymouth Trailduster in a junkyard a few years ago but, that body was rotted too. 

I would like to have one again also.

[Charger Aficionado]

  I had a '78 SE with factory 440, factory 8-track, tan interior, bronze exterior...  wait a miniute...  That's like my R/T SE!  Damn I have to find that truck...  I've seen a few SE models, and they all have had 440s... 

  I lost it a few years back...  I was pretty short on money, but it was completely re-done EXCEPT transfer case...  Well the transfer case BLEW going 80MPH up a hill in the Mojave Dessert by Essex, Ca.  Nobody would tow it to Barstow, so I was stuck.  It had a FRESH re-built 440 and a re-built tranny, new surplus military radiator, brand new BFGoodrich MTR Rock-crawlers etc...   I met a guy who had a Ford Ranger with a trailer who was a knife dealer in that area, and happened to have had a blown tranny in his Ranger...  He said my damn Motorhome's motor went, now this ranger just quit...  I ended up giving him the RC for all the cash he had ($350, and a ton of NICE knifes;  Benchmade, Gerber, Spyderco etc)...  My tires cost me $800 alone...  SUCKS.

[martinihenry]

I love Ramchargers. In fact I have an '89 as a daily driver. They are real SUV's. I just shake my head at all the wannabe SUV's I encounter on the road.

My Ramcharger isn't fast. It isn't pretty, but when in bad weather, mud, or snow, she's as surefooted as a mountain-goat. She will always deliver me to my destination. Built like a brick s+++house. Any cons to the truck? Yes, just one...it sucks gasoline down like a top fuel dragster. I get about 10 in town, and 13 on the freeway. Alas, there's more to life than gas mileage. As we say on the Ramchargercentral.com forum "Ain't no feeling like Ramcharger mobiling".

As I recall, those decal packages were quite popular back in the late '70's. While they're not something I would want on my vehicle, the '79 body style (all of the RC's with removable tops, for that matter) are my favorite truck of all time. Anybody have one they wanna sell me???

Jason

[Ghoste]

I learned to drive in a Ramcharger back in the mid 70's.  That was a fun truck and it's a shame that Chrysler got out of them before the suv craze.

[694spdRT]

I was looking around at for sale ads and came across a couple of these. Did Chrysler build these? One of the adds said only built in Mexico...I can't beleive they would not try selling these in the U.S. with the SUV market how it is, or was. I would want a 4wd though.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=192270408&dealer_id=57171986&car_year=1999&search_type=both&make=DODGE&distance=0&model=RAMCGR&address=53816&certified=&advanced=&max_price=&bkms=1134221953434&min_price=&end_year=2006&start_year=1981&isp=y&lang=en&cardist=1599#vdptop

[RT DAVE]

To the best of my knowledge, a ramcharger was built for sale in Mexico.  I never saw a pic of one, however.  I would guess that what you're showing us in that add would be close to what it looks like if it isn't the real deal.  Just a guess on my part...

[bluesfool]

I had a 79 Trailduster...I took that thing 4-wheelin' fairly often and I always had a blast in it! It had the 2 bbl 360; very reliable. But I couldn't get any better than 13 mpg out of it either. Other than the mileage, the only complaint I had with it is that I went thru 3 front driveshafts in about 5 yrs. It was rusting pretty bad on each rear quarter when I sold it.

[Charger_Fan]

I was looking around at for sale ads and came across a couple of these. Did Chrysler build these? One of the adds said only built in Mexico...I can't beleive they would not try selling these in the U.S. with the SUV market how it is, or was. I would want a 4wd though.

Cool! I'd drive that!! I'd go with something closer to 18's though.
I've seen other pics of current style 2-door Mexican Dodges too. I think Ponch linked a pic of a 2-door Durrango a while back. I guess the whole "no 2-door market" thing only applies to the US market.

[chrisII]

i had a ramcharger for a lil while, also a rust free az trailduster. never really liked either of them ,i also almost bought several of them. if they were sprung heavy nuff to haul they rode like crap. i have friends who really liked them, i prefered a long bed pickup. ive actually found that my favorite pickup ever made is the early 90s dakotas. i now have 3 of them (one for sale). they drive nice , get good mileage (for a truck) and can haul a load or cruse on the hiway.

[694spdRT]

Due to the short wheelbase 4wd Ramcharger's generally do not ride great. If you ever drove a shortbox regular cab 4wd truck you will find the same problem. The ones I have know generally get worse mileage than a similar Dodge truck also. I would get 12-13mpg gallon with the 318 2bbl and 11-12 when I put in the 400 4bbl.

My best riding Dodge truck was a 1988 D150 2wd long box. The worst riding I had was a '88 W250 4wd long box. My back still hurts from that thing. 

[Highbanked Hauler]

Wonder who the knot-head at Chrysler is that won't sell that Ram Charger in the US? Am I the only one that thinks that Chrysler likes shooting themselves in the foot on occasion?

[Charger Aficionado]

  I just picked this up:  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4593784595&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT

  Runs like a CHAMP

[TruckDriver]

Wonder who the knot-head at Chrysler is that won't sell that Ram Charger in the US? Am I the only one that thinks that Chrysler likes shooting themselves in the foot on occasion?

Ummm.... Yes! I think they are shooting themselves in the foot all the time!

[Highbanked Hauler]

 Charger Aficionado,thats a score for sure.

[ramit]

here is one I saw a while back.

[Ghoste]

Wonder who the knot-head at Chrysler is that won't sell that Ram Charger in the US? Am I the only one that thinks that Chrysler likes shooting themselves in the foot on occasion?

Could be emission issues or more likely something to do with CAFE standards.

[TruckDriver]

Wonder who the knot-head at Chrysler is that won't sell that Ram Charger in the US? Am I the only one that thinks that Chrysler likes shooting themselves in the foot on occasion?

Could be emission issues or more likely something to do with CAFE standards.

That hit the nail on the head! The EPA standards. I read that a while ago on www.ramchargercentral.com

[az69rtcharger]

I had a 1976 Plymouth TrailDuster in the 80s, I will have to scan some pics when I find them, I loved mine and I could beat any Chevy Blazer up a hill.

[az69rtcharger]

Here is a shot of my friends and my Trail Duster, The red one was a 78 Trail Duster with a 440, the green one was a retired US Forest Service Truck with a 360 and mine the Brown one was also a 360. The shot was taken in 1984 at Sheeps Crossing in Arizona and all of us that owned these trucks also owned 69 Chargers as well.

[Charger Aficionado]

awesome pic!!!

Charger Aficionado,thats a score for sure.

Dude, the choke on carb was just STUCK!  Pushed it a little and flip there it went, turned the key and VROOOOOM...

[RD]

i am the bastard child of ramcharger owners, mine is a two wheel drive.  But, it does have a 400 with a 484 cam, a 9 1/4 with 3.21 gears/suregrip and a hard shifting trans I built.  Needless to say, it scares ricers and does a nasty burnout.

[moparguy01]

i am the bastard child of ramcharger owners, mine is a two wheel drive.  But, it does have a 400 with a 484 cam, a 9 1/4 with 3.21 gears/suregrip and a hard shifting trans I built.  Needless to say, it scares ricers and does a nasty burnout.

bah. 2wd. what a waste of truck. 

[694spdRT]

i am the bastard child of ramcharger owners, mine is a two wheel drive.   But, it does have a 400 with a 484 cam, a 9 1/4 with 3.21 gears/suregrip and a hard shifting trans I built.   Needless to say, it scares ricers and does a nasty burnout.

Nothing a 4wd chassis and a sawzall won't correct. 

[Bandit72]

before i got my charger i was actually looking at a 79 ramcharger to buy, but it got sold out from under me....but it all worked out in the wash, cause thats when i found my charger.. 

[694spdRT]

I found a couple more pics of my old Ramcharger when it was almost new. This was around 1982 when my dad was at the local airport.   

The more I see of the old girl the more I think it needs to be restored...with a 440 4 speed this time.   

[martinihenry]

  I just picked this up:   http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4593784595&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT

  Runs like a CHAMP

Oh, yeah. What a fricking steal! Good job man! I see from the description that the steering column is loose. This means, you'll no doubt be doing the steering column fix. Those are lousy GM steering columns. They have four evil inverted Torx bolts, buried at the bottom of the column, that always wiggle loose. I think it's because people use the steering column to pull themselves into the truck. I had to do mine twice...once for the loose torx bolts, and then, the outer shaft of the column actually broke---I missed that damage the first time I had it apart. Was able to mig weld it back together, and it's ultra-solid now. Ramchargers are great trucks. Hope you enjoy it. See you over at ramchargercentral.com

Jason

[RD]

i am the bastard child of ramcharger owners, mine is a two wheel drive.   But, it does have a 400 with a 484 cam, a 9 1/4 with 3.21 gears/suregrip and a hard shifting trans I built.   Needless to say, it scares ricers and does a nasty burnout.

bah. 2wd. what a waste of truck.  

  you wont think so after this christmas break.....  the RC is getting new clothing.