Vehicle Description
This 1979 Dodge Lil' Red Express is an eye-catching,
performance-oriented pickup truck! After the muscle car era was
brought to a screeching halt in the first half of the 1970s, due in
large part to changes in government regulations, the American
automakers were essentially forced to start building less exciting
cars that now had to be more energy efficient and emit less
emissions. However, the downside of these changes was that the new
cars coming out of Detroit suffered from a lack of performance
under the hood, especially compared to the muscle cars that were
produced just a few years earlier. Of course there was, like most
government regulations, a loophole that would allow Dodge to
produce high performance vehicles; that being, trucks. In the late
70s, Dodge's parent company Chrysler was facing serious financial
peril and the man hired in late 1978 to save struggling giant was
none other than famed automotive executive Lee Iacocca. Iacocca's
first full year in 1979 leading Chrysler was a struggle but mostly
due to factors outside of his control, such as gas shortages, risks
of inflation, a possible recession, and record-high interest rates.
It was no surprise then that with their backs against the wall,
Dodge was willing to try just about anything to drum up additional
sales. One way Dodge attempted to generate sales was the
introduction of a group of vehicles known as "The Adult Toys From
Dodge," which were comprised of the Warlock, Ramcharger, Street
Van, and, of course, the Lil' Red Express. The resulting vehicles
were way ahead of their time. The Warlock and Lil' Red Express were
some of the first performance-oriented pickup trucks, released
decades before Ford's Lightning and Raptor trucks or even GM's
Typhoon and Syclone models. The Lil' Red Trucks had an iconic look
with a bright Canyon Red paint scheme, elevated wood paneling,
special decals, and perhaps its most iconic feature, dual chrome
vertically-mounted exhaust pipes with heat shields. The Lil' Red
Express trucks were both eye catching rigs and also the fastest
production vehicles on the road at the time. This particular
example is believed to have been cared for by the same family for
nearly 40 years and it is clear that they were fantastic stewards
of this truck. Powering this Lil' Red is a 360 Cubic Inch V8 tucked
underneath an upgraded aluminum intake and single 4 barrel
carburetor. The 360 V8 is backed by a Torqueflite 727 automatic
transmission that makes this Dodge pickup easy for anybody to take
for a joyride. Exhaust exits the beefed-up Dodge powerplant via a
pair of chrome vertical exhaust stacks that not only give this
truck its iconic look but also generates a wonderful throaty sound.
In addition to the exhaust stacks, the chrome and brightwork around
the exterior of this pickup truck is in wonderful condition as
well. This '79 Lil' Red Express comes with some great options!
Power front disc brakes make bringing this classic Mopar to
complete stop much easier, especially with all of that horsepower
under the hood. This 1979 Dodge is also a wonderful truck to drive
since it comes with power steering that makes maneuvering the truck
in and out of a tight spot much easier. Riding on a set of raised
letter BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires on chrome wheels, this 1979
Dodge pickup has a great look and even better ride cruising down
the road. The steel pickup box is in great shape and retains what
is believed to be its original wooden slats. The steel body of this
1979 Lil' Red Express Pickup has been refinished in a beautiful
Canyon Red complete with the golden Lil Red Express decals that
complete the iconic look of this Mopar. This 1979 Dodge's cab is in
fantastic shape! The bench seat has been reupholstered in beautiful
red vinyl and has enough room for two passengers in addition to the
driver. The matching red padded dash, matching red upholstered door
panels, black carpeting and "Tuff" steering wheel are all in
wonderful condition and appear to be in their stock configuration.
The instrument cluster is outfitted with an 85 MPH speedometer, oil
pressure gauge, temperature gauge, alternator gauge, and fuel
gauge, along with an indicator light for the parking brake. The
dash is finished with an AM/FM push-button stereo, heater controls,
windshield washer controls, ashtray and a locking glovebox. Whether
you're buying your first classic pickup truck or you're adding to
your existing mopar or pickup collection, this 1979 Dodge Lil' Red
Express would make an excellent addition. Give Ellingson's a call
today at 763-428-7337!
*360 Cu. In. V8
*Single 4 Barrel Carburetor
*Torqueflite 727 Automatic Transmission
*Dual Chrome Vertical Exhaust Stacks
*Power Steering
*Power Front Disc Brakes
*1 of 5,118 Produced
*Red Vinyl Bench Seats
*Canyon Red Exterior w/ Decals
*Chrome Wheels w/ Radial Tires
*Stock Instrumentation
*Odometer Reads: 56,776 Miles
If an inaccurate automobile price is inadvertently listed on this
Website, Seller reserves the right to NOT honor the erroneous
price.
For more information and a current list of vehicles, call
763-428-7337.
