Vehicle Description
What's the most affordable way to get V8 power, rear-wheel drive,
and two seats? How about this cool 1984 Dodge Ram pickup? With a
late-model Hemi V8, a paint job inspired by past muscle cars, and
enough practicality to make it work as a truck, this cool pickup is
everything right about building your own hot rod.
Bright red paint always seems to work best on Dodge pickups, even
those modified like this one. You've already glanced at the price
and given the condition of the truck, there's no question that
there's more wrapped up in the build. With flat black stripes that
look a lot like an inverted hood treatment from the '60s, this
truck is aggressive without looking too radical. Instead, it keeps
a factory look, especially with the satin black side moldings to
tie it all together. Some custom graphics on the door and the "HEMI
POWERED" decals on the bed make it an attention-getter, and it's
pretty hard to resist any vehicle that exhales through side pipes.
But make no mistake, this sucker still doesn't mind putting in a
day of work, so the bed was treated to a spray-in bedliner that's
pretty much impervious to abuse. There's also a custom billet
grille up front, a set of hood pins, and even R/T badges on the
front fenders, just to make a point.
The bright red interior ties in with the R/T theme without losing
its '80s funkiness. Bucket seats with red cloth upholstery look
great and are all-day comfortable, and it seems that the door
panels and center console were wrapped in the same fabric. A modern
billet steering wheel wrapped in red leather, some custom pedals,
and a big tach on the steering column enhance the sporty feel,
while the original gauges, a pair of dials under the dash, and a
dash-top gauge pod monitor the rest of the engine's vitals. You'll
note factory A/C, power windows, power locks, and an AM/FM/CD
stereo system are all part of the package. Things like the original
dash pad are in excellent condition and there's a big subwoofer
stashed behind the passenger's seat. Tinted windows add to the cool
look and help keep it comfortable inside on warm summer days.
A late-model 5.7 liter Hemi V8 was swapped into the Ram's massive
engine bay, and it's so clean that it almost looks
factory-installed. It's been swapped to a 4-barrel carburetor,
which is an easy modification that makes it bulletproof reliable,
but a full set of coil packs still light the fires. The late-model
Hemi also comes with that serpentine accessory drive that offers
excellent packaging, and custom long-tube headers were built just
for this application, so they fit beautifully. A 3-speed automatic
transmission snaps through the gears and the rear end hangs on air
shocks so the attitude is easy to adjust. You'll also note cool
exhaust cut-outs on the exhaust system, which, in case side pipes
weren't raucous enough, really gets attention. The ride height was
lowered just a bit, so it has a nice rake, and it sits on 17 inch
Cragar mag wheels with spinners and big 275/60/17 Goodyear
radials.
We don't see many early Rams like this, but we have to admit that
the combination of old-school looks and late-model firepower
remains a winning combination. Add in all the creature comforts and
this truck starts to look like a daily driver that can be a lot of
fun on weekends. Call today!
