Vehicle Description
When the Viper got the nod to pace the Indy 500 in '96, Ram pickups would be the official vehicle of the week. Grabbing onto the red hot sport truck movement, they created just over 2,800 like the 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup you see here. And while some were pressed into use as work trucks, there were some that were destined for show duty like this one, which displays just 12,676 original miles on its enhanced Magnum V8.
The formula was pretty simple: start with the muscular short bed configuration, option it up with range-topping SLT Laramie trim, throw in the sport package, and paint it a blue borrowed from the Viper (add the iconic double white stripe for good measure too). Even those bright 17-inch five-star wheels were special to the package. It was the kind of limited edition that was designed to tell everyone in the Home Depot or Lowe's parking lot that you had something special. But then again, with this one averaging less than 640 miles per year so far, the owner has certainly kept this more as an award-winning show vehicle than a workhorse. You can also tell from the level of care in the body. The paint pretty much still looks like it's 20 years ago, and you're picking this one up brand new from the Dodge dealer. There's even a tonneau cover so the bed is just as pristine as new. Those who really know these trucks remember that Dodge put a large Indy 500 decal on the door. This one is a genuine pace pickup, but the easily replaceable decal was removed so this sports truck could stand on its own. There even is the color matched step bumper included.
Inside is just as well preserved as the outside. Dodge was known for making Ram interiors a bit more comfortable than their competitors during in this era, and you can really see it. The gray cloth seat has a fold down center console for better storage and individual comfort. The loaded SLT packaged Ram means it came with plenty of desirable features such as power windows, power locks, tilt wheel, leather wrapped steering wheel, power mirrors, cruise control, original AM/FM/cassette stereo, sliding rear window, and air conditioning. And as expected with such a well preserved pickup, it all works perfectly. It even has the safety of a driver's airbag and anti-lock brakes.
Under the hood is the original fuel-injected 5.9-liter Magnum V8. This special edition package raised the horsepower on this performance Ram by 15 hp for a total of 245. Part of it was thanks to the sport exhaust, and you can really hear it the moment you fire up the big V8. The presentation of the engine bay is tidy, and it's worth really checking out how fresh the undercarriage is. You know it will be hard for car show judges to find fault with something so clean. But we can understand if you can't resist putting a few extra miles on this ultra-low odometer. After all, this speedy pickup has power steering, four-speed overdrive automatic transmission, front disc brakes, and grippy Goodyear Eagle GTII tires.
So this is a beautifully preserved package that even comes with the owner's manual and original window sticker to show off. So if you ever wanted a show truck, performance pickup, or just a great value on a limited edition classic, this is all of that and more. Call today!!
