Vehicle Description
SEE EBAY OR HEMMINGS FOR FULL DESCRIPTION. . 1978 Dodge Lil' Red
Express 64,725 Miles 360cid 4V V8 & 727 Automatic Factory Chrome
Stacks 1 of only 2,188 Lil' Red Expresses Produced for 1978! Vin #
D13BS8J514411 Evolve Motors & Chicago Car Club are pleased to
present this 1978 Dodge Lil' Red Express! Background: When the Lil'
Red Express came onto the market for the 1978 model year, it was
one of the most unique trucks Dodge had ever produced. The Lil' Red
Express was a real performer; as per Car and Driver's 1978 road
test, the Lil' Red Express was the fastest American-made vehicle
from 0-100mph. That's vehicle, not just truck. Because of a
loophole in emissions regulations, the �78 Lil' Red Express Trucks
were not required to have catalytic converters. As a result, the
High Performance 360 cid 4-barrel small block (EH1), a modified
version of the 360 police engine (E58), was not saddled by
emissions equipment. The Lil' Red Express package also included
Hemi style mufflers with a crossover pipe, breathing through 2
chrome stacks located behind the cab. There was a special 727
transmission and 3.55:1 rear gearing helping to put the power down.
The �78 model was so well received that Dodge upped production for
the �79 model year to 5,118 units. While the large majority of the
truck remained unchanged for 1979, there were a handful of changes.
The �79 trucks were fitted with a catalytic converter and an 85mph
speedometer. The most noticeable changes on the 1979 trucks were a
new flat hood and dual square headlights, replacing the round
headlights on the 1978 trucks. All Lil' Red Expresses rode on
LR60x15 raised white letter tires on 8-inch chrome wheels at all 4
corners. Exterior: This is a seriously sharp looking truck; we
really like the side mirror delete and exposed wood on the outside
of the bed. The red paint and gold Lil' Red Express decals contrast
beautifully with the stained wood lining the rear of the truck.
Paint on this particular truck presents nicely, it's not show
quality, but it does have a nice shine to it. There is some minor
chipping on the lower portion of the dog legs, in addition to some
bubbling under the paint at the bottom of the passenger door. On
both the driver and passenger doors there are some dust specs under
the paint. Chrome is excellent throughout, and all wood, inside and
outside the bed, presents very well. Gold decals are free of any
damage or weathering, and look great. Original chrome wheels are in
nice shape, with no damage and minimal oxidation. Interior: The
interior looks very nice. These trucks have a very simple,
utilitarian interior. Just how we like it. Black leather bench seat
is in excellent shape, with no tears, scuffs, or fading. Tenna
AM/FM radio is functional, as are all lights and signals inside and
out. Wipers and wiper sprayers work, as does the horn. Air
conditioning is not currently functional; the compressor does kick
on and air blows out with force, but the air is not cold. Defrost
works as well. Black carpet shows its age a little bit, but is free
of any major tears or stains. The truck will come with a set of
rubber floormats as well. Gauges are all functional, with the
exception of the tach. Dash is in excellent shape, with no cracks
or damage of any kind. Mechanical/Underbody: This truck has been
well taken care of and will come with dozens of maintenance
receipts dating back to 1990. Most services were minor things like
fluid changes and batteries, but receipts also show that the motor
mounts were replaced, the flywheel refaced, the starter rebuilt in
2006, and a performance carburetor rebuild in 2011. The truck
retains its original 360 4V V8 and 727 automatic transmission. The
truck has covered just shy of 65,000 miles over the course of its
40 year life. The odometer is a 5-digit, but based on service
receipts and information from the previous owner, the odometer
reading of 64,725 is believed to be accurate.
