Tell me the impt stuff about the 89 D350. Found one for sale but need to know what I need to look for before viewing. Standard cab, 360, auto, body nice, trans bad, heat & air doesn't work. Are they rare and sought after. I would use to tow enclosed auto trailer. Don't know how far I would go into restoration. I have a good SB 727. Any info would be appreciated!! Thanks, Max

They are rare. I don't know how much they're really sought after. If you're okay with single digit mpg towing it'll do the job.

Rust in the floorboards.

R.

Rust in the roof.

Sounds like a lot of work but, if that's what you want to do. Not remotely sought after unless it's a diesel for obvious reasons. If you like the body style and think it's the sh!t then go for it.

typical D Series trucks, look for frame rust by the gas tank. all kinds of crap collects between the tank and frame. and the front=rear brake line is in there too, so it usually need replaced. rot on the roof above the windshield, inside and or out. check the cab mounts for rot as well.

Does the 89 truck have fuel injection and hyd roller lifters?? Thanks, Max

Max:

It might, I think the 360 didn't get injection until '90 but it could have been as early as '89. At any rate you don't want a TBI Ram: they are crap, I had one.

99% sure it will have roller lifters.

And, yes, actually to certain people who find the cost of owning a diesel to be outrageous (while the rest pull their head out of the sand and eventually realize it too) a 360 Ram HD is a decent score.

But the 360 Magnum is much better...............much, much better.

What else is important?

First of all, the First Gen Ram is a noisy, rough, uncomfortable, ugly POS with mediocre reliability. Argue if you like: I've had 5 First Gens (one Cummins, 2 318's, 1 318 TBI, 1 Slant SIx), 4 Second Gens (two Cummins, a V10 and a 360 Mag) and 1 Third Gen Hemi. Overall, the Second Gen is the best of them all.

The auto trans crapped out on this truck is no surprise. Chrysler couldn't build a 4 speed auto to save their life and it took Daimler to show them how it's done with the RFE series transmissions. I can't help you here other than to say buy low-mile autos from the wreckers for the same era truck and hope they hold up. If you put the the 727 in it will cost you at least 5 mpg. Pick your poison.

The alternative would be to pull the 360 and put a V10/NV4500 in it. Skip that altogether and just get the 2nd Gen. Around here 2ndGen 2wd 2500's are going for $1300 to $2500.00. 4x4, add $600

I'm sorry to sound negative but there is a very good reason why Dodge only had 9% market share when these trucks were on the road. They are nothing to get exicited about and my only use for them is donors for my muscle cars and beaters that no one wants to be seen in.

And the counter point, I love em. 89 will have TBI, one ton is likely a 727 non lockup.

Rust is the big problem, roof rot, cab mounts and frame being the biggest problem. Floors are cheap and easy.

It will tow just fine, slowly. Mileage sucks but any one ton is going to be bad. TBI can be swapped to carb pretty easily. And yes the Magnum is much better but Mose costly and only available a couple years.

I am well aware of the mileage numbers. I've previously owned a 85 D350 w/360 and a 89 3500 Chev w/454. I have also owned 2 big engine 3/4 ton and they are all bad on gas especially when towing. The 85 Dodge was my first and it was a ragged out wrecker truck but it sure ran good and everything worked well. In fact my son used it in CA to tow a race trailer and 2 of his friends had 454 Chev 1 tons. When they would go to LACR he could always beat them up the Grapevine.

It's not too difficult to build a high torque 360 and if necessary I could add a Procharger that I have available including the small block brackets. I had planned on putting the Procharger on my race car but I found a 6-71 system instead.

If this truck I'm talking about is the same one I saw about 3 yrs ago it will be hard to pass up The body was extremely straight and I don't believe it had any rust. I'll give it the once over this weekend.

BTW, did Dodge build any D350 trucks in this era with a short bed?? My son thinks I should get a short bed, I can't find one.

Thanks, Max

Better looking by far, but not a good choice for a tow vehicle.

Towed with a Ramcharger which is essentially the same, stay away from a shortbed for towing!

Gotta have the length of a full size for serious towing. Can be a car but length and frame are important.

Short beds are half ton or crew cab only.