My buddies dropped it off for me just this morning. 1988 Ram 100 or 150 (I'm not sure) V6, Auto. Really nothing to write home about. My friend was going to turn it into a 440 Shorty, but then latched onto a '71 Polara that deserved the 440 more. (It's actually now a Six-Pack car!) So, this truck fell to the back burner and kicked around for a few years. Well, I need a small truck, my 70-year-old mom needs a small truck.... for the price we paid, this little hunny is perfect.

My buddy previously upgraded the rear to a 2.94 Sure Grip 8-3/4, the front brakes have been changed to New Yorker brakes (so it's now 5 on 4½ all around) and it's a rust-free, 70-ish-thousand kilometer tootsie pop. Some suggested I put a V8 in, but.... really, the song of my people is sung by six-cylinder, 1/2-ton pickup choir, and it's just going to be used for dump runs, hauling the occasional large car part and for gardening purposes. It's absolutely perfect.

The plan is to put the V6 back together, get it running and have it painted. I should have all the side trim to go back on, and I think I'll put my aluminum slots on here just for fun, and perhaps a "Tuff" wheel just for fun.

Anybody got the cab drip-rail trim they'd be willing to sell me?? Or an AM/FM 8-track stereo?

Nice truck! I had an '88 with the V6 and a 5 speed. No speed demon, but good enough for a daily. The slots will be a great touch. I love mine.

Dude!! Love the stepside. If this truck had been a stepside, I'd have gone full-clown Li'l Red, but still kept the V6. Ya, it's no powerhouse, BUT it's got more grunt than the Slant ever did, and that's fine by me. And yes, wheels & tires will totally make or break any vehicle.

Motor is pretty much in. Basically just needs ignition and some final vacuum/electrical giblets hooked up. My buddy trucked it to the muffler place today so it can get an exhaust put on. It needs the O2 sensor to run properly, so it needs the y-pipe and the whole kaboodle. With any luck, it'll be back next weekend.

Anybody knowledgeable in setting up an 8 & 3/4 rear end? My friend who swapped one in was having an issue adjusting the axle endplay and it's got like.... 1/4" on the driver side. How does one adjust axle end play?

Well, it's alive. Still have some engine codes, but I'm pretty sure they'll be cleared up with a couple new sensors. Found the groovy sport wheel the other day at the junkyard and one kick panel. Going back for the other kick panel next week. All the electrics work again so it'll be legal. Just gotta hurry up and wait for a friend to clear his schedule so he can c'mon down and help me set up the rear end.

Nice! Easy turn-key EFI starting for you from now on.

Nailed it. 100% the reason I took this project on. Classic looks, but with some modern tech. Even though it's only the six, I get almost as much power as a 318, with less weight and better fuel economy. I still have a Check Engine light and a couple codes to resolve - oh, and this start was on 6 year old gas still left in the tank. So, I can imagine it's only going to get better.

What a weight off my shoulders though. I'll be honest, there were a few times I had some self-doubt. Seriously! Put one of these back together having never seen one before. No simple task!

Looks like a fun project! Nice

Found a cool steering wheel at the junkyard. Spent a few weeks repainting it and a couple hours putting a leather wrap over it. Turned out OK, though I may revisit it later.

I also managed to score a front sway bar for a very reasonable price. That may get delivered this week. Everything is coming up Milhouse!

Man you did good. I love these things, mainly the 70s ones. The steering wheel is killer. Just love those.

Make sure you have the lock on the pass side axle or your buddy will be wasting a trip. That’s not a parts house help rack score if needed.