Vintage Dodge Truck Purchase (Opinion)

It has been a while but, doing my usual thinking I've developed a hankering regarding vintage trucks. The first vintage truck I had and now regret selling to this day is my '79 Lil Red Express. However, I'm also a fan of the older Sweptlines and Pilot House trucks as well. On other hand, I do like some of the other trucks 72-80 but, has it to be the right combination.

So, being a glutton for punishment I've been looking at some older Dodge trucks and just wondering if you had to buy one what would you choose? The only restrictions would be '80-prior, power steering, run/drives, and under 10k budget? Just looking for some feedback to throw into my random thinking.

I love those old Pilot House trucks too. Quite a challenge in all ways though. e.g. finding one, fixing and repairing, maintaining, but I'm sure you know all this. Probably going to have to go west to find one not completely rotted out to stay within $10k.

I love the 72-80 trucks too. I had a 79 Adventurer 150 and missed it since the day I sold it. Recently FINALLY fulfilled my desire again and bought a 1979 Power Wagon 150 short bed, standard cab, 360-4, 727. In my opinion these are the perfect years. Vintage yet don't have the straight axle front suspension (in the 2wd) and can find with front disc brakes and dual master cylinder, 12 volt system, V8, and many other things that you may not have in the old Pilot House trucks. But again, I do love them, so if you can do it (and you did say you're a glutton for punishment) go for it!

I love the 57's and 66-71 Sweptlines. However for something you drive in traffic etc. it is just so much easier to buy a 72-80 with their P.S. and disc brakes. I find the 72-80's look nice too with their 71 Road Runner style fender openings and bird bath hood.

I also had a '67 D100. That was my first vehicle, 16 years old. It was poly 318, three on the tree. Drum brakes all the way around, single system brakes, solid front axle. Talk about rough riding! It was a short bed, utiline. Love the looks, and the uniqueness of the three on the tree, but it started giving me trouble (getting stuck in third) and I had to convert it to floor. Double footed braking was necessary at times, and the floors were gone, and I think it must have had 4.10 gears. I could have made it more livable by converting front end and upgrading the brake system, but those two alone would cost thousands of dollars. Again, this is why the '72 thru '80 are the perfect trucks to me. Still get the cool square body, metal grilles and other parts that should be metal. Just have to find them without rust along drip rail and wheel wells, along with the other places you find in all old cars and trucks. Go West my friend, go West, haha.

That's what I thought some would say. I know there is conversion kits out there for some of the older models. Perhaps, I should figure things out and see if I could get another Lil' Red Express or a Warlock. I'll have to pony more $$$ up but, we'll see.

I see some nice LRE's for in the $10 to $12 thousand range.

$10k in Kentucky and claims to be real nice:
https://bgky.craigslist.org/cto/d/1979-dodge-little-red-express/6453640849.html

This one in Boston asking $11,900 looks real nice

https://boston.craigslist.org/sob/cto/d/1979-dodge-lil-red-express/6461217609.html

Thank you for the links. The one in Boston looks tempting but, I'm not in a hurry to buy one either. Hmmm...

I drove a 79 LRE daily in the 80's, had a few other LRE's and Warlocks since then but sold them all. I have been into the Sweptlines for a couple decades now, but just sold my baby after 22 years but at least it went to a Moparts member. Mine had power steering and brakes, they worked great! I will have another one day...

If power steering is a must, you need to stay with the 72-93 truck.
72 has some one of things going on,and you wanted to stay under 1980, so a 73-79 would be the choice.

Personally, I prefer the 49-59 trucks, but someone would have done a lot of work to have power steering on those years. In my case, that someone would have been me. I could do a really nice driver truck for under $10,000, but there is a difference between a really nice driver, and a really nice truck. Really nice show trucks are not much fun to drive. Gene

Heres a pretty dry and original LRE in CA.. https://reno.craigslist.org/cto/d/dodge-little-red-express-truck/6461810676.html

I could drive that one as is other than fixing up the interior.

Thanks again everyone. It appears everyone is leaning toward the later model trucks which is what I would suspect to happen. Anyways, I'll keep thinking through things and see what happens over the course of time.

When your looking for the older trucks, you will have to decide what are planning on doing to it. When I got my 76 D-100 short bed. It was about a year till I found the right truck to semi pro street and drag that was a regular plain D-100.

Yeah, I notice that Dodge is outnumbered compared to say searching for an older Ford or Chevrolet C-Series.

In my opinion do both. lol.
I have a '53 Fargo that I dropped on a 1st gen Dakota chassis that is powered by a 360 with a 904 trans and it has still has power steering and brakes without cutting up the body at all. I mounted the brake booster under the cab so when you open the hood it looks stock besides a V8 there instead of a l6.

Another one of my trucks is a work in progress still. '80 W100 that I have swapped in a modern 5.7 hemi and 5-45RFE trans (kept the EFI on this on). Truck right now is fully running and driving, just need to finish the body.

While neither of these are trophy winning show trucks, either one of them I built for under 10k.

I wish I could Chris! Nice combo!

Yeah, I used to have two trucks. The other truck I had was a black 1990 Dodge Dakota Convertible 2wd from California that was really clean/rust free. I sold that ten years ago to help pay for my wedding.

That was another regret and I did try to buy it back but, it wasn't in the cards. Anyways, I'll keep thinking, dreaming and looking for right now about the truck thing. Thank you again.

I got a few more than a couple unfortunately... I have an addiction of building old trucks.

If you want a Dakota I got one of those too I would let go. '87 RCSB that I put a 413 in. Motor rebuild 2years ago 30 over, but still with low compression industrial pistons and heads. Good little driver.

I gotta say, I really like the standard cab 71 to 80 2wd trucks.
I have 2 now and would LOVE to find a swept line.
I like that straight axle too.
Had one back in the 80's and daily drove the heck out of it.
Never needed 4 wheel drive myself.
For me it would mean I would just get farther into the woods before I got stuck.
10 grand would go a loooong way in this type truck, if you are able to get it outside the rust belt.

For me you can't beat a 57 big window for looks. I drove one for nearly ten years and I have never gotten more thumbs up, smiles, waves or questions. On any vehicle I have ever had including a six pack Cuda or 72 Roadrunner.

Thank you Chris for the offer but, I think I'll pass. I've had three of the Dakota Convertibles. The problem with those now is finding even regular parts as I did/had pretty extensive done work just to restore the mechanical on another 1990 I had. Anyways, looks the '72-80 truck is the favorite.

I'm with you Confused Mopar. 72-80 are Mother Mopar's best looking truck alltime.

I agree Birdman, the 57 Dodge is a great looking truck. Mine has gotten more attention than most of my other cars. I will be selling my 57 this year if you know anyone looking for one.

Perhaps another way to look at a truck purchase is to consider why you need the truck. What do you want to do with the truck? For instance, if you want to tow with it, is the truck's tow rating high enough to meet your needs? If you want to haul stuff, do you need a long bed or will a short bed be large enough? Will a step side work or do you need the extra width of a sweptline bed? Do you need a bed cover or a topper to keep cargo dry and secure? If you are a larger person or will have larger size passengers, can they fit comfortably in the cab? (Older trucks had smaller cabs.) Do you need a club cab or crew cab to have enough space for passengers and all of the "stuff" that will be hauled in the cab? Do you need 4 wheel drive? If you need a 4x4, can you and your passengers climb in and out of the cab safely. Is gas mileage important?

Sometimes these kinds of practical questions do not lead to the type of truck that is most desirable. For instance, I recently bought a 2 wheel drive long bed truck. One of my elderly family members would have trouble climbing into a 4x4 and I need the extra load carrying capacity of a long bed. I'm hoping that adding a sure grip axle will provide enough traction.

If you are considering a truck primarily as a "toy", then I would suggest a Ram 50 with a small block stroker in it with an overdrive transmission behind it. That should make a decent cruiser and be able to provide some smiles when applying downward pressure on the right pedal. Add some boost for a smile that can't be wiped off your face!

I got more thumbs up and women twisting their head to look with this truck than any muscle Mopar I've owned.

I too like the 72-80 Trucks and after a long search I found this one, a '75 Power Wagon, 360 4X4, auto, A/C, shortbox reg cab, Adventurer, 100% rust free Texas truck. I've posted it in a few other places here on Moparts but thought I might as well show it here too...

Nice trucks everyone. Just wanted to say thanks again for all the feedback. It helps me for down the road. For now I'll keep dreaming.

I like the looks of the '66-71 swept line trucks, but not the suspension and power assisted steering. I owned a '68 3/4 ton 2-wheel drive camper special. It was originally a 383 engine / 727 trans truck. When I bought it (only $300) the 383 engine had thrown a rod, and the body had plenty of dents, but only a small amount of rust. Main reason I bought it was just to haul stuff with, and it had the Dana 60 rear axle with 4.10:1 gears and 16.5 split rims.
At this time my '73 Sno-Fighter was getting pretty worn, so I took the built 360 out (replaced it with the original 318) and sold the '73. Then put the 360 and small block 727 into the '68.
I sold it to a friend whose wife liked it, and she kept it after their divorce, but I don't know what happened to it since then?

I love the Sweptlines & can't wait to get the new 383 from my engine builder in my 71 W100. It has my 70 Challenger's 383 Mag, but now that's in a 68 D100 that we built. The W100 was my daily driver & whad made it nice was the later 3/4 ton rear 1/2 frame with in frame gas tank & upgraded suspension. Lock out hubs can be a pain, but its a minor inconvenience. Its hard to beat the 72 & up trucks, too & on a low budget, that's probably what I'd go for.

Triggerfish, that is a BEAUTIFUL truck for sure.

You're right Sheldon & I see why. Your truck is beautiful. My 71 W100 is a babe magnet, too. Had a cutie driving a big chevy truck stop in the middle of a left turn intersection & yell, "that's the most beautiful truck I've ever seen!" My bro said, "I never that kind of female attention from my car!" (69 B5 Hemi Charger).

Thanks & its just a driver & looks much better in pics. But as Sheldon said the girls love em, so that's all that matters.

Great looking truck!