Equipped with the 2 BBL 318 (5.2L) V8 and three-speed automatic, it achieved 20 mpg highway – not bad. Interestingly, a 1983 ad touted the RWD version as an economical way to tow your boat or trailer. The cool removable top was gone all Ramchargers would have fixed roofs from here on out.
In 1981, the Ramcharger and all full-size Dodge trucks got a mild facelift, with single rectangular lights and minor sheetmetal changes. The Ramcharger continued from 1974 to 1980 with only minor changes, though a new grille with stacked quad headlights was added for the 1979 model year. Much like today, there were plenty of folks who liked the look, but couldn’t care less about taking their brand-new ride into the wilderness. Now, if you just wanted the SUV look, but planned to stay on city streets, you could get the two-wheel drive Ramcharger, and turn it into a burly Cordoba of sorts, with whitewalls, chrome wheels and all sorts of luxury goodies, as the ’77 above sports. You could start with a ‘cooking’ 318 or 360 V8s, but if you wanted lots of power and torque, the 400 and time-honored 440 V8s were also there for the taking. Yes, the Slant Six was standard, but you had a full range of small- and big-block Mopar goodness on the table. Just like the interior, you had lots of options for power. These trucks were pretty basic in standard form, with RWD, a 225 CID Slant Six and synchronized 3-speed manual transmission.Įarly versions came with only the two bucket seats – even the rear bench was an option! Of course, like most 1970s American iron, you could load them up with all sorts of options – brush bars, 2 tone paint, deluxe interiors, A/C, tinted glass, and full-time four wheel drive. The Ramcharger most closely resembled the contemporary Chevy Blazer, as it was pickup-based and included a lift off rear roof section. That was not a bad thing, as the ’72 pickups were pretty sharp, no-nonsense vehicles. While the Scout and Bronco had their own unique body, the Ramcharger was clearly based off of the all-new 1972 Dodge full-size pickup. Chrysler Corporation was late to the party, but the 1974 Dodge Ramcharger (and Plymouth Trail Duster sibling) was a worthy competitor. International was first out of the gate with the ’61 Scout, followed by Ford in ’66 with the Bronco and Chevrolet with their K5 Blazer in 1969. Off-roading, camping and other outdoor recreation really came into its own.
( first posted ) Starting in the early Sixties, trucks started to get fun.
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