1978 Dodge Lil Red Express--SOLD (New Jersey) - $0
Engineered for speed, the Little Red Truck was built on the short-wheelbase (115 inch) Utiline-style half-ton D150 with a 6,050 pound gross vehicle weight, but the real attraction was the high performance 360 V8 breathing through a four-barrel carburetor, pushing power to the ground through a 3.55:1, 9.25 inch rear axle, bereft of most pollution control equipment. According to Dodge, the E58-specification (police) engine was equipped with SuperFlow heads, a police cam (252° duration with 33° of overlap), dual-snorkel air intake, heavy duty valve springs, cold air induction, and big dual exhausts departing big-rig-style just aft of the cab. The modified A-727 transmission (standard and required) had a 2500 rpm stall converter. The truck itself required the Adventurer package.
According to the L’il Red Express Club, the L’il Red Truck designers discovered that government regulations allowed for an already-certified engine to be modified somewhat without recertification. For the prototype, they used a standard 360 truck engine, but added W-2 heads, the cam from a 1968 340 V8, a modified Edelbrock intake manifold, dual exhausts, and a cold air intake (through the parking lights). Dodge took the standard short-wheelbase stepside pickup, a relatively low-weight truck, and dropped in the modded 360 V8 and A-727 transmission with a 2500 stall converter. The twin stacks were a good 2.5 inches in diameter; the rear axle was a 3.55 Sure Grip, and the Goodyears were GR60 in front and a generous LR60 in the rear (roughly 275/60-15), — not tall, but wide. Front wheels were 15x7, rear wheels were 15x8.
Features include: Camshaft from the 1968 340 4-bbl.
Red stripe valvesprings with damper from the 1968 340 4-bbl.
Standard valve retainers (replacing rotators)
Large Thermo-Quad from Police 360
Intake manifold from the 1978 Police 360
Windage tray from Police 360
Roller timing chain and sprockets from Police 360
Dual-snorkel air cleaner with fresh air ducts
Chrome valve covers and air cleaner lid
Street-Hemi style mufflers
dodge pickup tailgate
Cosmetic modifications included chrome plated air cleaner, valve covers, dual exhaust tailpipes and heat shields, side steps, and rear bumper. The only color was bright red with a gold tape stripe package and gold decals on the doors and tailgate. Body side and tailgate body trim were made of real oak, with chrome-headed bolts; the high end cabin (including convenience package YF1) was done in red or black, and owners could get either bucket (at extra cost) or bench seats; included in the package was an oil pressure gauge, automatic transmission, and rear stabilizer bar. The gross vehicle weight was 6,100 pounds.
The Dodge L’il Red Truck was limited production, with just 2,188 units. A few more were produced in 1979, but when the gas crisis hit that year , trucks sat on dealer lots and resale prices plummeted; and so 1980 production was cancelled. The L’il Red Truck was by no means cheap, which is likely why it was not more popular; it added $1,131 to the cost of a basic D-150, which normally sold for $5,168, but it also required a number of other options, including automatic transmission, Adventurer package (for the interior trim), FM stereo, convenience package, oil pressure gauge, and quad-rectangular headlamps. The total was over $2,000 more than a base D-150: $7,422. Bucket seats added nearly $200
This outstanding example shows 24,000 miles on the odometer, believed to be original.
