And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
It was a partnership with Mitsubishi, my Dad had the gas engine version. When he (ww2 vet) found out he took it back the next day… wasn’t gonna drive no jap pos around by god!
I knew two guys who owned the Mitsubishi version of this same pickup. One was like the WWII dad who didn't want to drive a Japanese pickup, so he swapped the Mitsubishi decals and badges for Dodge livery. Voilà! He had an American made pickup!
The other was a friend's that I borrowed to haul the Cummins motor out of my Kenworth when I did an out of frame major overhaul. I was pretty impressed with that little pickup's power while hauling a relatively heavy load. I especially liked the whistle that little diesel's turbo had when it was powering uphill at mid-range RPM. It was a fine little rig.
As I recall, they came out around '80. I had a '73, 620 Datsun pick up with a stock, '73 Merc. Capri, 2.6L, push rod V6, with a factory 2bbl, progressive, Holley Weber and Capri 4 speed. My buddy got a new 2.4L, 4x4 MitsuDodge and it was a little faster or a little slower, depending our gear/rpm status, (about even) when initiating another "race" through the gears. His had a higher top end. This was around '80-'82.
From Wikipedia: "Four-wheel drive was added for 1982. This created the Power Ram 50 in the United States, as in Dodge's nomenclature the "Power Ram" name was used for four wheel drive models. A turbo diesel engine was available in US models between 1983 and 1985. The 1983 turbodiesel was fitted with a TC05 non-wastegated turbo and produced 80 hp and 125 lb⋅ft torque. The 1984–1985 turbodiesels were fitted with a TD04 wastegated turbo which resulted in 86 hp and 134 lb⋅ft torque."
saw very few in 4x4. I had one in 2wd, came with a 2.0 but I swapped in a 2.6/5speed I pulled out of my 76 Colt (transmission from a Sapporo/Challenger), and the engine was Premium only as it was cobbled together from gathered bits, and had a small chamber 2.0 head, shaved, and later large chamber (Caravan sourced iirc) lower end with flat top pistons and pinged like crazy on 87 octane. I had a Ford F150 carburetor on it, and it'd get 30mpg highway, and 27mpg driving around NOLA.
I had a buddy in the Air Force buy his dad's TD Dodge after he finished tech school. He got it with 40k miles and 3 years old. It got 45 to 50 mpg. When he retired from the USAF he was still driving it. The transmission was the weak link. It had over 300k and was on it's third transmission.
I knew a few people who had the gas 2WD version but I do not recall ever seeing one of these. Have not seen a Dodge Ram of any description from that era out on the road in a very long time. If any of the 4WD Turbo versions survive they are probably up in Alaska where all the 4WD AMC Eagles seem to have congregated.
It was a partnership with Mitsubishi, my Dad had the gas engine version. When he (ww2 vet) found out he took it back the next day… wasn’t gonna drive no jap pos around by god!
ReplyDeleteGood basic trucks, something we need today. Not the monsters made now.
ReplyDeleteI knew two guys who owned the Mitsubishi version of this same pickup. One was like the WWII dad who didn't want to drive a Japanese pickup, so he swapped the Mitsubishi decals and badges for Dodge livery. Voilà! He had an American made pickup!
ReplyDeleteThe other was a friend's that I borrowed to haul the Cummins motor out of my Kenworth when I did an out of frame major overhaul. I was pretty impressed with that little pickup's power while hauling a relatively heavy load. I especially liked the whistle that little diesel's turbo had when it was powering uphill at mid-range RPM. It was a fine little rig.
As I recall, they came out around '80. I had a '73, 620 Datsun pick up with a stock, '73 Merc. Capri, 2.6L, push rod V6, with a factory 2bbl, progressive, Holley Weber and Capri 4 speed. My buddy got a new 2.4L, 4x4 MitsuDodge and it was a little faster or a little slower, depending our gear/rpm status, (about even) when initiating another "race" through the gears. His had a higher top end. This was around '80-'82.
ReplyDeleteFrom Wikipedia:
ReplyDelete"Four-wheel drive was added for 1982. This created the Power Ram 50 in the United States, as in Dodge's nomenclature the "Power Ram" name was used for four wheel drive models. A turbo diesel engine was available in US models between 1983 and 1985. The 1983 turbodiesel was fitted with a TC05 non-wastegated turbo and produced 80 hp and 125 lb⋅ft torque. The 1984–1985 turbodiesels were fitted with a TD04 wastegated turbo which resulted in 86 hp and 134 lb⋅ft torque."
saw very few in 4x4. I had one in 2wd, came with a 2.0 but I swapped in a 2.6/5speed I pulled out of my 76 Colt (transmission from a Sapporo/Challenger), and the engine was Premium only as it was cobbled together from gathered bits, and had a small chamber 2.0 head, shaved, and later large chamber (Caravan sourced iirc) lower end with flat top pistons and pinged like crazy on 87 octane. I had a Ford F150 carburetor on it, and it'd get 30mpg highway, and 27mpg driving around NOLA.
ReplyDeleteI had a buddy in the Air Force buy his dad's TD Dodge after he finished tech school. He got it with 40k miles and 3 years old. It got 45 to 50 mpg. When he retired from the USAF he was still driving it. The transmission was the weak link. It had over 300k and was on it's third transmission.
ReplyDeleteI knew a few people who had the gas 2WD version but I do not recall ever seeing one of these. Have not seen a Dodge Ram of any description from that era out on the road in a very long time. If any of the 4WD Turbo versions survive they are probably up in Alaska where all the 4WD AMC Eagles seem to have congregated.
ReplyDeleteNaw, the reason you don't see them is because they've all rusted out. They sure do around states with snow &salt.
DeleteMy Cousin had a choice between this one and a Datsun pickup. Both similarly appointed, both manual transmission. He chose the Datsun.
ReplyDeleteA good idea that never really caught on. Too bad as they were decent competent little trucks.
ReplyDeleteNice lil truck, Diesel 32 mpg with the air-condition on.
ReplyDeleteMy dad had the gas 4x4 flavor... 1984 I think
ReplyDelete