1986 Dodge Ramcharger Review - The Early Days Of The SUV!

[@ShootingCars]

I think I did my liters to cubic inch conversion wrong! It is a 360

[@Believeinyourself-BIY]

The 383 is a big block, which was last seen as a 400 ci, the smallest of Chrysler's big blocks. A quick way to tell is the distributor is at the front of the motor, angled towards the passenger side of the vehicle. I did want one of these as my first new car in 1987, but the price, 2wd with a 5.2l V8 started at 20K (Canadian) without A/C. The car I did buy, 87 Dodge Shadow ES Turbo 5 speed, in black, no A/C...was 11K. The Shadow does share that steering wheel, although I later installed a DINO leather wrapped steering wheel. Thank you Zack for your great work, and your visits to Collector Car Feed.

[@celsovera91]

The final model year of the ram charger was 1993. To think this is sitting in the same showroom as the Viper and both cars are night and day.

[@landonbenford8369]

@@celsovera91 And the All-New Intrepids and Neons. Chrysler was on 🔥🔥🔥!!

[@RobsNeighbor]

These and K5's were everywhere in highschool! Love it

[@SombreroKnight]

I’m not a mopar guy but i really love the Ramcharger especially the rare Mexican 3rd gen and a family member owns one back in mexico so i can hopefully buy it off him and bring it stateside.

[@SecretlySeven]

This is probably the most screwed with SUV ever. You're far more likely to find a Jeep wrangler stock than one of these stock. Would love the chance to see one unaltered and unlifted some day.

[@CF-3300]

More screwed with than the Ford Excursion? Screwing up Excursions is practically a subculture.

[@SecretlySeven]

@@CF-3300 There's a lot of pure ones cause the value is so high. I've never once seen a Ram-Charger that wasn't hillbilly'd up.

[@mrcory1236]

My dad has a 1989 one he has used as a plow truck ever since i was little, the only mod on it is the plow, but it isnt in really good condition cuz it was always a work truck

[@ChryslerFan88]

Now this is my dream car right here!!!

[@davidp2888]

Those things were everywhere back in the day.

[@Hobotraveler82]

I own an 85 Ramcharger Royal Se. Been sitting in my aunts yard at the old farm they used for storage. It belong to My uncle Mark who then gave it my aunt. Used mostly for deer hunting. I bought it to fix up. But had not gotten there yet. Awesome vehicle. Awesome video. 😊

[@celsovera91]

Man Dodge really has a missed opportunity and not making an SUV nowadays based on the ram. I know they brought back the Wagoneer, but that competes with the escalade and navigator. they should make something to compete with the Tahoe. It could’ve been the Durango‘s big brother.

[@Mr-Neven]

I want to pick up a Mexican Ramcharger from the early 2000s. We never got them :{

[@jlang8213]

The Grand Wagoneer competes with the Escalade and Navigator. The regular Wagoneer is supposed to compete with things like the Tahoe and expedition.

[@TheJCompound]

steallantis sees more money in jeep sales than dodge. and dodge and ram r seperate now ,dodge wouldnt want the front clip off the rams

[@Foxcanfixit]

I love those old Dodge SUVs

[@eddiefalcon8316]

Zack I always appreciate when you film getting into the back seat. Also props for finding a decent mechanic. Those are few and far between!

[@michaelcoffey7362]

Nice, I always liked these 😀

[@weegeemike]

My mom had an '86 Ramcharger that she bought brand new. It was fully loaded, in fact I've never seen one more loaded. Had the factory rollbar, power everything and the biggest engine at the time, the 5.9 360 with the 4bbl. She owned it until a few years ago when she had to sell it due to financial difficulties. It needed paint and some carb work but was otherwise all stock and unmolested. She sold it for $3500. I keep telling her if she waited a few years she probably could have cleared $10k 😂. Regardless these are great trucks, just as good if not better than the Bronco and Blazers of the era and definitely more rare.

[@ThatOldBlueTruck]

Love your videos man, been subscripted to you on my other account for a while. We bought an 86 Ramcharger when new and still have it, best year of the best truck ever made! Wanted to correct a couple minor inaccuracies 1.) The console WAS factory however the metal drop inserts for the cupholders were not. 2.) No way that's a factory 383. They stopped offering that motor from Dodge in the early 70's as well as all big block options in trucks I believe. It also has the incorrect valve covers and air cleaner, so I think that first owner fibbed when he sold it to the second owner about it being a special order. Probably just a 5.9 Litre. 3.) 2WD Trucks are hard to find but weren't correlated to lower trim levels. In fact, most of the 2wd trucks I've seen were top trim Royale SEs like this truck. This truck though has one this that's pretty rare, it has the stainless trim two tone dividers but is all one color (Two-tone delete - The RPO code escapes me). In fact, this one looks to have basically every option available. Very hard to find truck, very cool, AWESOME VIDEO!!!

[@weegeemike]

My mom also had an '86 Ramcharger that she bought new. It was equipped very similarly to the truck in the video, Royal SE, 360 4bbl, power everything and factory rollbar. It was an awesome truck. She owner it from early '86 all the way up to 2018 or so when she was forced to sell it due to financial difficulties. We still reminisce about it all the time. I wish she never had to sell it.

[@bazilwreckerloughead]

Now that's *my* kind of SUV!

[@bwofficial1776]

That's a nice-looking Ramcharger. Nice Ramchargers are almost impossible to find. I love the style of these and how relatively luxurious this is. That's not a voltage gauge, that's an ammeter. Dodge didn't switch to a voltage gauge until 1990. The full output of the alternator ran through that gauge which caused some issues.

[@landonbenford8369]

Before some moron coined the phrase suv, these were TRUCKS!!!😎And Zack? I love you but you didn't mention that to access the rear seats on the passenger side, the whole front seat rises, not just the seatback. A quite unique feature at the time.🧐🤓

[@MasterDebator-l7u]

Hey that moron is rich beyond belief now so there’s that, but I get you

[@alvingershon1169]

My high-school coach drove this to school everyday..loved the size of this 4×4

[@RichardinNC1]

Note the 5.9 V8 was a 360 ci. The 383 (6.2l) was last used in 1971 if I recall, replaced by the 400. All Mopar big blocks were discontinued in the late 70s leaving just the 5.2 and 5.9 in the Mopar lineup. You can tell the difference by all Mopar big blocks (including the gen 2 HEMI) had the distributor angled at the front passenger side. Also note the long used 3 speed Torqueflite (for RWD and 4WD only) was an entirely different transmission than the much maligned front drive only 4speed used in the 90s minivans and sedans. The best advertisement for the Ramcharger was a Chuck Norris flick when he was buried in his Ramcharger and it was able to dig itself out of the hole.

[@jcat96]

I've always wanted one of these as a winter truck. But i know as soon as it looks at salt its gonna rust to pieces 😂

[@nathanjoseph4284]

4:01 I'm surprised this car even has cupholders at all to be honest!

[@HomerJ1964]

That Mexican Ramcharger looks like a two door Durango.

[@robertvance1873]

And the back seat folded up to give you more room

[@torythefanman]

When I was like 7 my step dad had one of these. It was the first vehicle I remember driving. My step-dad dropped off my mom at the Walmart entrance. And after that I remember him asking me if I wanted to drive the Ramcharger. It was in the middle of winter and I learned how to steer a car in the snow in that thing. These Ram Chargers hold a soft spot for that reason

[@markherrema3837]

5.9 v8 is the 360 ci

[@norsegolf76]

That's just perfect!

[@tedfreakinray]

I've been waiting for one of these!

[@bricegraham8256]

Imo I though the Broncos were better built. But these were still way cooler

[@star_wolf181]

5:05 The console is Factory 😉

[@Believeinyourself-BIY]

3:39 any time you see Excelon on a Kenwood head unit, you know you're getting 3 pairs of 5 volt pre outs.

[@mannywilliams6409]

Had one like this but in light blue, though mine had the 318. Good truck but I sold it when gas prices got too high Was expensive to fill a 30-gal tank!

[@basharifard2]

Charger before the new 06 charger

[@chrislemaster2695]

You also could have got the standard 3.7L 225CID Slant 6 as well.

[@1988Dodge]

Until 1988 when they brought the tbi v6 and it was only available with 2wd models

[@posilna7944]

My first car was an 85 ramcharger. Just rwd and no roll bar.

[@jamesmancuso3666]

Rollbarls and ashtrash whatelse chould you want?

[@terrencesimpson9113]

Yeah, it’s a 360, but it’s all good. The 360 can get “warmed up” real good. 🙂

[@TheGeorgiaMediaGroup]

I just picked up one. 92 canyon sport. Like new

[@BobAbc0815]

A cool Vehicle, even cooler if you switch the AC on.

[@Foxonian]

It's a 360. I had a 1985 Dodge D350 1 ton pickup and that was the largest engine you could get with it.

[@robertvance1873]

People making comments about cupholders Yes in the late 70's early 80's I know it's mind blowing yes some had them and No Zack factory console with cupholders.

[@brandoncastro2154]

I have a high model 2wd ramcharger all original rare one of one of your interested in Arizona.

[@cahosjunkyard]

Should put “5’11 not a small guy” on a shirt

[@Mr-Neven]

It is probably a 360. Still love your work

[@robertvance1873]

And if you didn't want to tag it as a truck you could tag it as a station wagon and tags were cheaper

[@matthrivnak6572]

Looks like a pickup with an aftermarket addon

[@JarmelSingsKaraoke]

🔥🔥🔥

[@cavemanjoe79]

A three speed automatic in 1986 just sounds weird, my Dad’s Ford station wagon had a four speed automatic.

[@carlasghost656]

Three was the normal automatic in the US at the time. Though a four speed was offered in some vehicles as an extra cost option. There probably would have been more fours with overdrive, or even more gears in more vehicles, but the US government put the 55 mph limit in effect. With a six or eight cylinder, three was plenty for almost all conditions. GM and Chrysler kept three speeds around for way too long. The original Neon had a three backing up a four cylinder engine. It must have been screaming when it tried to keep up at new highway speeds.

[@t.b.g.504]

Endorsed by Anton Chigurh.

[@NealStampley]

It's not a "car" it's a SUV

[@kc0lif]

don't drop the big bottle😢.

[@davinp]

1986 was before Chrysler bought AMC for Jeep

[@hamburgerhamburgerv2]

I don’t think I could maintain or trust one

[@Billn1971]

I would change to stainless brake lines and convert to disc brakes all the way around. At the least.

[@LuisBarucUreñaMaldonado]

Dodge durangos father?

[@Captain_Commenter]

Mopar or no car.

[@crackerfood5825]

what’s even the hype of these suvs, they are a truck with no bed

[@TruckingInABlueDream]

Right, but they had a rear seat, weathertight cargo area, and could pull a trailer. Essentially a smaller, two door Suburban.