Baby Ram

The government mandate for improved fuel efficiency forced Dodge to import many unusual vehicles from abroad. In this video, Steve examines a Mitsubishi-sourced Ram 50 short bed pickup. BONUS! A 90-proof surprise for all the drinkers in the house!

[@garagedweller7159]

Looks like that truck could easily be brought back to life.

[@lilmike2710]

And with very little effort. Those little Mitsubishi 4 slingers were hearty little motors that didn't wanna quit.

[@zackjay71]

I thought that to till I saw the plant growing threw the floor and the driver front fender wall split can see when he shows the tire.

[@rustbeltrobclassic2512]

usually it's the frames that go bad on these little trucks, can swear the body used better steel than the frame.

[@frogwizard5637]

It's in New England, the frame is toast

[@57WillysCJ]

@@zackjay71 Plant was outside and the door closed on it I believe.

[@taylorlengyel]

I’m still daily driving my 1982 D50, fully loaded 4wd with ac, it’s a great little truck!

[@danfay4860]

Your not in the rust belt 😂

[@ScottDLR]

Where I live in Washington state, it's the 4WD's that people lust after.

[@onrdetailingnews802]

​@@ScottDLRparts hard to get for them now I got a 90 d50 any help for me

[@gosselinkfinecarpentry9786]

I would have never guessed you ever had a drinking problem. Good for you for getting sober! 4/15/10 for me , 13 years it’s been.

[@michaelnazaruk4100]

I was in Service Management at a Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge dealership back in the late 80's, and I have to say that these Ram 50 trucks were very reliable. Hardly saw any of them brought in for problems - unlike the full size Dodge trucks and Dakotas. I also saw a few equipped with the Mitsubisbi 3.0 V6 engine and manual 5 speeds.

[@ddellwo]

That 3.0 would turn a little D50 into a rocket ship………😮 What were the issues you saw with the full-size Dodge trucks - by that time (almost two decades in production) I would have figured they’d have every possible “bug” in the thing worked out……??!!!

[@michaelnazaruk4100]

@@ddellwo - I saw full size Ram trucks with some electrical issues (bad grounds), a few tranny issues, but the biggest problems were poor fitting doors and hoods, and broken body welds.

[@TheGeorgiaMediaGroup]

Great video

[@Jaguarmaserati]

YES!! Love me a good manual transmission!! Never owned an automatic.

[@ditherdather]

Clean and sober? I love it!!!! God bless, brother.

[@haljohnson5729]

I miss mini trucks

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

me to 6 ' box , Manuel transmission Manuel , crank windows

[@ram50v8]

Couple of points I would like to mention. 1987 was the second generation RAM 50. This marked a huge departure from the first gen RAM 50. The 1st. gen had greasable control arm pivots instead of the 2nd gen rubber bushings. Most "We Be Lube and Shit" places had no clue and would not grease them. This caused some severe wear issues. But if you did grease them every 3 to 4K miles they lasted forever. The front brakes were massive solid cast rotors with healthy calipers and pads. Next point, the 1st gen long bed, with the 2.6, 2wd was a 1 ton rated truck (more on this in a minute) The 1st gen frames were box steel construction from bumper to bumper with well thought out large cross members through welded , no channel frames on them. Next 1st gen point was the rear axle. The rear axle shafts would embarrass a ford 9 inch, they literally filled the axle tubes which were fairly heafty. However the differential case center section for the cross shaft was definitely a weak point under power. Over time the cross shaft would beat the housing bore from round to oblong. Upside, once you got about 0.20" bore wear you would up with a locking diff under load. Down side, you better be headed to the salvage yard for a new center section (which by the way dropped out just like the venerable MOPAR 8-3/4!!) Now more on 1 ton rating. When the first gen came out I started converting them to V8 power for people who wanted a 1 ton rated truck that got great fuel economy, could easily pull and stop a heavy trailer, fit in a parking space (remember this was at the time when parking lots were being re striped for smaller spaces/more shoppers) and had enough power to get out of it's own way. By the 1979 model year Chrysler had pretty much killed the big block (Chryslers last big block vehicle (van chassis/cab) was produced in 1980 not 1978 as some less informed claim. I know this as I worked on quite a few) Anyway, I used all factory parts for the V8 conversion (except for custom fabbed front cross-member and heavily modified transmission cross-member and buick V6 water pump pulley, Eldorado air cleaner and modified 4 ro brass radiator) And for the front springs I used Ford Fairmont station wagon springs with 2 turns cut off. So I ordered quite a few parts when doing these from Shelby Dodge on Neil St. in Champain Illinois. One day when there to pick up parts, JB at the parts counter asked me if I would allow a hand full of engineers from the ST. Louis plant check out my truck. Well 6 engineers spent a few hours checking it out and driving it. They just shook their heads (out of disbelief and amazement) and asked "why"! As I stated, I wanted a 1 ton truck that got great fuel economy, fit in a parking place, could easilly handle a car trailer and reliable. And with the hood closed, you would have no idea a V8 lurked under the hood unless you noticed a pair of 2 inch tail pipes popping out behind the right rear tire. All this before the Dakota and that was why the engineers paid me a visit.

[@RealSteelFabrications]

Great info! I just bought a 1982 Ram 50 and got it running after being abandoned for 10 years

[@onrdetailingnews802]

​​@@RealSteelFabricationsgood luck finding parts nonexistent now got a 90 ram 50

[@GoddessOfMisfortune]

Reminds me a lot of my 79 620 king cab I have now! 6 lug hubs, 4 cylinder, but only rwd and with a 5 speed on the floor. They're real trucks alright, and they all seem to last forever!

[@RealSteelFabrications]

I was very surprised when I first saw my mini trucks were 6x5.5

[@Glenn_123]

That truck looks like it is still in descent shape. I had a 1989 RAM 50 5 speed. Loved that little truck. Got rid of it in 96 for a 4WD Dakota. Wish I still had both trucks. My RAM 50 ran great with 176K miles on it when I sold it for the Dakota. Wish we could go back in time.

[@jeffpitzer8521]

I had an 83 D50 and an 88 that looked exactly like that one except it was an extended cab. The 2.6L with a 5 speed was a BEAST! A buddy of mine bought a new 83 Silverado with a 350...I cleaned his clock. We both towed similar sized boats from Texas to northern Arkansas through the ozark mountains..he could not keep up. I started my machinery sales biz in 91 with my 88.. towed way too heavy of loads for years. Sometimes up to 10,000 lbs. Like from MN to Texas. I wish they made them still...I'd buy one in a heartbeat. Seriously more truck pound for pound than my Cummins dually..

[@brianbloom1799]

Hi Steve, Good Morning, A friend of mine was giving one of these trucks it had low compression, So I did a in chassis, rebuild , what a pain, Should have pulled, But I did it in his driveway. Ran great when done, I think he drove it 5 years, He sad it did get great gas mileage,, Thought I would share, Great Video Steve.

[@kblinn68]

the ram 50 & mitsubishi mighty max were good little trucks.

[@chrishunziker4780]

I just bought a 33 Studebaker Rockne and it has this 2.6 engine and an automatic transmission. I love it! So far so good. They did. Great job putting it in. Plenty of power for the car!

[@nolarobert]

This video was a twofer for me. My stepfather owned a red Dodge D50. It was a great little truck until it developed rust issues. When you were flipping through the 1981 Dodge imports catalog, you showed the Dodge Challenger. I had the Plymouth version, aka the Sapporo. That was a peppy 4-banger coupled with the 5-speed manual. That's the car that got me through my final years of college, so I look back on it fondly. I haven't seen a D50 or a Challenger/Sapporo on the road in many years.

[@RealSteelFabrications]

I just got a ram 50 back in the road after sitting a decade

[@brotherduane36]

I had an ‘82 Plymouth Sapporo with the 2.6 and a 5 speed. I traded it towards an ‘84 2WD D-50 with the 2.0 and 4 speed. Added a cap, American Racing wheels and a lift kit from John Baker Enterprises. I used to haul gear for my band and the stock suspension was weak. Sold that and got a ‘91 Power Ram 50 LE (3.0L 6 cyl, 4WD, 150 HP). Added a cap and brush guard. Drove that until 2004. They all rotted quickly in Massachusetts. Good value at the time. My neighbor’s Toyota rotted before mine.

[@dexburwell]

-have a 1988 2.6L 5spd 4X4 . 258K miles…smokes a little on start up… body is rusting - still runs great 👍

[@57WillysCJ]

I had an 1985 4x4 with the turbo diesel. That little turbo would kick in when passing and really make it sing. That thing got 28 mpg on the open road. May not seem like much now but a 4x4 with that kind of MPG just didn't happen back then.

[@srchester3504]

Hardly ever see the diesels around anymore.

[@TSC-Detroit]

Keep up the good work Steve 6 years clean Life is good

[@barrycuda3769]

That Plymouth Champ was called the Mitsubishi "Mirage" in New Zealand and the plymouth Cricket was a Hillman Avenger . I would have had that aged Canadian Club down my neck on the spot ' it would be smooth.🙂

[@jeffreysproul9110]

I had a 85 MItsubishi MIghty Max for 14 years 2 WD, 4 speed manual, air, sliding rear window, and 7 1/2 ft bed. It had the 2.0 I-4. Good little truck.

[@tanhelmet]

I'm mesmerized in the 1st sixty seconds of line-up rebag-gio repertoire. You certainly know your stuff.

[@Narrowgaugefilms]

There was more to the cap than sheltering cargo. In some states (example: New York), an open pickup couldn't get anything but commercial license plates and were restricted from driving on parkways and in the left lanes of some highways. If you put a cap on it, now it was more like a station wagon and you could register it as a car. This was also the reason for the rear quarter windows in private vans: solid walls=commercial vehicle, windows=passenger car. Since then, they changed the law and open pickups can be registered either as passenger cars or trucks.

[@highwaymanpp05]

I had 2 Mitsubishi Mighty Max trucks loved them very dependable trucks

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

That little Dodge still restorable! Is in great shape! Hopefully someone will save it! Man I remember the Raider’s! I used to love the way those looked!

[@butcher390]

I remember these small trucks 🚚 Dodge Ram 50s , Chevy Luvs , Ford Couriers etc . Great for hauling dirt bikes around 👍 Especially the long bed .

[@seed_drill7135]

Then there was the lowering craze with tilt beds filled with speakers.

[@RealSteelFabrications]

What about the Mazda B2000?

[@vet-7174]

Good Morning Everyone ! 🇺🇸

[@TheREALOC1972]

I had an 86 Ram 50 back in the mid 90's when I was stationed at Fort Campbell, yes it was a small, ugly and yes it had little to no power but it was the PERFECT vehicle for me at the time, Ft. Campbell is 4 hours from home for me in Mid Missouri, I could jump in the truck right after formation on Friday night and be HOME by 9 p.m. for the weekend and it cost me $15 in gas. I loved that little truck.

[@martymiller4300]

As much as I appreciate your positive comments I think this time you’re being overly fair. The Mitsubishi 2.6 was a serviceability nightmare, no owner negligence required. Head cracking valve seat dropping impossibly complicated timing settings (name another engine where you can get a balance shaft 720* out of time) aside, Mitsubishi contributed to the problem with horrible parts availability. The plastic bodied Mikuni carburetor combined a “nobody ever did it this way “ arrogance with missing part #’s for the things that went wrong first. Mixture control/idle stop solenoids, choke pull-off diaphragms and wildly unique thermo waxes we’re all only (factory) available with the hideously expensive carburetor top assembly. Then competitive manufacturers fell in love with it and the thing ended up in everything from the weird ass turbo Starion to Mama’s Plymouth Voyager. Sorry but that motor wrote the book on losing.

[@garyszewc3339]

Never saw a single one with a head problem, other than one that ran one out of oil, when he changed his own oil, and installed the wrong filter. He melted the cam bearings, which were playing on the aluminum head. The timing chains were easy. Align the plated links with the marks on the sprockets. The only bad thing about the engine, was if the owner was too stupid to have a worn timing chain replaced, which would be extremely loud before it got that bad, it would stop driving the chain driven oil pump, and the engine would be toast.

[@runner3033]

lots of people waxing poetic about that 2.6, I remember it as being regarded as a weird, unreliable POS to be avoided. Chrysler got rid of it ASAP and replaced it with the 2.5 variant of their 2.2, and also the 6G72 V6 when a little more power and refinement was needed. I remember the noise of the timing chain, from basket case cars on their last miles, waiting to be replaced by the next $3000 beater (when $3k bought you a drive-able if not awesome car)

[@melvinjones3895]

Bring it back to life. These were good little trucks We should have a little truck now.

[@dude7838]

Man I'd like to buy that little Dodge. Thanks for the content Steve. Love it all!

[@bradleyspear167]

I had a 1986 W50 4×4 that was gold and black, gold body and black stripes. It was a manual transmission one. I rolled that one. I had the 2.6 in two Chrysler/Mitsubishi vehicles, 1979 Plymouth Arrow GT and the Dodge W50.

[@DanEBoyd]

So true about the Trans Am leading the black and gold revolution - although I believe that the John Player Special predated the black and gold on the Trans Am. I still have a picture of a black Ram 50 on a highway in the mid '80s. The reason the picture was taken was that the female passenger was showing us her, uh, you know... This was somewhere in Kentucky, perhaps on I 75.

[@UnfinishedProjectDartSport]

I would love to see a picture of a ram50 on the highway in the 80s.

[@spamanator666]

Looks like it would clean up nicely, minitrucks are making a comeback with all the hate against hugemongous pickups in the USA now, hope someone saves this one.

[@seed_drill7135]

Surprising absence of New England rust on that one.

[@zackjay71]

Lol no hate where I live. Over half the vehicles on the road are trucks.

[@spamanator666]

@@zackjay71 The other 50% hates them.

[@bradhampton6457]

The Mitsubishi Ram 50s were good little trucks. We sold these at our Dodge/Chrysler Plymouth store in late 70s and 80s.

[@OurLifestylePodcast]

Love this mini truck! #MiniTruckin for life! Much respect Steve!!!

[@bobhill3941]

Great review as always. I was born in 1987 and dad bought a brand new S10 regular cab manual 4 cylinder with a white cap he bought from my uncle. This truck is a great value even today. Accounting for inflation, that $5,788 is only $15,800 today. Good morning and have a great day everyone.

[@sidgreen921]

The Chevrolet S10 is a good pickup truck. I had a 1994 S10 with a 4.3 litre Vortec V6 and it lasted for over 250,000 miles until the automatic transmission went out

[@bobhill3941]

@@sidgreen921 Yeah, the only reason dad sold his in 99 was the body had rusted out, the Iron Duke 2.2 and Toyota 5 speed manual were still strong. An uncle also had a Sonoma extended cab of the later generation and a later generation s10 green manual regular cab.

[@evi1dav3]

I have an 83 4x4 Power Ram 50 with the 2.3 turbodiesel. Kinda a rare find. Intresting vid, thanks for making it!

[@morganahoff2242]

5:08 "...including that goofy little Colt..." Why you little...! I had one of those. Great little car. I worried if it ever broke down, I wouldn't know what to do, because i never had to do anything to it! I kept poking the fan belt, to see when it needed tightening, and it never needed tightening! What kind of car never needs the fan belt tightened? For five years!! And later I drove a Mitsubishi Delica, which is a Ram 50 with a diesel engine and a van body instead of a pickup truck. It was never sold in North America, so it took a bit of ingenuity to get parts. One of the tricks was, for anything steering, suspension, etc...anything but the body and engine, I could order Ram 50 parts and they would fit.

[@googleusergp]

No, that's not correct. The Courier (not the Ranger) was the Ford captive import from 1972 to 1982. The Ranger was a Ford designed, built and sold unit, starting with the 1983 model year and replaced the Courier as the mini-pickup in the Ford line. Famously, Henry Ford II, aka "Hank the Deuce" ignorantly told Mr. Iacocca one day, "No way any vehicle with my name on the hood will be powered by a Jap. engine....". When Mr. Ford made that statement, Ford had been importing the Courier for several years. Mr. Ford II was not the brightest bulb in the string. No, 1980 was the year for the 85 MPH speedometer requirement, not 1977. Based on the dealer logo on the tailgate, this was likely sold used through Dillion Chevrolet in Greenfield, MA which is now McGovern Chevrolet of Greenfield at 54 Main Street. Correct, the imported Dodge Challenger (and cousin Plymouth Sapporo) were a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant Lambda coupe. No, 1993, not 1994 for the ending of the Ram 50 line. In 1994, the Dakota took over as the "mini" pickup in the Chrysler lineup. The Mighty Max (what the Ram 50 was based on) continued through 1996. I was never a fan of Mitsubishi. They made great electronics and TV sets and that's what they should have stuck with. I remember my neighbor who was a mechanic working out of his house at the time needing to get parts for a Mitsubishi Starion. I said, "Easy. We'll just call the Chrysler dealer and have them look up parts for a Conquest. Same vehicle". My neighbor was amazed that I could figure that out. This was before the internet and Rock Auto and the quick availability of information, and long before I worked for an automotive parts manufacturer where I had every parts book available within a 10 foot reach of my office. I still have a parts book for this Ram 50 in my collection, as well as most Chrysler products from 1982 to 2005 including 1981 to 2005 Jeeps. Kudos to you for being clean and sober. I don't drink and I've never smoked---not even once. My "addiction" is fixing things. I just pulled a 1998 American Yard Products 22" lawn mower off the curb earlier this week. It has a Honda engine, which I'm not a fan of. The sign taped to it said, "Runs well. Gas drained. Going out in the garbage on Tuesday". I put fuel in it and it fired right up. I'll do some maintenance to it and then decide if it's a keeper or to flip it. Even the self propelled feature works. I'm using a 2007 MTD mower that my neighbor tossed out in 2019 to cut my lawn. When my neighbor saw me using it the next day after he put it to the curb, he signaled for me to shut off the engine. He said, "Got it running?" (Very obvious I did.....). I said, "Yea, someone ovefilled the crankcase and it saturated the air filter and plug. I replaced those, leveled out the oil level and unjammed the engine and it fired right up. Runs great. He said, "Well, I didn't need it. I have an eletric now." I said, "Yup, everyone throws out a good running gas mower so they can buy an electric whereby the batteries will go bad in four years and total the machine out." LOL. If it's not yard equipment, it's tools, or toolboxes or other durable goods that I'm fixing up. But, I do thin the herd now and then, as I did this past winter with flipping a curbside snow blower. If you "shop the curb", you can often find what you need. My workshop garage is maintained with curbside/CL find tools, toolboxes and yard equipment. Most of it was put back into service with very little effort. Caps were also added because of laws so that they wouldn't be considered "commercial trucks" which often required higher fee plates and registrations, and some were not allowed on parkways in some states. No VIN, can't win, but the 10th digit of the VIN is an "H" for the 1987 model year and these were made in Nagoya, Japan. Possible code TX9 Black exterior paint (going by a domestic code that year. "Mighty Max" (not "Mighty Mite") for the Mitsubishi version. My grandfather's brother, Frederico aka "Freddie the Barber" had one. He and my grandfather were partners as barbers for 14 years (originally a "short time arrangement") from 1982 to 1996. Prior to that, both had been barbers on their own for over 50 years. In fact, all of my grandfather's brothers (Sam, Roger, Emil, Al, Freddie and my grandfather Emanuel) were all barbers. Yup, all old time Italian barbers. I've never paid for a haircut in my life. My uncle (my grandfather's son) now cuts my hair using my grandfather's Oster "Classic 76" trimmer and barber tools which I've repaired a few times. My grandfather lived to be 101.5 years old and was a barber about 75 years. My workshop garage I've referred to in several posts was originally the garage at the back of his property, which has been in my family since 1975.

[@timclosson7166]

Wow! Cool story!

[@googleusergp]

@@timclosson7166 Sure thing. Which one? LOL.

[@joeholt7578]

I had a brand new one in 90, great little truck and was quite quick for the time.

[@hackfabrication139]

I miss the smaller pickup trucks. The current offerings from GM (Canyon/Colorado), Ford (Ranger), Toyota (Tacoma), etc., are almost as large as my GMC 1500 Sierra (reg cab/short box). And in some ways bigger. The Ford Maverick isn't even as small as those bygone models.

[@googleusergp]

They're also way overpriced for a "not so capable" truck.

[@waynebuzzell2483]

I had a Ram 50 that I bought brand new in 87. $7,100 @ Bonneville Dodge in Manchester New Hampshire. It had the 2.0 litre 4G63 engine in it. I ran that truck up to 280k and sold it and that guy ran it for another 2 years. It rusted out. I once rolled off the scales at a scrapyard with 1320 lbs. on it. It was on the rubber spring stops 😊. That was a great little truck.

[@rodneybrand8521]

Hey Steve..i remember when the Dakota came out with the first fuel injected 318..the 318 never ran that good the truck was a mighty hauler..the year after that it was discontinued ..replaced with the V 6 ..ford had the 300 CI in 96 that was the first year fuel injection in 97 the replaced it with the 4.0..auto makers do some dumb things ..see you on the next one Cheers friend 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@dansapochetti6116]

The company that I worked for many years ago had 4 of these D50. My 1st truck was an 87 then later a 89.Gutless but extremely durable. They were up there with the Toyota for reliability.

[@seanfrank4158]

That little truck is in pretty good shape for Massachusetts. Someone could get their mitts on a cool little runabout.

[@devonkennedysmith6434]

Went there last week looking for parts for my 1980 power wagon, it was literally the promised land. I couldn’t focus on anything I was so overwhelmed by the cars there.

[@MichaelD26]

This video is great, I was so hoping you were going to cover that D50 when I saw it in the background. My best friend in elementary school had a neighbor with one and I fell in love with it. I loved all of the mini trucks from the 80"s - 90's. I've owned a Dakota since 07 and have had great luck with both of them. Thanks again Steve and keep up the good work, I love these videos.

[@RealSteelFabrications]

I’m slowly falling in love with the mini trucks too. Have bought 2 so far and have got them running on my channel

[@killerontheloose80]

My sister's boyfriend Jeff had one of these in the mid-to-late 1980s rock-solid Japanese engineering no problems

[@elp4740]

Nice job Steve using catalogs and excellent narration to highlight these little trucks.

[@twisted2291]

I have had a few of the D-50's and their brother the Mighty Max. They where great little trucks. Not the fast thing, but they where little grunts and got the job done.

[@hughjass1044]

Paint store I once worked for had one of those as a shop truck. Great little truck. That 2.6 was a great engine.

[@garycrawford2256]

Watching Steve's videos, I see so many potential videos in the background.

[@HELLBAG1]

One of my Dad's last projects before he died was the 87 Mitsu trucklette he got out of someone's backyard for free. Took the engine out and rebuilt it. I loved the man but never understood why he spent so much time on junk.

[@yabbadabba2887]

Had a 1992 Mighty Max 4x4 with a 5 speed short bed. Looked awesome. Wish it was more comfortable. Electric Blue

[@anthonyacosta5336]

I Had The Long bed D50 ..That little Truck was a Work horse.. Put about 350,000 miles on it She just Kept going..One of the best mini trucks ever made... Also had the Plymouth colt...Great little car ...

[@Jim-ic2of]

I always liked those little Mits. trucks . Don't see many around here anymore . Denver Co.

[@MechaFenris]

I had one of those D 50's. Mine was an 'extra-cab' which housed my speaker system. :) It was more than anemic. It was so anemic, hills in Florida made it work TOO hard. :) I had a 1988. Mine was a 1.8 or maybe a 2.0 4-cylinder for some stupid reason. Black mirrors and no striping (except some that the dealership put on it.. ) I put 190k on the little truck before I traded up to an actual Ram in 1995. :) In Florida, mini trucks like that were the bees knees for poor college students like myself. :) It survived being hit in the rear by a Nissan 240z and smacked on the left side by a drunk in a Ford Ranger. :) I miss the little thing. It was SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW, though. :)

[@joeholt7578]

It was the Mighty MAX....I had a brand new one in 90, great little truck and was quite quick for the time.

[@jeffclark2725]

Oh the memories those 2.6 liter mini trucks, great video, yes it still looks pretty solid

[@backachershomestead]

I always want the Dodge Raider. Not many where I lived and rusted out in a few years.

[@velixare6199]

I still have my 88 ram 50, thing runs like a dream on the original engine. Most people stuck an eclipse engine in these things and it could go like crazy.

[@malcolmhamilton5200]

Loved my 79'. Yellow with huge rainbow graphics, bumble bee buckets, yellow mag wheels. After I replaced the factory "rubber like" piston rings with an overbore and new pistons, it stopped consuming oil and behaved. Primary/ Secondary two barrel carb and the 5 speed manual 2600(exactly half the size of a 318, with huge pistons) could outrun my buddy's Mazda 2600 two for one in acceleration. First gens were too small inside the cab for this 6'-4 1/2" round eye and the weird box size made it tough finding caps. My brother had the 2.0 with the 4 speed manual. Half the acceleration of my 2600. Could NOT break the leaf springs no matter how I tried. Box rotted off the face of the earth, like so many Nipponese trucks of the era. Good one Steve

[@keithhackman5713]

Mini trucks are cool, some people dont need the bigger ones. The small ones are usually economical too.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

Does anyone else remember the "Cross the Mitsubishi bridge from Japan to Dodge" TV commercials from the 70s and 80s?

[@ericesterby2895]

The company I worked for had one of these as a parts-running pickup for a time. It had the most uncomfortable seat I’ve ever sat on. It was like a board covered with upholstery.

[@garyszewc3339]

Late 80s gms were just as bad. A milk crate was more comfortable.

[@patdesrosiers6423]

The springs on the driver’s side of my Ranger’s bench seat broke so I got a pair of buckets from some imported car in the junkyard and put them in

[@daryllynhutchins8459]

Blood oath mate

[@RealSteelFabrications]

So true

[@jayer-su3hu]

My first vehicle was a 91 Mitsubishi (same as this truck) bare bones. No AC, manual everything 5 speed manual transmission. And I absolutely loved that truck. And miss it to this day.

[@chrisrobinson8937]

Now we only get 2 sizes of trucks... giant, and extra giant...

[@dennisgallear409]

Thanks Mr. Stevie Wonder. I have a little Dodge 2002 Dakota. Throws about 6 codes but I barely run it. Short bed single cab matching topper resale red. Mountain biker to the Pabst blue ribbon store anyway. Respect honest.

[@IowaBudgetRCBashers]

MCA JET!!! I know a lot of guys who had these and put v8’s in them, but the Mitsubishi Hemi was actually a good little motor

[@SuperchargedPathfinder]

Get well Steve!!

[@johnbehneman1546]

Great video Steve. Great education as well.

[@marioncobaretti2280]

They had the fire arrow with a turbo charged 2.6

[@patdesrosiers6423]

In the petrochemical plant I worked at we had a Mitsubishi lift truck with this same engine. I’ll tell you that it took a beating and came back for more. We had a bare cylinder head in our spare parts and it was a hemispheric or semi hemi. I also daily drove an 87 Ranger for almost 34 years and the Ford/Mazda was a great little truck. Excellent video, Steve does a great job

[@patdesrosiers6423]

The topper is identical to the one I got for my Ranger a couple of months after I got the truck. It was made in Denver by “Magic Toppers”?but I’m sure the same six foot unit was built all over the country by local manufacturers

[@orlandonostagiafever1964]

The Champ with the power stick next to thr stick shift lol I remember those ,the Cricket ,the Colt ,Celeste and arrow.

[@bradfordeaton6558]

I had an '80 Ram 50 2.6 5 speed. I put a header on it, upgraded the ignition and put on a Weber 32/36 DGAV. That thing was a rocket! It was fast! Unfortunately, I wrecked it.

[@mackaman1964]

These Mitsubishi’s were sold under the Chrysler banner here in Australia till 1980 then Mitsubishi took over all Chrysler dealerships and sold thousands of them . In Australia they were called the Triton ,my son has one still

[@merrillthomson9837]

Cool, years ago I had a white and gold Ram 50 Truck. Was a great little truck but it started rusting away.

[@galencurrington8704]

My brother had a 87 mighty max. That looks like a pretty clean truck

[@delgray8523]

That is very good for Resto. Wish I was closer 🎉

[@nicholasbansraj5489]

Imagine a brand new pickup in 87 cost a few dollars shy of $5800 total! And they did perform well.

[@seed_drill7135]

The Mitsubishi version could be had with a diesel. I know that engine appeared in a few D-100s pre Cummins.

[@googleusergp]

I believe the Chrysler version as well from 1983 to 1986.

[@TheopolisQSmith]

In 1979 I purchased a Plymouth Arrow Sport pick up with the 2.6 and a five speed manual. I had it for three years until an 82 5.0 Mustang lured me away. Shouda kept it.

[@Mr.Death101]

Never fails to start the day off great! A little bit of knowledge a few jokes and maybe Katie makes an appearance? Maybe even lockjaw shows up? Either way it's a great start to the day! And by the way black and gold always wins because that's from the steel City here in Pittsburgh! 🪶🇺🇸

[@tedecker3792]

I love compact trucks, having owned seven. I wish someone would make a small, simple, single cab truck today. The small “trucks” offered today have morphed into 4 door SUVs with tiny useless beds.

[@mopartony7953]

2.6L Mitsui big block. Great, tough torquey motor. It’s silent shaft technology was licensed by Mitsui to Porsche for the 924. Industrial variant very dependable in fork trucks. Highly underrated engine.

[@Scalihoo]

They used oil, expect to add a qt. every 800- 1000 miles, I had one put over 100k on it, but they were good besides that..Edit my engine was the 1994 2.4

[@Jupitermustangmike]

I love what you added brother!!!aunt Phyllis would love to here that c and s

[@chrisscearce]

Hi Steve, great pair of videos on the Dodge (& Mitsubishi) truck line up. The little RAM or Mighty Max and the Raider are very much in high demand around here. I owned a Raider for a short time and really can say a very capable vehicle out in the hollers and shorelines of NC. Steve, good to hear you're off the sauce...🥴 Couldn't tell you the last time I had a drank. But I have spent a fortune on the stuff, buying one for friends or soon to be friends at shows, etc. I can't stand a drunk woman personally. 🙃 Dead&Co played in Charlotte Tuesday night. Bob brought a lot of energy to the show. It's their Farewell tour. I'm in Raleigh for tonight's show. I have tickets for anyone looking for a 'miracle'. 😇 Steve, I had the pleasure of driving a 2020 AMG G63 in Charlotte. What an awesome piece that was, and I'm not talking about the lady owner. She makes a mean Colorado breakfast burrito that'll get your morning started off right! Have a blessed day everyone and I'll see y'all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in tomorrow's Junkyard Crawl comments section. Namaste 🙏🏼

[@tomwesley7884]

She fixed ya breakfast? Niiiiice

[@darrenp1549]

Mitsu not Isuzu, Courier not Ranger.... Awesome vid none the less! I went to Swedesboro NJ for Mitsu training 14 years ago and they had an 86 Mighty Max 4x4 TURBO DIESEL as a plow truck.... OG window sticker and 4700 miles.... I WANTED it! Blue with grey guts and a 5 speed...

[@marioncobaretti2280]

2.6 ,s were junk. I worked for granite dodge in Quincy in 1980. Thats all that came in was colts with overheated engines and head gasket failures. It was a garbage engine in the early caravans too. That year we sold 300 d350 cab n chassis trucks with 360 4 bbl thermo quad and a 4 speed. They came with dually deep tread snow tires from the factory. We would drive them around back and roast the snow tires. They were very favored by the phone company for power and reliability

[@burthenry7740]

I remember walking through a Plymouth dealer service area in 1982 and the place was full of Mistubishi 2.6s. Same issues!

[@mexicanspec]

I hope you grew up since then.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

Wow, that's still in great shape considering the age and location. It needs to be returned to the streets. It would be great if the engine ran, but if not, a V6 or V8 would work too

[@ChaChiVooDoo]

These small trucks were the way to go back then, prob even more so now with insane fuel prices the last two years thanks to a certain slimeball. Dont forget all the imports offered a diesel option. This gen Mitsu didnt have it but the Gen before did and also in 4WD as did Isuzu and Toyota, both turbo. These days all we keep getting offered is bigger trucks loaded with options and crazy price tags. They still make compact trucks but ship them everywhere but here. Time to get back to basics and offer a small stripped down work truck again with or without diesel. In 1983 I went to the local library and read all the car books and drive tests on all the imports then test drove them all at dealers, finally settling on the Mazda B2200 diesel. $6200.00 out the door. Drove it 579,000 miles until 1999 when it broke in half. In 2002 I found a 1984 in Los Angeles and had it shipped to CT and am still driving it although parts are super hard to find but it never breaks down!

[@michaellinner7772]

My first car was a 1975 Datsun King Cab. I ripped out all of the smog junk and replaced it with headers, Weber carbs, etc. and went Mazda, Porsche and other unsuspecting drivers rides. It cost a lot of money but hey I was a teenager right in the middle of the worst performance era and I wasn't having any of it.

[@cartmanrlsusall]

Had an 84 sport d50 it was an automatic tyranny that needed a fast jiggle to get it into reverse. It was a good highway machine and I drove it for years before the rings gave out

[@4runner510]

You called it an Isuzu twice LOL. And they were Mighty Max by Mitsubishi I had a new one in 1987 that I drove for 5 years and put 112,000 Mi on it without ever having to put brakes and only one set of new tires. Was one of the best vehicles I bought brand new. Had the 2 liter and 5 speed

[@maidenrulz73]

I had 2 of them….great little trucks

[@Ballterra]

The interior is classic Mitsubishi lol I had a pick up (or as we Aussies say a "Ute' short for utility) it had the 2.0 litre four and 5-speed manual box very reliable very basic no aircon or other luxurys apart from a CD player that I installed along the way.

[@tims72demon]

I had an 86 Mitsubishi Mighty Max. Put over 300k on it. Ran like a clock. Sold it to a friend for his son. He wrapped it around a tree a week later. Never burnt oil. Only put 1 clutch in it. Great truck.

[@ThePontiac98]

I had an 88 with the 2.6 and a 5 speed. That was a great little truck

[@davidp2888]

The paint looks to be in great shape.

[@Ramcharger85]

Love these little guys. Thanks for sharing. ❤

[@ricksaint2000]

Thank you Steve.