The Origins of Ram

[@matthewbanta3240]

Back in those days, people used their trucks to get actual work done. They were often company vehicles bought with the bottom line in mind. So it makes sense that people would buy stripped down versions with one of the only options being a fuel economy package added to an engine that was already under powered

[@Barry101er]

So true!

[@samholdsworth420]

The fact that they called it The miser package is hilarious

[@patrickwayne3701]

I have one of the '80 Mizer models and the thing they were actually referring to is that you would FEEL like a Mizer with how much time you'd have to yourself between destinations..... It was a very good example of what you DIDN'T want in a truck.

[@kevinrice4909]

Trucks made $. Love trucks! Hate rag joint steering!

[@albertgaspar627]

and thank goodness for labor, they eventually got a market where fleet vehicles needed to offer more to get employees to spend all day inside one. After that, those of us looking for parts vehicles could land a truck at auction that had AC and other goodies to add to an old car we were trying to save.

[@Ray-rw7nz]

I had a 1983 Ram Miser short bed in dark blue with white pin stripes. It had the original slant six replaced by a 225 super six, and with the 4 on the floor with over drive and the 2:94 gear ratio including stock sized tires I could easily get 30mpg on the highway. So I would say for a fulll sized truck that cost 200 bucks the mpg is by far better than any of the new vehicles on the road although a alot slower.

[@Boxpok]

I had an 82, same setup. Sometimes I miss that old Dodge….

[@Auggies1956]

I bought a used 91' Ram half ton that was two years old. She served me for the next nineteen years. I sold her because the rust was staining my drive way. I only had a alternator go out in all that time.

[@Barry101er]

I come here for my dose of both detail and melancholia. I do love a junkyard. ❤

[@MechaFenris]

1982 Ram Prospector Special was a classic truck. Back when Ford and Chevy made everything optional... the Prospector had air, carpeting, a cassette stereo... all for a better price. :) And my Dad's 1982 lasted until he bought a 2005 Ram 1500 Hemi.

[@nitecritter]

Flashbacks... in 1981 I had a Dodge Sport Van with a 225 and a 4 speed. I used to tow a 2500 lb pop up camper with it. I was like a tractor trailer... 45-50 uphill, and 65-70 downhill.

[@cerhart7172]

@working_country ___ - some weren't bad. We had an '81 B250 with the slant six/4-speed that did rather well, but it also had a higher 3.91:1 gear ratio. We pulled a lot of things with it, including trailered cars (6000-lbs loaded) at 65-70mph without issue. If the body hadn't completely rotted away, I might still have it.

[@fastinradfordable]

Tractor trailers aren’t slow

[@jonathangehman4005]

I can't believe I'm going to have to correct Steve Magnante! Dodge pickups from the introduction of the new body in 1972 always used the same doorhandle as the 67-76 A Body and and 66-70 B Body. I've pulled door handles from pickups for my Belvedere, Darts and Dusters and have gone the other way and put one of the pitted ones I took off my old Demon onto my Brothers 76 Trailblazer back when those were just used cars. You have NO IDEA how smart it makes me feel to know something MOPAR that you missed. I dig what you do, never stop

[@jonathangehman4005]

BTW, B Vans used that passenger car door handle into at least the early 90s if I'm not mistaken. A great source for new-ish handles for your crusty ols ones on your 69 Hemi Road Runner or 68 Valiant 4dr.

[@ericjswindle]

Sixties trucks used the push button handle too. Somewhere in the mid sixties they switched from the refrigerator door style handles to the push button.

[@crustyoldoffroader7436]

AND, that recess didn’t show up till 1975. It was added to give some rigidity to that part of the door. ‘72 through’74 didn’t have that. This is the only time I’ve ever seen Steve incorrect on something.

[@jonathangehman4005]

@@crustyoldoffroader7436 My 81 D150 is cracked right along the edge of that recess about 1/4 of the way around it, if I don't do something about it evetually the whole things going to be swinging around on the latch rod

[@bradkay]

@@crustyoldoffroader7436 Steve is wrong a lot of the time. Did you watch the Hudson video?

[@dspain0214]

1949 Dodge Wayfarers had a ram head hood ornament.😁 The pickups from '81 to '93 had a good sized, nicely cast Ram head hood ornament. We at the dealership had to remove them from trucks on the lot because of theft.

[@moparnut6286]

Oh so true still people try to steal them had one go missing off my 84 Ramcharger.

[@cecilkoselke7878]

Both my modes of transportation have those hood ornaments. An 82 short bed Miser, and an 83 SE Prospector Ramcharger. Driving just isn't right, if not looking down the back of that head up there!

[@moparnut6286]

@@cecilkoselke7878 yep you are right!

[@gregedwards1921]

I seem to remember a family member having a 54 or 55 Dodge pick up with a Red Ram engine so I think Ram is a natural progression of the use of this name!

[@johnmollet2637]

Hi Steve, A slight correction for you. The '72 model year had the same push button exterior door handle as the later trucks. I have a '72 D200 Camper 9000 and a '90 W150 Ramcharger, same part. Other than that I love these Junkyard Crawls.

[@johnmollet2637]

@working_country ___ Yes they do. The front fenders had a different profile and the panel behind the door had this straight vertical detail. I did not realize that that body made it to '94, thought it finished in '93. Learned something new, thanks.

[@kentlange5338]

I said the same thing to myself. Steve seems to be pretty sharp in most areas but he needs to proofread his videos a little better before making supposed statements of fact that are easily disproven.

[@johnmollet2637]

@@kentlange5338 Yeah, but considering every model he presents you have to cut him a little slack now and again. He certainly knows much more than I do. Heck, I even catch Leno misspeaking now and again. They are probably two of the better ones out there considering everything they present, besides, it keeps the rest of us honest. Have a great evening.

[@bradkay4794]

@@kentlange5338 Steve isn't going to change anything. Multiple errors have been pointed out to him in the past with no action being taken. See Hudson Brothers for a great example.

[@bradkay4794]

@@johnmollet2637 He never acknowledges when he's wrong. He can put a text notice on the screen for a correction but never does that. Uncorrected errors are why so many people think pintos blew up because the gas tank was behind the axle and Ralph Nader killed the corvair.

[@joeknowz4898]

My first day at a new job 1987 , walking across the lot I see the hood up on a blue and white 1979 Ram Charger...this thing look like it just rolled of the lot. Getting closer I can hear someone reciting every 4 letter word in a sailers dictionary..I didn't see any one till I walked up to the front of it...he was sitting inside the engine bay...We became good friends after that. He'd had been having trouble passing the emission test because the state didn't list it as a truck...till they figured out it was his personal plates and the fact they never switched "sedan" to "truck" on the vehicle registration...Thanks Al...I always loved that Ram Charger.....

[@Ollywood00]

Steve, I have to correct you sir. There was no pull handle in 1972. Push button handle from 1972-1993. Nor was the door recessed around the handle. The recessed started in 1979. Great video! Keep up the good work

[@danw6014]

I had both extremes of these trucks. An 82 short bed with the leaning tower of power and a four speed as well as an 85 one ton with a 360 automatic. I know the 360 pulled better than the 350 Chevy because the farm I was working on at the time would use both trucks to pull chopper wagons but I think it was a mistake on Chrysler's part to not offer the 440 in these trucks. GM still had the 454 and Ford still offered the 460. The Cummins was a game changer. I also think they should have kept the Power Wagon. They had a reputation of going anywhere and some pretty cool graphics in the 70s. And who can forget the advertising where they drop Dodge truck from the ceiling. I'd love to find an old square body short bed 318 4×4 or even a 2wd to make a cruiser out of. They were great trucks.

[@spurgear4]

I still have my 85 Dodge Prospecter, I use it whenever I have work to do or stuff to move. 318 2 bbl

[@zelenskysboot361]

I had a first year Cummins '89. Incredible motor had over 500k when I parked it

[@Daniel-fd3wp]

Yes I had the 95 Dodge truck single cab 12 valve Cummins engine the turbo was indistracble.

[@geoffkeller5337]

What happened to your truck after parking it?

[@zelenskysboot361]

@@geoffkeller5337 a plumber bought it to trailer his backhoe around. I transported a maintainer once and that motor toted it around the hill country without a slow down. A real torque monster that Cummins

[@stetsonwalker]

Back in the 60s Dodge vehicles in general were called goats prior to the GTO even. Came from back in the day of the Red Ram Hemi

[@charlesangell_bulmtl]

Sounds regional...

[@stetsonwalker]

To the United States, yeah was regional

[@wreckerjonny6144]

I still own my 79 power wagon. I bought it when I was 18 drove it for 27 years non stop. I watched that odometer roll atleast 4 times

[@garysgarage.2841]

I was gonna buy that back window until Steve broke it. Good going.

[@tommer7293]

Lol

[@55desotomine]

It's not broken, the aluminum is held on the black insert tape stuff, easy fix.

[@scottwadzinski272]

My 1974 D200 has push-button exterior door handles and no depression stamped in the door. As far as I can tell Dodge had push-button exterior door handles well into the 1990s.

[@GreyRockOne]

Thanks Steve! Although I'll always refer to them a Dodge, that is who makes them, just like Imperial was made by Chrysler.

[@e.s.bryant765]

Thanks for the new video Steve!

[@SchneiderClassics]

love the 12 valves that comes in some of these old gems

[@akaaccount]

We had one of these but with the automatic on the farm. I was turning around at the end of a field and stopped with the front right tire against the end of a row. When I went to drive out, it wouldn't. Wouldn't push the front tire over the row, wouldn't spin the rear tire. Just sat there with my foot on the floor in drive slipping the converter until I gave up and backed up. That said, the brakes were great and it had way less rust in it than the similar Chevy trucks we used at the time.

[@bog8462]

I haven't read all 278 comments at this point but where was the 5/50 7/70 plan I was waiting to hear about? ZINC!!! Another reason Dodge made the comeback. I'm surprised you missed that in an age where all these thinner than they should be trucks should be zinc coated like Dodge, Chrysler and Plymouth did back in the day. Hope to see those plans disclosed on a future installment! Still very awesome stuff Steve.

[@ccrider77]

I used to own a 1948 Dodge "Ram" pickup. The Ram motif was common back then and was even used in early advertising. They were still Dodge trucks...

[@80fordmustang6]

Have had several old dodge pickups from the 80’s currently have a 89 d100 (last year for the d100) one of my all time favorite 70’s-90’s pickups

[@71_sears97]

From what I know, these trucks all had the button style door handles even back in 72.

[@auto.impulse]

Holy moly, this man can make a video out of any kind of pile on the side of a road . And it'll still be fucking awesome!

[@garyslentzii2796]

WoW! Loved the ending where it looks like your Altered Wheelbase is rippin down the track! Don't know for sure 👍🏼

[@Blackout_1692]

That S10 in the background is worth taking a look at even though it's too new for Steve's taste as it's a four-door model that was only offered from 2001 to 2004

[@Very_Angry_Citizen]

I always thought the Ram started with the Prospector. The motor had a Ram/Charger on the valve covers. I learn something new every day!

[@Daniel-fd3wp]

@Very Angry citizen I believe your right. SUV they made those a couple of years .

[@alexlandsberger1423]

Prospector was an interior package

[@oldguy2082]

I've had 2 Ram (Dodge) pickups generation 1. The first, 74 was a "loaded" Adventurer trim pickup with two tone paint, a/c, ps, pdb and manual trans with an am/fm radio. My 1990 was an odd package truck; 318, ps,pdb, am/fm radio, ac with delay wipers in a base D250 fleet package with HD cooling, power steering line cooler and HD trans cooler. But late gen 1 vehicles suffered from worn-out body dies and suffered extensive rust issues as they aged. So, my 90 died not from mechanical issues, but extensive rust in the roof, rear of the cab and door and rocker rust. That's what happens when you have no money to update or replace an old body style. By the way, Chrysler cheaped out on the A bodied Dart and Valiant after 71 or so, the dies wore out and they leaked water everywhere.... I know my job was to find and seal up those leaks in 75/76 models before delivery to customers. Those things leaked water everywhere...

[@brandonbell3089]

The door handle information you said is wrong. All 70s-early 90s dodge trucks have push button handles. The pull up handles were only on the 73-79 dentside fords

[@savedin87ify]

Always loved Dodge Trucks. I have had 2 Dodge Ram 1500. A 94 and a 2000 my 00 was a 4X4 extended cab. Put 300,000 miles on it. Cant afford one any more. But I do have a Jeep

[@72dodge340]

2011 was the first year for Ram as a marque. Great video, Steve, very educational.

[@VinylMatador]

I have my grandfather’s 1988 D150 Ram with a 318 V8, 3-Speed Torqueflite, and a 2.94 geared 8-1/4 axle… the speedometer goes to 180 km/h (at the time, Chevys went to 140, Fords went to 160 I believe)… my uncle told me that on multiple occasions, he buried the speedometer “truck had no problems goin fast”… I hope to restore it someday

[@adamrodenberg1557]

I have the same truck from 1984. I got it about 20 years ago cheap because it was pretty ragged out then. With a little work it became a reliable daily driver. I got it dialed in perfectly smooth and quiet, floats down the road like a Cadillac. Seems like a rocket ship compared to the little Izuzu P'up longbed diesel I had before the Dodge. The Izuzu only had 68 horsepower. One thing I learned about this truck is that oversized tires will kill the off the line performance and acceleration. With 235/70/15 it didn't want to go anywhere fast. With 205's it's much better.

[@Sd1v8v]

Miser model sounds cool, fuel economy and nice trim.

[@MCD1994]

My dad had a dodge truck almost just like this when I was growing up. Believe it or not he towed/hauled pretty heavy with his ! I remember the little box on the passenger side with little door on the floor was his 'AC' lol. It was this only non ford truck he owed that I still have a soft spot for.

[@NorthernChev]

I had a ‘78 full-size 1/2 ton Dodge pickup with the 4-speed back in the late 80s and I never felt it was lacking in power. It was about the same as my ‘69 Chevy 1/2 ton with the straight six and the three-speed manual that I drove before it.

[@1320fastback]

I daily drive a '92 D250 Diesel 5spd. No computers, no sensors, no smog check, no problems.

[@55desotomine]

'75 had push button handles and no recess. "Ram" was first used on Dodge trucks from 1932 through 1954, the hood ornament was first used in 1933 but ceased in 1950.

[@Chrisb8s]

I look forward to Steve’s videos everyday. The first one I click on. Is that a dead Buick lesabre behind you Steve. That’s a rarity. They seem to live forever

[@tonyfriend7413]

I got a 2001 with 97.000 and some change. Gray 4 door. Grandpa car 3.8 rust free. Great automobile.

[@MichaelandCathy1999]

That’s a Cadillac, it’s got the little fins of the rear fenders

[@Chrisb8s]

@@MichaelandCathy1999 I saw the Cadillac too. But to the right or stage left was a Buick

[@MAGA_Trump_Warrior]

My dad had 2 of the ram 250 custom trucks with the 318. Those trucks would work all day without any issues. Solid engine and drive train for sure.

[@Sedan57Chevy]

These square rams are fantastic trucks and easily my favorite that dodge ever produced. While my heart will always belong to the 80s Fords, the ram is a handsome and heavy duty machine that's hard to ignore!

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

I like ALL of the trucks from this era. While MY heart truly belongs to the GM "square body" trucks from '73-'91, I also own a '78 Lil Red and a '78 4x4 Warlock. I also regret selling both my '89 F-150 Lariet 4x4 and my '90 F-250 XL 2 wheel drive. Both Fords had 351 Windsors, the F-150 had an AOD transmission and the F-250 had the 5 speed manual with grandaddy low first and overdrive fifth gears.

[@edwardpate6128]

Nice Caddy in the background there!

[@redram5150]

What’s funny is I have a 13 and 14 Ram and my title still says “Dodge Ram” while my window stickers say “Ram 1500/2500 Express/Big Horn”

[@ZebsterP43]

I had an ‘82 Mizer slant 6. Sold it a couple years ago with 15k miles on it. I still have an ‘85 Prospector

[@junkcarwilly]

KEEP BEING YOU!!!

[@69Dartman]

The Ram name was started in the 50s I think. The 55 Dodge my buddy had had a Rams head emblem on the hood so it was part of the marketing back then.

[@ChaytonRemington]

The ram name didn't start back then but yes it did have that hood onrament.

[@grumblyone3334]

In high school, my cousin would occasionally borrow his stepdad's pickup, which was almost identical to that. Fast, it was not. But, it got him around. Interesting to learn about those things.

[@flyingfortressrc1794]

Great info as always Steve.. Thanks 👍

[@nightshadefern162]

The recess for the handle was likely added in 1978, same year as the vans. It added some rigidity to the door, that was its purpose. The earlier models probably had some sheet metal flex issues (contributing to the crack that often forms below the wing window post on pre 78 doors).

[@CR7659]

When I replaced my 89 Ramcharger with a 1989 Suburban I needed some mirrors. Lo and behold I get looking at the Ramcharger and ... they were the same mirrors, I swapped them right over. The door mount might be different but the tube and head are the same. Two cylinders off a 318 is the same as Chevy's 4.3 is two cylinders off a 350 Plastic gas tank would be an innovation for Dodge. Even my 2002 Express still has a metal tank, although in 03 they went plastic on vans (must have been a few years earlier on pickups).

[@SleepyUncleSam]

That 4 door s10 in the back is a cool truck, for a newer vehicle

[@dallasgibson7578]

In 1980 you could get a tin grill truck with "dodge ram" on the tailgate. A one year only thing before the slight body style change for 81-93

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Boy Dodge has come a very long way from those not so desirable pick ups from those day’s! Great video Steve!

[@danw6014]

Rather drive these old trucks. They were reliable. Trucks with the 360 had plenty of power. Trucks from 78 back with the 440 had more than plenty of power. The body's last more than 20 years, far better than any of the trucks built after Daimler came in and fleeced the bank account.

[@mrdanforth3744]

Dodge cars and trucks used the ram hood ornament starting in the early thirties but dropped it in the sixties. Lee Iacocca thought it was a great trademark and brought it back in 1981 for the Dodge trucks.

[@edwardpate6128]

That 4 speed overdrive was created originally for the Dodge Feather Duster in the mid 70's. I always thought a brilliant piece of on the fly engineering.

[@danielleclare2938]

Ironically or not all the towing I do is in town because I use my trailer for materials etc. Never on the Highway so the Mizer setup is perfect for city stuff most of the fuel wasted is in idle. The 225 is perfect for that type of driving. V6 now are lighter so that is a plus but no need for my 5.7 Hemi in town. Love that motor.

[@chriss5010]

My brothers first truck was an 83' with the slant 6. When he upgraded to a 93' I took over the 83'. Was a good running truck,I ran it until I got an 89' with the 3.9. Both were 2wd and no power options except steering n brakes lol Awesome vid Steve 😎

[@arikharrelson6009]

I got a 88 3.9 dakota with no power options and a 5 speed manual 2wd

[@chriss5010]

@@arikharrelson6009 the 3.9's weren't bad little engines. Mine had around 150k when i sold it.

[@rustyaxelrod]

Steve loves his MOPAR stuff. 😂

[@jasonshull3106]

Thanks Steve.

[@adamtrombino106]

That generation were great simple trucks! The biggest issues with the revised A883 were the ratios ( and some had the weaker aluminum case as well) 1st gear was a short 3.09, then all the way down to 1.67 for 2nd! That giant drop took away any kind of power to be had, and you had to put your foot in it for so long, city mileage actually suffered. 3rd was 1 to 1 and 4th was .73. A lot of owners that I knew actually used 2nd gear starts and ran around town making just the 1 upshift to 3rd.

[@jonbruce536]

Great commentary!

[@jamesblair9614]

I think the weak link in that drive train is going to be the 8 1/4” axle, but then I don’t know what size clutch they hung off the back of that sloper. With those sorts of ratios, that clutch is going to spend some time slipping, so l hope it has a big one.

[@toasteroverdrive1097]

Lots of legroom in these trucks. We had one turn over the 5digit odometer 3 times, and it probably already had 1 turn over. What is great about these is that you could go to a junkyard and pick a door handle or an altrernator from another rwd mopar and fix your truck.

[@phonebackup8132]

From a diehard Mopar fan, ram is what you do with your Dodge truck!

[@mikechurch2359]

steve your the best your wisdom is amazing to me keep up the great work

[@taylorjs2534]

A little more coffee today than normal Steve? :-) Thanks for the video.

[@Scott_From_Maine]

I had a '76 Tradesman van with a slant six and three on the tree and it towed a 1,000 lb 13' Scotty camper just fine.

[@ZebsterP43]

I had an ‘82 Miser that had only 15k miles on it that I sold a couple years ago. Still have an ‘85 Prospector with 70k miles on it.

[@capeway07]

Interesting Steve, all I could think of when watching was how much I love vent windows and I wish they'd come back. Kind if hoped the new bronco may have had them.

[@geoffkeller5337]

Agreed! Really wish the vent windows would come back.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

I love them too but they'll never return. The manufacturers say that they're a security risk. I say glass is glass and a thief doesn't care how big the window is.

[@willhorting5317]

Yep. I miss vent windows. They really were great at funneling and directing air onto yourself in the Summer, if you didn't have A/C.

[@dougackerman4182]

Loved this video Steve

[@jasonrackawack9369]

Once in awhile here in the north east you can see this body style as an old surplus military truck, I think the army used them in the 80s.

[@diwalsh7864]

Love this show mate ...keep up the great work ...

[@tapeweight]

I see the camera 🎥 guy . Thanks for these videos.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

I miss my 1977 Dodge Adventurer pick-up. 2WD, 360, Standard cab, short bed. It didn't have a straight panel on it including the bumpers, but it was a beast. The previous owner was a logging company from what I was told. It looked like it had been beaten with a few trees. But it would pull anything. I've always wanted to find another one. Preferably with a better body than the one I had

[@REMBRANTTUBE]

GREAT JOB STEVE!

[@jeffrykopis5468]

When the title says "The Origins of Ram", you really should go back to the 40s and 50s, when the Rams Head logo, badge, or hood ornaments were being used. And a mention of Iaccocca would be apt, since HE brought the RAM name and "Ram Tough" theme BACK to Dodge trucks after a multi-year hiatus.

[@rightlanehog3151]

With the 4 speed manual, I suspect this Dodge pickup was faster than the 75 Fury with Slant 6 and automatic that I used to drive.

[@dennisklett2791]

love the vid... I have a 1983 that was a slant 6 but now has a 340 in her.... she's my baby loud and fast

[@pl5624]

Ram name started in 1980.72-up never had flipper handles all were coffin handles with pushbutton.

[@dougnations1270]

You’re right, PL. The first couple of years (72-73??) had smooth sheet metal around the door handles. I *think* there was a cracking sheet metal problem that the stamped detail helped out.

[@joshlusco4522]

Man I love this channel man I learned a lot keep it up great content.

[@Oscarphone]

I thought "Ram" started as a Dodge thing in the 50s when Dodge pickups had a rams head hood ornament on their trucks. Weren't early Dodge hemis known as Red Ram(on the valve covers). I think the Ram moniker was a codification of something they used for quite some time earlier.

[@EJohnDanton]

Totally agree...also there were a bunch of racers of Dodge products and the cars were called the Ramchargers. That's where the 70s SUV got th at name - Ram has been a part of Dodge for years.

[@minbannister3625]

The Dodge Ram emblem goes back to 1932.

[@christic5339]

But the Ram was marketed as it’s own model in 1981. Making the 81-93 the 1st gen Ram. I only say that because I had a guy blow up on me telling me how wrong I am that I called his 84 Ram a 1st gen at a car show.

[@patrickwayne3701]

@@christic5339 well Sir,, this is where grumpy old guys get the reputation. In 'today's' street slang,,, to call a Square Body Dodge truck a 'first gen' is more often a term derived from the 89 models being the 'first' chassis to get the Cummins diesel installed from the factory, thus, 'first gen' I started at Cummins myself, in 1992, when they had a super top secret 'new' bodystyle being tested in the chassis dyno at the Tech Center in Columbus Indiana. As a long-term Dodge guy born and raised in a Dodge family, I was giddy to see the restyle of the Ram trucks, ESPECIALLY once the Cummins put the Ram back on the map in 1989. Ask anyone,, Dodge trucks were about overwith by '88 if you look at power and towing capacity. With them killing the big blocks in 1978. Dark times. But the B series made it a real truck again and NO body could tow what we could and get even HALF the mileage a Cummins would. Bob Lutz was the last real leader of that company as far as the trucks went in that time frame. John and Horace Dodge got snubbed by Henry Ford one time too many and in 1914 they formed Dodge. After making many mechanical parts for Ford, he talked smack to them about they wouldn't even be around if it weren't for him, so, they decided to let him buzz off and went for it. So, the Dodge Brothers began in 1914 with their own products, including the 'Fargo' line of trucks. Which eventually became known as Ram series trucks. I have forgotten the exact first mention of a Ram being associated with the Fargo line of trucks, but all of mine go back to 1940 and the Ram is on every one of them. So, you have to know which time frame you want to argue about with crotchety old guys,,, some of them I apprenticed to, actually knew John and Horace personally. My Granddad was born in 1928 and knew Clessie Cummins and J.I. Miller personally by the time he hired on after WWII. being third generation to work at Cummins,,, I have kept track of the Dodge project as a matter of personal love for the product my family helped make what it is today. So that guy probably didn't 'blow up on you' because their generation dropped the bombs that stopped the madness... he probably only 'set you straight',,,, Lol

[@christic5339]

@@patrickwayne3701 the generation goes with the body of the vehicle. The 88 Cummins used the same body as an 81 Ram. The engine doesn’t make the generation of anything. That doesn’t make sense. You can look at any other vehicle body generations and it all goes off of the body of the vehicle. Sometimes they’ll have a “facelift” mid generation but it doesn’t make it it’s own generation of said car. The reason that guy blew up on me is because he’s dumb. Plain and simple. He didn’t set me straight either. All he did was push someone from having ANY interest in his truck because he had to “set them straight”. That’s a stupid argument. The time frame I’m talking about is the first generation Dodge Ram (81-93). Not when they used the Ram name for an engine, trim, or anything else. Just when they made a truck, gave it the model name, and sold it. It’s like saying that the new Dodge Durango is the 6th generation Ramcharger just because it’s an SUV. If you want people to fall in love with these trucks and keep them on the road, don’t be a jerk and “set someone straight” or blow up on someone because you THINK you’re right when all logic and understanding says your wrong.

[@westonbridges]

While the body parts are very much interchangeable, they are not the same. 72 was a new body style from the previously and often called “sweptlines” regardless of the bed. 72-80 fenders, doors and bedsides aren’t as squared off. 81 was the switch from Power wagon to Power Ram in 4x4s along with the new dash, and new body lines.

[@reggiepotts3437]

you always do a great job, Thanks

[@alcoholic2412]

Here in Canada they were called Fargo trucks in the old days.

[@KevinWindsor1971]

The 2 wheel drive 1983 Ramcharger that I used to own was former Parks & Rec vehicle from Maryland. It was labeled Fargo under the hood. It had a 318 V8 hooked to a 727.

[@gregedwards1921]

I had a friend with a 54 Dodge pick up with a 241 Red Ram engine, I think thats where the Ram name came from!

[@williamseigars5791]

That's a great looking rear bumper for a New England dodge

[@davidchristensen2970]

I had one of these. It was fine for most of what I did but it could not tow much at all. It had a 30 gallon gas tank and got around 20mpg so highway range was pretty good.

[@allmihi]

The 1937 dodge business coupe hood ornament was a ram . I thing dodge has always used the ram as a mascot

[@plumbandsquare1]

We had one of these a work truck in the late 80's. The gearing was so long legged it was difficult to get moving.

[@stanley67s13]

I have a 47 dodge coupe that came with a ram hood ornament

[@timothykeith1367]

Me too

[@MegaJoedart]

Two corrections. The Dodge trucks never had pull handles in that body style. My 73 doesn’t have it, nor does my 82. Also, that body style predates the 73 Chevy square body by a year, Dodge’s version coming out in 72.

[@79tazman]

That's what I like about the dodge trucks rather then the GMC/Chevy pickups is that Dodge used plastic fuel tanks that were normally 30 gallon tank and they ran them inside the frame unlike the GMC/ Chevy that had the steel tank and the tank on the outside of the frame that would catch fire on side impacts until they put a bladder inside the tank to prevent a fire during side impacts and the fuel tanks in the rust belts were bad for rust many would even start rusting the frame where the fuel tank was with dirt getting between the tank and frame and holding moisture

[@stephaneracicot791]

i had one for 6 years slant 6 225,bullet proof terrible on gas because of the minus 40 winters we had. installed a manual choke sold it13 years ago

[@canadaguy1234]

Oddly enough 1980 trucks had ram decals on the front fenders with the horns but they didn't start calling it Ram until the next year.

[@dado8117]

Thanks Steve!!!!!

[@ddellwo]

By this time, these trucks were already dinosaurs - it’s hard to imagine this body style would still be used for another TEN years after this truck was built! Introducing the Cummins saved Dodge trucks - without it and the life it breathed into the brand, I suspect the category would have been “lopped” by Chrysler or one of its various iterations that were to come! Oh - and for what it’s worth - it’s a DODGE……😂

[@timothykeith1367]

These Dodges and the GM squarebodies are nice to modify. A 5.7 hemi swap is easier in these trucks than many older Mopars

[@danw6014]

Had a couple of these square body trucks. They were good solid reliable trucks. Wish I had them back. GM built their square body through 86. Ford built their square body until 97. The longer they can built a vehicle platform, the better profitability it has.