I liked when he said "this is probably the best condition RamCharger on the planet" - because he highly likely 100% correct. I mean - when they showed the engine I was astounded. It looked showroom new with no miles. And the high gear ratio ultra fast power windows were cool as well.
My dad got one of these when I was a teenager and it was a DREAM vehicle back then. I grew up in Mexico, so when my mom pulled up to pick up my sisters and I, literally the whole school ran to see it cause it was brand new and beautiful. I'll never forget how amazing it was to have one of those. Ours was red just like this one. Thanks for the memories Doug!
A dream In Mexico? Like Baja? I lived there for a summer at K38 at the the edge of the cliff overlooking the Right into tge cove of lobster, fish & dolfins! I onlyhad a Toy then got a better toy with a moter now I have the Dream A Long Wheel travel TTB ind front suspention 4 whheel drive prerunner on Kings FAst & smooth in cntrol . aIR tIME? NOT A PROBLEM LANDS SOFT BEFORE THE LIMITS. dRIVETRAIN FULLY BUILT FOR HIGH TORQU POWER TRANS TRANS CASE GEArs with lockers and TTB GUSSETED & PLATED WITH TALL SH0CK TOWER AND CUSTOM S it rips 70 mph OVER 3FOOT + WHOOPS ! yOU WOULD NOT SPILL A GLASS OF WATER AT ALL. lIKE A rAPTOR ? nAH WAY MOREPOSISION SENSITIVE SSUSPENTION TRAVEL FRONT AND REAR WITH INTB&B ENGINE ETC...
This thing brings a tear to my eye. My grandfather had one that he loved so much. He passed in 2003. That passenger seat shock goes out and that seat becomes a weapon.
Lol forgot about the seat haha . My parents owned one also as they bought it brand new that I ended up buying off of them when I turned 19 . Wish I would of been a smarter kid and kept it although keeping it rust free in New Hampshire for the past 30 years would of been near impossible. Most of these were rotted out by the early 2,000's
If you see a car from the 80s or early 90s in pristine condition, it automatically draws your eye more than any supercar. I remember working at a lube shop and a Chevy Beretta came in. We spent so much time wondering why it was so badass. Was it lowered? Hot rodded? Nah. It was just in dealership shape.
Yeah let’s say if I spot an 80’s Accord or Acura Legend six speed manual in pristine condition it would beat any Lambo in my eyes, maybe only exception is Countach
Hahah, I used to race a guy with a '93 Beretta GT with my '93 Dodge Shadow ES. Both were sweet cars back in the mid-90s, and he would beat my ass because the damn Chevy was like a quarter second faster in the 0-60 from a stop. I'd whup him on rolling starts but that didn't matter as much. Good times.
My uncle had a 1978 model with a manual transmission. I was 12 or 13 and I would get to drive it the two miles from his farm to the main road all the time. I loved it.
My Mom's friend at the time had a 1989 Ram Charger with the 5.9 it was Silver with Black trim it wasn't the cleanest truck but it wasn't bad either for the year. He was such a good person he owned a camp and let me drive it all over the place lol. Between the ages of 10 and 14 I will never ever forget him or his truck I wish I got to have his truck before he passed. He was like an uncle to me and that truck would be parked in my garage and fully restored and kept until I pass it down to someone else.
My father has an old ram charger and I have a first gen 4runner, neither one is in great condition but we get all the looks and questions from people on the street. It is a select community but we love it. Great video! You should do a first gen 4runner review.
I watched this entire video already and came back to just mention how much “awe” I’m in at how AMAZINGLY well kept this ramcharger is. I cannot tell yall how much i appreciate this mystery person for doing such a damn good job at keeping this a perfect time capsule. Holy smokes.
I was tracking right along with you during the video until I spotted the heartbreaking body panel crack surrounding the latch on the rear hatch. Can you imagine how disappointed you'd be with yourself when you backed into something and damaged this sweet, sweet ride? I'd never forgive myself.
@@esperago it's literally in such a priceless condition, that the only way i'd buy it, would be for a steal of a deal, then sell to a mopar collector for the highest offer... defintietly a 100k+ time capsule when the economy is just righttt
I had two Ramchargers and a Trailduster back in my mud-running days in and a little after high school, all 4-speeds. The old 318s were damn near immortal, and they had the best 4-speed and axles out of them, Broncos, and Blazers. All three of mine had the same built but fairly mild 318, A-833 4-speed, and Dana 60 front with a Truetrac and Dana 70 rear with a Detroit Locker, both with 4.56s, I just swapped all the good stuff into a new one each time one got rotted or smashed enough to be no good anymore. I had 38" Swampers on the first and 37" Mickey Thompson MTZs on the other two. I really liked them, not everyone had one and they did great in both the mud and the surrounding trails.
The 4x4 selector lever was Not just Randomly positioned on the tranny tunnel. It was in that position because of two reasons. One being that the Transfer case was right under it, and the other being that if this truck was equipped with a manual tranny, the gear shift lever would have been just to the left of it. It was set up perfectly where it was. It wasn't too far out of the way to reach it, and you didn't have to push it back and forth all of the time, just put it in the necessary gear setting and drive. Then when you got to a place where you needed to change the transfer case gear, you'd stop the truck, reach over and select the new gear and drive off.
5:49 when he says the shifter is off to the side “sort of randomly” I think its probably because the shifter for the manual transmission version would’ve been to the left of it.
Umm, no. Old school shifters only used mostly straight metal rods to connect to the xfer case. The shifter is kicked over so those rods can run next to the trans.
Or that of a floor-mounted shifter for an automatic transmission. These transfer cases were mated to more than one model, so they probably had their lever offset to the right to accomodate whatever transmission lever would equip the vehicle they were mounted on.
I’ve had two full-size Broncos, and currently have an XJ in my fleet. A RamCharger has been one of my weird dream cars since I was a teenager. They are pretty rare though. This one is BEAUTIFUL
Still amazes me how This Body style with the Ram and W Series Pickups Lasted til 1993 Love it These are Overshadowed by the Ford Bronco and K5 Chevy Blazer.
My first vehicle was an '82 ramcharger. This '93 (other than the grill and steering wheel) looks nearly identical inside and out as far as I can remember. 😄
Love The 1972-1993 Dodge Full size Pickups and Ramchargers Guess Dodge Loved that Body Style or were saving Money Using it For 21 years with face lifts.
I test drove a '92. I've always wanted one since seeing the Chuck Norris movie "Lone Wolf McQuade". I was amazed at the speed of the power windows. Literally all the way down and all the way back up in less than 5 seconds. EDIT: I typed this comment before getting to the part where Doug shows the window speed. lol
@@LS3ftw15 , I think that his vehicle was a custom vehicle that was in that movie and that its power output was around what a modern era Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk produces, i.e., around a Hellcat engine would produce in horsepower and torque outputs.
We had a new 76 model. Orange with a white top. Got it to pull a boat. What I really liked about the older models was the split tailgate. The bottom half folds down like a traditional pickup. Made it much more usable when picnicking. About those big side windows, it’s like sitting in a greenhouse and the AC could barely keep up. It is long gone but we still talk fondly of it.
My '75 was orange with a white top as well. The top could be removed, but it took a t least two guys to remove it. It then became a convertible pickup.
I found out that from 1974-1981 there was also a Plymouth version of the Ramcharger that was called the Trail Duster. They were pretty much the Chrysler equivalents to the Chevy Blazer and GMC Jimmy. The interesting thing is that both model names gave a reference to old Mopar muscle cars from the late ‘60’s and early ’70’. The Dodge Charger and Plymouth Duster. If you can find someone who owns and is willing to showcase their Plymouth Trail Duster on your channel that would be really cool indeed, since it was much shorter lived than the Dodge Ramcharger, it is a virtually forgotten model it would be a cool way to revamp it
I had an 83 for my first car. One thing I thought he would mention was the seams in the floor and roof right behind the cab. I always thought it was interesting that they basically took a Ram pickup and just added a roof over the bed. I guess it stood out to me because the roof started failing in the late 90’s and I constantly had to reattach the seam like a large ziplock.
I still own my 93 ramcharger I bought new in 1993. Not as nice, almost 200k miles. But, thtis was marketed towards guys like me who were Dodge loyalist who didn't want to own a jeep. I grew up with previous ramcharger edition and the whole characteristic of it meets my needs. I also outfitted my dad's 1975 ramcharger with a hellcat. I absolutely love these thinsg.
That thing is mint for sure and absolutely beautiful! The vent window that you keep pointing out that you think is so strange is actually for sleeping in the truck and keeping relatively safe while getting air into the cabin. Put the backseat all the way up like you showed and you have a perfect sleeping cabin for two. These were made to take out to the mountains and camp and watch the stars etc. Just like an RV as you mentioned!
That is exactly right my Moms friend had Ram Charger and I would sleep in the back of it all the time and drive it all over his camp I miss him and his truck.
As I watch this for perhaps the twentieth time, I am once again struck by the beauty of this magnificent machine. When this was sold I believe I was driving an International Scout II from 1975 (I believe that was the year), but soon after I bought a 1990 full size Blazer and it also had that beautifully rugged look. Nostalgia… I wish you all the very best!
Is it a Clio Williams 16 S? That would be cool because I live in France and when I was younger they were such cars, my friend & I, when we saw it on a billboard we said to each other “we’ll be able to own that car when we’re in our 70s” actually we could’ve bought it in our 30s…
@@trevinormandy14520 No, the Clio V6 is a mid-engine, rear wheel driven hot hatch with a big V6 engine produced around 2002. It's as crazy as it sounds.
My dad had a late 70's Ramcharger and I absolutely loved it! He had the stock 400 pulled and replaced with a cammed 383 with a Edelbrock manifold and a 4 barrel Holley. It was a beast! He had this and a '49 Ford F1 pickup at the same time.
My parents had a 1993 silver model, and it was the first official SUV in my family, it was huge, there was a lot of space on the inside, and the exterior design was beautiful. Unfortunately, it had several issues related to the transmission and the gearbox, since the very first year. After 4 years of different problems that got more and more frequent, my parents finally decided to sell it and replace it with a Chevy Tahoe on 1997. I will always remember the Ram, there are so many special moments we lived while owning this SUV.
The 'Ramcharger' name dates back to 1959 and the Ramchargers Drag Racing team, which is what got Chrysler seriously into drag racing. It was a team started by of a bunch of Chrysler engineers who eventually were able to get direct corporate involvement and sponsorship from Chrysler in the 60's and 70's. They had extensive experience with the "long-horn" intake manifold that powered the early Chrysler 300 series, and began to experiment with the technology in drag racing. The name soon evolved from long-horn to ram's -horn and eventually the public settled on the nickname Ram-Induction. By the 1960 race season this group created the team named, RAMCHARGERS. So there you have it.
Yup,they were legendary,without factory backing at the start. Once they started racking up wins,Chrysler took a second look at what they’re employees were doing for fun.
My late Grandfather had the pickup version silver/light blue with the V8 it was such a beautiful truck. He always paid cash too. I think he got his after he retired from his nuclear energy job in 1991/1992. I wish Trucks and SUVs today were held to those standards. If I remember correctly the keyhole had a glow in the dark light ring around it and I want to say the windows and lock buttons also had that light, maybe even the seatbelt connectors. These trucks were amazing.
Yes! THIS definitely is a real SUV! I remember spending a week in one of these during a vacation trip to Mexico. It was this generation. I remember it was also a two-tone, Silver over dark gray or black. Beautiful truck! The owner had kept it in mint condition with very few miles. And I wonder if you could legally import the newer Durango-based Ram Charger. That would be quite the conversation piece!
they will be eligible to legally import in 2 years. The Mexican-only Ram Chargers were available from 99 to 01 . Also some other facts many people don't know: the OBS Ram Charger was sold in Mexico through 96, so you can legally import those right now and will look the same as the one in the video.
Small correction for Doug. He said the second generation Ramcharger sold in Mexico was based on the Dakota. I believe it was based on the new for 1994 Dodge Ram. It was a full size, like the first generation. An interesting factoid is that in order to save development costs Chrysler used the current for the day Voyager hatch and tail lights.
Definitely a by gone era. If the “good ole days” was a vehicle it would be something like this. My neighbor had one in red and I always loved it but wasn’t in the position to buy it when he actually sold it. Vehicles like this will never be built again, we’ve gotten lost in what we think we need with luxury things and computer control everything. Would be so cool to own that.
I had a 91. That thing was a tank and easily drove through deep snow, which came in handy in the Adirondack mountains. I wish they would re-introduce it, but it would probably be anemic, in comparison to the Ramcharger of old.
It doesn't look like Ram has any intention on making a new one, but I'd love to see a newer Ramcharger based on the 1500. A modern Ramcharger and Rampage/Ute would be killer.
So cool to see some love given to the old RC…. Having owned 3 of these, they’re quite awesome and under appreciated. An ‘85 Prospector loaded, a ‘91 LE with nearly all options and a ‘93. That Magnum 318 in ‘93 ripped and towed great. I have so many good memories of driving these! Glad other people on the web can now understand the greatness of these. Oh yeah….The fun factor was always through the roof, no matter what I was doing with them.
@@stejer211 massive interior room. Solid axles front and rear. Simple engines. Transmissions are great with simple shift kits. Built like tanks. Nailed a crown Vic once in an accident and barely felt impact. Towed excellent … even with short wheel base. No overheating issues with sufficient coolant and engine bays. Simple to work on… use to sit inside engine bay for tuneups. 15” tire size cheap and economical. AC systems always worked great. So few issues other than ride quality when lifted and mpg…albeit my 93 did pretty good on mpg alll things considered. I can go on and on.
@@stejer211 platforms, incl drivetrain were extremely proven and the magnum setups had next to no issues other than a leaky plenum gasket that was a one time affair. Visibility was incredible. Legal Tow ratings were awesome. Parking was simple. U turns were incredible and could turn on a dime. Suspension was easy to work on and svc as was pretty much everything. Offroad capability was sweet, stock or not. 4x4 engagement was effective and crude but worked every time. Never left me stranded. You have to look at what the RC just did better than the competition during this generation. I’ve been in them all. The RC was a unique rig that nearly did it all and with legroom for a 7ft man and change.
@@Glizzygloss eh not really. They could’ve brought it back similar to the new bronco / wrangler. Removable top, big fenders, off road suspension, stripped down interior, chunky tires etc
What a beautiful truck! These are probably the last years that dodge cared about the customer. The interior is the same color as the '92 Dakota I had, but way cleaner! I love that interior color. Makes me sad that I will probably never find an old truck that clean.
There seems to be a misconception among younger auto journalists the previous generations had to "put up" with trucks that lacked modern amenities. You are correct in saying "It was a different time." Trucks were bare bones because that's the way we liked them. They were simple to operate and easy to maintain. I would MUCH rather have a lever on the floor to change the drive mode mechanically instead of pushing a button. If the old system stopped working, it was usually something simple like a loose or broken bolt or cotter pin. Replacements could be found at any hardware store for just pennies, and you were back on your way. If you push the button in a modern SUV and nothing happens, what do you do? You're screwed. You can't fix it yourself and pocket change isn't going to cover the repairs. Power windows and locks are two more unnecessary complications that are more trouble than they're worth. I must have replaced a dozen power window motors in the past forty years. I NEVER had a crank window mechanism fail. When the motor for the tailgate glass in a 1978 station wagon failed on me, I was able to replace it with a crank assembly from a junkyard that I pulled out of a 1967 model. That one never gave me a problem. Truck interiors were already being made delicate in the 1990s, but in "the good old days," the seats were always vinyl and the floor was covered with a rubber mat instead of carpet. We worked our trucks hard, tracked mud into them on our work boots, and hosed out the interior when it needed cleaning.
@Aisling Mairead I was working at a Dodge dealership back in 1994 as a detailer, and I remember how we had the last few of these brand new on the lot. They became pretty expensive by the time the end came for their production, but our store finally sold them all in early 1994, I PDC'd the last of them and they were really a throwback to the 1970s but it also showed how things might have been better during the 1970s in some ways, these things were unbreakable even when driving hard!
I recently bought a 1992 Dodge Ramcharger, it has the 318 magnum. I really like the clash of of mid 70's styling with early 90's technology. For it's age, it definitely has a decent amount of get up and go. has no rust and the body is very straight on it. Has a 7/10 interior. Only paid $4,000 for it.
This vehicle falls in the category of something enthusiasts want these days. Its an eclectic piece of history. I love seeing one so well preserved! In 30 years, our kids won't bat an eye at a Grand Cherokee but this will still be cool. Love it!
Thank you for this video DD! I have been a proud owner of 91 ram charger for 8 years. My RC does have 1 extra “quirk”. To go I’m 4wd you have to get out and lock the front hubs. Then shift the transfer case.
Lol, as a kid, it was my job to get the right hub lock and my brother did the left, then we hopped back in and dad put it in 4wd and we would go off road. Lol, manual locking hubs! What a memory.
Just as a reference the 1993 $26,061 sticker price would be $53,440 in today's dollars. A similar top tier 1993 Ford Bronco "Eddie Bauer" had an MSRP a couple thousand less prior to any sticker discounts. Apparently in 1993 many could see just how this was an incredibly poor value with some sources reporting only 1,878 sold. I found one source that pins the 1993 Ford Bronco production at around 32K.
My 1979 Plymouth Trail Duster (Ramcharger w/ a different name on it) cost me $9964 out the door - 4wd, 360, 4 spd, AC, fancy interior / captains buckets, extra gauges, trailering package, 35 gallon fuel tank, 4 way 2 tone paint, privacy glass... it was NOT a stripped model in any way and still was under $10K out the door.
@@krazi77 With a 9.25 3.92 locked up rear. 2.5 inch lift on 32x11.5 wheels, and a built transmission I'd take my Durango anywhere you would take your Ramcharger with no worries
I've been waiting for this review! I recall seeing it as a teaser in one of your earlier videos, and got so excited! My dad bought a w150 power ram pickup back in 93 and it's in just about as good a condition as this one! Fully loaded, save for the 5.2l. Black on chrome two tone, factory installed ram ornament, and bed topper. Looks a lot like a Ramcharger from a few feet back. Thanks Doug!
I had one - 1989 model - in high school ('96-99) until 2003 when my family traded it for a 2001 Mitsu Eclipse for my sister. Took it to South Padre Island for spring break 2 years in a row, into Mexico, and it fit right in, LOLZ! My dad got it new an sold it to me for $1000. It was the 5.2L 4x2 with a 38 gal fuel tank and this exact interior. Gasoline was about $0.95 cents a gallon and it was fun as hell to have this SUV in high school. If it was 4x4 I would still have it to this day. Thank you for the review and memories....cruised a lot of Sonic drive ins and Whataburger after midnight in that thing........BEAUTIFUL TRUCK!
Man, so awesome to see this thing! Props to the guy keeping it in the shape that it is. I can't agree with Doug more when he says the interior feels outdated, I had a 1993 Ram W150 right after high-school and wow did it feel dated. It was an awesome truck, wish I had kept it but good lord it sucked driving it every single day. I've owned a lot of full size trucks since then and that was by far the largest feeling truck I've driven. Just wild, I've always loved Ram Chargers, my parents had full size broncos when I was a kid so I've always had a soft spot for 2 door full size suvs.
The RamCharger And Full Size Dodge Pickups by 1993 Were In need of an Update by I always Liked how Chrysler kept this Body style For The Ramcharger and Pickups til 1993.
I had a 1988. I took at offroad on the weekends and spent a week working on it after. It was not good off pavement. The 318 was lethargic and the ujoints had to be constantly replaced due to their small size. The gearing was a joke, (3.23) and came with an open rear diff. Vacuum actuator for the 4wd would fail often leaving me stuck until I installed locking hubs. No power and cumbersome in the trails. I sure did ❤️ that truck..
I had a 1985 Dodge W-250 pickup (and a 1979 of the same model before that), it also had the 318 and I only replaced the U-joints once in 270K miles on the 1985. My grandfather had the D-150 and never replaced his. I can't imagine that the Ramcharger had weaker U-joints than the pickups did. I don't recall the 318 being that underpowered and I towed trailers with mine. I would not have been happy with the 3.23 gear ratio, though -- both of mine had the 4.10. A 3.23 would be appropriate for a truck that never towed a trailer and wasn't used for heavy hauling as it would have better fuel economy and would probably be easier on the engine while unloaded, though. Mine had the manual locking hubs, though -- I don't even recall shift on the fly being available in any form back then although I did not own or drive a 1988 model. My sister has vacuum actuated 4WD on her mid 2000's Chevy Suburban and her mid 2000's Chevy 1500, I am not too impressed with the technology as she has had to replace parts integral to shifting in and out of 4WD on both as well as the 1999 GMC Yukon she used to have. I never had that problem on my trucks.
Senior year in HS, 85/86, had an 80 Ram Charger. Absolutely loved that thing. Talk about raw. That interior was a jeep willy compared to this one. Got around 8 mph. Brakes were more a hope than an action. Same over sized tire wheels as this one. Beautiful and rugged. Recently looked at what they went for. Was expecting 10 to maybe 15. 30k! Crazy
I presently have a 73 Dodge pickup, it has the Willy's Jeep like experience as well. Mostly steel interior, manual transmission, no power steering and no power brakes.
back in the 1993 summer, I was working as a handyman / gardener at a peditrician office in Mexicali, and the doctor had a 1992 Ram Charger with backwindow wiper and Hod Ram ornament. it was Blue and Gold, it was the Limited edition, thus it had leather sits. the doctor allllowed me to drive it to run errands for him. I loved that Ram Charger, back then if you were driving one of this in mexico it was because you had allot of money. so there I was with 19 years and my Metallica shirt driving a cool Ram Charger. PS. audio system was greaaaaaaat
I had a ‘79 that I bought slightly used in ‘82 for $6500. Seemed like a fortune at the time. Had the stock 318cu in it but still had a great power to weight ratio. In the mid 80’s almost no one had 4wd vehicles and when we would have intermittent snowy weather the hospitals would put out request for volunteer drivers to ferry folks from the hospital. I did it one year and that truck plowed thru 4’ snow drifts with no problem. Regrettably around 1992 it caught fire inside the ac blower box because of this funky spring resistor they used to regulate blower speed and it turned into a heating element which ignited small leaves that had gotten into the fresh air intake by the wipers. It burned to the ground in a church parking lot. Mine had the removable roof that had a two piece tailgate with a pickup tailgate at the bottom and a top piece that that opened like a pickup cap.
What a beautiful truck. I believe that the earlier Honda Elements had roof vents- although they were made of glass. Funny story. My Dad purchased a full-size Bronco in 1989. XLT, 351W, etc. .44 mag in the center console and a Bud Light everywhere he went. Doug, you're spot on.
I saw one of those nextgen ramchargers recently in Texas. Looked cool. They had modified the front grill to make it look more like a modern Ram. Fun fact that newer Ramcharger shared the same back hatch as the Dodge Caravan
I think we had an older one I didn't know they made him up until the '90s. Had that removable top and I distinctly remember the transfer case chain going out one day :0
I was the beer bottle exchange man in my dad's broncos....he bought a new one every 4 years, we'd take 4 hour trips up north Michigan every 2 weeks and he'd drink a 12 pack in 4 hours. Never got caught
my dad owned probably the roughest looking ramcharger, had a big bar installed in it as it was a ranger vehicle. the air didnt work and my buddies and I crammingg into the back of it gasping for air always brings me back.
It's crazy to see the difference between the last ramcharger and my 79 ramcharger the I inherited from my great grandpa. He bought the truck second hand in 1980 and daily drove it until the late 90s, the last tags that were on the truck were 98
This ramcharger is unique being the last year, it actually has the newest version of the 360 v8 called a magnum v8 which was first offered in 1993. The motor was very well updated and had more power than the previous version ballpark of 245 horsepower and had very good torque
I had a 2001 Ram 1500 with a 360 magnum and it was a great truck... Other than losing the transmission at 140k miles. The motor was still going strong though.
It alaonwprks as a low pressure draw, with the AC on, to vent the hot air, and cool.the interior faster. How.my parents used it on theirs, and my wife and I still use it on our 92 Ramcharger.
That thing is clean as hell. Whoever owned it took great care of it and had a lot of pride for his truck. Love it. I dig all the old full-size, 2 door SUVs.
I think these have the nicest interiors 😍😍😍😍😍 they are so under appreciated and so rare to find. I’ve actually been on the hunt for a decent one. My aunts and uncles had many of these and even the base models were so neat. They beat anything on the road today !!
Some fun facts. Dodge never meant to have this style truck, introduced in 1971, run through 1993. After the 1st Gen Dakota came out, they designed a replacement for the full-size, called the Phoenix. Interestingly, it looked like a bigger Dakota. The consensus was, it was a nice truck, but it looked like everyone else's. Rather than introduce the banal Phoenix, Dodge designers went back to the drawing board, and we all remember how the 1994 Ram changed everything. In the meantime, they had to dress up the 1991 models and the grill Doug referenced was the only Phoenix design feature to come through. That is how a dinosaur from 1971 made it to 1993. The only thing to outdo that was the Ram Van, having a production run of 30 years. On another note, I had 1987 1/2 ton Suburban, which was essentially a giant station wagon, though truck based and of the same design generation as the Ram Charger. Unlike the Charger, a 4x4, mine had independent coil front springs, making for a comfortable ride. What I would give to have that back, with its small block V8 with throttle-body fuel injection.
Wonderful car! I'm asking why you never show how you start the engine and how it sounds. I feel this belongs into your review as well since they are very interesting and I'm following you since the early beginnings. Nice video.
I've always wondered about these. My neighbor has one that he lives in (it's a weird residence) and he's totally ruining it - red in color, but he's spray painted most of it black. I bet he had/has no idea what he was sitting on, and it's been tearing me up watching him ruin such a unique SUV
These were almost unheard of when I was in High School during this period (1992-1996). Everyone here knew someone that had a Bronco or K5 Blazer, but these wonderful Ramchargers were a very rare sight on the roads. All 3 of these were obviously built on the full size truck platform of each of the Big 3, so there was NO expectation that they would ride any better than their open bed counterparts. But that was part of the appeal of these trucks. If you didn't need an open bed for most things, and were willing to trade that utility for ample space for 2-3 more passengers while retaining the same towing and hauling capabilities, then these were the perfect vehicles for you. And they were AWESOME in that role. It was a great time in automotive history to go adventuring, camping, and off-roading. These trucks couldn't massage your poor tushy after a "long, hard day" building your campfire while sipping your favorite Starbucks latte, but they sure were ready to take you anywhere you needed to go to get more firewood for the burgers, hot dogs, mountain pies, and smores that your kids would remember making forever. Long live those days and the vehicles that made it all possible!
Wonderful review of a wonderfully well kept example of a peculiar vehicle. Had one for a whole decade and was basically used as a commuter from the ranch to town on 40 mile round trips daily, and it was so reliable. Got replaced by a Suburban in 1992 that was nor so reliable LOL. Thanks Doug!
Used to work for a land surveying company that had a little fleet of these with manual transmissions. I remember them always feeling like the next bump would cause it to fall apart. They did run forever but took a good bit of upkeep mechanically.
Roof vent open and the side vents open for the ultimate in air flow through the cab without the air conditioner. Probably helped with the bad gas mileage. Of course gas was only about $1.10 back then.
Idk if this is a personal thing but I LOVE how airy it feels in older boxy big windowed cars.. cars we have today (most of em) comparatively feels sooo claustrophobic and locked up like yk.. i love it so much when the cabin is so open and airy
The closest I’ve found in a modern vehicle smaller than a suburban was the Subaru Forester. The interior is very upright and boxy and the ones with a sunroof have a huge glass panel for it. Like 32x29” which is massive for a non-“panoramic”
@@ridewithme3428 Totally agree, the 1st and 2nd gen Forester (and Outbacks before 2010) are the most airy cars Ive seen ever. You can see at any stop light how the body is always lower than rest of the cars around. Big glasses and a massive solar roof did wonders to feel big space and a luminous interior. I cannot stand modern cars because of they are the opposite.
Absolutely! I can't stand all the huge pillars and tiny windows that cause lots of blind spots. I had a 1988 Jeep Cherokee and I loved how open and roomy it felt and the visibility was excellent.
The vent on the roof was in all solid top Ramchargers. When Dodge switched from the removable top ( pop top )to the solid top it was needed to allow flow through ventilation. On pop top models the rear entry hatch was 2 pieces with an optional outside spare tire carrier. It was also available in 2 wheel drive.
I've had 6 ram chargers and I loved all of them the only problem they had was the fuel tank fuel line we'd rot off the sending unit but other then that one bad ass truck
at my dads old house we used a old rusted ramcharger as the snowplow that thing was fun as hell gas tank just a canaster in back holes in floor came out smelling like rat shit from sitting in barn all year....good times....
I LOVE these things. My dad had an 87... His was clapped out tho. It was a plow truck most of its life. By the time he got it, it was so rusted, it only lasted another 3 years before it literally started falling apart. The body died before the motor tho. So I give it credit for that. Lol. I feel like had the salt been cleaned off of it before it was stored so it wouldn't have dissolved from the outside in, that thing would outlive most of us.
The Mexican "second gen" Ramcharger is actually based on the full size pick ups, not the Durango. They were 2wd only unfortunately. Also, I'm surprised you didn't mention that the rear hatch is fiberglass, which I find kind of ridiculous for something that's so big and heavy already.
@@doba78 yup, stretched at points to fit the Ram body. I've never seen one in person but from what I understand the overall fit and finish on them was actually really bad. I hope a viewer has one so Doug can get his hands on one.
@@garyhouse4432 yes, that's why I put "second gen" in quotes. They're commonly referred to as that since they're based on the second generation Ram pickup, even though it's technically the third generation of the Ramcharger.
Great video. You hardly see ramchargers around anymore at all. (I'm in WA) My first car was a 1977 Ramcharger SE model which was a high trim line model for the time. Got it when I was 14 and spent the next year and half making it roadworthy. It had about 200K on it when I got it and engine was knocking. Body was two tone mustard yellow with white side panels, and while it had some issues was very solid for what it was for the day. The thing even had galvanized lower body panels shockingly. Had a 360 4 barrel and AWD NP203 transfer box. It had the 727 automatic tranny when I got it but when that went out I converted it to an NP445. It was in many ways very similar to the truck shown here but also even more primitive in several regards. The removable top (through '80 I think) made for a few nice adventures but leaked like crazy and made the truck into an arctic sauna in the winter. I had to scrape ice from the windows on both outside AND inside, and I had an annual mushroom harvest under the back seat which my friends still won't let me forget about. Its off road capability was plenty a match for anything I was brave enough to try, It forded many small rivers and did a few overland expeditions on old sheep trails and overgrown jeep tracks. It didn't have a gun rack in it by the time I got it, but it did have the mounting holes for it :) It was a great first car. I totally laughed at the its a RAM-CHARGER comments - I had the very same problems anytime I tried to describe the thing to somebody who hadn't heard of them - which was most people. I only decided to part with it when I got another even older, even crankier SUV - an early series land rover, which I still have and is still in regular service. Fun fact: about the only other SUV where you can find roof vents and wraparound roof windows in that era or earlier were series land rovers. Mine has the "alpine windows" (curved windows on the edge of roofline) and 4 roof vents under a separate sun shield panel.
Aha. Good memories. My son got his licence in ours in a snow storm, only goes in 4 . 1988, factory roll bar Good stuff. A friends Dad has it now . So I can still see it
>>I totally laughed at the its a RAM-CHARGER comments - I had the very same problems anytime I tried to describe the thing to somebody who hadn't heard of them
I worked in the plant where these were produced and missed building these by half a year! They now build the ram classic and the new grand wagoneer, a full size SUV
This thing looks amazing. I love everything about the exterior and nothing about the interior. I would try to Cummins swap this and add a leather interior.
Yep. Last of an era. Especially when you remember the full sized Bronco and Blazer were only around for a few years more. That engine bay is big because it was originally designed for the 383 and 440 big block engines of the early 70's.
Love Those Bodystyle for Both Ramchargers and Dodge Pickups By 1993 It was apparent that Dodge Needed to change There Full Size Pickups to Keep up With Ford and GM.
Dodge really kept that boxy design for a long time... I remember my neighbors 1992 pickup truck and I just couldn't believe how '70s looking the body lines were for a 90s truck
Believe it or not, I have a 92 Ramcharger, a 97 Bronco Eddie Bauer, a 97 Tahoe 2dr Z71, and a 97 Landcruiser. I love 2 door 90s SUV's and bought them and restored them before it was cool to own them again. I've had offers of up to 32k for my Tahoe and Bronco and 45k for my FJ80. I'm not interested in 60-90k new trucks. Something honest and beautiful about these squared-off SUV's.
@@TheRealHungryJoe yes they are. Mine has 265k on the motor but it runs beautifully still and thats with the TRD supercharger installed. Fuel mileage sucks and it prefers non-ethanol fuel but I'm in FL so that fuel is really easy to find.
I love this in just about every way far more than just about every new suv . Its a real Truck. Easy to work on, the wife won't want to drive it. I could go on all day
There was a version (at least in Mexico) that had rear Ac vents that went from the tail gate facing forward! If you sat on the back you have AC blown on your neck! hehe The A/C had no extra fan speed dial for the rear vents, instead it was set most awkwardly below the steering wheel.
![[TH] FS vs BME - VCT Ascension Pacific - Lower Bracket Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wnygqsR2Fig/mqdefault.jpg)
125,000 and still looks like it just rolled off the factory line, utterly incredible!
Thank you.
they’re built to be.
125k is nothing for a 30 year old vehicle.
You can do wonders if you can afford preventative maintenance and detailings every week or month hehe
125k aint alot
I liked when he said "this is probably the best condition RamCharger on the planet" - because he highly likely 100% correct.
I mean - when they showed the engine I was astounded. It looked showroom new with no miles.
And the high gear ratio ultra fast power windows were cool as well.
I don't think it is. I have seen some Mexican Ramchargers that are immaculate. This one would have a lot of competition.
Agreed, it looks like it came out of a time capsule
Lol you should see my 85
The person who preserved this truck deserves so much credit. Absolutely amazing condition considering the age.
@Jajajaja Jajajaja If it's only getting 4mpg, the Earth society has little to worry about
@@carrickdubya4765 did you watch the video or look at the window sticker? where do you get only 4 MPG?
Yes... now let's crush him with the Doug score.
I agree completely, no surprise it won Radwood!
He had a gun, it never got carjacked and chopped lol
My dad got one of these when I was a teenager and it was a DREAM vehicle back then. I grew up in Mexico, so when my mom pulled up to pick up my sisters and I, literally the whole school ran to see it cause it was brand new and beautiful. I'll never forget how amazing it was to have one of those. Ours was red just like this one. Thanks for the memories Doug!
A dream In Mexico? Like Baja? I lived there for a summer at K38 at the the edge of the cliff overlooking the Right into tge cove of lobster, fish & dolfins! I onlyhad a Toy then got a better toy with a moter now I have the Dream A Long Wheel travel TTB ind front suspention 4 whheel drive prerunner on Kings FAst & smooth in cntrol . aIR tIME? NOT A PROBLEM LANDS SOFT BEFORE THE LIMITS. dRIVETRAIN FULLY BUILT FOR HIGH TORQU POWER TRANS TRANS CASE GEArs with lockers and TTB GUSSETED & PLATED WITH TALL SH0CK TOWER AND CUSTOM S it rips 70 mph OVER 3FOOT + WHOOPS ! yOU WOULD NOT SPILL A GLASS OF WATER AT ALL. lIKE A rAPTOR ? nAH WAY MOREPOSISION SENSITIVE SSUSPENTION TRAVEL FRONT AND REAR WITH INTB&B ENGINE ETC...
@@brianbircdude wtf are you talking about are you okay
This thing brings a tear to my eye. My grandfather had one that he loved so much. He passed in 2003. That passenger seat shock goes out and that seat becomes a weapon.
Lol forgot about the seat haha . My parents owned one also as they bought it brand new that I ended up buying off of them when I turned 19 . Wish I would of been a smarter kid and kept it although keeping it rust free in New Hampshire for the past 30 years would of been near impossible. Most of these were rotted out by the early 2,000's
Ejecto seato
If you see a car from the 80s or early 90s in pristine condition, it automatically draws your eye more than any supercar. I remember working at a lube shop and a Chevy Beretta came in. We spent so much time wondering why it was so badass. Was it lowered? Hot rodded? Nah. It was just in dealership shape.
Yeah let’s say if I spot an 80’s Accord or Acura Legend six speed manual in pristine condition it would beat any Lambo in my eyes, maybe only exception is Countach
The cars you grow Up with are mostly the ones that you feel nostalgic for.
Hahah, I used to race a guy with a '93 Beretta GT with my '93 Dodge Shadow ES. Both were sweet cars back in the mid-90s, and he would beat my ass because the damn Chevy was like a quarter second faster in the 0-60 from a stop. I'd whup him on rolling starts but that didn't matter as much. Good times.
My uncle had a 1978 model with a manual transmission. I was 12 or 13 and I would get to drive it the two miles from his farm to the main road all the time. I loved it.
Wow,imagine having all that land and this truck 🤟💯🙏🤠
My Mom's friend at the time had a 1989 Ram Charger with the 5.9 it was Silver with Black trim it wasn't the cleanest truck but it wasn't bad either for the year. He was such a good person he owned a camp and let me drive it all over the place lol. Between the ages of 10 and 14 I will never ever forget him or his truck I wish I got to have his truck before he passed. He was like an uncle to me and that truck would be parked in my garage and fully restored and kept until I pass it down to someone else.
Insert clip of James Pumphrey saying *RAMCHARGERS!*
my first thought
RAMCHARGERS!
Plweaseee !
I hear him everytime I read the name Ramcharger
I'm relieved humanity isn't that stupid they would also rate this comment 1k thumbs up.
Maybe it’s just the Dodge lover in me but I think these were way better looking than the Bronco or Blazer. This is a true gem. It’s beautiful!
I'm a diehard K5 blazer guy, but even I think this truck is absolutely gorgeous
They were.
Indeed.
you can't go wrong with any of those three. I love them all
I don’t know…..1978-79 Bronco has this beat I believe. 😉
My father has an old ram charger and I have a first gen 4runner, neither one is in great condition but we get all the looks and questions from people on the street. It is a select community but we love it. Great video! You should do a first gen 4runner review.
I watched this entire video already and came back to just mention how much “awe” I’m in at how AMAZINGLY well kept this ramcharger is. I cannot tell yall how much i appreciate this mystery person for doing such a damn good job at keeping this a perfect time capsule. Holy smokes.
I was tracking right along with you during the video until I spotted the heartbreaking body panel crack surrounding the latch on the rear hatch. Can you imagine how disappointed you'd be with yourself when you backed into something and damaged this sweet, sweet ride? I'd never forgive myself.
@@esperago it's literally in such a priceless condition, that the only way i'd buy it, would be for a steal of a deal, then sell to a mopar collector for the highest offer... defintietly a 100k+ time capsule when the economy is just righttt
I had two Ramchargers and a Trailduster back in my mud-running days in and a little after high school, all 4-speeds. The old 318s were damn near immortal, and they had the best 4-speed and axles out of them, Broncos, and Blazers. All three of mine had the same built but fairly mild 318, A-833 4-speed, and Dana 60 front with a Truetrac and Dana 70 rear with a Detroit Locker, both with 4.56s, I just swapped all the good stuff into a new one each time one got rotted or smashed enough to be no good anymore. I had 38" Swampers on the first and 37" Mickey Thompson MTZs on the other two. I really liked them, not everyone had one and they did great in both the mud and the surrounding trails.
wow...great story.
I agree, the 318 was a solid engine....and somewhat tunable for more power. A manual transmission and a 318 was a solid set-up.
What car do you own now?
The four speeds in the blazers at least are pretty much unkillable as well
Being a Plymouth guy, I always preferred the Trailduster. I wouldn't be picky if either model came my way.
The 4x4 selector lever was Not just Randomly positioned on the tranny tunnel. It was in that position because of two reasons. One being that the Transfer case was right under it, and the other being that if this truck was equipped with a manual tranny, the gear shift lever would have been just to the left of it. It was set up perfectly where it was. It wasn't too far out of the way to reach it, and you didn't have to push it back and forth all of the time, just put it in the necessary gear setting and drive. Then when you got to a place where you needed to change the transfer case gear, you'd stop the truck, reach over and select the new gear and drive off.
5:49 when he says the shifter is off to the side “sort of randomly” I think its probably because the shifter for the manual transmission version would’ve been to the left of it.
Correct! (source: mine had a 4-speed)
You beat me to it...
Umm, no. Old school shifters only used mostly straight metal rods to connect to the xfer case. The shifter is kicked over so those rods can run next to the trans.
Or that of a floor-mounted shifter for an automatic transmission. These transfer cases were mated to more than one model, so they probably had their lever offset to the right to accomodate whatever transmission lever would equip the vehicle they were mounted on.
All Dodge trucks of this generation (72-93) had the shifter to the right regardless of transmission
The only thing missing from that SUV is the button to go back to the good old days! Greetings from Patagonia Argentina
I’ve had two full-size Broncos, and currently have an XJ in my fleet. A RamCharger has been one of my weird dream cars since I was a teenager. They are pretty rare though. This one is BEAUTIFUL
I've had 100s of people stop on my property out in the country asking if my 90 ramcharger is for sale
My neighbor had one of these in the late 80’s. These sat on dealers lots forever, and he got a killer deal on it. Cool to see one in such great shape.
Still amazes me how This Body style with the Ram and W Series Pickups Lasted til 1993 Love it These are Overshadowed by the Ford Bronco and K5 Chevy Blazer.
@@chargermaster586 Most went unmodified because nobody made accessories for them ;)
My neighbor use to have a baby blue n white one. These things are amazing n I would love to have one right now.
. I saw one For $11,500 1993
@@chargermaster586 yea I instantly went n searched for them too. Saw some good ones
My first vehicle was an '82 ramcharger. This '93 (other than the grill and steering wheel) looks nearly identical inside and out as far as I can remember. 😄
Love The 1972-1993 Dodge Full size Pickups and Ramchargers Guess Dodge Loved that Body Style or were saving Money Using it For 21 years with face lifts.
I test drove a '92. I've always wanted one since seeing the Chuck Norris movie "Lone Wolf McQuade". I was amazed at the speed of the power windows. Literally all the way down and all the way back up in less than 5 seconds. EDIT: I typed this comment before getting to the part where Doug shows the window speed. lol
I could see that being a positive if a swarm of bees or a not-so-friendly wild animal wants to jump in the cabin with you...
👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾😂😭
I was looking for a Lone Wolf McQuade reference in the comments. IIRC his was supercharged.
@@LS3ftw15 , I think that his vehicle was a custom vehicle that was in that movie and that its power output was around what a modern era Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk produces, i.e., around a Hellcat engine would produce in horsepower and torque outputs.
We had a new 76 model. Orange with a white top. Got it to pull a boat. What I really liked about the older models was the split tailgate. The bottom half folds down like a traditional pickup. Made it much more usable when picnicking.
About those big side windows, it’s like sitting in a greenhouse and the AC could barely keep up.
It is long gone but we still talk fondly of it.
My friends dad had the Orange with white top too. So cool. It had a rollbar too. Lots of good memories.
Amazing
My '75 was orange with a white top as well. The top could be removed, but it took a t least two guys to remove it. It then became a convertible pickup.
I found out that from 1974-1981 there was also a Plymouth version of the Ramcharger that was called the Trail Duster. They were pretty much the Chrysler equivalents to the Chevy Blazer and GMC Jimmy. The interesting thing is that both model names gave a reference to old Mopar muscle cars from the late ‘60’s and early ’70’. The Dodge Charger and Plymouth Duster. If you can find someone who owns and is willing to showcase their Plymouth Trail Duster on your channel that would be really cool indeed, since it was much shorter lived than the Dodge Ramcharger, it is a virtually forgotten model it would be a cool way to revamp it
I had an 83 for my first car. One thing I thought he would mention was the seams in the floor and roof right behind the cab. I always thought it was interesting that they basically took a Ram pickup and just added a roof over the bed. I guess it stood out to me because the roof started failing in the late 90’s and I constantly had to reattach the seam like a large ziplock.
Ramchargers are sooooooo underrated. Also in my 1979 W200 base model, with no ac, the vent windows are a lifesaver.
We called them CUCVs in the US Army 🪖. They had a woodland camo finish.
They are Overshadowed by the Ford Bronco And K5 Blazer Glad Doug is Talking about and The owner sent him it.
I had one of these as my car during high school and it was great! Glad to see you covering it. It was cool then and it still is.
Something about that red though just makes it feel off personally I'd paint it a nice blue or Green
@Tinder in real life 🅥 You were waiting for a video on a ram charger?
I still own my 93 ramcharger I bought new in 1993. Not as nice, almost 200k miles. But, thtis was marketed towards guys like me who were Dodge loyalist who didn't want to own a jeep. I grew up with previous ramcharger edition and the whole characteristic of it meets my needs. I also outfitted my dad's 1975 ramcharger with a hellcat. I absolutely love these thinsg.
Was it yours or your dads car
@@K1ng1995 Mine was blue
That thing is mint for sure and absolutely beautiful! The vent window that you keep pointing out that you think is so strange is actually for sleeping in the truck and keeping relatively safe while getting air into the cabin. Put the backseat all the way up like you showed and you have a perfect sleeping cabin for two. These were made to take out to the mountains and camp and watch the stars etc. Just like an RV as you mentioned!
That is exactly right my Moms friend had Ram Charger and I would sleep in the back of it all the time and drive it all over his camp I miss him and his truck.
Being a kid throughout the 90s I never seen a Ramcharger in this good of condition. An absolute 💎 💯🙌
As I watch this for perhaps the twentieth time, I am once again struck by the beauty of this magnificent machine. When this was sold I believe I was driving an International Scout II from 1975 (I believe that was the year), but soon after I bought a 1990 full size Blazer and it also had that beautifully rugged look. Nostalgia… I wish you all the very best!
Finally! It feels like ages ago that this was teased! Maybe we'll finally get that Clio V6 review soon!
It was early 2021 when he first teased this
Is it a Clio Williams 16 S? That would be cool because I live in France and when I was younger they were such cars, my friend & I, when we saw it on a billboard we said to each other “we’ll be able to own that car when we’re in our 70s” actually we could’ve bought it in our 30s…
@@trevinormandy14520 No, the Clio V6 is a mid-engine, rear wheel driven hot hatch with a big V6 engine produced around 2002.
It's as crazy as it sounds.
Still waiting for the westward go-4 interceptor II he teased on instagram
I had the exact same thought. Always been a Rammie fan, been waiting for this one!
My dad had a late 70's Ramcharger and I absolutely loved it! He had the stock 400 pulled and replaced with a cammed 383 with a Edelbrock manifold and a 4 barrel Holley. It was a beast! He had this and a '49 Ford F1 pickup at the same time.
Kudos to your Dad. He sounds like he was a pretty cool guy. 👍
My parents had a 1993 silver model, and it was the first official SUV in my family, it was huge, there was a lot of space on the inside, and the exterior design was beautiful. Unfortunately, it had several issues related to the transmission and the gearbox, since the very first year. After 4 years of different problems that got more and more frequent, my parents finally decided to sell it and replace it with a Chevy Tahoe on 1997. I will always remember the Ram, there are so many special moments we lived while owning this SUV.
The 'Ramcharger' name dates back to 1959 and the Ramchargers Drag Racing team, which is what got Chrysler seriously into drag racing. It was a team started by of a bunch of Chrysler engineers who eventually were able to get direct corporate involvement and sponsorship from Chrysler in the 60's and 70's. They had extensive experience with the "long-horn" intake manifold that powered the early Chrysler 300 series, and began to experiment with the technology in drag racing. The name soon evolved from long-horn to ram's -horn and eventually the public settled on the nickname Ram-Induction. By the 1960 race season this group created the team named, RAMCHARGERS. So there you have it.
The High and Mighty '49 Plymouth !
Yup,they were legendary,without factory backing at the start. Once they started racking up wins,Chrysler took a second look at what they’re employees were doing for fun.
My late Grandfather had the pickup version silver/light blue with the V8 it was such a beautiful truck. He always paid cash too. I think he got his after he retired from his nuclear energy job in 1991/1992. I wish Trucks and SUVs today were held to those standards. If I remember correctly the keyhole had a glow in the dark light ring around it and I want to say the windows and lock buttons also had that light, maybe even the seatbelt connectors. These trucks were amazing.
Yes! THIS definitely is a real SUV! I remember spending a week in one of these during a vacation trip to Mexico. It was this generation. I remember it was also a two-tone, Silver over dark gray or black. Beautiful truck! The owner had kept it in mint condition with very few miles.
And I wonder if you could legally import the newer Durango-based Ram Charger. That would be quite the conversation piece!
they will be eligible to legally import in 2 years. The Mexican-only Ram Chargers were available from 99 to 01 .
Also some other facts many people don't know: the OBS Ram Charger was sold in Mexico through 96, so you can legally import those right now and will look the same as the one in the video.
@@luisinhoens90 good luck finding one and getting it here. Lol i'm sure the cartel is stock pilling these.
The next generation was a ram based ram charger not a durango based.
Small correction for Doug. He said the second generation Ramcharger sold in Mexico was based on the Dakota. I believe it was based on the new for 1994 Dodge Ram. It was a full size, like the first generation. An interesting factoid is that in order to save development costs Chrysler used the current for the day Voyager hatch and tail lights.
He said it was based on the Durango but as you know he was wrong. The Ramcharger does have a special head light though.
No the Mexican 2gen ramcharger was based off a 1/2 ton second generation dodge
@@mattk252 I know. The next generation Doug said was based on the Durango which it wasn't.
I can certainly see 2-door Durango. Body dimensions for Durango vs Dakota? Hell I wonder if there are shared frames for these
@@tyler4093 there are only 2 gens of ramchargers both square body's are first gens one is early one is late but both first gens
Definitely a by gone era. If the “good ole days” was a vehicle it would be something like this. My neighbor had one in red and I always loved it but wasn’t in the position to buy it when he actually sold it. Vehicles like this will never be built again, we’ve gotten lost in what we think we need with luxury things and computer control everything. Would be so cool to own that.
Imagine trying to keep up with it’s gas consumption today though
I really hope we never go back to this just cause of the egregious fuel consumption
@@uumuu I have an 08 Trailblazer, it only gets a hair over 16mpg!
@@docsmallblock6584 my 99 4Runner gets 13mpg!
@@roddydykes7053 people who keep these don't care.
I had a 91. That thing was a tank and easily drove through deep snow, which came in handy in the Adirondack mountains. I wish they would re-introduce it, but it would probably be anemic, in comparison to the Ramcharger of old.
It doesn't look like Ram has any intention on making a new one, but I'd love to see a newer Ramcharger based on the 1500. A modern Ramcharger and Rampage/Ute would be killer.
And maybe offer the hellcat engine as an option.
@@bugsy9069 took the words outa my mouth lol
If they ever do remake it, it would only be in name. I doubt they would ever make it body on frame.
@@bugsy9069 would love a hell cat powered Ute lol
@@charliemaybe Smyth makes a kit to convert the Charger to a ute. Buy one thats been slightly rear ended and youre in business.
So cool to see some love given to the old RC…. Having owned 3 of these, they’re quite awesome and under appreciated. An ‘85 Prospector loaded, a ‘91 LE with nearly all options and a ‘93. That Magnum 318 in ‘93 ripped and towed great. I have so many good memories of driving these! Glad other people on the web can now understand the greatness of these. Oh yeah….The fun factor was always through the roof, no matter what I was doing with them.
SIMPLE AND BULLETPROOF
You love them and call them great, but you don't name any advantages over other cars other than fun factor... so where is the greatness?
@@stejer211 massive interior room. Solid axles front and rear. Simple engines. Transmissions are great with simple shift kits. Built like tanks. Nailed a crown Vic once in an accident and barely felt impact. Towed excellent … even with short wheel base. No overheating issues with sufficient coolant and engine bays. Simple to work on… use to sit inside engine bay for tuneups. 15” tire size cheap and economical. AC systems always worked great. So few issues other than ride quality when lifted and mpg…albeit my 93 did pretty good on mpg alll things considered. I can go on and on.
@@ryannylander1819 That sounds like any car from the seventies, except being massive LOL.
Please go on.
@@stejer211 platforms, incl drivetrain were extremely proven and the magnum setups had next to no issues other than a leaky plenum gasket that was a one time affair. Visibility was incredible. Legal Tow ratings were awesome. Parking was simple. U turns were incredible and could turn on a dime. Suspension was easy to work on and svc as was pretty much everything. Offroad capability was sweet, stock or not. 4x4 engagement was effective and crude but worked every time. Never left me stranded. You have to look at what the RC just did better than the competition during this generation. I’ve been in them all. The RC was a unique rig that nearly did it all and with legroom for a 7ft man and change.
My uncle had 2 Ramchargers. Forever one of my favorite vehicles of all time.
Wow hands down the cleanest Ramcharger I’ve seen, looking so good, and definitely it’s such an 80s truck.
It still bums me out that Chevy did what they did with the return of the blazer. And dodge could easily bring this back too.
Wouldn't a blazer just be a 2 door Tahoe at this point?
My neighbor just got a new Blazer. It's just another crossover. I wished they'd make a Blazer based on a Silverado chassis.
@@Glizzygloss eh not really. They could’ve brought it back similar to the new bronco / wrangler. Removable top, big fenders, off road suspension, stripped down interior, chunky tires etc
Dodge would never bring this back. It would potentially cannibalize Jeep sales. The Ramcharger is dead and permanently.
@@Brianz99 Have you heard of the price of a Ramcharger adjusted for inflation? They really seem to be around the Jeep Wrangler.
What a beautiful truck! These are probably the last years that dodge cared about the customer. The interior is the same color as the '92 Dakota I had, but way cleaner! I love that interior color. Makes me sad that I will probably never find an old truck that clean.
There seems to be a misconception among younger auto journalists the previous generations had to "put up" with trucks that lacked modern amenities. You are correct in saying "It was a different time." Trucks were bare bones because that's the way we liked them. They were simple to operate and easy to maintain.
I would MUCH rather have a lever on the floor to change the drive mode mechanically instead of pushing a button. If the old system stopped working, it was usually something simple like a loose or broken bolt or cotter pin. Replacements could be found at any hardware store for just pennies, and you were back on your way. If you push the button in a modern SUV and nothing happens, what do you do? You're screwed. You can't fix it yourself and pocket change isn't going to cover the repairs.
Power windows and locks are two more unnecessary complications that are more trouble than they're worth. I must have replaced a dozen power window motors in the past forty years. I NEVER had a crank window mechanism fail. When the motor for the tailgate glass in a 1978 station wagon failed on me, I was able to replace it with a crank assembly from a junkyard that I pulled out of a 1967 model. That one never gave me a problem.
Truck interiors were already being made delicate in the 1990s, but in "the good old days," the seats were always vinyl and the floor was covered with a rubber mat instead of carpet. We worked our trucks hard, tracked mud into them on our work boots, and hosed out the interior when it needed cleaning.
Back when they were still marketing trucks & SUVs to men.
Dang. What a trip down memory lane. My dad used to have an old Ramcharger when I was a kid and I LOVED it.
Being of similar age to Doug, I really love it when he reviews the now cool 90s stuff that was so common when we were kids. Definitely made my day :)
@Aisling Mairead
I was working at a Dodge dealership back in 1994 as a detailer, and I remember how we had the last few of these brand new on the lot. They became pretty expensive by the time the end came for their production, but our store finally sold them all in early 1994, I PDC'd the last of them and they were really a throwback to the 1970s but it also showed how things might have been better during the 1970s in some ways, these things were unbreakable even when driving hard!
I know what you mean. Who ever thought 90s stuff would become so cool/nostalgic? In the 90s I was like, "This crap will never be considered classic."
That gun storage is an awesome feature
Aftermarket. Now they have custom ones that are not hack jobs like that one.
I recently bought a 1992 Dodge Ramcharger, it has the 318 magnum. I really like the clash of of mid 70's styling with early 90's technology. For it's age, it definitely has a decent amount of get up and go. has no rust and the body is very straight on it. Has a 7/10 interior. Only paid $4,000 for it.
This vehicle falls in the category of something enthusiasts want these days. Its an eclectic piece of history. I love seeing one so well preserved! In 30 years, our kids won't bat an eye at a Grand Cherokee but this will still be cool. Love it!
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Thank you for this video DD!
I have been a proud owner of 91 ram charger for 8 years. My RC does have 1 extra “quirk”. To go I’m 4wd you have to get out and lock the front hubs. Then shift the transfer case.
Lol, as a kid, it was my job to get the right hub lock and my brother did the left, then we hopped back in and dad put it in 4wd and we would go off road.
Lol, manual locking hubs! What a memory.
I love the transfer case shifter. I initially thought it was a stick shift 4 speed, but I didn’t see a clutch pedal.
What a sweet truck!
That is a gorgeously preserved model. I've always loved the Ram Charger and that one is spec'd out just right.
Just as a reference the 1993 $26,061 sticker price would be $53,440 in today's dollars. A similar top tier 1993 Ford Bronco "Eddie Bauer" had an MSRP a couple thousand less prior to any sticker discounts.
Apparently in 1993 many could see just how this was an incredibly poor value with some sources reporting only 1,878 sold. I found one source that pins the 1993 Ford Bronco production at around 32K.
My 98 Durango with almost all of the same features ran me $31K.
My 90 ramcharger says in the vin that only 2500 was made of that model, had that truck since highschool and still love it
My 1979 Plymouth Trail Duster (Ramcharger w/ a different name on it) cost me $9964 out the door - 4wd, 360, 4 spd, AC, fancy interior / captains buckets, extra gauges, trailering package, 35 gallon fuel tank, 4 way 2 tone paint, privacy glass... it was NOT a stripped model in any way and still was under $10K out the door.
@@181suydam I had an 87 ramcharger and a 2002 durango. I wouldn't dare take the durango places I took that ramcharger.
@@krazi77 With a 9.25 3.92 locked up rear. 2.5 inch lift on 32x11.5 wheels, and a built transmission I'd take my Durango anywhere you would take your Ramcharger with no worries
I've been waiting for this review! I recall seeing it as a teaser in one of your earlier videos, and got so excited! My dad bought a w150 power ram pickup back in 93 and it's in just about as good a condition as this one! Fully loaded, save for the 5.2l. Black on chrome two tone, factory installed ram ornament, and bed topper. Looks a lot like a Ramcharger from a few feet back. Thanks Doug!
I had one - 1989 model - in high school ('96-99) until 2003 when my family traded it for a 2001 Mitsu Eclipse for my sister. Took it to South Padre Island for spring break 2 years in a row, into Mexico, and it fit right in, LOLZ!
My dad got it new an sold it to me for $1000. It was the 5.2L 4x2 with a 38 gal fuel tank and this exact interior. Gasoline was about $0.95 cents a gallon and it was fun as hell to have this SUV in high school. If it was 4x4 I would still have it to this day. Thank you for the review and memories....cruised a lot of Sonic drive ins and Whataburger after midnight in that thing........BEAUTIFUL TRUCK!
Man, so awesome to see this thing! Props to the guy keeping it in the shape that it is. I can't agree with Doug more when he says the interior feels outdated, I had a 1993 Ram W150 right after high-school and wow did it feel dated. It was an awesome truck, wish I had kept it but good lord it sucked driving it every single day. I've owned a lot of full size trucks since then and that was by far the largest feeling truck I've driven. Just wild, I've always loved Ram Chargers, my parents had full size broncos when I was a kid so I've always had a soft spot for 2 door full size suvs.
The RamCharger And Full Size Dodge Pickups by 1993 Were In need of an Update by I always Liked how Chrysler kept this Body style For The Ramcharger and Pickups til 1993.
I had a 1988. I took at offroad on the weekends and spent a week working on it after. It was not good off pavement. The 318 was lethargic and the ujoints had to be constantly replaced due to their small size. The gearing was a joke, (3.23) and came with an open rear diff. Vacuum actuator for the 4wd would fail often leaving me stuck until I installed locking hubs. No power and cumbersome in the trails. I sure did ❤️ that truck..
I had an 88 as well and I agree with everything you said. It was definitely cool to look at though.
I had a 1985 Dodge W-250 pickup (and a 1979 of the same model before that), it also had the 318 and I only replaced the U-joints once in 270K miles on the 1985. My grandfather had the D-150 and never replaced his. I can't imagine that the Ramcharger had weaker U-joints than the pickups did. I don't recall the 318 being that underpowered and I towed trailers with mine. I would not have been happy with the 3.23 gear ratio, though -- both of mine had the 4.10. A 3.23 would be appropriate for a truck that never towed a trailer and wasn't used for heavy hauling as it would have better fuel economy and would probably be easier on the engine while unloaded, though. Mine had the manual locking hubs, though -- I don't even recall shift on the fly being available in any form back then although I did not own or drive a 1988 model. My sister has vacuum actuated 4WD on her mid 2000's Chevy Suburban and her mid 2000's Chevy 1500, I am not too impressed with the technology as she has had to replace parts integral to shifting in and out of 4WD on both as well as the 1999 GMC Yukon she used to have. I never had that problem on my trucks.
@@mharris5047 I had a 77 short box fleet side 4x4 pickup...dropped an old police interceptor 440 into it.... thing went like a sports car.
Senior year in HS, 85/86, had an 80 Ram Charger. Absolutely loved that thing. Talk about raw. That interior was a jeep willy compared to this one.
Got around 8 mph. Brakes were more a hope than an action. Same over sized tire wheels as this one. Beautiful and rugged.
Recently looked at what they went for. Was expecting 10 to maybe 15. 30k!
Crazy
I presently have a 73 Dodge pickup, it has the Willy's Jeep like experience as well. Mostly steel interior, manual transmission, no power steering and no power brakes.
Sean O I also had a Ram Charger my senior year HS 85/86. Loved that thing so many good times. Now days I have a Ram and a Charger....lol.
back in the 1993 summer, I was working as a handyman / gardener at a peditrician office in Mexicali, and the doctor had a 1992 Ram Charger with backwindow wiper and Hod Ram ornament. it was Blue and Gold, it was the Limited edition, thus it had leather sits. the doctor allllowed me to drive it to run errands for him. I loved that Ram Charger, back then if you were driving one of this in mexico it was because you had allot of money. so there I was with 19 years and my Metallica shirt driving a cool Ram Charger.
PS. audio system was greaaaaaaat
My first vehicle was an 88 Ramcharger and I regret selling it so much. It was an absolute beast.
I had a ‘79 that I bought slightly used in ‘82 for $6500. Seemed like a fortune at the time. Had the stock 318cu in it but still had a great power to weight ratio. In the mid 80’s almost no one had 4wd vehicles and when we would have intermittent snowy weather the hospitals would put out request for volunteer drivers to ferry folks from the hospital. I did it one year and that truck plowed thru 4’ snow drifts with no problem. Regrettably around 1992 it caught fire inside the ac blower box because of this funky spring resistor they used to regulate blower speed and it turned into a heating element which ignited small leaves that had gotten into the fresh air intake by the wipers. It burned to the ground in a church parking lot. Mine had the removable roof that had a two piece tailgate with a pickup tailgate at the bottom and a top piece that that opened like a pickup cap.
What a beautiful truck. I believe that the earlier Honda Elements had roof vents- although they were made of glass. Funny story. My Dad purchased a full-size Bronco in 1989. XLT, 351W, etc. .44 mag in the center console and a Bud Light everywhere he went. Doug, you're spot on.
I have an 05 Element, it does have the roof vent and the 3pt mounted "side windows". Id love.. this big bastard.
I saw one of those nextgen ramchargers recently in Texas. Looked cool. They had modified the front grill to make it look more like a modern Ram.
Fun fact that newer Ramcharger shared the same back hatch as the Dodge Caravan
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I think we had an older one I didn't know they made him up until the '90s. Had that removable top and I distinctly remember the transfer case chain going out one day :0
I was the beer bottle exchange man in my dad's broncos....he bought a new one every 4 years, we'd take 4 hour trips up north Michigan every 2 weeks and he'd drink a 12 pack in 4 hours. Never got caught
@Defective Degenerate the early ones did
@Defective Degenerate early first year 74' had a removable roof en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Ramcharger
They Never Changed The Body stayed the same Up til 1993 when it was Discontinued I love that Body style on Dodge Trucks and Ramchargers.
@@chargermaster586 the first generation had a removable top.
my dad owned probably the roughest looking ramcharger, had a big bar installed in it as it was a ranger vehicle. the air didnt work and my buddies and I crammingg into the back of it gasping for air always brings me back.
It's crazy to see the difference between the last ramcharger and my 79 ramcharger the I inherited from my great grandpa. He bought the truck second hand in 1980 and daily drove it until the late 90s, the last tags that were on the truck were 98
This ramcharger is unique being the last year, it actually has the newest version of the 360 v8 called a magnum v8 which was first offered in 1993. The motor was very well updated and had more power than the previous version ballpark of 245 horsepower and had very good torque
Wasn’t dodge putting the magnum in a lot of things, until they came out with the Pentastar?
I had a 2001 Ram 1500 with a 360 magnum and it was a great truck... Other than losing the transmission at 140k miles. The motor was still going strong though.
@@strix4667 i have a 1999 1500 magnum original transmission just had to change out some solenoids
@@strix4667 that’s the bad thing about dodge, like the rams with the Cummins, are amazing. But the trannys are shit.
It’s the console storage for me. These things are so awesome and, as others have said, god bless the person that has preserved this beauty.
The roof vent is to counter the buffeting effect you get when having the front windows down.
It alaonwprks as a low pressure draw, with the AC on, to vent the hot air, and cool.the interior faster. How.my parents used it on theirs, and my wife and I still use it on our 92 Ramcharger.
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That thing is clean as hell. Whoever owned it took great care of it and had a lot of pride for his truck. Love it. I dig all the old full-size, 2 door SUVs.
I think these have the nicest interiors 😍😍😍😍😍 they are so under appreciated and so rare to find. I’ve actually been on the hunt for a decent one. My aunts and uncles had many of these and even the base models were so neat. They beat anything on the road today !!
Some fun facts. Dodge never meant to have this style truck, introduced in 1971, run through 1993. After the 1st Gen Dakota came out, they designed a replacement for the full-size, called the Phoenix. Interestingly, it looked like a bigger Dakota. The consensus was, it was a nice truck, but it looked like everyone else's.
Rather than introduce the banal Phoenix, Dodge designers went back to the drawing board, and we all remember how the 1994 Ram changed everything. In the meantime, they had to dress up the 1991 models and the grill Doug referenced was the only Phoenix design feature to come through. That is how a dinosaur from 1971 made it to 1993. The only thing to outdo that was the Ram Van, having a production run of 30 years.
On another note, I had 1987 1/2 ton Suburban, which was essentially a giant station wagon, though truck based and of the same design generation as the Ram Charger. Unlike the Charger, a 4x4, mine had independent coil front springs, making for a comfortable ride. What I would give to have that back, with its small block V8 with throttle-body fuel injection.
Wonderful car! I'm asking why you never show how you start the engine and how it sounds. I feel this belongs into your review as well since they are very interesting and I'm following you since the early beginnings. Nice video.
Not to mention the lack of fly-bys he used to do like 7 years ago. You get no idea of what this thing looks/sounds like actually driving.
Exactly. How hard is it to have someone turn the key to start it WHILE the camera is rolling. We need that!!!
I've always wondered about these. My neighbor has one that he lives in (it's a weird residence) and he's totally ruining it - red in color, but he's spray painted most of it black. I bet he had/has no idea what he was sitting on, and it's been tearing me up watching him ruin such a unique SUV
These were almost unheard of when I was in High School during this period (1992-1996). Everyone here knew someone that had a Bronco or K5 Blazer, but these wonderful Ramchargers were a very rare sight on the roads. All 3 of these were obviously built on the full size truck platform of each of the Big 3, so there was NO expectation that they would ride any better than their open bed counterparts. But that was part of the appeal of these trucks. If you didn't need an open bed for most things, and were willing to trade that utility for ample space for 2-3 more passengers while retaining the same towing and hauling capabilities, then these were the perfect vehicles for you. And they were AWESOME in that role. It was a great time in automotive history to go adventuring, camping, and off-roading. These trucks couldn't massage your poor tushy after a "long, hard day" building your campfire while sipping your favorite Starbucks latte, but they sure were ready to take you anywhere you needed to go to get more firewood for the burgers, hot dogs, mountain pies, and smores that your kids would remember making forever. Long live those days and the vehicles that made it all possible!
Dude those old chargers suv really hold there value, every time I see one for sale it's not cheap
Wonderful review of a wonderfully well kept example of a peculiar vehicle.
Had one for a whole decade and was basically used as a commuter from the ranch to town on 40 mile round trips daily, and it was so reliable. Got replaced by a Suburban in 1992 that was nor so reliable LOL. Thanks Doug!
I don't know if the Ramcharger was "peculiar", per se; it had a job to do, and it did it.
Used to work for a land surveying company that had a little fleet of these with manual transmissions. I remember them always feeling like the next bump would cause it to fall apart. They did run forever but took a good bit of upkeep mechanically.
Roof vent open and the side vents open for the ultimate in air flow through the cab without the air conditioner. Probably helped with the bad gas mileage. Of course gas was only about $1.10 back then.
.65 a gallon in Ohio, 1996.
$1.10? You’re showing your youth with this. Lol
Average price of fuel in the U.S. for the 1970s was between .39 and .60 cents per gallon.
@My Pronoun is WTF my comment had nothing to do with expensive or not expensive. Just the actual price of fuel.
@@aaronloggins3904
This car is a 90s model.
So 70s prices aren't what you go by
>What is inflation?
Idk if this is a personal thing but I LOVE how airy it feels in older boxy big windowed cars.. cars we have today (most of em) comparatively feels sooo claustrophobic and locked up like yk.. i love it so much when the cabin is so open and airy
Like comparing a park bench to a padded cell. Yeah they were unsafe to crash, but way more natural feeling.
The closest I’ve found in a modern vehicle smaller than a suburban was the Subaru Forester. The interior is very upright and boxy and the ones with a sunroof have a huge glass panel for it. Like 32x29” which is massive for a non-“panoramic”
@@ridewithme3428 Totally agree, the 1st and 2nd gen Forester (and Outbacks before 2010) are the most airy cars Ive seen ever. You can see at any stop light how the body is always lower than rest of the cars around. Big glasses and a massive solar roof did wonders to feel big space and a luminous interior. I cannot stand modern cars because of they are the opposite.
Crash test ratings have forced everything into having thick window pillars.
Absolutely! I can't stand all the huge pillars and tiny windows that cause lots of blind spots. I had a 1988 Jeep Cherokee and I loved how open and roomy it felt and the visibility was excellent.
I'm more impressed that the owner somehow knew at the time he purchased this SUV that Doug was gonna review it 30 years later.
Fast electric windows fit that lifestyle perfect: when on a dusty road and a car is going to pass by, its nice to roll up the windows in a hurry.
id kill to own one... fell in love with the Ramcharger shortly after the bronco and blazer. simply the coolest SUV ever made.
Sweet old ride! Wish my 89 K 5 Blazer had power windows that were that quick! Wow 😮!!
Plus the cool factor of these old rides is priceless!!!!
The vent on the roof was in all solid top Ramchargers. When Dodge switched from the removable top ( pop top )to the solid top it was needed to allow flow through ventilation. On pop top models the rear entry hatch was 2 pieces with an optional outside spare tire carrier. It was also available in 2 wheel drive.
I've had 6 ram chargers and I loved all of them the only problem they had was the fuel tank fuel line we'd rot off the sending unit but other then that one bad ass truck
at my dads old house we used a old rusted ramcharger as the snowplow that thing was fun as hell gas tank just a canaster in back holes in floor came out smelling like rat shit from sitting in barn all year....good times....
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My brother-in-law had one and it is such a great vehicle. Thanks for finding that one and doing a review on it.
I LOVE these things. My dad had an 87... His was clapped out tho. It was a plow truck most of its life. By the time he got it, it was so rusted, it only lasted another 3 years before it literally started falling apart. The body died before the motor tho. So I give it credit for that. Lol. I feel like had the salt been cleaned off of it before it was stored so it wouldn't have dissolved from the outside in, that thing would outlive most of us.
The Mexican "second gen" Ramcharger is actually based on the full size pick ups, not the Durango. They were 2wd only unfortunately.
Also, I'm surprised you didn't mention that the rear hatch is fiberglass, which I find kind of ridiculous for something that's so big and heavy already.
the mexican ramcharger also used the rear hatch and side glass and maybe even other portions of the rear body from a dodge caravan
@@doba78 yup, stretched at points to fit the Ram body. I've never seen one in person but from what I understand the overall fit and finish on them was actually really bad. I hope a viewer has one so Doug can get his hands on one.
@@Serps-ii9zc They come up for sale every once in a while in the US. How they got titles, I don't know.
THE U S 2ND GENERATION WAS 1981 ALSO THE RAM HOOD ORNAMENT GOES BACK SOME 75 TO 80 YEARS AT LEAST BEEN A DODGE OWNER 45 YEARS
@@garyhouse4432 yes, that's why I put "second gen" in quotes. They're commonly referred to as that since they're based on the second generation Ram pickup, even though it's technically the third generation of the Ramcharger.
Great video. You hardly see ramchargers around anymore at all. (I'm in WA)
My first car was a 1977 Ramcharger SE model which was a high trim line model for the time. Got it when I was 14 and spent the next year and half making it roadworthy. It had about 200K on it when I got it and engine was knocking. Body was two tone mustard yellow with white side panels, and while it had some issues was very solid for what it was for the day. The thing even had galvanized lower body panels shockingly. Had a 360 4 barrel and AWD NP203 transfer box. It had the 727 automatic tranny when I got it but when that went out I converted it to an NP445. It was in many ways very similar to the truck shown here but also even more primitive in several regards. The removable top (through '80 I think) made for a few nice adventures but leaked like crazy and made the truck into an arctic sauna in the winter. I had to scrape ice from the windows on both outside AND inside, and I had an annual mushroom harvest under the back seat which my friends still won't let me forget about. Its off road capability was plenty a match for anything I was brave enough to try, It forded many small rivers and did a few overland expeditions on old sheep trails and overgrown jeep tracks. It didn't have a gun rack in it by the time I got it, but it did have the mounting holes for it :) It was a great first car.
I totally laughed at the its a RAM-CHARGER comments - I had the very same problems anytime I tried to describe the thing to somebody who hadn't heard of them - which was most people.
I only decided to part with it when I got another even older, even crankier SUV - an early series land rover, which I still have and is still in regular service. Fun fact: about the only other SUV where you can find roof vents and wraparound roof windows in that era or earlier were series land rovers. Mine has the "alpine windows" (curved windows on the edge of roofline) and 4 roof vents under a separate sun shield panel.
Aha. Good memories. My son got his licence in ours in a snow storm, only goes in 4 . 1988, factory roll bar
Good stuff. A friends Dad has it now . So I can still see it
>>I totally laughed at the its a RAM-CHARGER comments - I had the very same problems anytime I tried to describe the thing to somebody who hadn't heard of them
I worked in the plant where these were produced and missed building these by half a year! They now build the ram classic and the new grand wagoneer, a full size SUV
This thing looks amazing. I love everything about the exterior and nothing about the interior. I would try to Cummins swap this and add a leather interior.
Yep. Last of an era. Especially when you remember the full sized Bronco and Blazer were only around for a few years more.
That engine bay is big because it was originally designed for the 383 and 440 big block engines of the early 70's.
Love Those Bodystyle for Both Ramchargers and Dodge Pickups By 1993 It was apparent that Dodge Needed to change There Full Size Pickups to Keep up With Ford and GM.
It's got room for the Cummins 6BT
Every single car lover can take lessons from the owner of this beauty. What a wonderfully loved vehicle!!
Dodge really kept that boxy design for a long time... I remember my neighbors 1992 pickup truck and I just couldn't believe how '70s looking the body lines were for a 90s truck
Chevy and Ford weren't much better with that in the early 90s but they were nice looking trucks
@@nigeldean3726 better???
@@nigeldean3726 That’s when trucks actually looked good. I’ve owned a ‘76 GMC Sierra Grande, ‘69 F-100, and I still got my first vehicle (‘78 F-150).
One of my favorites of all time! I just love the way it looks!
Doug thinks they're taking a picture of the truck, but they're really taking a picture of Doug 😂!
Believe it or not, I have a 92 Ramcharger, a 97 Bronco Eddie Bauer, a 97 Tahoe 2dr Z71, and a 97 Landcruiser.
I love 2 door 90s SUV's and bought them and restored them before it was cool to own them again.
I've had offers of up to 32k for my Tahoe and Bronco and 45k for my FJ80.
I'm not interested in 60-90k new trucks. Something honest and beautiful about these squared-off SUV's.
Those LCs are tanks
@@TheRealHungryJoe yes they are.
Mine has 265k on the motor but it runs beautifully still and thats with the TRD supercharger installed. Fuel mileage sucks and it prefers non-ethanol fuel but I'm in FL so that fuel is really easy to find.
Sounds like a great collection! Lucky for getting in on them early!
I thought the broncos last year was ‘96
@@michaelmccondochie1550 it was I guess I mistyped. It's actually a 95 but for some reason I put 97.
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I love this in just about every way far more than just about every new suv . Its a real Truck. Easy to work on, the wife won't want to drive it. I could go on all day
Even though these have probably appreciated with everything else lately, I'd still take this over a $115K 500hp Range Rover.
The Range Rover is the least reliable/durable SUV that money can buy.
or $105 k grand wagoneer
Even if you paid $35,000 US for this the other $70,000 US can buy a lot of gasoline.
There was a version (at least in Mexico) that had rear Ac vents that went from the tail gate facing forward! If you sat on the back you have AC blown on your neck! hehe The A/C had no extra fan speed dial for the rear vents, instead it was set most awkwardly below the steering wheel.