1978 Dodge Lil Red Express

Description

It's fun to be the outlaw, and none did it better than the rare 1978 Dodge D150 Little Red Express. With its big V8, side stack exhaust, and cool wood package, this is absolutely distinguishable. But when you also see the level of finish and comfy A/C interior, you'll realize this is one bold red machine that has the best of everything.

The story goes that the folks over at Dodge figured out how to return the muscle car era. While emissions regulations controlled cars, the truck market was still able to get some hot packages. So if they were going to be outlaws, they were going to be brazen. The L'il Red Express lived up to its name with Bright Canyon Red paint and full gold tape strip package. It's believed that there has been a serious investment in these colors and a restoration, and quite frankly we understand why. After all, everyone who knows the legend knows it's supposed to look this good. While the logo on each door was pretty bold, it's nothing compared to the real wood applied to the side of the step-side bed and the tailgate. The Mopar boys still had more tricks to complete their standout package. Bright chrome bumpers, a bright chrome grille, and those amazing vertical exhaust stacks made people stand up and pay attention. While this total package was instantly attractive, few people could pay the high price. And so this is a rare example with only 2,188 L'il Red Express trucks produced in its inaugural year.

When you open the door, the first thing that you will notice is the bucket seating. The modern cloth inserts, textured vinyl trim, cool red piping, and matching modern Dodge logos might make you think this is a restomod, but look a little closer. This is a modern adaptation of the classic (optional) bucket seat setup with fold-down console/third seat. So it provides nice comfort while still keeping the Dodge tradition. Speaking of tradition, you'll slip behind the classic Mopar "Tuff" three-spoke sports steering wheel. Beyond that is the classic driver-oriented dash with all the essential controls, including the AM/FM stereo, at your fingertips. You'll want to be driving with the windows down all the time to listen to those vertical stacks, this one has cold-blowing air conditioning to let you do that even in the summer season.

The true outlaw nature of this truck comes from what's under the hood. Mopar's strong 360 cubic-inch V8 was already a great motor to start with, and the L'il Red Express took full advantage of looser emissions regulations. Plus, this one is topped with a Holley four-barrel carburetor for that extra kick of performance. And yes, those vertical exhaust stacks really do give this a unique high-rise, high-performance soundtrack. More than just a mean V8, the whole presentation looks great. The blue block, bright valve covers, and special air topper stand out nicely against the red painted engine bay. Plus, everything is complete in there right down to the jack. As you look at the undercarriage photos, you'll notice it's even quite bold and tidy, too. While you're under there don't forget to check out the great driving features like the thick front sway bar, Torqueflite three-speed automatic transmission, and front disc brakes.

Complete wit tile documentation, you already know this legend. It's a rare piece of outlaw motoring history. So when you can find this performance pickup for such a nice price, you know you need to act fast. Call now!