Many people remember the truck-based full-sized sport-utility vehicles of the 1980s like the Ford Bronco and the Chevrolet K5 Blazer. But Dodge also played in that market segment for a while with its Ramcharger.
The Pick of the Day is a 1992 Dodge Ramcharger listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Norwalk, Connecticut. (Click the link to view the listing)
The Ramcharger was a two-door sport-utility vehicle that was built from 1974 through 1993 in the United States market (in Mexico, it continued afterward – more on that later). It used a shortened version of the “AD Platform” chassis from Chrysler’s D-Series and Ram pickups.
For part of that time (1974 through 1981), Plymouth also sold a version of the Ramcharger called the Trail Duster. This ended up being Plymouth’s only sport-utility vehicle in the brand’s history, and today the Trail Duster is even more obscure than the Ramcharger.
Today’s two-tone red and silver Ramcharger comes from the second-to-last model year and is said to be well-kept overall according to the listing. The seller states that the truck is in good condition and adds that it has had just two owners over the course of its 30-year lifespan. Upgrades to the exterior include a bug deflector and Dayton raised-white-letter tires on polished aluminum wheels.
The cabin is all red in period-correct “rad” styling flavor, and we can see that equipment includes power windows, woodgrain veneer trim, fold-down armrests, a center console, a stereo system, and all-weather floor mats. There are a few blemishes worth noting: the upholstery on the driver seat shows some wear and tear, and the headliner is starting to sag as shown in the photos.
Up in front, power comes from a 318cid V8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission and a dual-range transfer case. Ratings for this powerplant were 170 horsepower and 245 lb-ft of torque.
Incidentally, a newer Ramcharger generation was produced exclusively for the Mexican market between 1999 and 2001. And of course, Dodge’s most recent foray into the sport-utility realm is the Durango which launched in 1998 and remains in production today. Critics will argue that the current Durango is more of a crossover as it’s no longer based on a pickup platform, but rather shares underpinnings with the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The seller is asking $21,500 for this Ramcharger, which offers truck-style capability with the added bonus of being a rarity on the roads (or trails) today.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
Got to love the cuda