The three of us all have our weak points, and today, this 1984 Dodge Power Ram is mine. Good lord, have you seen a Ram this clean in a bit? Not likely…if you’ve seen one at all, it’s probably a lifted Cummins-powered monstrosity with a shop garbage can that belches more smoke than the Titanic’s funnels. If that’s your bag, fine, enjoy it. But I like my trucks simple, clean, and ready to work, and this Dodge hits every last nail on the head perfectly. I love these rigs for their simple approach to what a pickup should be: engine, cab with room for no more than three, and a bed that does something besides collect rainwater. After that, if it doesn’t contribute to work or performance, it’s too much. And folks, this truck is just right.
First impressions: a good, near-stock height for a four-wheel-drive truck. I like the color (a repaint that’s only five years old), love that the low belt trim was kept, and can appreciate the simple yet attractive wheels. This is the kind of truck that you used to see on used-car lots all the time. The last time i saw one this nice, it was a 1984 Ramcharger that had been lifted, needed paint work and a front hub bearing, and was rocking a pretty much stock 360 small-block. For 1984, that would be top of the line, but…that was 1984. Do you see the little emblems adorning the concave areas of the hood? If not, let’s get straight to the meat and potatoes of this beast:
Chrysler big-block. Accept no substitutes. The 1974-vintage 440 might not fly in certain parts of the country, but with only 28,000 or so miles on the clock since the engine’s rebuild and installation, the rest of the free world can enjoy big-block grunt, big-block noise and the regular breaks for fuel that only a big-block can deliver. The trusty and stout 727 Torqueflite is backing up the RB mill. I can appreciate the lengths that the builder went to in keeping everything looking as stock as possible. Doesn’t hurt that the truck barely changed from the 1972-1978 models that did pack big-blocks around.
Luxurious, it’s not, but it isn’t exactly spartan. This is how we tend to enjoy our trucks around here: simple and durable. That bench seat is actually more comfortable that it initially looks and the vinyl that Chrysler used on it will hold up. The rubber floor mat looks delivery fresh and the color fade on the door panels (a common problem on this generation) is minimal. Everything is in place, in order, and if you ignore the slight bit of rust on the seat frame, in better-than-expected condition.
And finally, the proof that someone purpose-built this Dodge right, a spray-in bedliner, something that I perceive as a must for a pickup that will be used for more than hauling groceries. They look good, they hold up and they don’t have the worrying effects that a slide-in bedliner will have. Whoever put this truck together did it right and together makes for a subtle but dead-on right approach to the pickup truck. Well done…if I could, that would be in my driveway right freaking now.
eBay Link: 1984 Dodge W-150 Power Ram
Oh, My! I’m in lust!
Looks cleaner than my mostly stock 1989 W250 with 44000 miles. Still has original trim and sticker pinstripes. 360 V8 (with throttle body injection. No performance mods except Flowmaster 40 series muffler) and Torqueflite. Heavy Duty front and rear axles. Been in the family since the early 1990s. Only thing is the paint is fading (red) and rust along the roofline.
the illusion is great, but if you really want a dodge of that era, look at the gap beween bed and cab. those kink perfectly off to the passenger side. the longest lasting one I hah driven myself was a short geared slant six with a manual, and a 3 speed auto. Being into welding, it is a simple chore..but for fairy talers it is some kinda tragedy. No worse than the tail ends of GM during the same years. they just need some extra think after repairing. And electric. Count on redoing the entire fuse panel and ridding that silly ballast design. They usually smell like batteries in te cab also.. not a smart electric.