Said to be from North Carolina, this Ramcharger is a #11 on a 1-10 scale of desirability for these unique SUVs, for its apparent condition and the engine under the hood. This 1975 Dodge Ramcharger 4×4 with a 440 V8 is posted here on craigslist in West Babylon, New York, and the seller is asking $29,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Zen for the tip!
Medium Blue metallic and White, I don’t see a flaw anywhere on this Ramcharger, or at least from what is visible in the photos. The seller breaks all the hard-and-fast craigslist rules by providing outstanding photos and plenty of them. Well done! There are even several underside photos, showing just how nice this rig is under there. This was not a Northeast or upper-Midwest truck by the looks of it. I had a 1976 Ramcharger, and it was a rusty piece of junk for the most part. There was either a hardtop or a soft top available, and by this point, the doors had full frames, unlike the early versions.
I think a set of factory wheels/rims/tires/wheel covers would look great on this one, but that’s just me. Here’s a brochure showing the 1975 Dodge Ramchargers. The first-generation Ramcharger was made from 1974 through 1980, and Dodge offered this special “Four by Four” model with the bold graphics, but I believe it was only for the 1977 and 1978 “Macho” Ramchargers. This one has been repainted, so maybe those graphics were added? We don’t know, but the seller will take phone calls in case anyone needs more info, more photos, or a video. We saw one in Light Green (lime green) two years ago here on Barn Finds, but this one is nicer. It’s also much more expensive.
Other than some wrinkling on the driver’s seat, the seller says the interior is “pretty original,” so we don’t know if it’s had new upholstery or not. The back seat is said to hold three, making this a five-seater, but those three people had dang well better be close friends to all fit on that rear bench seat. This is the only photo showing the rear cargo area, but as with the rest of this beautiful blue 4×4, it looks fantastic, although the hatch door doesn’t lock. The seller went way above most sellers in providing a VIN, and it decodes exactly as they say, which is fantastic. Hagerty is at $29,300 for a #3 good-condition example with a 440.
This is the big engine for this SUV, a 440-cu.in. OHV V8 with 235 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque when new. It’s backed by a TorqueFlite automatic and NP203 transfer case, sending power to all four wheels as needed. The seller says it runs and drives well and has a clean North Carolina title. Any thoughts on this 4×4?
Ah, 440 day, Chryslers biggest stick. Seemingly everything Chrysler made, eventually got a 440. From Dodge Darts to dump trucks. While in a 6 pack RoadRunner, it was impressive, in these applications, it was kind of a slug. These had some pulling advantages, but for most, the small block did just fine. This is a single digit mileage vehicle, WITHOUT the front axle, gpm with.These weren’t any different than the other full size offerings at the time. They were all good trucks with pickup guts. with only 140,000 sold, it was far behind Ford or Chevy. Like the author, I doubt many bought another.
Good point Howard… And, all the grunt of the big motor in a 4wd, obviously stresses out driveline and components. That’s why I maintain a secret of Toyota reliability.. (and we’ve owned 4)… they’re almost always underpowered. 💁♂️
Looks good. I remember when they first came out; they were popular almost immediately. Most ran a 318, with some getting a 360. I only ever saw one with a 400 but I never did see one with a 440, unless it was installed later. I guess it’s whatever floats your boat. That 203 transfer case was somewhat of an achilles heel; GM also used the 203 and it took a while before the powers that be widened out the chain. We installed new chains in GMs and Dodges like they were going out of style.
When I ordered my ’79 GMC, I ordered Part-time 4×4 because I did NOT want that chain that the NP203 used. Unfortunately, I had to switch to the 203 or else lose the order, and I wasn’t impressed with the proposed changes coming to the ’80 models…
Hey, how about that? It posted this comment…
Always preferred the gear drive t-cases for smoothness of operation, in my limited experience geo. As far as toughness I thought they have the edge too, but my mechanic buddy gives the nod to chains inside. 💁♂️
Scotty/ Zen, This is a very nice truck! I don’t recall seeing these graphics or realizing the 440 was a Ramcharger option. I really like the white wagon wheels that were ultra popular as well. I put chrome wagon wheels and 33’s on my 79 F250 4X4…the one and only time i put aftermarket wheels and tires on my daily driver trucks. It seems the rust color was popular after a couple years of use.
in 78 or 79 a guy I worked with bought a new Plymouth Top Hand Trail Duster that was an absolutely beautiful orange over white. That was a great looking truck. If I remember correctly it had the 360 and the full top was removable.
A friend of mine had a original 440 Ramcharger back in 1990-96. It was a nice original truck that got driven daily