Call me crazy, but I prefer the look of this 1989 Dodge Power Ram W350 diesel over any pickup Dodge has made since the redesign in mid-1993. The company has a history of making trucks look basically the same for decades, and the current pickups have looked basically the same for over three decades now. This beauty is listed here on eBay in Longmont, Colorado, and the current bid is $10,900, but, of course, the reserve hasn’t been met.
I can’t help noticing the driver’s door has been repainted in a hair darker red, which I believe is Garnet Red Pearl, but a 1990 Dodge truck brochure shows a Colorado Red, which would be cool since this truck is in Colorado. I couldn’t find a good link to a 1989 Dodge pickup brochure, sorry about that. I love the look and stance of this truck; it’s perfect, in my opinion, but I also wear the same clothes every day, and they’re two decades old. Don’t take any design or fashion advice from me. This truck was sold new at Larry H. Miller Dodge in Murray, Utah, which is still in business just south of Salt Lake City.
I’m tearing up here, just seeing those big, beautiful wheels and tires that are somehow inside the wheel wells! Doesn’t the seller know it’s 2026, they’re supposed to be big, fat tires with sharp-edged black wheels and should be at least three or four inches outside of the body lines! Jeez, get with the program. I shouldn’t have to say that I’m kidding about that last part, but someone might think I was serious and was giving the seller a bad time. They have provided such nice photos that this is going on my “best photos of 2026” list. Here’s inside the bed, looking as nice as the rest of the truck. This is a one-ton truck, so it looks great in this rural setting. It’s probably perfect for almost any hauling duties the next owner would need. A Dana 71 (3.07) rear axle and Dana 61 (3.07) front axle should be in place, along with standard ABS on the rear, which became standard in 1989 for 3/4 and 1-ton trucks.
Dodge did away with their Club Cab pickups by this time (it returned a year later in 1990), so there were only single-cab pickups available. This basic design has been around since the early 1970s, but I think it’s a successful piece of work. Again, my shirt is from 1998, so don’t take my advice. The dash pad is hopefully protecting a perfect dash, but we don’t know. The seller says this is (or was?) a one-owner truck out of Nevada and Utah, and as such, is as solid as you’d expect, with no body rust. There are a couple of dings, and the non-mentioned driver’s door paint, but it looks great to me. The underside looks solid, too.
The engine is a Cummins-sourced 5.9-liter CIB (cam-in-block) inline-six turbo diesel, which in this era had just 160 horsepower but 400 lb-ft of torque. This one doesn’t have a manual; it’s backed by a TorqueFlite/727 three-speed automatic and an NP-205 two-speed transfer case married to the transmission, sending power to all four wheels as needed. The seller added the new tires, a new brake master cylinder, and a fuel lifter pump recently, and they say it runs and drives great, but the ABS light came on after they changed the master cylinder, and the grid heater stopped working recently; it just blinks “wait to start” now. There is also a crack on the left side of the windshield. Any thoughts on this Dodge Power Ram?
I’ve always liked this generation of Dodge pickups. Probably because I had an ’82 and was one of my favorite trucks of all time. This one looks very honest, solid and clean. I’d be very happy to have this in my driveway. Although, the sound of a Cummins running through a 5 speed is even better. ( Scotty, you’re not the only guy here with shirts dating that far back!!!)
109k miles in 2000, another 25k till now, makes you wonder where it’s been hiding the last 25 years.
Looks real good! These were good trucks overall but there were lots of things to sort out in the injection pumps.
They would break the plunger return springs, or gall the rollers and cam plates. Usually when you got one of these in for a rebuild they were basket cases.
Bosch did come through with tougher rollers and better springs. The pumps still developed a tremendous amount of heat which depended on a steady flow of diesel fuel through them to keep them cooled down. I always cautioned owners to never let the fuel level drop below a quarter tank or you might end up with an injection pump housing full of metallic mush.
I quoted a guy on a pump. He promptly called me a crook and told me that he could get a brand new pump off E-Bay for half the money. I cautioned him to ensure that it wasn’t NOS but had all the updates done.
It didn’t have the updates done. He came back on a hook four months later, then insisted that Bosch had an extended warranty program on them.
Didn’t happen.
Of course there were always the ones who demanded super high horsepower and insisted that we crank the fuel settings up into the stratosphere. 180, especially on these straight turboed versions, was the absolute max I would set them; the heat and overstress just destroyed those VE pumps.
Of course, when they started using the P-7100 inline pumps in ’94, you could turn them up until you melted the engine right out of the frame rails…
How did the autoloader Torq-flites hold up on these geo ?
The Torqueflights were fine with the original setup but when the inline pumps came on the scene they started showing their limitations; you could crank the hp up to the point of no return.
Okay, you’re crazy, but we’re all bozos on this bus. I remember when these came out, this was the 1st year for a diesel. I was working at an asphalt outfit, and the paver operator ( highest paid of the crew) came in the yard one day with a truck like this. He popped the hood, and said, “feast your eyes on this, boys”,,,and there it was, a Cummings[sic] in a Dodge pickup? No way, but yes way, and spawned a whole new generation of pickups. Many soon followed, like to the tune of 16,750 that were willing to cough up another $2500-$3000 for the motor. It was so popular, it outstripped supply, and I remember waiting lists for these. So much so, the great folks of Columbus, IN. worked tirelessly, and were very happy. Oh sure, Ford and GM followed with similar results, but I think the RAM/Cummins was/is the most popular one. A shame people found out the advantages of diesels, and now pay dearly for that, but typically, people that spend $80K on a pickup, aren’t too concerned with fuel costs. Just one less Starbucks Iced Coffee per week, but do without our trucks? When they pry our dead fingers from around the steering wheel.
Now, great trucks, but we have the luxury of Geomechs here, and not sure what a”fuel lifter pump” is, and “wait to start”, sorry, I never felt a diesel in a smaller vehicle was better than a gas job, but certainly adds zing to this truck. Repair costs are through the roof, and they would love to see you. I can just hear the garage owner to wife, “yes dear, go ahead with the house expansion, someone just brought a Dodge Cummins into the shop”,,,
“Fuel Lifter Pump”, or Low Pressure Fuel Pump moves the fuel from the tank to the ENGINE, where the Injection/Injector Pump, AKA High Pressure Pump does it’s magic.
I guess I’m old fashion but I would keep those tires and wheels
tim961, please tell me you saw this line right after my joking line about it being 2026, and this truck should have huge tires on it.
“I shouldn’t have to say that I’m kidding about that last part, but someone might think I was serious and was giving the seller a bad time.”
I love the wheels and tires on this truck; they’re perfect.
Mechanical fuel pump to suck fuel out of tank. When not operating properly it creates long crank time and possible no start conditions. Grid heater is a 10 minute job 4 bolts one power cable one ground cable attached to previous mentioned bolts. She’s a sweetheart, if it was in the rust belt it would be a turd body wise.
lot of truck here
I will leave the injector pump problems to GEO. That Cummins 5.9 was overall an excellent and reliable engine. Otherwise this would be a great truck to have, work, and show.. Being a first year diesel in this good a shape it should be preserved as is for its historical content.. If I were 20 years younger I would be all over it!!
Sold $ 25,500..
Thank you, sir!