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Four-Barrel Bruiser: 1987 Dodge Ramcharger

Do you ever look at some vehicles and say, “Man – that thing has got presence?” That’s the reaction I have to this 1987 Dodge Ramcharger that looks sharp with its two-tone paint job and upgraded wheels and tires. It helps, too, that the bodywork appears to be in great condition for its age and that the truck is equipped with the four-barrel 360 engine, all of which combine to make this four-wheel-drive squarebody super desirable. Despite these attractive qualities, the Ramcharger still hasn’t met its reserve price with bids to just under $10,000 at the moment. Find the Ramcharger here on eBay and located in New Port Richey, Florida.

The seller reports that the Ramcharger is spec’d with the “Royal LE” trim and that it just recently rolled over 130,000 miles. The Dodge has lived in very friendly climates, originally hailing from California and now residing in sunny Florida. This does explain why the body looks so nice, but the fact that the interior still looks this good with over 100,000 miles on the clock is a testament to the owners that have looked after it. Bucket seats with a huge center console is a must in a truck like this, along with a huge glovebox and spacious backseat. Despite technically being a two-door truck, there’s a ton of space inside the Ramcharger, making it a practical classic that has the added benefit of being able to go anywhere it wants.

The four-barrel 360 is perhaps the truck’s best feature after its impressive cosmetic condition, as it should move out pretty good, at least for a rig this size. And there’s no universe where a Chrysler four-barrel V8 doesn’t sound downright tasty, especially if one were to add some Flowmasters to this nicely preserved Ramcharger. I don’t often advocate for modifying vehicles that otherwise appear to be stock, but I think a light bar with some period KC driving lamps and a less restrictive exhaust setup are two modifications I would allow. The seller claims it runs and drives well but doesn’t provide many details after that.

The interior is what tells me this is a good truck underneath, as there’s little doubt this is a bone stock example that hasn’t been restored. The crack-free dash, stain-free carpets and seats, and damage-free exterior all suggest a chain of owners that looked after this truck, and the clean title and Carfax help to confirm this. The Ramcharger has the added benefit of coming with functioning air conditioning, and the only apparent modification is an aftermarket radio. All told, I’m surprised to not see more active bidding on a desirable 4×4 Ramcharger with the preferred engine. What do you think it should sell for?

Comments

  1. Avatar Gary

    Decent truck with faults. Rot hole in front of left rear tire, front seat covers look to be replacements as they are to light, lots of little things that explain low bidding. If the owner is claiming no rust I’d go look at it in person and not trust them

    Like 3
    • Avatar piston poney

      yeah and thats not a small hole either, is it fix able, yes, but its not rust free.

      Like 2
  2. Avatar CharlesS

    Had an 87 Ramcharger for about 10 years. Bought it with 52K miles. Sold it with 103K miles. It was cleaner then this one, and original. Couldn’t keep it running. It was so undependable that I had a custom tow bar made to save towing costs. From the factory it was a lean burn, with managed to ruin the engine. Burned holes in four pistons at 88K miles. Installed a Jasper 360 engine, got rid of the lean burn, ran a Chrysler electronic ignition, and a the Carter version of the factory Q-jet carb that came on the 360’s of that era. When that carb didn’t work out, swapped to a new Holley 600 CFM with the correct flange pattern. The truck was still the most ill tempered undependable vehicle ever! Had it checked by several different garages all with good reputations. Each one would keep the truck for a few weeks, make a few tweeks, then pronounce it good. It never failed to ride back in on a wrecker within the next few weeks. I finally sold it to a fellow who wanted a pre-computer era vehicle. I was very honest with him. He laughed and said, I can straighten it out. I bought a used Expedition, and never looked back. Twelve years after selling the Ramcharger I got a call from the fellow who bought it from me. He had a question. I asked him how the truck was doing for him. He said it was the most aggravating vehicle he had ever owned. He could not tell me how many times it had been towed. My children called her Christine…

    Like 4
    • Avatar DON

      I had an 86 2500 Dodge with a 318 and never had any issues with the drivetrain . The paint however, was another issue. I stupidly got rid of it and bought a 1998, which rusted badly

      Like 0
  3. Avatar bob

    have an 87, very original, 318, 2wd. great truck.

    Like 1

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