This 1987 Dodge Ramcharger could be titled in a number of ways. It’s from New Mexico so it could be a “Desert Find”. The seller calls it a “Barn Find” but then doesn’t mention it again. The miles are low for a thirty-five-year-old truck, so I went with “42K Miles”. In any case, they have it listed here on eBay in Farmington, New Mexico, and the current bid price is $7,900 but the reserve isn’t met.
With only 42,000 miles, this could very well have been an actual barn find but some details on that would be nice. They do mention that it has been repainted at some point so it isn’t “all original”, which is always another title option. It’s certainly in great condition or it appears to be. After looking at the photos several times, I don’t really see a flaw anywhere in this Ramcharger inside or out and they say that it’s free of rust – I’m assuming other than normal light surface rust.
Dodge made the Ramcharger for 27 years through three generations with this one being from the middle generation trucks – 1981 through 1993. The last ones to be sold in the US are from 1993 but Dodge continued production in Mexico until the end of 2001. I had a 1976 Ramcharger that was the second-worst vehicle that I have ever owned aside from a brand new 2011 Mini Cooper. They had to have both been lemons because I’ve heard nothing but good stories about both vehicles.
Maybe the problem with my Ramcharger is that it didn’t have power windows? No, that wasn’t it. As expected, this example looks great inside. The seats look perfect both in the front and the back and the rear cargo area also looks perfect other than some staining where the spare tire should be and a missing cargo light cover.
The engine is Dodge’s 360 cubic-inch V8 which with a four-barrel carburetor had 175 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The air-conditioning isn’t working but it runs great and there is no rust on this New Mexico Ramcharger. Hagerty is at $16,700 for a #3 good condition Ramcharger so this one has a long way to go. Have any of you owned one?
Very low Ebay “autocheck score”. Click on “view vehicle history report” where you see it is marked as having an odometer discrepancy. Looks like the second owner indicated that the odometer rolled over. Yet, no mention of this by the seller
Agreed. Interesting to see the odometer is listed as “exceeds mechanical limits ” in 2021 when it was last registered by this dealer or flipper, likey when he acquired it last year. I don’t know if the miles are actual or rolled over, but there are significant amounts of time where it apparently just sat and was not registered for plates when reviewing the records. One thing I see frequently is when a vehicle is sold through an estate, or court, or auction that it was cosigned to, on behalf of the family, the odometer on a vehicle this age is often assumed to be a roll over as no one knows the history. The third party will often play it safe and assume it is rolled over and record that on the next title. I have some experience in this and have seen it happen before. Something is going on here as this thing would have had to have 100,000 miles put on it since the last odometer recording back in 2013, but for those 9 years it appears it was not even registered each and every year, suggesting it was not driven much, which could explain the low miles counter to the subsequent mileage records on the last title in 2021 which could be in error .
Someone please buy it and remove the ridiculous light bar and push bar. This thing has never been deep enough off-road to need either one. It’s too nice to be junked up with “male inadequacy” accessories.
Cc….Getting ready for the hunt, setting up dozens and dozens of goose decoys in the corn field, pitch black , before sunrise… trust me the extra lighting on a truck really helps out.. very handy.
Being one of BF’s few( for some reason) women commentors, I respect your views, but if you think this is “manly”, you haven’t been to the Rocky Mtns. WOMEN drive these things, some I’d not care to tangle with. This is precisely why I can’t find a woman, they think all men are pigs with those “balls” hanging from the trailer hitch. T’aint so, dear. I’m “Pro-Chick”,,, :)
The push bar is debatable on staying or going for me, but you’re on target with the roof light bar. That thing is hideous!
I must be the inadequate male, I absolutely love period correct accessories from this era. Day two forever!
The lights and bar look like factory add-ons…Direct Connection parts. Now called Mopar Performance.
I don’t know that the under hood pictures support a 42,000 mile claim, but it has been around for almost 40 years, so who knows how much that age and New Mexico dust affects things like the hood pad and hoses. The interior looks incredibly nice, and I doubt that original material is even available for a reupholster. You can still see some dust in the lower door panel vents, but everything else looks perfect.
I owned a very nice 1984 Ramcharger, and they are absolutely great in 4wd mode. Virtually unstoppable in snow or sloppy roads. I would be seriously tempted by this one if I had the need for it.
Has probably 142,000 miles. If you have ever driven in New Mexico you know nothing is close
Yup,sson had an earlier one, sed it was agreat truck except whensomeone inthe back seat would pushthe pass. seat forward it would break the wndshield
yes my son cracked the windshield on the passenger side, farm farm plates so it still passed inspection
42,000 miles or 142,000 miles doesn’t matter to me. The reality is that these are cheap compared to the Ford & GM competition, and every bit as handy. Not sure where the bidding is now, but if under $20,000 I would say we’ll bought.
I can’t believe I said that lol.
Mine was an 86 SE 4×4 with the 360 two tone blue with blue cloth interior. My first new vehicle. I grew up in a Mopar family. It’s the one vehicle that I wish I’d never sold.
I had one for 9 years , plowed snow , pulled boats,campers ,never let me down , loved it . Rust was the enemy , it loved gas lol, this is a very nice one !
My Theory is that this was the Fire Chiefs vehicle. If it was in a rural Volunteer F.D. then it spent most of it’s life in the station house only getting started once a week unless it went out on a call. The paint faded over the years cause NM is hot as you know what. So when it was sold someone repainted it and added the lights to the racks already set up for Red lights. VFD’s don’t normally have big budgets so the pitiful looking push bar was the most inexpensive they could find. So whoever owned after ran up the miles and now we have this.
Looking at the accelerator pedal and carpet below it, I’m leaning toward 142,000 but it’s been very well taken care of. The brake pedal pad can be replaced easily. It didn’t make reserve at $12,600 and I don’t blame them for having one. Even if you had to rebuild the engine soon, it wouldn’t cost much.
This is one solid, unmolested truck that probably has many miles left on it as it is. Considering what any 4×4 is going for nowadays, it might be worth contacting the seller and negotiating a good price.
This auction ended at $12,621 and no sale.