I thought we had seen this 1986 Dodge Power Ram 4×4 pickup before here on Barn Finds, but I did a search and didn’t see it in the archives. This incredible museum piece can be found posted here on craigslist in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula: Iron Mountain, Michigan, and the seller is asking a whopping $39,500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to T.J. for the tip!
Maybe it was just seeing it online a few months ago. It’s hard to forget this color scheme, and hard to forget just how incredible this nut-and-bolt restoration is. And about that price, ouch. For anyone who has undertaken a full restoration on a vehicle, as in everything comes apart, gets restored to perfection, and then gets put together again, you know that the seller spent much more than $40k on this restoration. I don’t know if anyone will pay $29,500 for this truck, let alone $39,500, so that’s a real issue.
The quality of the work appears to be absolutely top-notch. I have to warn you to take a seat before looking at the underside photos, you may become woozy. It’s a work of art under there. I love that someone loved the Dodge Ram 50, or in the case of this 4×4, the Power Ram, so much that they had it restored over a three-year period. I wish my little 1980 Orange D-50 Sport looked this perfect, not to mention I wish it had 4WD. But for $2,000, I’m not too bummed about the way it is. 1986 was the last year of the first-generation 50-series, and I don’t believe this color combination would have been available. I’m not sure why the seller chose these colors, other than they liked them, but now they have to try to sell a $40,000 truck in non-factory colors.
Dodge made the Ram 50 as a rebadged Mitsubishi Triton pickup from 1979 to 1993. They were the D-50 for 1979 and 1980, and the 4×4 Power Ram was introduced for the 1982 model year. This interior is a lot like my D-50 Sport interior, with a five-speed manual rather than a four-speed, and the two gauges on the center console between bucket seats rather than having a notched bench seat. I just changed out all of my dash lights to LEDs and it made quite a difference. I should think about a fat steering wheel like this, it would probably help, since mine doesn’t have power steering and is a bear to back into the corner of the garage. Check out the bed in this truck, it’s nicer than our house! I wasn’t aware that they had a wood floor in them, that’s over the top. This truck has factory AC, which has to be rare, but it doesn’t appear to have power steering.
The only thing that irks me about this otherwise perfect restoration is that after three long years and probably $40,000 in restoration costs, they didn’t try to customize the OEM air cleaner housing to work with what is an obvious Weber carb replacement. That’s what mine has, and it’s got much more power, but it looks weird under the hood, in my opinion. This is Mitsubishi’s 4G54, a 2.6-liter SOHC inline-four with around 110 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque. Any thoughts on this museum-quality Power Ram?
This is one incredible restoration. I can’t imagine how many hours were spent on restoring this little Dodge. And its absolutely beautiful. I’d be afraid to drive it truth be told, its just way too nice. It brings back memories of a high school buddy I had, he inherited his grandpas 2WD D50. It was black with a tan interior. Him and his Dad fixed it up, and had it painted a nice Blue, and it looked great when they were done with it. It was a blast for a couple young teenage guys to drive with a stick. Unfortunately, as what happens with first vehicles and teenaged kids, he had an accident with it with heavy damage to the front and it was totalled. Back then, these were great inexpensive trucks to buy.
Yours is very nice too Scotty, it’s in very impressive condition as well, and you can tell you take really good care of it. I’m guessing you don’t drive yours in snow. And I can guarantee you no one will drive this one thats featured here in the snow either.
Very nice redo. $40k worth? Maybe to the seller, though trucks of this vintage and this clean are I’m told a rarity east of the Mississippi and north of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Interesting bit about your HS buddy, Driveinstile. I inherited my dad’s blue 2WD D50 5spd when he was suddenly unable to drive anymore. What a great, no nonsense hard working machine, never quit. Gave it to my younger brother many years later, having bought a V8 2WD Dakota which was an excellent big brother to the D-50 though of the two I’d rather have the D-50 now..
Wouldn’t mind having this one if it were closer and $20k less.
Museum piece?
Hahaha.
Good one.
Well, I think the air filter harmonizes nicely with the clear plastic engine cover, the first one I’ve ever seen.
If you’re talking about the valve cover it’s polished aluminium.
The first valve cover is the finned aluminum one that covers the cam. You can see it under the transparent plastic cover attached over it. It’s quite an unusual arrangement, don’t you think? At least the see through plastic cover will not get splashed with oil right away.
Chris, nope, there’s no transparent cover here. It’s just the stock aluminum valve cover polished to such a mirror shine that it can seem to be transparent, as reflections of external components around it may appear to be inside the cover. I’ve got a Ram 50 with this same engine, same cover, and that finned aluminum section down the middle is just an integral part of the overall cover.
Dodge=Mopar=BIG BUCKS!!! NO WHAMMY!! I’m just gonna sit here and shake my head at this.
I really liked it until I saw how much they want for it.
Asking $ 39,500 will be lucky to get $ 19,500. IMO
This is a beautiful truck, great workmanship and attention to detail. However, as the author points out, is there anyone willing to pay anywhere close to the $40k asking price? Probably not. Most cars aren’t worth this kind attention based on dollars and cents, hopefully the builder did it purely out of love for the car, because that money disappeared down a black hole, never to be seen again. It will be interesting to see if the seller adapts to the reality of the market or if this truck languishes “on the market” periodically changing selling platform for years.
Steve R
It’s a very nice restoration, though if you’re going to all the trouble, why use an aftermarket steering wheel. Regardless, it’s foolish to invest this much and expect to get it back. If you spend that on a restoration, it has to be because you love thee vehicle
They’re obviously not going for a completely stock restoration, more of a period-correct tastefully customized build. Aside from the steering wheel and non-stock paint color, pretty sure the roll/light bar here wasn’t a factory option, and that wood-floored bed wasn’t a factory configuration either.
If Dodge offered the same truck today for $25-30k it would sell probably quite well 😌
I agree. Heck, I’d buy one.
Buy 2 Driveinstile… 😲 👍
Only if you can Co Sign Stan!!!
My dad bought one of these trucks from Woolly Gandy Motors in Pine Bluff, AR, in 1982. I think Mitsbichi made his truck on either Monday or Friday. It had a saddle-tan bench seat, a black floor mat, and a grey dash. The exterior lettering was red on one side and black on the other, so it’s no wonder he got it for $5500. The redeeming factor was that it had the most significant engine options and was a good truck.
wow! Nice job. 5788 msrp new.
Equivalent to nearly $17k in today’s dollars.
Don’t ever remember a green one running around lots of tan, red, and black ones not sure why someone would spend the time and money to restore one but to each their own I guess.
It’s always nice to see that someone will expend the money and time to preserve a vehicle like this. Dodge benefited from the Mitsubishi relationship and was able to have these and the Colt lines. I can imagine that parking with the big rubber and manual steering will require planning.
As soon as I saw the picture of this thing on the main page, I thought it’d have to be a Scotty write up. He never disappoints. :)
I assume perhaps the seller has this labor of love listed for sale at a “I don’t care” price. It is nice but “I don’t care” to buy it for $40K. My first house cost $40K and I sold it two years later for $54K. That wouldn’t work w/ this little truck.
As far as a museum piece, I think if there was a Mits. Triton / Mighty Max / Dodge D-50 Museum, this could be the star attraction. However, I know of no such museum.
It seems to nice at this point to be anything but a tiny trailer queen / show truck. I’d rather buy one like Scott’s and drive it around a lot.
GLWTS.