Li’l Red Express trucks are one of those cars that polarize people. While the value is much less the Li’l Red Express and the Superbird/Charger Daytona are very much in the same category when it comes to forming an opinion: consumers either love them because of their styling, or hate them! Built only in 1978 and 1979, these trucks are easy to spot by their wood paneling and exhaust stacks. 1978 models had round headlights, 1979 models have square headlights like the one shown here. Though running and complete, this Dodge will need some rust repair before it’ll be roadworthy. You can find it here on eBay in Texas with bidding at $3,000 and no reserve.
Most Li’l Red Express trucks came equipped with a 360 Chrysler small block which was a decent amount of power for what was and is a fairly small full-sized truck. Hooked up to a 46RH 4-speed automatic transmission, this truck is running and driving with its major faults being cosmetic. I’m not surprised it still runs, after all it is a Chrysler small block! Although the belts,hoses, and engine mounts have been recently replaced, the gas tank has had gas in it while the truck has been sitting (“several years” according to the ad) and subsequently will need to be drained and cleaned before the truck can run off of it.
This picture doesn’t tell the full story, but some of the others do. Otherwise in average project condition, the biggest issue with the interior and the entire truck is the footwell rust on both sides. While I have certainly seen worse come back to life, these repairs will require disassembly of much of the interior. Presumably, the new owner of this truck will be restoring it and will need to remove much of the interior anyway so this might not be an issue. It is likely that both sides of the floorpan will need complete replacement. The inner fender under the battery is also rusted through, and the driver’s door is on its way.
I have always loved these cool little trucks, and I always will. Originally marketed as a “lifestyle vehicle” for people wanting a somewhat specialized truck for personal use, they still hold that same place in the market today. With less than 24 hours left in the auction as I write this and only one bid so far, it is possible that this will sell for a low enough price to make a restoration affordable. They aren’t for everyone, but if quirky ’70s Mopar style is your thing then it doesn’t get much funkier (or affordable) than this 1979 Li’l Red Express truck!
We have a ’78 D-200 with a 413 in it. The nightmare on the install is the motorhome water pump. We went with the 413 car pump and have had no problems with overheating.
Looking at the “Bunny-cuda” with the thought of painting the D ‘pank’ ( thatz the way we call that color in West-Tex) and buying pank tires for the Bunny-cuda doing burnouts at drifting events. A color that Shirley Muldowney could make famous once again.
Having just completed a restoration of a 1979 Lil Red Express, I think this looks like a very worthy project. Having a running driving truck to start with is a big plus. Floor pans and rust repair parts are readily available. Fun truck to drive in its day and the factory ac is a plus.
I dislike word restore, as it envisions fiberglass pan holes Bondi dents shoot cheap paint and make sure engine doesn’smoke
. To a full blown rotisserie 45_50 k job.
Originals were actually quite fast in street stock trim but a few easy mods, engine needs rebuild, Chrysler ignition sucks (limited), cam, carb work be a good redneck teens first beer party truck.
I am a huge fan of thes older dodge pick-ups. My current daily (originally my first vehicle that my father and I did) is an 1983 D150 with a /6 and 3 speed stick. I would love to have one of these hood ornament delete hoods, as my hood ornament keeps getting stolen!
The hoods changed with the redesign in 1981. There was no ram available on these, so it’s not a delete. To keep them from being stolen, take the base off the hood and put a bolt through the base from the bottom into the rams head…
The Lil Red Express came out when I was 7 years old, and I never wanted anything so badly. Dukes of Hazzard and BJ and the Bear were my favorite shows. Realizing my driver’s license was more years in the future than I had been on the earth didn’t help matters. Adulthood appeared so sophisticated.
Some guys are compelled to own their first-love car, but strangely I’m not feeling it with these. Now they just seem tailored to a seven-year-old boy’s idea of style and taste, just like those TV shows do.
Was just at a car show in Richmond, Missouri and there was one of these at the show, it was all original and the guy bought it from the original owner with 17K miles I believe. They are pretty cool when restored and if I had more time and money I would make a bid on this one.
Any ideas of what a nice one with air is worth? not restored but does not seem to need anything major and better than a daily driver quality
Factory Air doesn’t notably alter the value of these. The Old Cars Price Guide calls out when A/C makes an appreciable difference in value. For the most part there is an add for A/C on pre-’65 vehicles when it was a rare option. For newer vehicles when A/C was more common, there is no real difference in value. Here are the values from the MAR/APR 2017 OCPG:
1978 Little Red Express PU
6: $800 5: $2400 4: $4000 3: $9000 2: $14000 1: $20000
1979 Little Red Express PU
6: $760 5: $2280 4: $3800 3: $8550 2: $13300 1: $19000
The rest of the 1/2 Tons…
1972-80 1/2 Ton
Utiline PU (115″ wb)
6: $290 5: $880 4: $1460 3: $3290 2: $5110 1: $7300
Sweptline PU (115″ wb)
6: $290 5: $860 4: $1440 3: $3240 2: $5040 1: $7200
Utiline PU (131″ wb)
6: $290 5: $860 4: $1440 3: $3240 2: $5040 1: $7200
Sweptline PU (131″ wb)
6: $290 5: $880 4: $1460 3: $3290 2: $5110 1: $7300
NOTE: Add 20 percent for Macho Power Wagon Pkg. Add 10 percent for V-8 engine; 20 percent for Warlock Pkg. (1977)
Condition descriptions:
1) EXCELLENT: Restored to current maximum professional standards of quality in every area, or perfect original with components operating and appearing as new. It is not driven. There are few number 1 vehicles.
2) FINE: Well-restored, or a combination of superior restoration and excellent original. Also, an extremely well-maintained original showing minimal wear.
Except for the closest inspection, a number 2 vehicle may appear as a number 1.
3) VERY GOOD: Completely operable original or “older restoration” showing wear. Also, a good amateur restoration, all presentable and serviceable inside and out. Plus, combinations of well-done restoration and good operable components; or a partially restored car with all parts necessary to complete it and/or valuable new old stock (NOS) parts.
4) GOOD: A drivable vehicle needing no, or only minor work to be functional. Also, a deteriorated restoration or a poor amateur restoration. All components may need restoration to be “excellent,” but the vehicle is mostly usable “as is.”
5) RESTORABLE: Needs complete restoration of body, chassis and interior. May or may not be running, but isn’t weathered, wrecked and/or stripped to the point of being useful only for parts.
6) PARTS CAR: May or may not be running, but is weathered, wrecked and/or stripped to the point of being useful primarily for parts.
Cool truck! It seems they’re all 79s what happened to the round headlight high horse 78s? I supposed wrecked or not for sale?
Must be a mid to late build. Before production ended they installed Tuff wheels as on the Road Runners (steering wheel) When they ran out Dodge installed what they had and this one got the uncomfortable in your gut Dodge Omni wheel.
At this moment in time when this truck was made was a bright light at an otherwise dismal part of Chrysler history as workers came to work no one knew day to day of the doors were going to be open. Public sentiment was at it’s worst. No one wanted to buy a new orphan. I remember Chrysler dealers were selling at cost and Lee was on TV telling everyone “If you can find a better backed vehicle buy it” My dad did and bought a new Dodge and received a hand signed letter from Lee himself thanking him for believing in Chrysler. I always thought that was great. My fathers new truck a Power Wagon with a 360 was a slug though.
I had a bone stock 79 Express and it ran 15.50’s @ 88 mph. Nice truck and I paid$5,400 back in 85 for it. Wish I never sold it.
I would personally love to find a 1978 (no smog) and either put a 6 Pack on the 360 or a 383 and a slap stick shifter or 426/4 speed
Should be three years – round -1977 – square 78/79….one thing missing is the original front seat….been watching this one for awhile….there are more out there listed…buy a nice one or bust knuckles….
Rectangles were not available in ’78. The base was round through ’79. Rectangles were an option you had to pay for early in ’79 and were a no cost option later when the supply of the rounds ran out. In ’80, all were rectangle.
These aren’t exactly rare, there’s 15 of them on Hemmings alone, all in the $30g range, the cheapest, being $21g’s, ready to go. IDK, this one pretty shot, you’d put at least that, or more in this one. If anything, rebuild it into a much rarer Warlock.
http://www.salguod.net/photos/assets_c/2010/07/1979_dodge_warlock-thumb-525xauto-1632.jpg
Saying ‘turn it into a Warlock’ is the equivalent of telling a Chevy guy to ‘turn it into a COPO’. Warlock wasn’t one thing, like the LRE was, it was anything in the catalog. Any engine, any transmission, any drivetrain, any option. About as close to a factory made ‘custom’ vehicle as you could get.
Winning bid:US $3,000.00
[ 1 bid ]
I had a 78 LRE for a few years. They go through a lot of mufflers as water gets down the stacks and sits in the mufflers. I remember getting pulled over in S. Orange County (think Housewives of OC) by a local cop just to harass me for putting obnoxious stacks on a truck…..LOL It wasn’t what I would call fast, but it was cool. My dilemma today is this: Buy an old LRE and put a modern Hemi/trans into it, or do I buy a red SRT-10 and put stacks on it??? YES I’m serious
Sold for $3000.00…I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
My grandfather had one of these and because this one is in Iola tx it just might be his old truck. He lived in jewelry tx when he had it and that is right up the road. He had a super bee before that.
My grandfather almost had one of these, but there was mile-long waitinglist and he bought ’79 El Camino V8 royal knight instead. I was then 10y old and quess which one i liked..
Had a 1979 Plymouth Trailduster. Similar but different name plate. First new vehicle I ever owned. Absolutely the WORST vehicle I’ve ever owned as well. Handled extremely poorly, poor acceleration even with a 360 CI engine. Sold it to a relative who drove it til it rusted completely out. Think it went to the crusher Oh well, that was then, this is now.