A few days ago, I commented in a post about how the Dodge Ram SRT-10 was an underappreciated muscle truck, especially in terms of how much they sold for relative to the exotic powertrain under the hood. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Nevadahalfrack, he prompted me to look into the truck a bit more and while I didn’t use the exact tip he sent in, this 2005 Dodge Ram SRT-1o listed here on Motorenn.com offers a great combination of low mileage and reasonable price for a collector’s vehicle. The SRT-10 shown here has just over 4,000 original miles and is listed for $56,900.
Drool! Look at that profile. The combination of the polished wheels, subtle twin-outlet exhaust, and additional body cladding transforms the Ram from a workhorse into a warrior, and I personally like these trucks in the more subdued colors like silver. Years ago, I had a coworker with the extended cab version in red, and it just looked as loud as you’d expect a truck with a Viper drivetrain to look; finding one in single-cab form allows it to blend in a bit more while obviously providing the proportions that muscle truck lovers. Short bed, single cab, and rear-wheel drive: is there a better spec in the pickup truck world?
And then you get to the interior and you see that glorious, and somewhat hilarious, manual shifter. The single cab trucks were manuals, while the extended cabs came with a standard automatic (I believe I have that correct.) To me, the SRT-10 Ram is still a bit of an unsung hero in the muscle truck world, and it may be one of the last high-performance pickups that offers a conventional manual gearbox. Bucket seats and a generous center console offer plenty of comfort and convenience for the two occupants lucky enough to go for a ride, while drilled aluminum pedals and white-face gauges complete the necessary performance cues.
This is just so hilarious to me, to open the hood and see an 8.3L V10 engine lifted straight from the Viper. I love how Dodge made zero attempt to hide the origins of the engine, and this is one thing Chrysler Corp. has always been very dependable: in your face performance, with no attempt to mask the, “Yep, we went there!” sentiment. Sixty large is no small number, but it seems downright reasonable for a truck that future generations will look back on and wonder what it was like to live in an era where an automotive manufacturer dropped a Viper engine into a pickup. Thanks again, Nevadahalfrack!
If there ever was a poster child for the “more must be better” schtick,,,right here. They sure are getting their use out of this style, ( 30+ years) one I never cared for. I lost interest when it was no longer a Dodge. Don’t get me wrong, nice trucks, in fact, tis’ more a car with a box, and they sure are popular. Some say Ford is the most popular, but out here on the range, it’s RAM all the way. Very expensive to repair, with replacement “hemi” motors upwards of $10 grand PLUS installation. Yeah, didn’t see that comin’, huh?
This? If this kind of thing appeals to you, by all means, have at it. Personally, I think it’s foolish, but I comprise a small number of people that think so. I’d take “The Dude” any day, and that’s another thing since we’re talkin’ RAM pickups,,,their new ad slogan, “Nothing Stops RAM”, bull-hunky, what about no gas? :(
That the BF staff spend hours sorting through the myriad of tips looking for something the really lights off the right mixture is very obvious and it’s much appreciated.
That we are able to give you something that you enjoy writing about is self fulfilling in reading what you have with the enthusiasm you show.
Thanks to all of you.
Nevadahalfrack, I appreciate ALL the tips that get submitted here. Its great to see the variety on Fast Finds. And I know I was ecstatic when one of mine got written up. And of course I appreciate your tip!! And Jeff for the research and write up. I have been enjoying all your write ups too.
As for this truck, I ALWAYS loved the fact you could get it with a stick and always appreciated Dodge for finding a way to make it work. This one looks like a cream puff for sure. It was somebody’s baby since day one. And someone will hopefully drive away and have a blast with this one.
Cool truck, that seems to be ignored. The real gas powered Ford Lightening’s and Chevrolet SS454 pickups are what people tend to think about when it comes to 1990’s and early-2000’s sport trucks. These and the early 2000’s Chevrolet SS Silverado with the 6.0 kind of went by the wayside, the retro looking Chevy pickup which was produced for a few years also came and went with a thud. Later Ford Raptors and Ram TRX’s are so much faster and plentiful they will likely dominate the market for years to come. This SRT10 is unique, especially since it has a stick shift. It looks great, other than the wing, and definitely has a presence. These likely won’t get much love, but should. It will be interesting how the market shakes out for these in the years to come, but a low mileage version with a great color combination and the manual transmission should be at the top of the market. This has passed the point of ever being anything other than something driven occasionally, mainly to shows.
Steve R
I would take this Ram over any SS454 or Lightning. It’s not that I prefer the make over any others, it just has the look and performance that I prefer.
I agree. More fun to drive. Besides, the SS454’s are slow and overrated, they just look good. At least Ford tweaked both of the Lightenings production runs and made them a substantial package.
Steve R
High-dollar toy.
A pickup in every sense of the word, with a whole lot of muscle. What’s not to like? Short bed, single cab and not as Herb stated a “car with a box”. Yet it’s a Viper you can haul wood with..not that I “wood”. It’s too nice! Lastly, if I had the scratch laying around and had to make a choice between buying a new truck or the pickup being sold here, this SRT-10 would be in my garage.
I took a peek at the local dealer’s RAM stock. All 4 doors. The base model goes for around 45k, the next round up in the mid-upper 50s. If this is your thing it’s not that out of line, and if you don’t beat the crap out of it you can sell it for a decent price. It can blow the doors off that pseudo Ferrari, and do it while carrying 20 bags of topsoil.
Hi Kim. You can expect 15 k off sticker prices on most full size trucks. It’s been that way for years.
These are really cool trucks! One was pulled off the production line and used to set the worlds fastest truck record back in 2004. This was done on an oval track with NASCAR driver Brendan Gaughan at the wheel. It would have gone faster at the salt flats but ~155 mph on an oval is still a significant achievement. The truck also came with factory 22″ wheels to handle the enormous brake rotors and gigantic cooling ducts for the front brakes. The engineers also included factory traction bars and a 5th shock to keep wheel hop under control along with a functional center hood scoop to aid in cooling the engine bay.
500hp and 525 torque is still competitive now days. But will cost you around 80,000 or more. This is still a truck but handles very well.
Nice piece, worth having at this price for sure. If the engine is as reliable as my hemi 2004 has been well worth it compared to Chevy or Fords from this era.
I’m not a truck guy but I like this, especially with 3 pedals.
The only item missing for me is the two rear doors.
I had one of these for eleven years it was a 2005 Commemorative Editon and was # 92 of 200 built! It was a beautiful Truck White with the Blue Racing Stripes from the factory! With Five Hundred Horse Power and Five Hundred thirty Five ft pounds Torque! I had a custom tune that bumped up Hp and Torque. Came from factory with 456 gears and Sure grip differential and you could sure smoke the tires. The amazing thing about this truck is it handled better at 140 mph than at 70 mph. I traded it for a Challenger 392 Scat Pack with 28- k miles and my SRT10 had 25-k miles. I was happy with the trade since we just swapped titles except he had to give me some cash because I told my truck was worth more and he agreed to the deal. I enjoy the Scat Pack but I do miss my SRT 10!
I need to buy more lottery tickets