Through a fluke in Federal emissions regulations, a pickup truck became the fastest U.S.-produced vehicle in 1978. The Li’l Red Express was a two-year muscle truck based on the Dodge D-100 pickup. It had a 360-cubic-inch police interceptor V8 rated at 225 hp. The 1978, like the seller’s, is the one to have because the Feds caught on in 1979. This truck has only had one owner who doesn’t have the means to fix it up. Located in Nampa, Idaho, it’s available here on Facebook Marketplace for $13,000.
In 1978, this truck beat everyone else in Detroit when it came to going from 0 to 100 mph. Part of the reason was that it had no catalytic converter, as trucks weren’t yet required to have them. All of these vehicles were painted Canyon Red with gold door graphics and had twin vertical chrome exhaust stacks. Real wood was also included on/in the bed and tailgate. Just 2,188 copies were built in 1978 while another 5,118 were made in 1979, though the emissions loophole had closed.
This truck appears to have had some work done, but we doubt it runs (and the seller makes no such mention). The bed is full of parts, some of them from the engine compartment. We’re told the truck has traveled 385,000 miles, but we’re guessing that’s a fluke in the listing. All Li’l Red Express pickups had an automatic transmission, also with a cop pedigree. This machine will need a full restoration, but at least they fetch top dollar in prime condition.
The Li’l Red Express wasn’t the only time Dodge dabbled in the “adult toy” market. The Dodge Warlock truck and Street Van were a couple of other examples from the same era. Ford and Chevrolet may rule the truck market, but Dodge has always put in the extra effort.
13 grand for this? Maybe if they put a little effort into cleaning it up they might get a bite.
Those stacks were tacky in the 70s, still are.
The 70’s I lived through thought they were pretty cool. But to each his own.
That Ford 1/2 ton hub cap may help the sale..
4×4 is kinda rare cap…..
This truck should be priced no higher than 6 grand. Numbers matching in excellent condition they are bringing around the 40 grand mark. This one is in surprisingly good shape given its location, but trim parts for these are rare and pricey. Hope it finds a good home and gets the full treatment.
It’s “Lil Red Truck,” as it says on the tailgate. Dodge confused things by putting those “Lil Red Express Truck” decals on the doors, but their marketing materials refer to it as “Lil Red Truck.”
Sad someone let this set out in the weather.
looks like all that was done was make a mess out of it.13k. good luck.
I had a Lil Red Truck…it was great. Drove it from Ohio to Arizona, then to NYC in 1978 and then cross country to Santa Barbara, CA in 1979 with all my worldly possessions, some of which I still have. Driving a truck in NYC was great…cabbies were no match for me on the mean streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Good memories.
My neighbor had one of these. Cool truck! Sadly our small town population 2,300 was experiencing a car theft, chop shop ring and it disappeared 😢 they finally caught the people responsible and he was a well known, highly respected body shop owner.
RUFF!!
Funny….was just talking to a buddies son that ownes two and I have a 1/2 of one setting next to my 1981 SWB Dodge PU. Yep these are not for everybody and this ones a little high – read my last post about that…..still pretty nicely complete.