Now located in Clermont, Florida, the seller of this 1983 Dodge Ram 250 Custom pickup says it was originally a Texas truck, is a barn find, and has been a farm truck all its life. We don’t know if those descriptions go together or not, but any one of them makes a good story, and all three make a great one. The seller has this triple-story truck listed on eBay, there is no reserve, and the current bid price is $1,120.
This tough truck has had a tough life. Maybe not tough as in neglected or anything like that, but it was sure used a lot. Parts of it look good, like from the driver’s side, but the passenger side is patina’d up like nobody’s business. Maybe it sat with the sun shining through the barn door, hitting that side or something. They say that it’s wearing “100% original body panels – very solid and straight does have some minor dings around the truck.” The passenger side is pretty dented up. I’d call those more than minor dings, but that’s just me.
This 3/4-ton Ram 250 will most likely never be restored, but will continue to be used for hauling duties and chores. That’s just a guess, of course. Maybe if someone really wanted one in this exact configuration, without much rust, and a few dents, wrinkles, and dings to iron out. Or who cares, just use it as a truck. We don’t get to see inside the bed, but they say that it always had a camper shell, so the bed is in “excellent” condition. It has a bedliner, and the seller provided a video, where you can see a partial view of the bed. Dodge offered the first-gen Ram pickups for the 1981 through 1993 model years.
There’s no NP435 four-speed manual here (the standard transmission choice); this one has the optional three-speed automatic with a column selector. That’s showing some surface rust, as a lot of them do over the decades. Speaking of other rust, there isn’t much to speak of, it sounds like. It must have lived in a dry part of Texas. The basic vinyl seat still looks almost like new, and I don’t see any glaring issues inside, including the dash. Hagerty is at $5,400 for a #4 fair-condition truck.
The base engine was the 225 slant-six, but this one has an optional 318-cu.in. OHV V8, which had 140 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque when new. Power is sent through that automatic to the rear wheels only, and they say it’s been sitting for about a year, but it starts and runs fine. It’ll need the usual routine due to sitting for a while, though. They don’t mention whether the AC works, but I’m assuming not; they rarely do after 40+ years. Would any of you have use for a 3/4-ton Dodge pickup? I know I could find something to haul with it.
These were great bread and butter work horses. I actually didn’t know you could get the Slant 6 in the 3/4 ton, I always thought it was available only in the half tons. I had an ’82 short bed “Miser” with a Slant 6 and a 4 speed overdrive with a genuine cue ball for a shift knob ( loved that!!!). The fading is a little strange on the passenger side, the front fender is in better shape, maybe it was repainted? Or just parked in the barn in such a way it just didnt get hit with a lot of light? This could most certainly be an honest solid old work truck. As for the “Straight” body, the dents don’t look too straight to me. But considering its age and living on a farm, it actually isn’t that bad. This would make a great weekend run to the dump and goto Home Depot rig. And then down the line go nuts with bodywork and paint etc if you really want to.
I’ve seen a 1-ton dually 4×4 with a drilling rig on the back with a slant 6.
“Passenger side is pretty dented up”, you just defined every old farmers farm truck, I have 2 myself
Ah, when trucks weren’t 4-door cars with open trunks. That’s what a pickup bed is, and ready for work.
Driveinstyle has hit it right on the money!!! This is a great weekend workhorse that with a few dents straightened and a paint job will make some one a neat useable vehicle.
This old Dodge truck has a lot going for it IMO. If I needed a work truck I would be all over this. No brainer. Running and decent shape; no reserve with a very low current high bid and only a day or so left. I’m liking it. All it seems to need is a weekend of TLC and for what you’d pay for sales tax on a new one; you’ll have a cool old truck that still has plenty of life in it. Who cares about a few dings and dents? What does it matter that the paint is “patina grade”? Decent interior, 318V8, automatic and A/C. Too bad that shipping from Florida to me would cost more than I want to spend or I might buy this even though I don’t need it. GLWTS.
Just $1,400.00 so far and ends tomorrow. Looks pretty good to me.
Too bad they don’t make pickup trucks like this anymore. So simple you can repair it by yourself…oh, wait, the manufacturers don’t want you to do that anymore, that’s part of the reason they build the junk the make today.
His “1-owner” and armor all tires are getting old along with the 92% feedback.
cheap money for what it is. not a dodge truck fan but if you needed a truck, it be hard to pass for the money
Auction update: this truck sold for $2,226.02!
Wow, if only I had added my two cents!!!