The 1979 Dodge True Spirit edition is among the more obscure special edition packages offered in the 70s. In fact, I can’t recall ever seeing one on these pages before, which isn’t surprising since they were primarily sold in southern California and Arizona markets as a test vehicle to gauge consumer interest in such a package. It may not be particularly exciting but it is rare; find it here on eBay with bidding over $2K and the reserve unmet.
It really is amazing how far and wide the marketing exploits ran for Mopar in the 70s and 80s. The wide array of special editions would seem silly if not for the fact that they’re all but impossible to find today. This was just a decal kit, but unfortunately, some of those details have disappeared from this example; specifically, the tail gate and the fenders are missing the “True Spirit” decals.
The loss of those key details aside, the truck remains in excellent condition. The interior shows no obvious signs of damage/wear and the carpets are new. The seller says the paint isn’t in great condition and there are various dings and dents throughout the paint. The dash isn’t cracked and all gauges work. The True Spirits came in both RWD and 4WD configuration, along with “…both Utiline Shortbed and Sweptline Shortbed body styles,” according to the JustACarGuy blogspot, and this one is a Utiline.
The engine isn’t original, with the matching 318 swapped out for a 440 with a 727 automatic. The rear end is a Sure Grip and the seller says this True Spirit edition hauls and shifts hard and fast. The engine has a cam, and the exhaust headers are routed to side pipes. While the originality is lacking, the modifications all seem like solid improvements. I would just find a graphics shop to recreate the True Spirit graphics and call it a day.
Awesome looking truck. I wouldn’t change a thing…just drive it like I stole.
It would probably be a good idea to buy some shares in a gas company if you owned this truck. You are going to be going through plenty!
I certainly hope that the engine has a cam…
Rare yes, never heard of them … would make a fun weekend hauler and cruise in machine.
Ya they don’t run to good without a cam😁
Seems they were 3 years late in a truck promotion called the Free Spirit, aka “Spirit of ’76.” Then again, Buick had their eagle and the spirit for a few years around this time. And…lest we forget…the AMC Spirit.
My guess is that this is a 78 rather than a 79 because of the headlights. In 79 they had stacked quads.
Midyear change I had 2 79s both two headlights my buddy still has a 79 it has the quads.
Wrong grille for a ’78. Both ’77 and ’78 had the parking lights in the grille.
Some time during the POR 15 treatment of the cab floors the instrument panel went from woodgrain to matte black. Glad the seller sourced a nice truck steering wheel to replace the spoke steering wheel with woodgrain rim.
Too bad it wasn’t a 4WD version. Even though my yard is full of them as it is I could never turn down one more! LOL
I wonder how much the pin stripes cost back when it was new.
I bet we cold have charged more for the pin stripes on the Cavaliers on the lot if we called it a “package”.
My guess is that when this truck rolled out of the factory Chrysler was already asking for the American tax payers to bail them out.
That being said the factory and the dealers were doing what ever they could to get these soon thought to be orphans to move off the lot. If it took $13.95 worth of tape on decals to do the trick it must have worked.
Most can not remember the late 1970’s uncertainty and public opinion relating to mother Mopar existing as automobile company. I know this as my father was ridiculed for buying a new 79 Power Wagon (which was very short on power and as others mentioned beyond thirsty) In fact my fathers friends who WERE Mopar guys were buying Ford and Chevy trucks then.
Living with it the build quality was horrible. All over. The front bumper was crooked on the lot. The dealers didn’t care. Off the transporter and onto the lot.The cab would leak air and whistle at any speed above 40 mph. We later learned the cab was built off center when we had to replace the windshield. The rubber gasket was asked to do a lot of compensating to say the least.
Too many bad memories for me to want a vintage anemic Dodge truck although I do own an old square body Dodge that shakes via Cummins ……nothing better
Nothing wrong with owning a Cummins powered Dodge truck. 😀 I happen to own one myself. It’s a 98 but thankfully it has the 12 valve.
The only thing I see that I would change would be those pipes! I would trash those and put a sweet under body duel exaust under it for sure! Everything else could be improved as its enjoyed!