Many full-size pickups from the 1980s have been put out to pasture by now after living a life of labor at construction sites or farms. A few have been lucky enough to survive and even go through restoration.
The Pick of the Day is a 1988 Dodge Ram 4×4 pickup listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Romeo, Michigan. (Click the link to view the listing)
“First generation, beautiful rust-free truck,” the listing states.
The Ram pickup line was born in 1981 on the Chrysler AD platform (taking the place of the previous D-Series) and was available in regular cab, extended cab and crew cab configurations. Bed lengths were offered in 6.5-foot and 8-foot variants, and this pickup is a regular cab with a long-bed.
Despite being in Michigan where vehicle corrosion is commonplace, this Ram is said to be rust-free, and the underbody photos in the listing support that statement. The most striking attribute of this Ram is its vivid orange paint job with black accents on the hood and the tailgate. The exterior is accented by a hood ornament, a sliding rear window and aftermarket polished aluminum wheels to complete the look.
Mechanically, this truck has a lot to offer. Power under the hood comes from a remanufactured 318cid V8 mated to a column-shifted automatic transmission. This was a mid-range engine for the first-generation Ram, bridging the gap between a 225cid inline-six and a 360cid V8.
The seller states that this truck has upgrades including an Edelbrock intake, long tube headers, and a dual exhaust system. Ratings when new for this truck’s powertrain were 170 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. On paper, those numbers are not very impressive for a vehicle of this size, but this pickup comes with a tow receiver so it must be capable enough to haul with a certain level of confidence.
This generation of Ram pickup was sold through the 1993 model year, after which an all-new second generation debuted in 1994. Worth noting, in 2011, Ram Trucks became a standalone brand outside the Dodge umbrella. All pickups from then onward have been called simply “Ram.”
“Has been completely gone through,” the listing concludes. “Outstanding inside and out.”
The seller is asking $27,000 for this well-kept Ram.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
