1979 Dodge Lil Red Express

Description

If there's a pickup truck that deserves to be collectable, it's this 1979 Dodge Lil' Red Express. You've been seeing them for years and they always catch your eye, don't they? With a look that one part vintage and two parts 1970s funky, it's an unusual, yet famous, way to get into the hobby with a vehicle that everyone agrees is cool.

Obviously the Lil' Red Express only came in one color: bright red. This one was repainted a few years ago and they didn't take any liberties. It's still brilliant fire engine red with a high-visibility look that makes heads swivel as it motors past. It shows a few signs of use, but nothing major and we have to admit that we just don't see many of these restored this nicely. The correct decals were replaced, including the gold pinstripes around the wheel arches and the famous 'Lil' Red Express Truck' emblems on the doors. All the wood was refinished last year, giving it a rather old-fashioned look in the bed, and it's so nicely done that we'll guess that this truck's hauling days are pretty much over because it's just too pretty. Add the cool stacks behind the cab, the fat stepside fenders, and some bright chrome bumpers and you get a truck that has a timeless look. They've also polished up the stainless, tinted the windows, and installed new chains on the tailgate, so it's quite fresh and looks ready to rock.

The interior is also new as of a few years ago, and they didn't go with the Levi's denim look that was available on these trucks, and that's probably a smart choice. Too much '70s. Instead it's got handsome black vinyl and cloth upholstery that has a clean, elegant look that makes the inside of this Express feel upscale, not dated. The dash is full of round Rallye-style gauges that should look familiar to any Mopar fan and the deep-dish steering wheel is more muscle car than pickup truck. It's fitted with factory A/C that has been upgraded with modern components under the hood and R134a refrigerant, so it's effective in the cozy cab and there's a modern AM/FM/CD/iPod stereo with speakers in the doors that sound great. The dash pad, carpets, and door panels are in very nice shape, with the white inserts on the doors being original and the only part of the interior that's a little dated.

The biggest engine you could get in a Dodge half-ton pickup was the familiar 360 cubic inch V8, making the Lil' Red Express one of the quickest vehicles you could buy in 1979. Rebuilt about 3000 miles ago, it's wearing Hemi Orange paint, its original dual snorkel air cleaner with chrome lid and 'Lil' Red Express' decal, and an upgraded camshaft, so it's a great runner that looks right. Chrome valve covers add a little dress-up and it does have a true dual exhaust system that feeds those stacks, so they're not just for show and it sounds very cool. The original transmission was swapped to a modern automatic with overdrive using a switch to the right of the steering column to engage the overdrive, making this a fantastic highway cruiser and it's still plenty punchy with 3.55 gears out back. The rest of the undercarriage is quite stock and original, and it sits on a set of aluminum wheels and 235/60/15 white-letter radials all around.

Documented with the original dealer invoice and an owner's manual, this is one of the better Lil' Red Express trucks we've seen, and there's just no way it won't be collectable in the future. Call today!