Photo: my65cuda/Bring a Trailer
Dodge engineers were sad in the late '70s because they couldn't make a Charger or a Challenger as they used to due to the CAFE agreement that forced them to dial down the engines' power. Still, they found a way to avoid that with the truck division, which built the D150, and turned it into a hot-rod pickup truck.
Can you believe that this truck was the fastest American car in 1978 when it came on the market? Well, according to Car and Driver magazine from that era, it was. It could embarrass a Corvette and send it home in tears. However, Dodge found a loophole in the legislation and could make this truck without catalytic converters and placed its exhausts stacked vertically behind the cabin. Moreover, to make it clear that this was no ordinary truck, all of them were red and hence the name Li'l Red Express, and added a unique badge on the front doors.
When Dodge offered this vehicle in 1978, it forced the speed-addicted buyers to leave the coupes and fastbacks behind and jump behind the wheel of the D150 pickup truck. Apart from a few states, California included, this vehicle was available in Dodge's showrooms and could hit the drag-strip right from the showrooms' floors.
The model that you see here went through a restoration process in 2014 when the paint regained its brightness and the five-spoke wheels their shine. Also, the stack-pipes behind the cabin are mirror-like finished, contrasting the car's red color. Like any serious Li'l Red Express, it features real wood on the sides of the bed. Also, the oak bed floor was refreshed.
Inside, this truck features two bucket seats and a folding armrest. Truth to be told, that space between the seats is wide enough to accommodate a third person. An aftermarket air-conditioning unit was added for more comfort, and the black vinyl upholstery was refreshed during the restoration process seven years ago.
Under the hood, Dodge installed the EH1 360 High-Performance LA small block engine that was also used on police vehicles but added more upgrades. An 850 cfm Carter Thermoquad 4-barrel carburetor was added, offering slightly better performances than the police version. This V8 provided 225 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque. The Li'l Red Express was available with either a four-speed manual or a three-speed automatic, like the model you see here on BaT.
From the performance point of view, this truck could complete the 0-60 mph (0-97 kph) run in less than seven seconds. We don't know if the car you see here can still do the same, but we know that the engine was rebuilt and is fed via an Edelbrock AVS2 carburetor. The my65cuda seller believes that it's the original motor.
Dodge made just 2,188 Li'l Red Express trucks in 1978, with another 5,118 in 1979. But the latter models were already fitted with catalytic converters.
When Dodge offered this vehicle in 1978, it forced the speed-addicted buyers to leave the coupes and fastbacks behind and jump behind the wheel of the D150 pickup truck. Apart from a few states, California included, this vehicle was available in Dodge's showrooms and could hit the drag-strip right from the showrooms' floors.
The model that you see here went through a restoration process in 2014 when the paint regained its brightness and the five-spoke wheels their shine. Also, the stack-pipes behind the cabin are mirror-like finished, contrasting the car's red color. Like any serious Li'l Red Express, it features real wood on the sides of the bed. Also, the oak bed floor was refreshed.
Inside, this truck features two bucket seats and a folding armrest. Truth to be told, that space between the seats is wide enough to accommodate a third person. An aftermarket air-conditioning unit was added for more comfort, and the black vinyl upholstery was refreshed during the restoration process seven years ago.
Under the hood, Dodge installed the EH1 360 High-Performance LA small block engine that was also used on police vehicles but added more upgrades. An 850 cfm Carter Thermoquad 4-barrel carburetor was added, offering slightly better performances than the police version. This V8 provided 225 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque. The Li'l Red Express was available with either a four-speed manual or a three-speed automatic, like the model you see here on BaT.
From the performance point of view, this truck could complete the 0-60 mph (0-97 kph) run in less than seven seconds. We don't know if the car you see here can still do the same, but we know that the engine was rebuilt and is fed via an Edelbrock AVS2 carburetor. The my65cuda seller believes that it's the original motor.
Dodge made just 2,188 Li'l Red Express trucks in 1978, with another 5,118 in 1979. But the latter models were already fitted with catalytic converters.
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