Anyone here know Ram Chargers?

Alright guys and gals I got a lead on an '85 Ram Charger here in town for $800.

From what I have gathered so far it has a 318, its a 4x4 and has some good mud terrain tires on it. His kid managed the hit something so the grill, hood and driver side fender all need replaced (more than likely the bumper as well but that can be done with a box steel one). My biggest question is are any of those parts going to be able to be sourced from say a similar year Dodge pickup like the 150? Are there any particular spots to watch out for on these old beasts? Not looking to win any beauty contests it will basically be my mountain rig/ZAV.

On the plus side he said he may have a 360 to go with it.

Far as I know anything on the front end can come from a pickup, it's just the stuff behind that's hard to find.

It's not a lean burn is it?

Not sure if it is a lean burn engine or not. Most guys around here tend to strip things down to simple lol

Sounds like it is just that front corner so we shall see on thursday.

In reply to rebelgtp: Early computer crap.

Yeah I remember that garbage now. From what I remember it is basically an intake swap and an old carb away from getting rid of it on those rigs. Then basically junk the air pump and ecu. I should be able to source those parts at the junk yard fairly cheap. Kinda thinking just stay with the 318 if it runs well.

The whole plan is trade my '95 Ram for a Tahoe for the wife. Sell her Tacoma to my buddy. Get this Ram Charger as my new 4x4 toy and spend the rest of the Tacoma money on baby stuff and maybe pay off some more bills.

I know I want a 93 Canyon Sport in a bad way. My friend has a 1990 or so 2wd that he swapped a 4BT Cummins/NV4500 into a while back. Now he is just finishing up a swap to a 99 or so 4wd truck frame that he shortened to fit the RamCharger body. It is super awesome, and someday if he ever sells it I will figure out a way to get it.

Hmmm swapping in the Cummins could be VERY interesting if I got that motivated...I think I would rather do that then the 360.

I would imagine a 6bt might be damn near bolt in...

after 80 no removeable roof.

http://tal4x4.com/borgeson-ram-steering-shaft-with-rag-joint-flange/000943

That will remove most of the steering slop.

In reply to rebelgtp:

The pickup front sheet metal is a bolt on. Same for the dash and HVAC bits. The rear half is all unique to the Ramcharger along with the shorter wheelbase. Mechanical bits all interchange.

Rust is the biggest thing on these. Rear quarters, rockers, floors, are all the usual suspects.

Technically it's not a Lean Burn system in those years. It's Electronic Spark Control System. Similar concept and different marketing since the Lean Burn had a bad rep by then. You can keep the intake, swap on an earlier carb & ignition system and be on the road in a few hours.

I'm sure the 6BT swap has been done more than once. Getting the bits needed from a square body diesel Ram will be pricey. Those trucks have the brodozer/rollin' coal tax on them. At least in these parts.

In reply to Rob_Mopar:

My research back when I was looking for these would agree. A Cummins swap would generally involve buying a rusted out 89-93 4x4 and swapping parts, bearing in mind I'm 95% sure the 2500 frame is heavier/stronger than the 1500/Ramcharger frame. Were I building such a Ramcharger, I'd consider shortening the 2500 frame to fit the shorter wheel base.

A quick google search turned up some body parts, but likely ones that are similar to the trucks.

I've seen a few 6BT Ramcharger swaps. They tend to bring big money if done well. Rob's right, it's basically a short-short-wheelbase Ram pickup, all mechanical parts are shared with the half-ton Ram. It's not hard to get rid of the computer carb and go to a standard 2 barrel. Mid-80's SBM's are not known for big power, but it will be hard to kill mechanically.

As for finding a Cummins swap, it seems like they're starting to get a little cheaper around here, as I've always got an ear to the ground for an early 12v Cummins. I occasionally see running trucks on CL in the ~2000-2500 range, usually with high miles, but after parting/scrapping what you don't use you'd have your motor and trans for $1000-1500.

Be aware, if you go 1st gen RC (72-80), it will have a full-time 4wd system that sucks for fuel mileage, has a nonserviceable hub/bearing setup that's not super strong, and is somewhat difficult/expensive to convert to part-time 4wd. They also have a different bolt circle (5x4.5 in the early trucks/RC, 5x5 later on). Apparently a lot of the early RC guys just swap in a later front axle and T-case and redrill the axles in back to the later bolt pattern. Personally I really like the looks of the early RC and the removable top is nice.

I had an 86 w/ a 318. Bought it for $400, painted it and screwed around with it basically, took it on a "mud run". Was a lot of fun for the money. I scrapped it when the hinges broke off the back door, which are like fiberglass hinges on a steel door, and oh, it also caught on fire. I want another one.

Ramchargers are awesome. I almost inherited a '78 Sno-Commander that my great uncle had, but it was too much of a project for me to take on. The early one's like that one had removable tops like the Bronco and Blazer/Jimmy.

A member of the Team External Combustion family used to have a really cool one: a 1988 360/4-speed 4x4. It was red with a red interior. The thing was a BEAST. With a lift, it was able to drive over cars like a monster truck.

Funny story: we were refreshing the engine in that Ramcharger, and he had pulled the heads off to do some work. We were scraping the block surface when we found a strange imperfection on the block surface. At first, we thought we nicked it pulling a head off, but soon it became apparent what it was. It was a stamping that someone on the assembly line must have done... a stamping of the male anatomy.

Yeah not looking to turn it into a power house so really the 318 running well with a carb will do me I think.

Considering the body damage I think the best course of action once it is fixed is to just rhino line the whole damn rig lol.

They are pretty easy to work on, I've owned three and plenty of first gen trucks. Parts are pretty interchangeable and I think the best forum has a good signal to noise ratio. If the tail gate isn't horribly rusty at the hinges and it really only needs the body work in front I'd give $800 for it.

I thought the tailgate/hatch was/is fiberglass on these rigs? Well my friends 1990 model with the Cummins has a fiberglass hatch, and I know he didn't swap that part out.