The truck scene has been gaining more exposure over the years. Originally purposed as work vehicles, trucks are now looked upon as a nice alternative to SUVs. Thanks to their versatility, they quickly became popular among different demographics. However, the cool and racy trucks that being sold today were the exception forty-something years ago.
Dodge released some very special trucks during the 1970s. They are so special that it should be a criminal offense to modify these classic trucks. Since some of them are the rarest American pickup trucks of all time, they have become highly valuable for obvious reasons.
10 The Original
Dodge was not beating around the bush in the 1970s. Its trucks were, despite being highly underrated, were among some of the coolest work trucks available on the market. As a mater of fact, it is during that decade that trucks truly became more than just work vehicles.
The D100 is for sure one of those classic trucks every collector wants. Even if it was mass-produced, the D100 is a perfect base for a restomod project. Dodge realized that the D100 could be a lot more than what it already was. As a result, they adopted the D100 to develop the Li'l Red Express, the Midnite Express, and the Warlock.
9 Dodge's Demise
The 1970s were a very awful decade for the automotive industry globally. The entire industry was severely impaired by an oil crisis that literally froze economies worldwide. To top it all off, American lawmakers passed regulations that would force domestic carmakers to tremendously decrease the power output of their cars.
The 1978 Challenger was equipped with a lousy Mitsubishi engine that cranked out 105hp at best. The other iconic Dodge, the Charger, received a similar disappointing facelift. While legendary cars like the Charger and the Challenger were losing their charm, Dodge focused its energy on developing some super trucks like the Li'l Red Express.
8 Li'l Red Express
When Dodge started manufacturing its D-Series trucks, the decision-makers at Dodge quickly understood that some truck enthusiasts out there may look for something with a lot more power. As muscle cars were increasingly turning into snails made of steel, car companies started focusing their resources on a nascent yet flourishing truck market.
Upon its release, the Li'l Red was one of the quickest pickup trucks to ever touch the tarmac. As part of what Dodge dubbed the "Adult Toys From Dodge" Series, the Li'l Red Express was unlike anything produced back then. The equivalent of a Li'l Red Express today would be a Dodge Ram SRT-10.
7 Outstanding Engine
The Li'l Red Express is not extremely rare. Between 1978 and 1979, a little less than 10,000 Li'l Red Express trucks were produced, which makes the truck collectible. However, what makes the truck truly special is the engine found in the engine bay.
The Li'l Red Express was the fastest American-made vehicle produced in 1978. With its 360 V8, the Li'l Red Express was capable of producing 225hp. Most top-line muscle cars at the time could barely produce 200hp. The engine is a modified 360 police engine that showed the competition that Dodge was serious about manufacturing muscle trucks.
6 Sporty Interior
The late 1970s were easily the worst period of time for muscle cars. At Dodge, cars went from being sporty to being some of the worst cars ever made by the brand. The engines were sluggish, but that was a phenomenon observed across the board. The worst part is that the interior of most once-iconic Dodge cars was just as bad as their engines.
Fortunately, Dodge doubled down on its efforts when it created the Li'l Red Express. Unlike the Challenger or the Charger, the truck's interior was extremely sporty. Using a combination of black leather and wood grain, the truck screamed power and exclusivity.
5 Midnite Express
When people think about Dodge trucks from the 1970s, the first thing that comes to mind is the Li'l Red Express. It is quite understandable given the fact that the Li'l Red Express was the fastest vehicle on the market in 1978. However, the Midnite Express should receive as much recognition as the Li'l Red Express.
The Midnite Express was only manufactured in 1978. Since Dodge only produced 200 units, the Midnite Express is a collectible that only a few lucky car fans will ever get to see. Despite being almost identical to the Li'l Red Express, the Midnite Express was fitted with the 400 V8 that developed 245hp.
4 Warlock
The super truck craze of the late 1970s that Dodge kick-started was the beginning of the aggressive muscle truck scene. Before the Li'l Red and Midnite Express were released, the Warlock was introduced to the public in 1977. The truck's tame look does not mean that it was meant to be driven by farmers and milk delivery workers. Far from it.
The Warlock was originally marketed as an exclusive truck. The Warlock was as innovative and stylish as the Ford F-150 Raptor upon its release. Available with a variety of engines, the Warlock was a huge hit and consequently became an instant legendary vehicle.
3 Beasty Warlock
Dodge is known for manufacturing limited-edition vehicles that appreciate tremendously over time. Some of the earlier Challengers are worth millions of dollars. A loophole in the legislation set in place by the US government allowed carmakers to manufacture trucks that have an insane amount of power.
Dodge offered a much more interesting engine for the top-line Warlocks. The 440 V8 engine was offered on only 74 Warlocks. That is 255hp on a truck released in the late 1970s. That is far more powerful than a Magnum of the same year. Needless to say, it is a very valuable car to have.
2 Warlock: Reloaded
Over the years, Dodge drastically improved its trucks. Despite being overshadowed by the Ford F-Series and the Chevy Silverados, Dodge trucks were able to secure a decent market share. As the competition kept on releasing special editions, Dodge hopped on the bandwagon and released its own monsters.
In 2019, Dodge released a new version of the Warlock. Using the Ram 1500 as a base, the Warlock comes with limited performance parts. Available with both the 3.6L V6 and 5.7L V8, the newer is unfortunately not as legendary as the original version. However, the truck looks very stylish, and is a good alternative to the mass-produced Ram 1500.
1 Custom Friendly
Some vehicles, such as the Ford F1 or the Chevy C10 were so popular that years after their release, people decided to restore them. Restoration can go two ways though. The first way would be to look for original parts and give the car a second life. The other way is to completely transform the car and turn it into a mean machine.
Quite frankly, modifying iconic trucks such as the Li'l Red Express, Warlock, and Midnite Express is sacrilege and pure insanity. However, creating a clone to pay tribute to one of those iconic trucks is perfectly acceptable. Most lifted and drag ready classic limited edition Dodge trucks are D100 turned into something else.