The Dodge Rampage is a utility subcompact vehicle that’s based on Chrysler’s L platform. This wonderful little truck was in production from the year 1982 - 1984. Introduced in 1982, they eventually rebranded the Rampage in the year 1983 as the Plymouth Scamp.  Dodge brought out the Rampage as an answer to the El Camino and Ranchero, which were the competitors from Chevrolet and Ford, respectively. It's one of the cool forgotten beauties from the '80s that people have begun to miss and want to own today.

Let's get directly into it, buckle up as we get into the details of this rare beauty. This is where we give you some more information about this beauty and show you that here's how much a 1982 Dodge Rampage costs today.

The History

1982 Dodge Rampage
via roadandtrack.com

As the production of the Rampage lasted from 1982 to 1984, the sheer numbers manufactured were very low, with only 37,401 examples rolling out of the factory. The car wasn't the first pickups built in the U.S., some of them were already in the market such as the Rabbit Sportback and was very popular in the era. It became America's favorite pickup truck as it was the first American-built front-wheel-drive truck.

A unique feature that the market team of the company should have had a linchpin on was the load-sensing braking system. The company fitted a valve in between the cargo box, a rear axle that sensed the load of the cargo based on the pressure put on the suspension and accordingly sent more or less fluid pressure to the drum brakes. An all-steel cargo box was installed in the rear part of the truck with walls on both the sides and one wall in the bottom.

Owing to its design, the Rampage made an image of being more like a car than a truck, with lightweight and front surge. It looked more like a compact sports car, especially because of the nose which was like that of the Chevy Monza. In terms of fuel efficiency, the Rampage didn't give the impression of a truck either, 25 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. Because of the low production numbers there are very few Rampages in the U.S. that are in acceptable conditions.

Related: Nobody Remembers These Cool '80s Cars Anymore

Under The Hood

1982 Dodge Rampage
via Alt_Driver

Under the hood, the Dodge and Rampage had a 2.2L four-cylinder which displaced 96 HP. In 1982 the Rampage only had 4-gear manual transmission, but in 1983 they added an option of 5-gear manual transmission. Rampage looked like one of the sporty-compact cars because of its design on the exterior and the amazing four-cylinder engine, but the loading capacity was around 1,145lb which made it an actual ‘half-ton’ truck. The resemblance of the Rampage is clearly visible when you see the 024/Charger as Dodge used a similar front fascia and the suspension borrowed from the Omni/Horizon with coil struts and a linkless sway bar, and leaf springs with shock absorbers in the back of the car.

The Rampage was rarely the choice of light truck driver, although the press was very impressed by the vehicle. The truck had a good reputation among the press who audaciously compared the driving dynamics and the handling of the Rampage with Porsche and Ferrari. Dodge planned the Rampage to be a cross between a sedans practicality and a trucks utility, thus it wasn’t what we can call fast; the fact that the 0 to 60 MPH took a lingering 16 seconds is a proof of this fact.

Interiors And Dimensions

1982 Dodge Rampage
via autotrader.ca

The interior of the Rampage showed a resemblance to that of a sport coupe. The two-seater car had a standard seats, minimalist dashboard and deep-dished steering wheels, and the rear part of the vehicle was all storage space. There weren’t any power windows, but it sported a stereo and air conditioning. The seats were rather comfortable offering good lumbar support and cushioning that made it a good cross-country driver.

As the Rampage was a pickup truck, they had to increase the wheelbase of the vehicle by 104 inches. The car could easily carry a 1000lb cargo and tow a 750lb vehicle. Measuring at 62 inches long and 52 inches wide when the tailgate is closed, the storage bed was scrumptious. The suspension of the car was well-made and a lot of the owners were very satisfied with the performance and ride quality, even after carrying weight on the back of the car.

Related: These Are The Coolest Modified Classic Dodge Trucks We've Ever Seen

The Current Worth Of A 1982 Dodge Rampage

1982 Dodge Rampage
Wikimedia.org

The Rampage was more like the Ranchero than the El Camino both in performance and the design. The Dodge Rampage was only produced for 2 years and around 37,000 of them were sold, but due to the competition and the type of vehicle it was, it is almost impossible to find a good condition Rampage in the country. The person owning a good condition rampage could quote any price tag he wants, but the last we heard about a Rampage in pristine condition was in 2016 in Georgia.

The NADA currently estimates the pricing of the 1982 Dodge Rampage at $6,698, but it is almost impossible to get hands-on a good condition Rampage and presuppose a cost. It would most likely require some restoring or repairs to get it going. The rarer editions of the Dodge Rampage could be worth even more money, such as the Shelby Rampage and the Scamp GT.

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