1978 Dodge Ramcharger SE 59K Orig Miles 440 AT/PS/PB- 150 Photos + Video AMAZING
Price: Ask a price!
Condition:Used
Make:Dodge
Model:Ramcharger
Type:SUV
Trim:SE
Year:1978
Mileage:59,237
VIN:A10BJ8S275545
Color:Red
Engine size:440
Number of cylinders:8
Fuel:Gasoline
Transmission:Automatic
Drive type:4WD
Interior color:Red
Options:4-Wheel Drive, CD Player, Convertible
Vehicle Title:Clear
Location:Gatesville, Texas, United States
Description
This is a wonderfully preserved, excellent running and driving 1978 Dodge Ram Charger - Full Convertible. It is the nicest one I have ever seen in person. Trust me, I am sadto let this one go, because I am certain that I will never find another one this clean, and if I do it will probably be unaffordable. This rig is a time capsule in so many ways. With only 59,237 original miles, you can tell that it was taken care of prior to my owning it. To be quite honest, I don't even drive it when it is raining out. The truck has some rare options as well including a factory tachometer which operates well and the roof rack. The spare tire and rim is original (and date coded) and the spare is mounted inside the passenger wheel well. Many are probably wondering why I am selling: I am looking to expedite the paying off of my student loans, and we just never drive it. It just sits out in the shop and I think this vehicle deserves a better fate than that. I am going to go through every facet of the vehicle and will try my best not to leave anything out. Below the description, I have taken a ton of photos and shot a video as well of the truck running and driving. I tried to cover everything, because I want to provide any potential buyers with all the information that they need. I am very "nit picky", and I know this vehicle inside and out, so this will be long winded, my apologies to anyone who hates to read. The picture / video section is below.
Paint: The paint is 100% original and from 10 feet it looks amazing. This color red really pops. Upon closer inspection there are various nicks and scratches here and there, but nothing major (see photos). The most annoying issue is behind the tires where the wide tires have kicked up rocks and there are many chips in the paint. I decided not to do any paint work to this vehicle, because I loved its originality. The paint shines great, has been buffed out minimally and presents very well. I will do my best to show all of the scratches that I would want to see if I was buying a vehicle online. Body: The body I will say is a 8 out of 10. There is a 2” long rust spot on the driver side rocker (underside). It is not visible from standing up, you have to lay down to see it. It was treated with a Ospho and left alone, and has not progressed at all. There is a dent on the passenger side right behind the rear wheel well. The trim is off on that spot, and upon inspection I think that the dent could likely be pulled out with some finesse (which I do not possess). IDO have the piece of trim to go back on. The rear bumper has a dent on the passenger side as well, likely from the same encounter. There is a tiny little pin hole in the body below the trim on the drivers side. It is not rust, I can’t figure out how it got there. The roof had a CB in the 80s and it looks like the antenna was on the roof. There is a little filler and it is color matched. The other thing is that at some point the engine compartment was sprayed with some sort of bed liner material. Luckily, it was not prepped well and it picks off with a fingernail. You'll see in the picsthat most of it is gone, I just pick at it whenever I have 15 or 20 minutes in my shoptokill(waiting for something to dry, etc). I’ll literally stand there when hanging out with friends and pick sections of it off. The floors look brand new....not one speck of rust that I have found and I pulled the carpet up just to make sure. The top is in amazing condition with no dents and no rust as well. I mean it. No rust! It could use a little more buffing, but nothing major. The frame looks amazing, no rust, rot, scale, anything. Inside of the wheel wells is still original paint and overspray, along with some expected surface rust. What saved this Ram Charger from the typical fate of rust is that I was Zeibart protected, and I have the card that came with the vehicle when purchased new. Interior: The interior is amazing on this vehicle, and is probably the reason I bought it in the first place. You open the doors and it looks like a time capsule. If it did not have the modern CD player it would be perfect. The seats are amazing with zero rips or tears, andthe foam is not worn or broken down.The dash has a tiny imperfection on the passenger side (that you can only see in certain angles). Everything presents very well, and shows very little age. The carpet is a little bit worn on the drivers side by the entrance, but nothing out of the ordinary for such a vehicle of this age. While driving, you get no weird fuel or exhaust smells. It is actually much quieter than I thought the 440 would be. This truck was equipped with AC but it is not currently in the truck, but I do have all of the components and it is included. I never planned on installing that system, instead I was going to go with a vintage air setup that is much more efficient. This choice I will leave up to the buyer. Glass: The front windshield has some hazing around the outside and a few little nicks in it. There is no leaking around any of the windows. All the other windows are in great shape (please forgive the smudging on them, I probably should have wiped them down). Roll up windows work great, seal great, and the triangle vent windows work and seal great. Tires: The RC currently sits on 35X13.50X15 TOYO Open Country Tires on 15” Ultra rims. There is enough tread on there to get another 5000-10000 miles. I have planned all along going to wear these out and choose something a little smaller (33's probably). Also included are the original white wagon wheels that came with the vehicle. These would need to be sanded and painted to present well, but the date code is still visible. The spare is the original spare, and is mounted on a matching white rim and has the same date as the 4 original rims. Pretty cool if you ask me. Engine: The 440 engine sounds amazing, is responsive and has quite a bit of torque. There is a tiny (and I mean tiny) leak in the transmission pan that recently showed up. It will leave a drop or two every week at most. I have checked all fluids and no problems at all. The engine performs well, even during the summer time here in TX. I recently drove it on the highway when it was 102 degrees outside and no overheating or anything like that. The only thing I noticed was maybe a little bit of vapor lock when restarting. The dual exhaust sounds great. This engine never smokes, knocks, makes any weird noise and always starts onthe first crank. Maybe a little belt squeal on occasion when you really give it gas when its cold. Thats it. Gauges: The speedometer is pretty accurate to within 5 mph, the factory tachometer works great (which is an encredibly rare option, and even more rare that it still works), blinker indicators work, dash lights are dim but are there. The fuel gauge is a little off, and is empty at 1/4 of a tank, and the vacuum and volts gauges appear to be non-working. Pretty simple fixes if you want to get crazy with it. Wipers work, lights, blinkers (except the passenger rear sometimes, I can’t figure out why), high beams, horn, all work. It passed inspection with flying colors. This Ram Charger is ready to be enjoyed as-is and can be taken to the "next level" with very little effort. It is a nice manageable project for someone who wants a truck to tinker around with, then hop in it and drive it to the store. Also included in the sale is any paperwork pertaining to the vehicle and also some dealer pamphlet materials including one with all of the interior options (with fabric swatches on it!). Yes, it comes with the surfboard if the buyer wishes to have it. Please feel free to ask any questions, as with any vehicle sale, it is an AS-IS sale with no warranties expressed or implied. I have done my absolute best to provide ample information and if there is anything else you would like to see please let me know. This is a great option to own a pretty rare vehicle that will likely skyrocket in value as the early Broncos did. The buyer of this will be the only one in town with a rig like this. I can promise that. Fellas, please ask your wife before bidding, and feel free to have her call my wife (who drives it on occasion). My cell is 214-968-1212, feel free to give me a ring with any questions. If you live in Texas and would like to schedule a chance to view the vehicle, that can be arranged and is encouraged. A $500 deposit is due within 24 hours of the close of the auction, and I can store the vehicle for up to 30 days in my enclosed shop once it has been paid for in full. I will be on vacation for a few days at the end of September, but I amhopeful we can work around that.
1978 Dodge Ramcharger for Sale Central Texas - Walkaround and Driving - YouTube