If you are dropping in a 383 you will need to look at your smog laws. As they pretty much tell you what you can do to the truck.

74-78 had no smog stuff on them at all accept a charcoal canister. (I think 77 was the start of that in the RC's) 79 was the start of the cats and IIRC the last year of the BB motors. 

 

If you are dropping in a 383 you will need to look at your smog laws. As they pretty much tell you what you can do to the truck.

74-78 had no smog stuff on them at all accept a charcoal canister. (I think 77 was the start of that in the RC's) 79 was the start of the cats and IIRC the last year of the BB motors.

Fortunately here in MI, the only emission control is that you have to have a Cat, unless your car came originally without them. So it looks like I might wanna go pre 79 then, and I know that's the last year for the 440 also, was thinking about going with that, but friends have told me it's great for the street, but with the high powerband, not for the mud, whereas the 383 is great, and have a friend who has an engine and trans to go with it.

What is a charcoal canister? I don't know too much about old school vehilces, I'm only 26 so almost everything has been EFI since I can remember, and it's all had cat's and all that BS to go with it...

 

Of course it would likely be a pre-smog vehicle, that is obvious, and I believe the earlier vehicles were overall built better.

 

Thats the kind of question that will get you 19 different opinions. Ramchargers were built from 74-93, Traildusters from 74-81, and everyone has a year they like best and none of them will be the same, lol. If I ever get another RC it will be a 93 with a 360.

Chris

 

IMO the "best" RC is the last ones made.  The '93 Canyon Sport is probably the best looking RC IMO.    D44 front and 9.25 rear.  EFI and 4spd OD automatic.  NV241 xfer case. 
This is the best running gear to date with the exception of 3/4 ton; but they didn't build any RC that were anything other than 1/2 ton.

But the "pop top" RCs are the popular ones.  They had less than stellar axles and most were had the all wheel drive NP203 xfer case.
The best approach if you want a pop top is spend the money on one that someone has already invested thousands in that needs very little.
These are out there and usually can be purchased at a reasonable price if the seller is reasonable that is.

 

Yea, I would tend to agree with you. As with most vehicles the ones at the end of the run are usually best. The bugs are worked out and the refinements have been made. I love my 1991 RC but I only wish it was a 5 speed standard.
Eh, even still its a great truck and the main reason we are all here on RamChargerCentral.

 

Or pick a year for each part and build your own. Mine started out as an 1989 but has parts from 1977-1993. The frame and most of the body is all that remains from the original.

 

That is like asking "Ginger or Maryann?" "Less Filling or Tastes great?" or "What kind of oil filter is best?"
You will get 200 different answers from 100 different people and the thread will quickly devolve into a flame war.

 

I'm basically looking for facts, like these axles were used these years, this part was prone to go bad from these years, problematic transfer cases, things to that effect, more than this one looks cooler type stuff. I dunno if there's a link to year to year changes so I can just look that up, I've searched on Google, but only found info on newer ones on consumers guide I think it was, they only go back 20 years I think, so most of the vehicles I'm interested in aren't covered lol.

 

I'm basically looking for facts, like these axles were used these years, this part was prone to go bad from these years, problematic transfer cases, things to that effect, more than this one looks cooler type stuff. I dunno if there's a link to year to year changes so I can just look that up, I've searched on Google, but only found info on newer ones on consumers guide I think it was, they only go back 20 years I think, so most of the vehicles I'm interested in aren't covered lol.

They all used a D44 front axle and a Chrysler 9 1/4 axle in the rear from factory. As Chris said 74-79 were full time 4x4 trucks with a 203 T-case and the 80-93 were part time 208/241 T-case with lockouts on the 80-85 front axles and 86-93 had a CAD (central Axle Disconnect) front axle with "pucks" in the hubs.

While the fulltime D44 had "unit bearing hubs" they are still a tough and long lasting hub assembly if greased regularly. I've had 7 full time trucks and only ever had one bearing unit fail, and it had 130K miles on it and I didn't know the history of the truck service wise.....

A charcoal canister is nothing more than a vapor recycler from the gas tank....

As said that question is loaded BUT since you will be dropping in a 383 and trans that takes most of the debate out of the equation.

It comes down to parts availability, body style, and interior options since the motor is not an issue and they all have basically the same axles. What trans you are going to use will delegate the T-case you will be using and what drivetrain you will need.

SO personally I like the pop tops and I like the full time setup.

Pick a body style you like and get started. Most all the parts interchange with both style trucks with minor stuff (electronics/wiring) that won't interchange from pop top to hard top models but can be modified to work.

 

Where abouts in MI are ya located? I live just north of lansing.

Agree with everyone else. Pick a year, get it, start building. I swapped most of the drivetrain in from my 87 under a 77 pop top. Advantage besides the part time 4x4, I know the history of the drivetrain.(at least from when I bought it and things I did/had done to it)

I found mine in New Mexico and had it shipped back. Shipping cost me $600. Well worth it for a 95% rust free body.

Cats,,,,,,, whatever. Dude, we live in MI. Find an exhaust shop,,, cash,,, ta dah, no cats! As a matter of fact I know a place.......... Thank God for no inspections. Just sayin'.

 

Cats,,,,,,, whatever. Dude, we live in MI. Find an exhaust shop,,, cash,,, ta dah, no cats! As a matter of fact I know a place.......... Thank God for no inspections. Just sayin'.

Ha Ha my inspection guy told me they don't have to have the guts in them just be on there..........

 

Personally I prefer the '80s hardtop models for looks and would love to have a '93 Canyon Sport with the 360 Magnum and black and gold paint but if I had to have a poptop, and it had to be one factory built, I would go with a 1980 model.  1980 was the last year for the poptops but it was also the first year for a part time 4WD system in a Ramcharger.  No silly 4.5" bolt pattern and no foolish front wheel bearing designs.

But like the motto here, it's not about what you can buy but what you can build to suit your tastes.  The front axle and bolt pattern are easily fixed with an axle swap either to cheap, easy to find 1/2 ton axles or to something heavier like the common 8 lug D44HD/D60 combo, usually with lower gears for larger tires or a full blown D60 front/D60,D70, 14 bolt etc. in the rear.  Pick your engine out of everything from the trusty 318 to a big block to a Cummins 4BT or 6BT.  Mixing and matching is the way to go to get what you really want with fewer compromises.

 

Here's a couple of links that may help you decide:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Ramcharger

http://www.ramtough.freeservers.com/buying.html

 

Ha Ha my inspection guy told me they don't have to have the guts in them just be on there..........

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Where abouts in MI are ya located? I live just north of lansing.

Agree with everyone else. Pick a year, get it, start building. I swapped most of the drivetrain in from my 87 under a 77 pop top. Advantage besides the part time 4x4, I know the history of the drivetrain.(at least from when I bought it and things I did/had done to it)

I found mine in New Mexico and had it shipped back. Shipping cost me $600. Well worth it for a 95% rust free body.

Cats,,,,,,, whatever. Dude, we live in MI. Find an exhaust shop,,, cash,,, ta dah, no cats! As a matter of fact I know a place.......... Thank God for no inspections. Just sayin'.

I'm in Hamilton, bout 15 minutes south of Holland, basically 1 1/2 hours or so due West of you round abouts

 

so because you plan on dropping a big block into it, wouldn't it generally be easier to get one that has had one before, and still has the trans?  I would love me a 74 with the factory half doors and full time 4x4,

  if I could get one, the first thing I would do is some body work to fit in the newer style tail lights. but thats a personal thing.

 

so because you plan on dropping a big block into it, wouldn't it generally be easier to get one that has had one before, and still has the trans? I would love me a 74 with the factory half doors and full time 4x4,

if I could get one, the first thing I would do is some body work to fit in the newer style tail lights. but thats a personal thing.

Not a big fan of full time all wheel drive, can't be good on gas, as they already suck it down lol, though I have the t-case from my late '88, rest her soul, but I've been told the stock tranny wouldn't like the power I'll be forcing through the 383 by the time I through her in there, def. won't be stock, and he has a trans that several people said they wished they could get because it's bullet proof, even when throwing ungodly horsepower at it, forgot what it was called lol. Not sure if it will mount up to my t-case or not, or if I can make it fit, if not then I'll look for one that will fit, but I need selectable 4wd, it will end up seeing a lot of mud, but it's also going to be my daily driver when it's either too hot for my bike, or there's snow and I can't ride. Normally I ride the bike from snow melt through snow fall, but normally upper 80's is hot here in MI, and this year triple digits is hot, and that's killing me on the bike, so I want something I can use AC in lol

 

so.. something like this might be right up your alley..

as you would need to modify the ac system to work with the big block, you would just need shipping.
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/3059455130.html

 

You could find legitimate mechanical flaw with ANY stock ramcharger, especially considering they are 20-nearly 40 years old and typically owned by people who do not perform any maintenance. Dodges are particularly viewed by many as a "throw away" vehicle, where instead of fixing stuff, many just swap around parts since the trucks are cheap enough. Transmission blown up? Engine blown up? "nah I'll just pull one out of some other dodge"

Even in better condition many things could be called "flaws".

Steering
Almost every model of front axle has a valid complaint like unit bearings, cad, auto locking hubs
Drivetrain clunks
Sagging springs
A couple of transfer cases get various complaints depending on the person
horrendous factory wiring
Poor ignition system design
Shoddy early tbi wiring design (89 perhaps the worst in history for this)
various sagging gas tanks and other problems with fuel system
junk instrument panel
certain frame cracking
poor gear ratios contributing to other problems

Am i bad mouthing them? Probably sounds like it. Point is, you can search for the rest of your life and not find a model that didn't have it's fair share of problems. In the event you did, it would cost an arm and a leg and probably not have a ram emblem on it. OR, you can accept the challenge that it WILL have problems, and tackle them head on. I like a challenge.

Find the best body and price and go from there. If body doesn't matter, than just buy the cheapest rolling shell you can find. Chances are not a bolt is going to be able to go unturned anyways.

As far as all that engine talk about the mud, they are full of crap.

 

'74-'80: Ramcharger, '81-'93: Ram Charger. 

It all depends on if you like one word or two.  Those of us who dare to be different own Traildusters. 

 

Those of us who dare to be different own Traildusters.

I have one of those.

 

Buy my 79! Its ready to go just needs some body and paint work.

 

Buy my 79! Its ready to go just needs some body and paint work.

What?

 

Early '74 Ramchargers/Traildusters.

The ones with no upper door frame 

One of my '76 Ramchargers is in the process of becoming a  Macho clone, with early 74 style doors. Since the top is rotted away, I plan on throwing the top away (After salvaging the glass and hatch for my other '76) and running it as a Topless/Soft-Topped rig.

Figured since it won't have a top most of the time, I won't need the upper door/window frame, so I'll cut that away too (maybe attach it to soft-top frame). Also plan on converting the top half of the '72 D100 Parts Truck into a 1/2 Top for the '76