1978 Dodge D150 Li’l Red Express - Low Mileage - Frame-Off Restoration - CLEAN!!

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It’s 1978 and the baddest American sports car on the market is the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. It’s then, when nobody is expecting it, Dodge drops the Li'l Red Express. A Hot Wheels car come to life with Bright Canyon Red paint, oak trim, a 360 cu.in. V8 out of a cop car and those ridiculous exhaust stacks. It was totally outrageous in it’s day, but not just because of it way it looked. The Li'l Red Express was the fastest accelerating American produced vehicle from 0-100 MPH as tested by Car and Driver Magazine. It was the original Muscle Truck.

A total of 2,188 Li'l Red Express trucks were built in 1978. This particular example has undergone a frame off restoration and is in excellent condition. Included documentation shows that it was registered in Oklahoma in 1997 and 1998. The GH3 Utiline body is very solid with no rust, nor any indications of rust repair. The body work is very well done and the bright red paint has a beautiful luster and shine. All of the brightwork and chrome is in great condition and it shows well. The oak trim may be original and is in solid shape. The inner bed sheet metal is straight and there are no visible dents. All of the appropriate stickers and pinstriping decals are accounted for. There is a small amount of surface rust on the 15” five-slot chrome wheels (see pictures).

In the midst of the gas crisis and smog regulations, Dodge discovered a legal loophole that allowed them to install high performance police interceptor engines into their half-ton pickup trucks without catalytic converters or extensive emissions testing. Coded EH1, the 360 cu.in V8 sports a dual-snorkel air cleaner, a Holley 4 barrel carburetor with vacuum secondaries (replacing the standard ThermoQuad), chrome valve covers and a power rating of 225 horsepower and 340 lbs.-ft. of torque. These were capable of a quarter mile time of 15.71 seconds @ 88 MPH. There is a small amount of surface rust on the chrome air cleaner lid (see pictures).

The interior is refreshingly simple. The paint is clean, the dash pad and glove box door are not cracked, the black carpet and upholstery is newer and they show nicely. You have a thin-rim steering wheel with power assist, an AM/FM radio with aftermarket Pioneer speakers and air conditioning.

Driving the truck is an awesome experience. It rides and drives like an old muscle car and those silly exhaust stacks make all the right noises. By today’s standards, it’s not fast…at all. But that’s not really the point. You have to look at it in it’s day. It was brash, loud, exciting and a glaring middle finger to the establishment. It has all of the elements of a hot rod, but it’s absolutely bone stock. This is not a 100/100 point, perfect condition truck. However, it’s a very fine example that has been restored with care and it shows. Take it to the local cruise in, take the kids for ice cream, drive it to work or run errands with it. It’s perfect for just about any intended use.

If you have any questions or concerns about this Li'l Red Express, please feel free to contact our staff at Sherry Chrysler in Piqua, Ohio. We’re happy to answer any questions or provide any additional details, pictures or videos of this truck. The truck is currently parked in our climate controlled showroom and is available to be seen. We regularly work with customers from all over the United States and we can help coordinate delivery. If you wish to fly into Dayton International Airport (DAY), our staff will be happy to pick you up. Thanks for looking.