@@GMCJay_lly i dont think anyone would argue the point of a Cummins still hummin but the slant is a working mans price. A good 12v Ram is gonna run towards the 20k mark and higher. Old slant rams can still be found for under $2k.
In 1980 I bought a leftover 1979 chevy C-10. The salesman said it was the advertised special, $3695. out the door. It had 6 cylinder, 3 speed, no power steering, no power brakes, no a/c, no radio, no rear bumper and 6 foot bed. Drove it over 200K miles and only did tune ups to it. It always got over 22mpg and had decent power.
Sounds like my dad's except his was a GMC (very little difference back then) and his had the longbed - a must for his glass business, the rack it carried was built for a truck with an 8' bed - step bumper (another must since the glass rack blocked access through the sides and the tools were in the bed) and an AM radio that the dealer specced for everything on the lot.
Thank you for confirming the MPG. It was really hard for me to believe that the older trucks got better MPG. I just may look further into getting a really old truck. 😃👍
My grandpa had one of these with the bigger V-8. Was ‘loaded’ at the time with suede seats. I remember many trips sitting in the middle between my grandpa and dad. The biggest change in this segment is that they’ve replaced the full sized car. In the 80’s, families would get a big B-Body wagon, now they get a four door truck. These aren’t just for work anymore, they’re family haulers.
Agreed and they are completely unnecessary. 70% of truck sold in good old USA are not used as a truck ever once. Get a mini van instead. Much respect to the mini van as a family vehicle. It doesn’t try to be cool or rugged because it’s build for families and purposely built is always cool!
In the '80s I don't remember many families having big cars at all, it topped out at an FWD A-body wagon if you needed a 3-row but there were plenty of Cavaliers, Escorts, Omnis and the like used as family prime movers along with an ever-increasing number of similar sized imports (a Civic wagon back then was the size of a late model Honda Fit, the newer Civics are bigger than an '80s Accord was). B-bodies were for cops, cabbies and old folks who drove them too slow.
@@nlpnt The mid and late 80s saw an explosion of new GM Xcars and the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable to try and compete with the Accord and ‘83+ Camry, Chrysler K cars and wagons and mini vans like the Dodge Caravan and Ford Aerostar. The 1980s was not a great decade for memorable family vehicles.
@@trishaleaver3581 Why should I get a mini van if I don't want one. My money, my rules, and I like trucks. Why do you care if I don't hall or tow anything?
@@rdsii64 because I and others like me need an 8ft box truck for work and stealerships and the manufacturers make very hard to get. I looked for 3 years for a decent one to replace my old one. Trucks used to be for builders like me and other trades etc. Now real trucks are disappearing because the average truck owner does want an 8 ft box because it’s for groceries and ⚽️. I don’t care what you drive. You could drive a dump truck and it wouldn’t matter to me.
I'd love to buy a new version of the old truck. Don't get me wrong, modern trucks have come a long way, but in that process, they've become unnecessarily large, complicated and thus expensive, compared to what they used to be. If a manufacturer was to tool up and remake the old trucks again, with as simple as they are, they would easily be half the price, even accounting for inflation.
Agreed. I’d love to have the light weight older trucks but fresh off the line for a work truck. A first gen dodge with a Cummins and a manual, or a 1 ton Chevy with a big block and NV4500. I had a 1995 Chevy 3500 with a service bed on the back, the thing was light enough to get in and out of muddy job sites or around a farm to get to the broken and usually buried equipment.
@@vivadjango Sadly the rules have made simple, reliable, affordable un-obtainable. Time to go shopping for a good old simple truck. They will be around longer than any of this new stuff.
I was curious about this too. You can build trucks on their websites. The Big 3 US trucks are offered in 2dr short/medium beds, all available with a 6cyl or V8. Only base models though - Vinyl/cloth, small infotainment, no creature comforts, steelies. Fleet trucks. Still, you're looking at $40k bare minimum.
@@B86432 More like marketing dicks who prioritize high margin features over basic functionality and reliability, and flash-consumers who pretend to be something they're not.
As someone who owned a couple, they had some pretty big design flaws, like putting the intake manifold very close to the exhaust manifold (made closer than normal straight 6's due to the slant). Vapor lock was always an issue. I got very familiar listening to that 'Highland Hummingbird' starter sing away trying to get a hot engine restarted. Also, lots of them has a terrible oil pan/pickup design, putting the location of the oil pickup in the shallowest part of the oil pan (to clear suspension). Oil starvation was pretty common, only the loose tolerances and low, low, low power output per size kept them from seizing. And those two low spots at the front and back were sludge collectors A high schooler i knew in the early 80's jacked up his Duster's rear enough to cook the back two cylinders (I'm not kidding. He even has a bondo attached snorkel hood scoop, with no hood cutout). His next car was a Nova 6 that he didn't J.C. Whitney all to hell. I had decent luck with mine, one in a stubby '72 van, one in a '70 Valiant, but the 300 cube 6 in my 77 F100 was far superior. All in all, the slant has rode it's relatively undeserved 'indestructible' reputation for far too long. It was an ok engine, but not that much better than the Chevy or Ford 6s.
225 ci Slant 6 = fuel mileage of a V8 & performance of a 4 cylinder, but more durable than either. I'm interested in how well this one does on their mpg loop.
Great thing about the 82 Dodge when something broke you could fix it yourself in less than 30 minutes. New truck comfort is great but the price is getting out of hand with normal working class people.
You can change the starter without getting underneath on a slant six! Breaking bolts was less of a problem on Dodges then Fords or Chevy's. Dodge used bigger bolts. Especially around the water pumps and for the Crank Damper.
My thoughts exactly. I recently finally got rid of my old 96 Ram 1500 4x4 due to northeast salt rust (it's amazing it lasted that long). I just want a standard cab short bed 4x4 like my old Dodge. I'm looking at all the truck manufactures website and I just don't think I can afford a new truck anymore. Even the used truck market is super expensive.
@@Jangocat New trucks are all about status symbols. Its cringy. Ever notice when someone tells you what truck they drive, theyre sure to tell you its a DENALI and a DIESEL. And then they go off about how they "checked off all the options" when they "custom" ordered it. When people ask what truck I drive they always ask what trim level I got, as if leather seats is going to be the difference between my truck being capable enough to haul gravel or not. Its just a truck
The one thing you need to do for a comparison is go to a home improvement store. Get about 10 sheets of plywood and dry wall along with a handful of 2X4s and 1x2s. Let me know which truck ended up being more useful.
Don't remind me, I turn 35 next year and my parents ordered a 12v with the 5spd manual new in Oct of 91, They drove it until their knees got to them, 30+ years later.
When talking about horsepower and fuel economy on something like this, I try to keep in mind the 55 mph national speed limit. No need for a truck to be fast to 55 mph.
Many Interstate highways now have a 70 mph limit once you are outside of big city limits. You know if the speed limit is 70mph that most people are doing 80 mph.
I became a newbie truck owner about half a year ago, and I absolutely adore my Ram. It is nice to sit it, it's comfortable, it's powerful, and it is just plainly fun to drive. As you said, it is very approachable. However, neither my mom, my brother, or my sister want to drive it. I have asked them to do it, and they are afraid of the size of it, and of the power it has. It is a big jump from a Corolla, but it is not difficult to drive. So despite new trucks being easier than ever to drive, they are still intimidating for many people.
Andre, This is an excellent comparison and history lesson. In 1982, the vast majority of trucks were made as practical work vehicles for tradesmen and farmers. With simple RWD and just 100-200 hp under the hood, they got the crops in and the buildings built. Today too many pickups are overpowered and overpriced fashion statements. In those days if you showed up on a construction site with a 5 foot bed you would be ridiculed. Finally, I would be surprised if today's Ram 1500 has an engine that will last half as long as the Slant Six in the 1982 . I would go so far as to say the Slant Six is Chrysler's truly legendary engine 🤩🤩
Overpriced fashion statements indeed. If you grew up with trades, building, and truck culture of the 70s and 80s, you just kind of shake your head sometimes at trucks today. We should keep the safety systems, but get back to basics for some models.
The one thing that strikes me and I've been lamenting this for years, look at the bed height. Both the floor and bed sides. It's almost a foot lower than the new one. For someone like me who hauls way more than tows, low bed floor is very practical for loading/unloading stuff without having to climb in/out every time.
You would have been exstatic over an Australian Ute. Very low koading height and in the Ford Falcon( much larger and heavier than your Falcon, very differrnt vehicle with a 351 cu in V8 option)
My dad had a 82 D250 that was similar to that. 318v8 and 4 speed. It’s what I learned to drive on. I remember 1rst gear was a crawler gear. The slant 6 and 318 were both insanely durable.
I learnt to drive on my Dad’s ’66 Chevy pickup. First was also a granny gear. It was a beast to drive but I towed a lot of horse trailers with that thing.
Slap a double roller timing chain in a 318 and you had a motor that would go a half million or more miles. I am less fond of the slant six but have a 1981 D150 with one in it now. I am in the process of converting it from lean burn to standard electronic ignition. The other problem with the slant sixes is parts availability is drying up. Not so for the V'8's.
@@donschiffer7400 To me the 318 was the best engine they ever built. It was their engine for the masses. Yeah the high performances engines are great but the 318 was the working persons hero!
I had a similar 1985 except with an automatic transmission. Used it in my business for almost 200k miles with only routine maintenance. It was the most dependable truck I ever owned. It was so easy to load due to the low height. I laugh at people with modern trucks that are so high they need to use a trailer to haul their load.
My dad had one of those 80s D series with a 318. We pulled small camping trailers all over the eastern US with that thing. Lots of memories. I rode in a bench seat he mounted in the bed. LOL the 80s were wild
@@rhyse4818 True, when parts are available. With the amount and types of parts in the new cars and the ev transition coming, I don't think this truck will make it.
@@motofunk1 Yeah probably not. I could see them trying to phase out gas trucks but diesels always going to have its place for those who have campers and need to tow. And yeah the more electronics they put in the trucks, the less likely someones gonna want to keep it running. And once the parts arent available to replace their fully electronic gauge cluster, then bye bye modern truck.
@@rhyse4818 I'm not so sure. Towing will be displaced. First a battery and drive axle will be put in trailers, eliminating the range issue with an EV having to pull. Then when FSD is available your "trailer" will drive itself to the destination. Airstream has a prototype of the first type already.
My Grandpa had a 78' and then an 84'. He passed them both down to my father. Both were bulletproof and ran like hell. Hearing that drive train in the 82' you drove brought back instant memories of me learning to drive in the 84'. I miss these trucks so much. Back when heaters blew hot air, AC systems blew cold air and everything just worked. Now days if you buy a V6 guys call you a sissy. Man the good old days. Its ironic that Dodge is arguably responsible for changing the truck game back around 92.
@@BuiltDifferent13 my 81 was a 3 speed with overdrive so I guess I assumed that was the same in 82, because my first gear was definitely not a granny. My dad's 82 1 ton was a NP435 4 speed which had the granny gear that you never used with 4.10 gears. Lol
@@hemiaddiction I had a 87 F-150 with the Borg and Warner T18. It was a four speed but it said l123 similar to the new process. 435 first gear was about two and a half miles per hour and it was a 300 so it was redlined at about 3,800 RPM about to blow up lol .. in the winter when it was spending tire in the snow, you'd see the temperature gauge rise up and then you'd have to let off the throttle a little because it was such high RPM that motor didn't even like anything more than 3,500 RPM. Maybe a 5-speed would be a little better but with that transmission I was about 65 in the slow lane every time I was on the highway. Maybe 80 downhill with the mirrors tucked wind at my back in neutral
@@BuiltDifferent13 yeah the trans in the dodge 150 back then was a new process A833 which had the overdrive which was a newer and weaker version on the old school A833 4 speed that was behind 340's in the muscle cars
@@hemiaddiction yeah I know the least about Dodge.... I prefer old Dodge like LA engines. AMC stuff is good too. I don't like old hemis because I like small blocks
I currently have a 2020 Ram 1500 Classic but the first truck that got me into Dodge/Rams was my grandpa’s 89 D150 with the 318. It had 400,000 miles with just normal maintenance. What I’d give to have another ride in it again.
It’s just crazy how far Dodge Brand has come nowadays man. My mom bought a ‘90 Spirit brand new when I was little and it was complete crap. She got a Maxima 4 years later and we vowed never to own a Dodge vehicle. Im currently on my 2nd one and couldn’t be happier. First was a ‘14 Charger R/T that I traded in at 122,000 miles, no issues, Hemi barely broken in. And now I’m in the Ram and I must say they’re pretty good automobiles and interior quality in the Ram is best in class. I left the brand briefly in ‘20 for the Camaro SS, but I’m back without an ounce buyer’s remorse. I’m super excited about my truck because I see tons of high mileage examples on the road everyday. It’s a ‘22 and I’ll probably trade up again at some point but it’s super comforting to know that these trucks are virtually indestructible & my truck could potentially last the next several decades if I take care of it; It may even be the Dodge equivalent of a Toyota as those things last forever 👍🏽
That’s a SURVIVOR! I have a friend who has an 80s D150 like that, slant six, but a short box. It’s a good, solid and sincere old beast. Here’s an interesting comparison: consider what trucks were like 40 years before the old truck. Now there’s some change!
I have a 1993 F150 with the 300 straight 6 and just in the almost 30 years since it was built trucks are significantly different. Mine is much more like that older Dodge than the new Ram
Loved the comparison. Could you compare it to a mid-size next? Especially size-wise. I owned a 1987 F250 that had a 300cid straight six. That year Ford made a heavy duty F250 and a "base" F250. Mine was the base F250, but an F250 never the less. It's rated tow capacity was 7100 lbs, with a GCWR of only 7800 lbs. I promise you that the GCWR was exceeded regularly and substantially on that truck, as I had a Cab over camper in the bed and a 22' cuddy cabin boat in tow behind.
I just saw a mid-sized 2020 GMC Canyon loaded model and one of my older relatives who STILL has his mid-1980's era Ford F150 full-sized truck parked right beside it. The GMC Canyon DWARFED IT --- It was larger and wider and could carry and tow way more! 1600 lbs and Tow 5000+ lbs vs carry 1100 lbs and tow 2250 lbs! The mid-size trucks of today are large and more powerful than the full-size trucks of yesteryear! THAT is what 40 years of truck design does! and THAT IS A GREAT THING TO HAPPEN! V
I would take that 1982 Ram, hands-down, The best part about that Ram is, you don’t need a degree from MIT to fix it, That slant six is an absolute gem, One of the best engines Moper ever built
My 03 ram was a lemon unfortunately.. Beautiful truck otherwise.. But the hemi died at 130k miles right after the trans was fixed. Ball joints, broken tie rod end, cooling issues etc.. heavy duty only nowadays
I think you are correct. I'm an old fart and my first car was a 1964 Dodge with the 225 Slant Six. I beat that car and that slant six never missed a beat! Push button automatic torqueflite!
@@billjamison2877 i think its funny a buddy of mine bought a 62 Dodge Dart with a Slant 6 and a automatic... had about 10,000 miles guy he got it from.... i suppose grandpappy bought it new, drove it a couple of years parked it.... we did an oil change on it replaced a few Dry rotted hoses and belts and new tires new plugs. nothing was corroded at all. it was great for 2 months didn't have any kind of leak or smoke. or blow by to any extent he didn't even put 4,000 miles on it. motor threw a rod out the side of the block while idling after his commute to work. and he never idled it for more than 5-10 minutes. just enough to allow the engine to cool down after a drive. and i was thinking they're almost indestructible motors until i seen that happen.
@@justnsaliga8518 That's really odd for that motor. The first slant six had 188,000 miles on the clock before it needed a ring job. They are usually pretty stout power plants. I'd love to know what happened to put a rod through the block.
@@billjamison2877 idk for sure but possibly a spun bearing we pulled the motor and scrapped it except for the heads and exhaust and intake rods pistons and block and crank were all scrapped
In 1963 my late uncle bought a brand-new Dodge 150 pickup, pretty much equipped like the 82 Dodge Ram. slant 6 and a 4 speed. He paid around $2200 for it. According to the BLS inflation calculator, that is $21,300 in today's money.
I had a 1986 Dodge pickup with the venerable 318. Very slow truck, if memory serves it only had 145 horsepower. But tough as nails and you couldn't kill it. I put over 200K on it and sold it to a guy who had over 350K last I heard. I also have a 2022 RAM Laramie. Very different truck from the '86. All the creature comforts and it will get up and go! And, it will get 25 mpg on the hwy, which the old ones couldn't do.
The 1969 Dodge D100 I drove when growing up is still in the family, and still running last I heard. It was old back then, and it's even older now. You can tell when you look down and see the road going by through the rusted out spots on the floor.
Love the truck(would like to own it 😄), my father had a very similar one from 1985, but it was a D100 with a 6 1/2' bed and had Zero options, no radio or woodgrain dash. What's missing on your hood is the very large hood ornament.
With a well tuned slat six. Just cruising 55 on flat black tops you could probably get 30 mpg. My brother has the automatic. 3 speed. With lockup. And can get mid 20s cruising.
I currently drive the 1984 3/4 ton version of this truck. 30 mpg is comical. But it gets me back and forth to work from east texas to new orleans or houston depending on where the boat im catching is. Originally paid 450$ for it 7 years ago. It has been an absolute work horse, parts are cheap and plentiful, but all told i havent done much to it considering its age. Only time it has let me down was couple years ago the factory alternator quit. I replaced a u joint, front brakes and one caliper, rebuilt the front end from 82,000 miles of bouncing around a cow pasture, new muffler, few sets of windshield wiper bushings, cleaned the carburetor. All together i might have 1000$ in it. It just works these days. My wife even uses it from time to time when her 2016 durango is in the shop due to some newfangled gizmo acting up. If they would build and sell this truck new today for inflation adjusted 13,000$ id buy one yesterday. Id give 13,500 if they somehow added a couple of cupholders.
Amazing old Dodge Ram vs new Ram 1500 video with some really great points. Brings many questions to mind. My mind just gave me a whole bunch of questions and one creative solution. Please read on and see what you think. Hopefully Ram Trucks (or Stellantis) is also watching and reading the comments. One of the best points to me was that how simple these old trucks were. Another good point is that new trucks are not just work trucks but everyday use vehicles and so manufacturers are making them more and more luxury ,sporty, full of technology, power, etc. every day and that simply is the reason why these trucks are so freaking expensive these days. But do all trucks need to be that luxury, that sporty, with that much technology, with that much power, that much towing capacity, etc. and ultimately be that expensive? Toyota corollas and many others alike are everyday use vehicles and they’re not luxury or sporty nor do they have that much technology? And I’m sure these old Dodge Rams did just fine doing what they did, right?. I am not saying that we should resurrect these old trucks (because they are simply way too old and not a match for modern day needs) but wouldn’t it be nice to bring back a slightly older truck resurrected as a current day truck, which is simple, with just the right amount of tech, but without all the unnecessary features of the actual current day truck, and hence without all the unnecessary price tag for these features, as an alternative option for your customers who love your products but simply can’t afford to buy whats currently available on the market at the current prices. Ram already has the older 4th generation Ram 1500’s being currently manufactured and sold as “Ram 1500 Classic” but the price difference between a 2022 Ram 1500 Classic and a comparable current gen 2022 Ram 1500 is only around $190. It doesn’t even make any sense at all to still keep that truck alive anymore. I would rather get rid of that one and maybe try resurrect the 2002 to 2005 Dodge Ram. Now that truck still looks modern and still much better looking than many others out there and hecka simple at the same time. That generation of Dodge Rams really defines the phrase “beauty in simplicity”. Imagine if Ram were to bring that one back as just “Dodge Ram” or the new “Ram 1500 Classic” or anything catchy like that really (doesn’t matter), and give it the current 3.6V6, the current 8-speed transmission, the quad-cab configuration with the six and half feet bed, and the only technology to add would be Bluetooth audio, and a back up camera (maybe on the rear view mirror) and that’s about it. It already had features like power windows, power doorlocks, power mirrors, cruise control, alarm/remote, CD/radio, steering wheel controls, Power Seats, AC/Heater, etc. features. Keep the column shifter, the six-seat configuration, the old key-start system, reflector style headlamps with halogen headlights, remove the paddle adjusters, remove the power seats, remove all steering wheel controls except the buttons behind the steering wheels for volume etc. and use the joystick behind the steering wheel for cruise control. That’ll make a simple truck which is still a truck, can still tow, can still haul, can still offroad, and can still be used as every day family vehicle, as well as a work truck. And hard plastic (maybe textured) dash and door interiors are fine, nobody really touches their dash every day and say “oh this is hard plastic dash and not soft to the touch”. And when you subtract price for all them things that are not needed like; dampened tailgates, push-button start, remote start, dial-knob type shifter, center-stack storage system, a high tech infotainment system with a million inch screen and gazillion speakers, LED lights, leather/power/heated/ventilated seats, hundred and fifty thousand sensors, the annoying adaptive cruise control, and super annoying Start-Stop system, lane keep assist, self deploying steps and air-dams, 400+ HP, 12000 Lbs of towing, 0-60 in 4 sec, different drive and off-road modes, etc etc and etc… I think it could totally become a very affordable truck with “everything you need and nothing you don’t”, like Roman would say. And I am not talking about $190 difference, if the manufacturer were to do it right, this truck could easily be somewhere in the mid-twenty grand range for a 2WD and a couple of grand more for a 4WD. And I believe that for a simple, utilitarian, but everyday driver, family/work vehicle like this, the manufacturer should be generous enough to throw in a free spray-on bedliner and fog lights with every truck and still make a good amount of profit. Another thing I would do is get rid of all the chromes in the grill, the bumper, and the wheels and instead use simple black grill, black bumpers, and maybe black or silver fancier steel wheels that imitate the look of alloy wheels (not sure but I think its Toyota that does that or used to do that in some of their vehicles - fancy steel wheels that look like alloy wheels) - cutting out even more in costs. And this could be what a lot of us are really waiting for which manufacturers are not aware of because they are busy making more and more improvements every day to make better and better trucks and to outdo their competition, and while doing all that, they don’t get to see what the customer really needs or wants. Making a spin-off like this outside of their mainstream product could actually be the answer. What do you all think??? Another problem with current day trucks are that the hoods are so big that you can barely see whats immediately in front of you, and so to mitigate that manufactures are putting in front facing cameras and while at it, a hundred other camera’s, the cost of which also gets passed down to the customers. This old generation of trucks that I am referring to, had a smaller sloping hood, hence eliminating the need for these cameras, eliminating even more in costs. It could be a good product from a business standpoint too - yes, it would compete with your own mainstream Ram 1500 trucks but it would also complete with other full-size trucks in the segment too, along with mid-size trucks, cars, vans, and SUVs as well and can possibly and eventually be a thing of its own or simply the next best thing that the world needs. And I am not only talking about private buyers, think about rental companies (personal & commercial), fleets, construction companies, small businesses, farms, etc. Do you think a small business owner likes buying a few sixty grand trucks with 12 inch screens, leather seats, etc. that he/she can’t buy for themselves but have to buy it for their laborers who usually don’t have much patience or respect for work trucks and touch all these expensive electronic equipment, leather dashes, fancy door interiors, etc with their oily/greesy/dirty hands all the time and ruin the looks of these beautiful expensive trucks within a matter of weeks. Don’t you think a cheaper simpler truck would solve that problem too along with many others. If I were a small business owner and need to buy 5 full sized trucks for my business, instead of buying lets say 5 F150’s for $300K, wouldn’t I rather buy 5 of these newly resurrected simple trucks for my business, a Ram TRX for myself, and a Ram Rebel for the wife, and still save about $10K? Maybe its just me thinking out loud but I really think that the answer is in the question itself.
I would take the old one.. 90HP but torque was about 215, also the original slant engines made closer to 145HP.. so some simple engine upgrades could probably get you that in this truck. Also.. does anyone think a new 2022 Truck will still be around in 40 years? not likely. for a beat around truck.. I will take the old simple one every time. For an everyday daily driver, the new one would be better.
@@stainless1175able That definitely is a low mileage truck, but I've owned 1970s Chryslers with slant sixes that had over 400,000 on them. Certainly is capable of long miles. I was speaking more about if I wanted to buy one right now. If I needed a beater truck to just use occasionally I would definitely take the old truck. But if I was going to drive it everyday as my primary vehicle I would probably want the new truck. A Chrysler product for my daily driver. I would pick a Toyota tundra or Tacoma
Love the video Andre! Yes, 1982 vehicles had 3-point seat belts. I had a 1980 Ford F100 short wheel base with 6.5 foot bed, 300 cid inline six mated to a 4-speed overdrive manual transmission, with a 2.75:1 rear axle. Claimed fuel economy was 30 mpg. I did see 30 mpg a couple of times. Loved that truck.
When you look up the original 1982 prices for that truck: Original MSRP: Base Price $6,199 ...which is roughly $19,000+ today. The Ram Tradesman hovers around $38,000... But, consider how much more power, safety, comfort, towing and payload you get... Makes sense.
Plus the maverick kinda picks up the slack at that price point. That "Well my 2010 f150 platinum costs what the big horn level 2 costs now! Prices are so high" yeah prices are higher than they should be, but a base level truck has essentially the same features as a fully loaded one 10-15 years ago
When people today complain about not having a dampened tailgate and as a kid in the 80's I was just trying to keep my leg away from the air coming through the door jams in winter.
I had a 1984 with the 6 cylinder and a standard transmission with an overdrive. Power was terrible. You needed 3 miles of clear road to pass. But fuel economy was 28-30. Amazing that after all these years trucks still struggle to get 20 mpg. I don’t think the 2022 will fair so well in 40 years.
In a project at the Bendix Research labs we added three air pumps (Exhaust gas air pump to reduce hydrocarbons) as a supercharger system with band clamp clutches to allow tip in when desired. That engine was bulletproof and really responded well to the 12 psi of boost. And unlike a turbo, it is available right off the line.
@@mrbluejeans09 false, properly maintained hemis can get up to 300k. People still beat on their trucks and expect them to last forever that slant 6 lasts that long because it's a dirt simple design with low compression and no power
I'm all for old trucks and everything because I had one for a very long time. But there is a difference between a 3-4000lbs max tow compared to 12k. People saying they can tow caterpillar tractors with these old trucks. Yes you can, but the difference in how much stress you are putting on the engine, body, tranny, and diff are waaaay different. As far as people saying they will fall apart in 5 years have no idea. We still don't know the average lifespan of the new trucks...because they're new. I loved my old truck, but I got t-boned at 240k miles and it required me to get a new one. The difference in pulling my trailer with the old one and the new one is night and day. So yes, everyone in this comment section I'm sure has major love for old trucks. I definitely do, doesn't matter if it's a Dodge, Ford, or Chevy. But modern safety and technology is a nice thing sometimes. My 2 cents...
that 82 would out work that 22 all day long. it's designed to be a truck and do truck stuff. that 22 is not much more than a sedan with a truck bed on it. and all the un-necessary garbage on it for "reliability" and safety. the older truck will continue running when something is wrong with it or needs repaired. the newer truck will leave you stranded because the computers will tell it to shut off and not run because of a stupid sensor. I had an 87 and I beat it pretty hard. around 8000 pounds of material in the back and the truck didn't strain at all. my dad bought a brand new 2020 ram with all the features. the warranty says don't pull a trailer for the first 10,000 miles. don't overload it. why? are the internals of the transmission made of glass? if I want a sedan I'll get one. here's my challenge for the big 3 or 4 automakers. ram, chevrolet, ford, toyota. make a basic truck like that 82. put the four wheel drive selector on the floor in the shape of a lever. put another one next to it to stir the gears inside of a manual transmission. air bags and crumple zones because safety, but make it simple. make it so a do it yourself type of person can change his (or her) own spark plugs, motor oil, air filter and so on. it is possible to get amazing fuel mileage out of a simple v8. basic truck. tough and rugged. affordable. even with today's economy, a new basic truck shouldn't cost much more than 18 to 20,000.
I have a 1978 Ford F150 Ranger XLT with the 351 V8. The I-Beam front suspension along with the brakes and steering are terrible. and, you're right, it weighs only about 3700 pounds...a lightweight. But the simplicity, the lack of of pretense and the uniqueness...all make it worthwhile.
I grew up in trucks like this, I was born in the mid 80s, and up until I was around 6-7 years old, my dad was driving an early 80s extended cab Ford Ranger 4x4, which he replaced with an early 90s GMT400 series Chevy 1/2 ton extended cab 4x4 (manual transmission) when my brother and I outgrew the jump seats in the Ranger. I learned to drive in that truck, which was replaced by my dad's first ever brand new vehicle, a 2002 Silverado, when I got my driver's license (I inherited the old truck, but it died before I got out of high school, entirely my fault due to banging around in the woods with my buddies). What I find crazy, as does my father, is that when we look back at everything we did in trucks like this, and then look at the mid-sized market nowadays, and realize that anything we did in those trucks we could get away with in a mid-size today, and that neither of us needs a modern 1/2 ton. Taking this 82 Dodge as an example, the slant 6 D150 has a tow rating of 5000lbs and payload of 1000lbs. Even the Ridgeline, Maverick, and Santa Cruz all have payloads north of 1500lbs (and with an extra row of seats, so you could have 500lbs of passengers and still match the payload of the 82 D150), as do most of the rest of the mid-size pack. All but the Maverick tow at least 5000lbs or more, up to over 7k lbs in some mid-sizers. Speaking only for myself and my father, our towing and off-road needs have not increased over the years from those trucks (in fact my dad's largest trailers are his 1975 Starcraft boat at 19ft and about 4000lbs and a 16ft enclosed utility trailer that has a GVWR of 6000# and has never been loaded to that capacity; my largest are an 18ft bunkhouse camper with a GVRW of 3800lbs and a 21ft Lund boat with a GVRW of 4300lbs). As a result, I am on my second Honda, and my dad recently told me that when the lease is up on his current truck (21 Silverado RST Z71 he got last summer) he intends to go with a Ridgeline or a Canyon, simply because at 65, he is not using even a fraction of what his 1/2 ton can do, and he would prefer something that is a lot more comfortable and fuel efficient (not to mention on his retirement income the increasing cost of trucks is a concern to him as well). It is amazing how far trucks (especially 1/2 tons) have come from the "good ole days" but in many cases the capability of the trucks now far exceeds the needs of the drivers. Not that a great number of truck owners don't tow heavy trailers or off-road as many in fact do, but a pretty good chunk these days are using them exclusively as family haulers and neither tow or off-road, making a mid-size truck probably a more appropriate fit for that group.
The 82 Dodge Ram Pickup was in the "malaise years" half way thru that generation (72-93). My father had a 75 Dodge Pickup "Powerwagon" 4x4 with the big 440 V8. He put headers and tuned it. I hit 100 mph once in it with ease! The downside being 10-15 mpg max. My gas station job manager had a 76 Dodge 4x4 also with a tuned 440. He had a power snow blade and would easily plow deep northern Ohio snow to keep the pump lanes clear. PS: A decade prior, we had a 63 Dodge Dart with the 225 slant 6. It pulled a small boat across southern PA mountains! The 75 4x4 pickup also did boat hauling duties, although a bigger one by that time.
My parents bought a used 1966 Ford F-100 truck (stick shift) around 1970, my Mom was a school teacher and drove it to work everyday for about 14 years. I'm 55 years old and miss that truck.
That was a neat caparison Andre. Sometimes I am amazed at what vehicles have become today when you think of how they started out in the 1910's and earlier. Thank you for sharing this video with us. May y'all have a good one. Have fun take care
If I recall truck transformation begin back in the late 80s and early 90s when a lot of first time car purchasers started buying pickup instead of cars because they were so much cheaper. They provided basic transportation, but young people would fix them up as their lives and incomes got better. These would also serve secondary duty as income if a friend needed to move or bring home his new rear projection TV from the electronics store. What a difference a day makes.
My dad had an ‘83 Dodge, that was identical to your ‘82 (except colour). That truck worked hard for 5 years with no issues - 2000 lbs of oil drums in the back, delivering at least three days per week. Was traded for a 4 x 4.
I remember when the passenger mirror was optional. Almost bought a short box version of that truck from my uncle but he decided to keep it for awhile longer.
I’m sure you get a lot comments, I was a technician for Chrysler in 1982. We sold a boatload of the “ram miser” pickup trucks with a four-speed overdrive transmission and 225 slant 6. FYI to fix the noisy glove box. You put both thums on the striker and push forward basically bending the striker it was a common thing for it to rattle and a easy fix.
I had a 78 Ford F100. 300 six with a C4. Great truck if it would start without flooding. My 2020 Ram 2500 Cummins is no comparison, but like Andre said. Many times more expensive. It pulled a boat without effort. I’ll keep my Cummins, but for the money, the F100 was really good at what it did at the time.
I really like both trucks. The older truck has everything you need for truck utility, and nothing you don't, which I can appreciate. Less stuff means less opportunities for that stuff to break. I am also surprised to see that 40 year old work horse only has 63k miles on it. That itself is amazing and made buying this truck 100% worth it. The new truck does have all the little things and options and features that will break over time so I doubt anyone is gonna be driving it in 40 years, but damn is it super nice right now. I really like this particular configuration, with the shorter cab and longer bed. You could get some utility in with the longer bed and though you might not be hauling around 4 adults too often in it, the smaller yet still functional cab means that what you do move around in that cab gets tot he destination in comfort. I also really like that it has a 1,800 pound payload capacity. That blows the TRX out of the water in terms of payload.
That Dodge rattled when it was new… I was 21 years old in 1982…I clearly remember. When I was 17 in 1978, My sisters boyfriend had a 1976 Camaro…it rattled as well !
Wait until winter comes and you feel how cold that floor board can get. These vehicles are a reason long johns and thick socks were common christmas gifts in the northern midwest.
A classic Tradesman long box reg cab V6 would be a perfect comparison. Hard to find on the average lot though. It's wild to see the difference 40 years has made. I drive a 2wd zero option Tradesman 1500. It's as close to my 90s childhood as you can get. Awesome video guys!
I'm not sure when 3 point belts became mandatory in trucks, but I had a friend who, back in the day, brought a 1974 dodge truck new. It had 3 point belts.
Here in the PNW very few pickups were bought with 6's or 4x4 until the early to mid 80's unless they were for specific commercial uses. I had a 65' Dodge with a 318 V-8 but wanted a bigger v-8, most did. My 68 & 72' F250's had 360-V-8 automatic. The 68' cost $3600 new & the 72' was $4200 but had PS & PB & was a little higher trim pkg. Hauled a camper & a boat. MPG's were all the same whether you had a 6 up to about 400 cu in. !0 mpg empty, full, city or Hwy. The mid V-8's did better than the 6's or small V-8's because your foot wasn't thru the floorboards. Over 400 cu in. and mileage dropped. In our area very few 4 x 4's until mid 80's. Now very rare to see a 4x2. Not too many people got the old ones with power locks &windows or A/C as well. I had a 91' F150 with a 300 cu in 6 manual 5spd 2 wheel drive. Not a popular model & it sat on the lot. I paid $10k new. Mpg's ~ 11 in town; 13 on the freeway. 2004 F150 Lariat (top model) 4 x 4 5.3L V-8. Paid $22k new. 13mpg's in town, 17 on Frwy empty, 15 hauling my 3500# boat on Frwy. Most were "standard" cabs until the 80's as well. Went from a truck for hauling & towing into a luxury vehicle, with decent mpg's and features. Newer 1/2T are more like the old 3/4T with much better ride and mpg's. Todays are much lighter as well. 2015 F150 4x4 3.5l ECO. Pd. $32k 17mpg in city & 24 Frwy empty. Lots more hp for towing as well. 2021 F350 7.3 gas 4x4. Pd $51k; 13mpg city & 17 frwy. Towing a 7400 tt gets ~10mpg. Truck prices have gone up much higher than inflation but they also have a lot more whistle & bells.
You could rebuild every component or upgrade everything on the 82, paint it and still be about a 1/4 of the price of the new truck. The biggest difference is how much manufactures take advantage of customers now compared to back then. That and the older vehicles were built to last so you got your money's worth out of them.
@@cwqrpportable Really? Tell that to the new trucks three of my coworks have had in the shop a couple of times already. Hell I got a 3 year old Peterbilt we have had to take in five times in two months for bullshit repairs. It's electrical system is already crapping out as it alarms at you for not setting the park brakes, even though you did. Hell my 24 year old Dodge has been in the shop less than my wife's 07 Jeep or my father in-laws 17 Toyota Tundra. Dude at work has an 84 Toyota that while beat up, still runs great.
This is the exact color of my 81 Ramcharger. 5k lb with a 5.2 v8. Back then pickup trucks were literally just that.. Not meant as grocery getters but to haul alot of stuff in the huge bed.. And 1/2 ton literally meant that was all it could carry.. Great video showing the true differences 40 years have made
Had a ton of those '72-"93 D/W Trucks, still have a few. My 5' tall 19 year old daughter drives a '91.5 Cummins W-250 every day.......well so do I but mine's a Getrag 5-speed manual and her's is an auto. Her legs aren't long enough to push the clutch in
What is better is the motors. Variable valve timing, mass air flow sensor, hydraulic roller lifters, valve rocker rails, fuel injection, more horse power & torque, and if you said in the 70’s each cylinder will have its own coil we would call you crazy. What’s bad is exhaust manifolds cracking, troubleshooting emission codes, insane amount of computers, accessories and complexity not needed in a work truck.
I love these old trucks that can be picked up for cheap. Trucks used to be for everybody, I do not know what focus groups these corporations are surveying but they are missing the mark with these modern trucks. I have a buddy paid 65K for a diesel GMC 2500, it was two years old when he hit a deer and cost his 8k to get fixed. It is madness, I drive a Honda to work and a 95 f250 with 460 when I need a truck because of this insanity.
I recently visited an old friend who has a 72 k5 blazer. We started talking about getting in running and whatnot when he mentioned how big and heavy it was, then compared it to the weight of my 08 tundra. I looked it up. The curb weight of the old k5 was HALF of my tundra and over 1000 pounds less than my old unibody 98 grand cherokee! So much for those old school "big heavy steel boxes" huh?
I absolutely love the slant-six trucks with 4 speed manuals like that. The 4 speed in that should be an OD transmission, called the A-833OD. Very deep 3.09 first gear ratio, 1.67 second gear, 1:1 Third gear with I believe about a 0.73 4th gear. Very nice trucks to just cruise around in and get alright gas mileage in. You can do basic hop ups to the 225 slant six, mill the head about .060, good three angle valve job with a little bowl work to increase flow, lighten the advance spring in the distributer to increase timing advance, increase total advance just a bit and step up one to two sizes in camshaft timing (might want to swap to the older mechanical cam set ups) along with headers and either a little carb tuning, or better yet, swapping to a 4bbl intake and small 500 cfm 4bbl carb and you'll increase power considerably but still have an efficient little runabout that's a reliable driver. There are some great online vids of basic slant six build ups/chassis dyno test. But do consider, "substantial" power increases are still less than a basic stock small block v8.
Planning to buy a half-ton in Germany soon; Will probably be a RAM1500 crew cab short bed - any advice which trim level? Doesn't need to be highest luxury nor base trim level, mostly on road and a bit of dirt road usage with minor easy offroad. I like the appearance of the GMC better, I also like the F150 Lightning, but they aren't really an option for various reason, so it kind of has to be the RAM 1500
The biggest surprise is a vehicle purchased from a used lot that still has the original owner's manual in it! I've been to a number of used car lots and the owner's manual is always missing.
I grew up with a pick up truck very similar to that 1982 Dodge. It was a 1987 LE150 4 x 4 with three-quarter ton modified suspension this truck was custom ordered 318 v8 I know this doesn’t mean shit but that little 318 V8 had about 175 hp and in the summertime on a hot day with a good tuneup on My dad’s well running truck would get a second gear rubber chirp not a burn out from an automatic transmission. Before taxes and financing my dad‘s truck was $17,000 Canadian And I will tell you with very little effort that truck will outlast that 2022 ram especially if the lifters in that hemi collapse like happened to my brother-in-law‘s hemi ram. In the event of an apocalypse you can fix that straight six with bubblegum and a coat hanger. Can you say the same about that 2022 ram? However I strongly suggest all manufacturers bring back the front vent windows! I strongly suggest you read the owners manual and the data tag in the vehicle especially for the 82 Dodge about what it can tow weight wise it’s very comparable to the new truck even with the little six-cylinder. You’d be amazed how tough that little truck is. The reason they make trucks like that today is because back in the 90s there was a luxury tax on vehicles that didn’t apply to pick up trucks and it just carried forward from there on. And depending on what country are in for example I’m in Canada if you bought a brand new pick up truck in the 90s it was a 100% tax write off basically the government paid for your pick up truck if you had a business.
My buddy's dad had this exact truck color and everything. Made it hard to raise hell driving it in a small mountain town but we did it anyway. Cool video as usual👍
And 40 more yrs that slat 6 will still be running vs anything today.
12v
@@GMCJay_lly i dont think anyone would argue the point of a Cummins still hummin but the slant is a working mans price. A good 12v Ram is gonna run towards the 20k mark and higher. Old slant rams can still be found for under $2k.
Thing I miss about all the old trucks are the window vents and the hi/low on the floor.
That's why I won't sell my 71 c10 !
I agree, They should bring the window vents back.
Why I sometimes still miss my 1975 Chevy Van!
@@keithwittman4741 Jelous
@@marcelo403polo2 I had to put up fencing, cause my wife hates lookyloos wandering into the backyard!
"No trespassing" signs didn't stop them.
In 1980 I bought a leftover 1979 chevy C-10. The salesman said it was the advertised special, $3695. out the door. It had 6 cylinder, 3 speed, no power steering, no power brakes, no a/c, no radio, no rear bumper and 6 foot bed. Drove it over 200K miles and only did tune ups to it. It always got over 22mpg and had decent power.
That's awesome
Would be worth a fortune today. Sounds cool.
Sounds like my dad's except his was a GMC (very little difference back then) and his had the longbed - a must for his glass business, the rack it carried was built for a truck with an 8' bed - step bumper (another must since the glass rack blocked access through the sides and the tools were in the bed) and an AM radio that the dealer specced for everything on the lot.
that was a very different GM than today
Thank you for confirming the MPG. It was really hard for me to believe that the older trucks got better MPG. I just may look further into getting a really old truck. 😃👍
My grandpa had one of these with the bigger V-8. Was ‘loaded’ at the time with suede seats. I remember many trips sitting in the middle between my grandpa and dad. The biggest change in this segment is that they’ve replaced the full sized car. In the 80’s, families would get a big B-Body wagon, now they get a four door truck. These aren’t just for work anymore, they’re family haulers.
Agreed and they are completely unnecessary. 70% of truck sold in good old USA are not used as a truck ever once. Get a mini van instead. Much respect to the mini van as a family vehicle. It doesn’t try to be cool or rugged because it’s build for families and purposely built is always cool!
In the '80s I don't remember many families having big cars at all, it topped out at an FWD A-body wagon if you needed a 3-row but there were plenty of Cavaliers, Escorts, Omnis and the like used as family prime movers along with an ever-increasing number of similar sized imports (a Civic wagon back then was the size of a late model Honda Fit, the newer Civics are bigger than an '80s Accord was). B-bodies were for cops, cabbies and old folks who drove them too slow.
@@nlpnt The mid and late 80s saw an explosion of new GM Xcars and the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable to try and compete with the Accord and ‘83+ Camry, Chrysler K cars and wagons and mini vans like the Dodge Caravan and Ford Aerostar.
The 1980s was not a great decade for memorable family vehicles.
@@trishaleaver3581 Why should I get a mini van if I don't want one. My money, my rules, and I like trucks. Why do you care if I don't hall or tow anything?
@@rdsii64 because I and others like me need an 8ft box truck for work and stealerships and the manufacturers make very hard to get. I looked for 3 years for a decent one to replace my old one. Trucks used to be for builders like me and other trades etc. Now real trucks are disappearing because the average truck owner does want an 8 ft box because it’s for groceries and ⚽️. I don’t care what you drive. You could drive a dump truck and it wouldn’t matter to me.
I'd love to buy a new version of the old truck.
Don't get me wrong, modern trucks have come a long way, but in that process, they've become unnecessarily large, complicated and thus expensive, compared to what they used to be.
If a manufacturer was to tool up and remake the old trucks again, with as simple as they are, they would easily be half the price, even accounting for inflation.
Agreed. I’d love to have the light weight older trucks but fresh off the line for a work truck. A first gen dodge with a Cummins and a manual, or a 1 ton Chevy with a big block and NV4500. I had a 1995 Chevy 3500 with a service bed on the back, the thing was light enough to get in and out of muddy job sites or around a farm to get to the broken and usually buried equipment.
Safety and emissions regulations would not allow a large manufacturer to build new "old" trucks.
@@vivadjango Sadly the rules have made simple, reliable, affordable un-obtainable. Time to go shopping for a good old simple truck. They will be around longer than any of this new stuff.
@@vivadjango Yep, there are many regulations this truck wouldn't pass now. Bummer.
I was curious about this too. You can build trucks on their websites. The Big 3 US trucks are offered in 2dr short/medium beds, all available with a 6cyl or V8. Only base models though - Vinyl/cloth, small infotainment, no creature comforts, steelies. Fleet trucks. Still, you're looking at $40k bare minimum.
I'm amazed at the size difference between the old and new truck.
The 1982, $4000, slant six actually sounds better than a $80,000 Raptor! Ha Ha!😂
blame the government epa standards
True
$4000 isn't very much less than the original msrp.
Ah cmon you don’t like the sound of an busted turbo charged vacuum cleaner ? 😂
@@B86432 More like marketing dicks who prioritize high margin features over basic functionality and reliability, and flash-consumers who pretend to be something they're not.
The 225 SLANT SIX...The leaning tower of power! One of the finest engines ever made! Automotive, marine and industrial versions. You couldn't kill it!
The Good’ol Buzzin’ Half Dozen!
Well you could kill it if you forgot to change or add oil to it but yes very indestructible engine
As someone who owned a couple, they had some pretty big design flaws, like putting the intake manifold very close to the exhaust manifold (made closer than normal straight 6's due to the slant). Vapor lock was always an issue. I got very familiar listening to that 'Highland Hummingbird' starter sing away trying to get a hot engine restarted.
Also, lots of them has a terrible oil pan/pickup design, putting the location of the oil pickup in the shallowest part of the oil pan (to clear suspension). Oil starvation was pretty common, only the loose tolerances and low, low, low power output per size kept them from seizing. And those two low spots at the front and back were sludge collectors
A high schooler i knew in the early 80's jacked up his Duster's rear enough to cook the back two cylinders (I'm not kidding. He even has a bondo attached snorkel hood scoop, with no hood cutout). His next car was a Nova 6 that he didn't J.C. Whitney all to hell.
I had decent luck with mine, one in a stubby '72 van, one in a '70 Valiant, but the 300 cube 6 in my 77 F100 was far superior. All in all, the slant has rode it's relatively undeserved 'indestructible' reputation for far too long. It was an ok engine, but not that much better than the Chevy or Ford 6s.
Interestingly never sold in Australia, but we did have a 265in HEMI Six when Chrysler was building cars here
That 40 year old truck will be around to tow the new one to the junk yard
The slant 6 is an excellent tow rig. Max tow cap 2000lbs. Cut the new truck into pieces and tow each chunk separately
Facts
I doubt that
I mean I like older trucks but I just doubt that
@@WynnJirTheGreat I believe it maybe not this truck but something like the first gen Cummins will be around to tow
I hope you do some real world testing like MPG loops and hauling and towing.
225 ci Slant 6 = fuel mileage of a V8 & performance of a 4 cylinder, but more durable than either.
I'm interested in how well this one does on their mpg loop.
Great thing about the 82 Dodge when something broke you could fix it yourself in less than 30 minutes. New truck comfort is great but the price is getting out of hand with normal working class people.
Well....30 minutes if you can get the bolts to come out
You can change the starter without getting underneath on a slant six! Breaking bolts was less of a problem on Dodges then Fords or Chevy's. Dodge used bigger bolts. Especially around the water pumps and for the Crank Damper.
My thoughts exactly. I recently finally got rid of my old 96 Ram 1500 4x4 due to northeast salt rust (it's amazing it lasted that long). I just want a standard cab short bed 4x4 like my old Dodge. I'm looking at all the truck manufactures website and I just don't think I can afford a new truck anymore. Even the used truck market is super expensive.
@@Jangocat New trucks are all about status symbols. Its cringy. Ever notice when someone tells you what truck they drive, theyre sure to tell you its a DENALI and a DIESEL. And then they go off about how they "checked off all the options" when they "custom" ordered it. When people ask what truck I drive they always ask what trim level I got, as if leather seats is going to be the difference between my truck being capable enough to haul gravel or not. Its just a truck
@@Jangocat In the Southwest you migh tstill find an older rust free truck for a reasonable price.
The one thing you need to do for a comparison is go to a home improvement store. Get about 10 sheets of plywood and dry wall along with a handful of 2X4s and 1x2s. Let me know which truck ended up being more useful.
What’s even more insane is that 1982 was 40 years ago
Don't remind me, I turn 35 next year and my parents ordered a 12v with the 5spd manual new in Oct of 91, They drove it until their knees got to them, 30+ years later.
@@NXT_LVL I have a pair of italian leather shoes older than you! You’re just a kid….
Yes but the trucks of that era have morohed into cars now
When talking about horsepower and fuel economy on something like this, I try to keep in mind the 55 mph national speed limit. No need for a truck to be fast to 55 mph.
55 Saves Lives
Many Interstate highways now have a 70 mph limit once you are outside of big city limits. You know if the speed limit is 70mph that most people are doing 80 mph.
Exactly:) He’s just trying to sell that truck for the dealer.
Most people didn't drive 55 even when it was the law.
mo powa
I became a newbie truck owner about half a year ago, and I absolutely adore my Ram. It is nice to sit it, it's comfortable, it's powerful, and it is just plainly fun to drive. As you said, it is very approachable. However, neither my mom, my brother, or my sister want to drive it. I have asked them to do it, and they are afraid of the size of it, and of the power it has. It is a big jump from a Corolla, but it is not difficult to drive. So despite new trucks being easier than ever to drive, they are still intimidating for many people.
Andre, This is an excellent comparison and history lesson. In 1982, the vast majority of trucks were made as practical work vehicles for tradesmen and farmers. With simple RWD and just 100-200 hp under the hood, they got the crops in and the buildings built. Today too many pickups are overpowered and overpriced fashion statements. In those days if you showed up on a construction site with a 5 foot bed you would be ridiculed. Finally, I would be surprised if today's Ram 1500 has an engine that will last half as long as the Slant Six in the 1982 . I would go so far as to say the Slant Six is Chrysler's truly legendary engine 🤩🤩
Overpriced fashion statements indeed. If you grew up with trades, building, and truck culture of the 70s and 80s, you just kind of shake your head sometimes at trucks today. We should keep the safety systems, but get back to basics for some models.
Very true, but what would you rather drive for 100,000 miles; this 1982 work truck or a TRX? I like them both for the record.
@@natpaul81 Honestly? I think the Maverick looks pretty good to me these days. I don't need an 8-foot bed anymore.
In 1982 if you showed up in that 22 RAM... i assure you, NO ONE would ridicule you. 😄
I've got a 66 Valiant with a slant -- 56 years old, starts every time, burns no oil.
It would be great to do your 60 mile loop on how well gas mileage they got compared to todays truck...hint hint..
Yes yes yes please thank you
Yes but look at power output versus mpg.
The one thing that strikes me and I've been lamenting this for years, look at the bed height. Both the floor and bed sides. It's almost a foot lower than the new one. For someone like me who hauls way more than tows, low bed floor is very practical for loading/unloading stuff without having to climb in/out every time.
You would have been exstatic over an Australian Ute. Very low koading height and in the Ford Falcon( much larger and heavier than your Falcon, very differrnt vehicle with a 351 cu in V8 option)
Low load floor is the ticket
Taller and fatter doesn't add up unless image is everything.
My dad had a 82 D250 that was similar to that. 318v8 and 4 speed. It’s what I learned to drive on.
I remember 1rst gear was a crawler gear.
The slant 6 and 318 were both insanely durable.
I had a 85 318 automatic and that 318 was bulletproof
I learnt to drive on my Dad’s ’66 Chevy pickup. First was also a granny gear. It was a beast to drive but I towed a lot of horse trailers with that thing.
Slap a double roller timing chain in a 318 and you had a motor that would go a half million or more miles. I am less fond of the slant six but have a 1981 D150 with one in it now. I am in the process of converting it from lean burn to standard electronic ignition. The other problem with the slant sixes is parts availability is drying up. Not so for the V'8's.
@@lisam4503 Yeah they were still using the 318 into the mid 2000’s
@@donschiffer7400 To me the 318 was the best engine they ever built. It was their engine for the masses. Yeah the high performances engines are great but the 318 was the working persons hero!
I had a similar 1985 except with an automatic transmission. Used it in my business for almost 200k miles with only routine maintenance. It was the most dependable truck I ever owned. It was so easy to load due to the low height. I laugh at people with modern trucks that are so high they need to use a trailer to haul their load.
My 89 has 267k on the old 318 actually just pulled it out last month and gave it to a buddy swapping a 94k 360 into mine now for a little more power
If people actually used their trucks to haul something other than ass, they wouldn't be built so tall that you can't load them.
My dad had one of those 80s D series with a 318. We pulled small camping trailers all over the eastern US with that thing. Lots of memories. I rode in a bench seat he mounted in the bed. LOL the 80s were wild
I had a 86 D100, 318, and towed a 26 ft Jayco all over, mountains, etc, great truck
Big hair bench seats in pick up beds 3 wheelers I agree ! Wildly awesome
The biggest difference is that a 1982 truck is running 40 years later, a 2022 will not be.
Anything can survive for 40 years if youre willing to pump the money into it
@@rhyse4818 True, when parts are available. With the amount and types of parts in the new cars and the ev transition coming, I don't think this truck will make it.
@@motofunk1 Yeah probably not. I could see them trying to phase out gas trucks but diesels always going to have its place for those who have campers and need to tow. And yeah the more electronics they put in the trucks, the less likely someones gonna want to keep it running. And once the parts arent available to replace their fully electronic gauge cluster, then bye bye modern truck.
@@rhyse4818 I'm not so sure. Towing will be displaced. First a battery and drive axle will be put in trailers, eliminating the range issue with an EV having to pull. Then when FSD is available your "trailer" will drive itself to the destination. Airstream has a prototype of the first type already.
My Grandpa had a 78' and then an 84'. He passed them both down to my father. Both were bulletproof and ran like hell. Hearing that drive train in the 82' you drove brought back instant memories of me learning to drive in the 84'. I miss these trucks so much. Back when heaters blew hot air, AC systems blew cold air and everything just worked. Now days if you buy a V6 guys call you a sissy. Man the good old days. Its ironic that Dodge is arguably responsible for changing the truck game back around 92.
Same goes with old muscle cars, most had base 6 cylinders and people hate on them for being a 6 cylinder
The ol leaning tower of power! Learned to drive in a '82 d350 4 speed. That truck is a 3 speed overdrive, had one in a '81. Nice truck!
Well some say it's 3 speed with Granny gear instead of overdrive L123
@@BuiltDifferent13 my 81 was a 3 speed with overdrive so I guess I assumed that was the same in 82, because my first gear was definitely not a granny. My dad's 82 1 ton was a NP435 4 speed which had the granny gear that you never used with 4.10 gears. Lol
@@hemiaddiction I had a 87 F-150 with the Borg and Warner T18. It was a four speed but it said l123 similar to the new process. 435 first gear was about two and a half miles per hour and it was a 300 so it was redlined at about 3,800 RPM about to blow up lol .. in the winter when it was spending tire in the snow, you'd see the temperature gauge rise up and then you'd have to let off the throttle a little because it was such high RPM that motor didn't even like anything more than 3,500 RPM. Maybe a 5-speed would be a little better but with that transmission I was about 65 in the slow lane every time I was on the highway. Maybe 80 downhill with the mirrors tucked wind at my back in neutral
@@BuiltDifferent13 yeah the trans in the dodge 150 back then was a new process A833 which had the overdrive which was a newer and weaker version on the old school A833 4 speed that was behind 340's in the muscle cars
@@hemiaddiction yeah I know the least about Dodge.... I prefer old Dodge like LA engines. AMC stuff is good too. I don't like old hemis because I like small blocks
I currently have a 2020 Ram 1500 Classic but the first truck that got me into Dodge/Rams was my grandpa’s 89 D150 with the 318. It had 400,000 miles with just normal maintenance. What I’d give to have another ride in it again.
It’s just crazy how far Dodge Brand has come nowadays man. My mom bought a ‘90 Spirit brand new when I was little and it was complete crap. She got a Maxima 4 years later and we vowed never to own a Dodge vehicle.
Im currently on my 2nd one and couldn’t be happier. First was a ‘14 Charger R/T that I traded in at 122,000 miles, no issues, Hemi barely broken in. And now I’m in the Ram and I must say they’re pretty good automobiles and interior quality in the Ram is best in class. I left the brand briefly in ‘20 for the Camaro SS, but I’m back without an ounce buyer’s remorse.
I’m super excited about my truck because I see tons of high mileage examples on the road everyday. It’s a ‘22 and I’ll probably trade up again at some point but it’s super comforting to know that these trucks are virtually indestructible & my truck could potentially last the next several decades if I take care of it; It may even be the Dodge equivalent of a Toyota as those things last forever 👍🏽
That’s a SURVIVOR! I have a friend who has an 80s D150 like that, slant six, but a short box. It’s a good, solid and sincere old beast.
Here’s an interesting comparison: consider what trucks were like 40 years before the old truck. Now there’s some change!
I have a 1993 F150 with the 300 straight 6 and just in the almost 30 years since it was built trucks are significantly different. Mine is much more like that older Dodge than the new Ram
I had a 96 F150 regular cab and I think It had the same engine, manual transmission. It was pretty peppy
Loved the comparison. Could you compare it to a mid-size next? Especially size-wise. I owned a 1987 F250 that had a 300cid straight six. That year Ford made a heavy duty F250 and a "base" F250. Mine was the base F250, but an F250 never the less. It's rated tow capacity was 7100 lbs, with a GCWR of only 7800 lbs. I promise you that the GCWR was exceeded regularly and substantially on that truck, as I had a Cab over camper in the bed and a 22' cuddy cabin boat in tow behind.
I just saw a mid-sized 2020 GMC Canyon loaded model and one of my older relatives who STILL has his mid-1980's era Ford F150 full-sized truck parked right beside it. The GMC Canyon DWARFED IT --- It was larger and wider and could carry and tow way more! 1600 lbs and Tow 5000+ lbs vs carry 1100 lbs and tow 2250 lbs!
The mid-size trucks of today are large and more powerful than the full-size trucks of yesteryear!
THAT is what 40 years of truck design does!
and THAT IS A GREAT THING TO HAPPEN!
V
I had an 06 Dakota and size wise it was very close to my grandpa’s D150, just not as wide.
I would take that 1982 Ram, hands-down, The best part about that Ram is, you don’t need a degree from MIT to fix it,
That slant six is an absolute gem, One of the best engines Moper ever built
You don’t need a degree to fix the new truck either 🤣😂. Just because you’re ignorant doesn’t mean it’s difficult.
@@flight2k5
Powerful words coming from a guy behind a keyboard, it’s amazing how cowards operate
@@michaeld5591 🤣😂 how am I a coward. Because I called you ignorant? You know what that word means correct? Don’t have hurt feelings.
@@flight2k5
It was not meant to hurt your feelings, I have more integrity honor and character than that, have a good day
@@michaeld5591I didn’t have hurt feelings 🤣😂
I just inherited my Dad's '03 1500 with the 5.7 HEMI. It is a good truck but it has dodge issues.
I'm a believer that even really good vehicles will have their "known" problems. (Some more than others). Still a good truck you got there
My 03 ram was a lemon unfortunately..
Beautiful truck otherwise..
But the hemi died at 130k miles right after the trans was fixed.
Ball joints, broken tie rod end, cooling issues etc..
heavy duty only nowadays
Obviously a teenager owned it at one time, rocking the high performance dual exhaust on a low revving inline 6 engine 🤙
I think you are correct. I'm an old fart and my first car was a 1964 Dodge with the 225 Slant Six. I beat that car and that slant six never missed a beat! Push button automatic torqueflite!
Also unlike a v6 it sounds good cuz inline
@@billjamison2877 i think its funny a buddy of mine bought a 62 Dodge Dart with a Slant 6 and a automatic... had about 10,000 miles guy he got it from.... i suppose grandpappy bought it new, drove it a couple of years parked it.... we did an oil change on it replaced a few Dry rotted hoses and belts and new tires new plugs. nothing was corroded at all. it was great for 2 months didn't have any kind of leak or smoke. or blow by to any extent he didn't even put 4,000 miles on it. motor threw a rod out the side of the block while idling after his commute to work. and he never idled it for more than 5-10 minutes. just enough to allow the engine to cool down after a drive. and i was thinking they're almost indestructible motors until i seen that happen.
@@justnsaliga8518 That's really odd for that motor. The first slant six had 188,000 miles on the clock before it needed a ring job. They are usually pretty stout power plants. I'd love to know what happened to put a rod through the block.
@@billjamison2877 idk for sure but possibly a spun bearing we pulled the motor and scrapped it except for the heads and exhaust and intake rods pistons and block and crank were all scrapped
In 1963 my late uncle bought a brand-new Dodge 150 pickup, pretty much equipped like the 82 Dodge Ram. slant 6 and a 4 speed. He paid around $2200 for it. According to the BLS inflation calculator, that is $21,300 in today's money.
I had a 1986 Dodge pickup with the venerable 318. Very slow truck, if memory serves it only had 145 horsepower. But tough as nails and you couldn't kill it. I put over 200K on it and sold it to a guy who had over 350K last I heard.
I also have a 2022 RAM Laramie. Very different truck from the '86. All the creature comforts and it will get up and go! And, it will get 25 mpg on the hwy, which the old ones couldn't do.
I bigger difference would be a 1942 vs 1982. If you compare those.... you'd think that 1982 was the space shuttle. Great video!
The 1969 Dodge D100 I drove when growing up is still in the family, and still running last I heard. It was old back then, and it's even older now. You can tell when you look down and see the road going by through the rusted out spots on the floor.
Got an 86 gmc 1 ton same way🤟
Love the truck(would like to own it 😄), my father had a very similar one from 1985, but it was a D100 with a 6 1/2' bed and had Zero options, no radio or woodgrain dash. What's missing on your hood is the very large hood ornament.
With a well tuned slat six. Just cruising 55 on flat black tops you could probably get 30 mpg. My brother has the automatic. 3 speed. With lockup. And can get mid 20s cruising.
I currently drive the 1984 3/4 ton version of this truck. 30 mpg is comical. But it gets me back and forth to work from east texas to new orleans or houston depending on where the boat im catching is. Originally paid 450$ for it 7 years ago. It has been an absolute work horse, parts are cheap and plentiful, but all told i havent done much to it considering its age. Only time it has let me down was couple years ago the factory alternator quit. I replaced a u joint, front brakes and one caliper, rebuilt the front end from 82,000 miles of bouncing around a cow pasture, new muffler, few sets of windshield wiper bushings, cleaned the carburetor. All together i might have 1000$ in it. It just works these days. My wife even uses it from time to time when her 2016 durango is in the shop due to some newfangled gizmo acting up. If they would build and sell this truck new today for inflation adjusted 13,000$ id buy one yesterday. Id give 13,500 if they somehow added a couple of cupholders.
It would be impossible to sell this brand new these days due to government regulations. You need airbags, back up camera, crumple zones, and more
Amazing old Dodge Ram vs new Ram 1500 video with some really great points. Brings many questions to mind. My mind just gave me a whole bunch of questions and one creative solution. Please read on and see what you think. Hopefully Ram Trucks (or Stellantis) is also watching and reading the comments. One of the best points to me was that how simple these old trucks were. Another good point is that new trucks are not just work trucks but everyday use vehicles and so manufacturers are making them more and more luxury ,sporty, full of technology, power, etc. every day and that simply is the reason why these trucks are so freaking expensive these days. But do all trucks need to be that luxury, that sporty, with that much technology, with that much power, that much towing capacity, etc. and ultimately be that expensive? Toyota corollas and many others alike are everyday use vehicles and they’re not luxury or sporty nor do they have that much technology? And I’m sure these old Dodge Rams did just fine doing what they did, right?. I am not saying that we should resurrect these old trucks (because they are simply way too old and not a match for modern day needs) but wouldn’t it be nice to bring back a slightly older truck resurrected as a current day truck, which is simple, with just the right amount of tech, but without all the unnecessary features of the actual current day truck, and hence without all the unnecessary price tag for these features, as an alternative option for your customers who love your products but simply can’t afford to buy whats currently available on the market at the current prices. Ram already has the older 4th generation Ram 1500’s being currently manufactured and sold as “Ram 1500 Classic” but the price difference between a 2022 Ram 1500 Classic and a comparable current gen 2022 Ram 1500 is only around $190. It doesn’t even make any sense at all to still keep that truck alive anymore. I would rather get rid of that one and maybe try resurrect the 2002 to 2005 Dodge Ram. Now that truck still looks modern and still much better looking than many others out there and hecka simple at the same time. That generation of Dodge Rams really defines the phrase “beauty in simplicity”. Imagine if Ram were to bring that one back as just “Dodge Ram” or the new “Ram 1500 Classic” or anything catchy like that really (doesn’t matter), and give it the current 3.6V6, the current 8-speed transmission, the quad-cab configuration with the six and half feet bed, and the only technology to add would be Bluetooth audio, and a back up camera (maybe on the rear view mirror) and that’s about it. It already had features like power windows, power doorlocks, power mirrors, cruise control, alarm/remote, CD/radio, steering wheel controls, Power Seats, AC/Heater, etc. features. Keep the column shifter, the six-seat configuration, the old key-start system, reflector style headlamps with halogen headlights, remove the paddle adjusters, remove the power seats, remove all steering wheel controls except the buttons behind the steering wheels for volume etc. and use the joystick behind the steering wheel for cruise control. That’ll make a simple truck which is still a truck, can still tow, can still haul, can still offroad, and can still be used as every day family vehicle, as well as a work truck. And hard plastic (maybe textured) dash and door interiors are fine, nobody really touches their dash every day and say “oh this is hard plastic dash and not soft to the touch”. And when you subtract price for all them things that are not needed like; dampened tailgates, push-button start, remote start, dial-knob type shifter, center-stack storage system, a high tech infotainment system with a million inch screen and gazillion speakers, LED lights, leather/power/heated/ventilated seats, hundred and fifty thousand sensors, the annoying adaptive cruise control, and super annoying Start-Stop system, lane keep assist, self deploying steps and air-dams, 400+ HP, 12000 Lbs of towing, 0-60 in 4 sec, different drive and off-road modes, etc etc and etc… I think it could totally become a very affordable truck with “everything you need and nothing you don’t”, like Roman would say. And I am not talking about $190 difference, if the manufacturer were to do it right, this truck could easily be somewhere in the mid-twenty grand range for a 2WD and a couple of grand more for a 4WD. And I believe that for a simple, utilitarian, but everyday driver, family/work vehicle like this, the manufacturer should be generous enough to throw in a free spray-on bedliner and fog lights with every truck and still make a good amount of profit. Another thing I would do is get rid of all the chromes in the grill, the bumper, and the wheels and instead use simple black grill, black bumpers, and maybe black or silver fancier steel wheels that imitate the look of alloy wheels (not sure but I think its Toyota that does that or used to do that in some of their vehicles - fancy steel wheels that look like alloy wheels) - cutting out even more in costs. And this could be what a lot of us are really waiting for which manufacturers are not aware of because they are busy making more and more improvements every day to make better and better trucks and to outdo their competition, and while doing all that, they don’t get to see what the customer really needs or wants. Making a spin-off like this outside of their mainstream product could actually be the answer. What do you all think??? Another problem with current day trucks are that the hoods are so big that you can barely see whats immediately in front of you, and so to mitigate that manufactures are putting in front facing cameras and while at it, a hundred other camera’s, the cost of which also gets passed down to the customers. This old generation of trucks that I am referring to, had a smaller sloping hood, hence eliminating the need for these cameras, eliminating even more in costs. It could be a good product from a business standpoint too - yes, it would compete with your own mainstream Ram 1500 trucks but it would also complete with other full-size trucks in the segment too, along with mid-size trucks, cars, vans, and SUVs as well and can possibly and eventually be a thing of its own or simply the next best thing that the world needs. And I am not only talking about private buyers, think about rental companies (personal & commercial), fleets, construction companies, small businesses, farms, etc. Do you think a small business owner likes buying a few sixty grand trucks with 12 inch screens, leather seats, etc. that he/she can’t buy for themselves but have to buy it for their laborers who usually don’t have much patience or respect for work trucks and touch all these expensive electronic equipment, leather dashes, fancy door interiors, etc with their oily/greesy/dirty hands all the time and ruin the looks of these beautiful expensive trucks within a matter of weeks. Don’t you think a cheaper simpler truck would solve that problem too along with many others. If I were a small business owner and need to buy 5 full sized trucks for my business, instead of buying lets say 5 F150’s for $300K, wouldn’t I rather buy 5 of these newly resurrected simple trucks for my business, a Ram TRX for myself, and a Ram Rebel for the wife, and still save about $10K? Maybe its just me thinking out loud but I really think that the answer is in the question itself.
I would take the old one.. 90HP but torque was about 215, also the original slant engines made closer to 145HP.. so some simple engine upgrades could probably get you that in this truck.
Also.. does anyone think a new 2022 Truck will still be around in 40 years? not likely.
for a beat around truck.. I will take the old simple one every time. For an everyday daily driver, the new one would be better.
I do, with the pentastar or hemi, they'll be tired, rusted, dented and will be on ebay for 1500 bucks
@@ricepile1343
10 or 15 years possibly. 40 years not likely
Not with 60k miles on them. Everyone seems to put 20k a year on their trucks.
@@stainless1175able
That definitely is a low mileage truck, but I've owned 1970s Chryslers with slant sixes that had over 400,000 on them. Certainly is capable of long miles.
I was speaking more about if I wanted to buy one right now. If I needed a beater truck to just use occasionally I would definitely take the old truck. But if I was going to drive it everyday as my primary vehicle I would probably want the new truck.
A Chrysler product for my daily driver. I would pick a Toyota tundra or Tacoma
@@kens97sto171 I hear ya. That's where I'm at right now. I need one for both but these damn prices are insane.
Love the video Andre! Yes, 1982 vehicles had 3-point seat belts. I had a 1980 Ford F100 short wheel base with 6.5 foot bed, 300 cid inline six mated to a 4-speed overdrive manual transmission, with a 2.75:1 rear axle. Claimed fuel economy was 30 mpg. I did see 30 mpg a couple of times. Loved that truck.
When you look up the original 1982 prices for that truck:
Original MSRP:
Base Price $6,199
...which is roughly $19,000+ today.
The Ram Tradesman hovers around $38,000...
But, consider how much more power, safety, comfort, towing and payload you get...
Makes sense.
Plus the maverick kinda picks up the slack at that price point. That "Well my 2010 f150 platinum costs what the big horn level 2 costs now! Prices are so high" yeah prices are higher than they should be, but a base level truck has essentially the same features as a fully loaded one 10-15 years ago
It’s all gone a bit crazy🤣
That glovebox rattle is a sound of my childhood. All trucks did that back then 🙂
Really 🤣🤣 didn't think to put rubber to stop it
North America car back then just rattled😀
When people today complain about not having a dampened tailgate and as a kid in the 80's I was just trying to keep my leg away from the air coming through the door jams in winter.
I had a 1984 with the 6 cylinder and a standard transmission with an overdrive. Power was terrible. You needed 3 miles of clear road to pass. But fuel economy was 28-30. Amazing that after all these years trucks still struggle to get 20 mpg. I don’t think the 2022 will fair so well in 40 years.
That Slant Six will probably still be running when we are long gone!
In a project at the Bendix Research labs we added three air pumps (Exhaust gas air pump to reduce hydrocarbons) as a supercharger system with band clamp clutches to allow tip in when desired. That engine was bulletproof and really responded well to the 12 psi of boost. And unlike a turbo, it is available right off the line.
That slant 6 will be running long after that new RAM dies and gets scraped.
That new Ram will probably go to around 150,000 miles then die, where that old Ram will probably go for 250-300,000 miles if you treat it right
@@mrbluejeans09 false, properly maintained hemis can get up to 300k. People still beat on their trucks and expect them to last forever that slant 6 lasts that long because it's a dirt simple design with low compression and no power
In 71 my stepfather bought a base Chevy C10 , only options were 2 tone paint and a bed light. straight 6 and 3 on the tree, no radio.
I'm all for old trucks and everything because I had one for a very long time. But there is a difference between a 3-4000lbs max tow compared to 12k. People saying they can tow caterpillar tractors with these old trucks. Yes you can, but the difference in how much stress you are putting on the engine, body, tranny, and diff are waaaay different. As far as people saying they will fall apart in 5 years have no idea. We still don't know the average lifespan of the new trucks...because they're new.
I loved my old truck, but I got t-boned at 240k miles and it required me to get a new one. The difference in pulling my trailer with the old one and the new one is night and day.
So yes, everyone in this comment section I'm sure has major love for old trucks. I definitely do, doesn't matter if it's a Dodge, Ford, or Chevy. But modern safety and technology is a nice thing sometimes.
My 2 cents...
that 82 would out work that 22 all day long. it's designed to be a truck and do truck stuff. that 22 is not much more than a sedan with a truck bed on it. and all the un-necessary garbage on it for "reliability" and safety. the older truck will continue running when something is wrong with it or needs repaired. the newer truck will leave you stranded because the computers will tell it to shut off and not run because of a stupid sensor. I had an 87 and I beat it pretty hard. around 8000 pounds of material in the back and the truck didn't strain at all. my dad bought a brand new 2020 ram with all the features. the warranty says don't pull a trailer for the first 10,000 miles. don't overload it. why? are the internals of the transmission made of glass? if I want a sedan I'll get one. here's my challenge for the big 3 or 4 automakers. ram, chevrolet, ford, toyota. make a basic truck like that 82. put the four wheel drive selector on the floor in the shape of a lever. put another one next to it to stir the gears inside of a manual transmission. air bags and crumple zones because safety, but make it simple. make it so a do it yourself type of person can change his (or her) own spark plugs, motor oil, air filter and so on. it is possible to get amazing fuel mileage out of a simple v8. basic truck. tough and rugged. affordable. even with today's economy, a new basic truck shouldn't cost much more than 18 to 20,000.
I have a 1978 Ford F150 Ranger XLT with the 351 V8. The I-Beam front suspension along with the brakes and steering are terrible. and, you're right, it weighs only about 3700 pounds...a lightweight. But the simplicity, the lack of of pretense and the uniqueness...all make it worthwhile.
I grew up in trucks like this, I was born in the mid 80s, and up until I was around 6-7 years old, my dad was driving an early 80s extended cab Ford Ranger 4x4, which he replaced with an early 90s GMT400 series Chevy 1/2 ton extended cab 4x4 (manual transmission) when my brother and I outgrew the jump seats in the Ranger. I learned to drive in that truck, which was replaced by my dad's first ever brand new vehicle, a 2002 Silverado, when I got my driver's license (I inherited the old truck, but it died before I got out of high school, entirely my fault due to banging around in the woods with my buddies).
What I find crazy, as does my father, is that when we look back at everything we did in trucks like this, and then look at the mid-sized market nowadays, and realize that anything we did in those trucks we could get away with in a mid-size today, and that neither of us needs a modern 1/2 ton. Taking this 82 Dodge as an example, the slant 6 D150 has a tow rating of 5000lbs and payload of 1000lbs. Even the Ridgeline, Maverick, and Santa Cruz all have payloads north of 1500lbs (and with an extra row of seats, so you could have 500lbs of passengers and still match the payload of the 82 D150), as do most of the rest of the mid-size pack. All but the Maverick tow at least 5000lbs or more, up to over 7k lbs in some mid-sizers. Speaking only for myself and my father, our towing and off-road needs have not increased over the years from those trucks (in fact my dad's largest trailers are his 1975 Starcraft boat at 19ft and about 4000lbs and a 16ft enclosed utility trailer that has a GVWR of 6000# and has never been loaded to that capacity; my largest are an 18ft bunkhouse camper with a GVRW of 3800lbs and a 21ft Lund boat with a GVRW of 4300lbs). As a result, I am on my second Honda, and my dad recently told me that when the lease is up on his current truck (21 Silverado RST Z71 he got last summer) he intends to go with a Ridgeline or a Canyon, simply because at 65, he is not using even a fraction of what his 1/2 ton can do, and he would prefer something that is a lot more comfortable and fuel efficient (not to mention on his retirement income the increasing cost of trucks is a concern to him as well).
It is amazing how far trucks (especially 1/2 tons) have come from the "good ole days" but in many cases the capability of the trucks now far exceeds the needs of the drivers. Not that a great number of truck owners don't tow heavy trailers or off-road as many in fact do, but a pretty good chunk these days are using them exclusively as family haulers and neither tow or off-road, making a mid-size truck probably a more appropriate fit for that group.
The 82 Dodge Ram Pickup was in the "malaise years" half way thru that generation (72-93). My father had a 75 Dodge Pickup "Powerwagon" 4x4 with the big 440 V8. He put headers and tuned it. I hit 100 mph once in it with ease! The downside being 10-15 mpg max. My gas station job manager had a 76 Dodge 4x4 also with a tuned 440. He had a power snow blade and would easily plow deep northern Ohio snow to keep the pump lanes clear. PS: A decade prior, we had a 63 Dodge Dart with the 225 slant 6. It pulled a small boat across southern PA mountains! The 75 4x4 pickup also did boat hauling duties, although a bigger one by that time.
My grandpa has a 1977 F-150 with the 4.9 in-line 6, its crazy how trucks have changed in the last 40 years.
My parents bought a used 1966 Ford F-100 truck (stick shift) around 1970, my Mom was a school teacher and drove it to work everyday for about 14 years. I'm 55 years old and miss that truck.
That was a neat caparison Andre. Sometimes I am amazed at what vehicles have become today when you think of how they started out in the 1910's and earlier. Thank you for sharing this video with us. May y'all have a good one. Have fun take care
Definitely need to get one of the Ram hood ornaments for that D150.
Andre.... That HVAC is definitely fully automatic, hence the knob that says "auto", push it and see what happens
I am a fan.......of simplicity, functionality, non-reliance on %*$# CHIPS!
If I recall truck transformation begin back in the late 80s and early 90s when a lot of first time car purchasers started buying pickup instead of cars because they were so much cheaper.
They provided basic transportation, but young people would fix them up as their lives and incomes got better. These would also serve secondary duty as income if a friend needed to move or bring home his new rear projection TV from the electronics store. What a difference a day makes.
88 Dodge RamCharger is still my daily driver. Was given to me at 16 and Im 33 now. By far the most reliable vehicle in the family.
Will the 2022 ram be around for a comparison to the 2062 model. Doubt it.
My dad had an ‘83 Dodge, that was identical to your ‘82 (except colour). That truck worked hard for 5 years with no issues - 2000 lbs of oil drums in the back, delivering at least three days per week. Was traded for a 4 x 4.
I remember when the passenger mirror was optional. Almost bought a short box version of that truck from my uncle but he decided to keep it for awhile longer.
Love the simplicity.
Andre, when you’re done with it, please take it to David……before Roman turns it into another EV.
I’m sure you get a lot comments, I was a technician for Chrysler in 1982. We sold a boatload of the “ram miser” pickup trucks with a four-speed overdrive transmission and 225 slant 6. FYI to fix the noisy glove box. You put both thums on the striker and push forward basically bending the striker it was a common thing for it to rattle and a easy fix.
Old 3,7L should have been compared with V6 Pentastar !
2wd also......
Even lower on power the old leaning tower could haul some loads. You just weren't in the hurry we are today to do it.
Yes👍
If you bend the metal tab back a little that the glove box latches to, it will close tighter and stop the rattle.
I had a 78 Ford F100. 300 six with a C4. Great truck if it would start without flooding. My 2020 Ram 2500 Cummins is no comparison, but like Andre said. Many times more expensive. It pulled a boat without effort. I’ll keep my Cummins, but for the money, the F100 was really good at what it did at the time.
Great content. Wow such a change in 40 years. Thanks for sharing you guys are the best!
I really like both trucks. The older truck has everything you need for truck utility, and nothing you don't, which I can appreciate. Less stuff means less opportunities for that stuff to break. I am also surprised to see that 40 year old work horse only has 63k miles on it. That itself is amazing and made buying this truck 100% worth it.
The new truck does have all the little things and options and features that will break over time so I doubt anyone is gonna be driving it in 40 years, but damn is it super nice right now. I really like this particular configuration, with the shorter cab and longer bed. You could get some utility in with the longer bed and though you might not be hauling around 4 adults too often in it, the smaller yet still functional cab means that what you do move around in that cab gets tot he destination in comfort. I also really like that it has a 1,800 pound payload capacity. That blows the TRX out of the water in terms of payload.
Love the Rams new and old! There’s nothing better baby!
That Dodge rattled when it was new…
I was 21 years old in 1982…I clearly remember.
When I was 17 in 1978, My sisters boyfriend had a 1976 Camaro…it rattled as well !
Malaise Era for sure. My parents boguht a '85 Buick followed by an '89. Both rattled too!
Wait until winter comes and you feel how cold that floor board can get. These vehicles are a reason long johns and thick socks were common christmas gifts in the northern midwest.
I wish I was old enough to miss the old trucks. I'd love to have one of those.
15:15 What is the original MSRP of the ‘82 truck compensated for inflation?
A classic Tradesman long box reg cab V6 would be a perfect comparison. Hard to find on the average lot though.
It's wild to see the difference 40 years has made.
I drive a 2wd zero option Tradesman 1500. It's as close to my 90s childhood as you can get.
Awesome video guys!
I had a 17' Tradesman rwd with no options and just moved to a Tacoma a month ago
Yeah I had to order my classic tradesman
I'm not sure when 3 point belts became mandatory in trucks, but I had a friend who, back in the day, brought a 1974 dodge truck new. It had 3 point belts.
Slant six is my favorite engine.
Here in the PNW very few pickups were bought with 6's or 4x4 until the early to mid 80's unless they were for specific commercial uses. I had a 65' Dodge with a 318 V-8 but wanted a bigger v-8, most did. My 68 & 72' F250's had 360-V-8 automatic. The 68' cost $3600 new & the 72' was $4200 but had PS & PB & was a little higher trim pkg. Hauled a camper & a boat. MPG's were all the same whether you had a 6 up to about 400 cu in. !0 mpg empty, full, city or Hwy. The mid V-8's did better than the 6's or small V-8's because your foot wasn't thru the floorboards. Over 400 cu in. and mileage dropped. In our area very few 4 x 4's until mid 80's. Now very rare to see a 4x2. Not too many people got the old ones with power locks &windows or A/C as well. I had a 91' F150 with a 300 cu in 6 manual 5spd 2 wheel drive. Not a popular model & it sat on the lot. I paid $10k new. Mpg's ~ 11 in town; 13 on the freeway. 2004 F150 Lariat (top model) 4 x 4 5.3L V-8. Paid $22k new. 13mpg's in town, 17 on Frwy empty, 15 hauling my 3500# boat on Frwy. Most were "standard" cabs until the 80's as well. Went from a truck for hauling & towing into a luxury vehicle, with decent mpg's and features. Newer 1/2T are more like the old 3/4T with much better ride and mpg's. Todays are much lighter as well. 2015 F150 4x4 3.5l ECO. Pd. $32k 17mpg in city & 24 Frwy empty. Lots more hp for towing as well. 2021 F350 7.3 gas 4x4. Pd $51k; 13mpg city & 17 frwy. Towing a 7400 tt gets ~10mpg. Truck prices have gone up much higher than inflation but they also have a lot more whistle & bells.
You could rebuild every component or upgrade everything on the 82, paint it and still be about a 1/4 of the price of the new truck. The biggest difference is how much manufactures take advantage of customers now compared to back then. That and the older vehicles were built to last so you got your money's worth out of them.
No way. Newer vehicles last much longer and are more comfortable and faster. Manufacturers shyte on customers back then too, don’t kid yourself.
@@cwqrpportable Really? Tell that to the new trucks three of my coworks have had in the shop a couple of times already. Hell I got a 3 year old Peterbilt we have had to take in five times in two months for bullshit repairs. It's electrical system is already crapping out as it alarms at you for not setting the park brakes, even though you did. Hell my 24 year old Dodge has been in the shop less than my wife's 07 Jeep or my father in-laws 17 Toyota Tundra. Dude at work has an 84 Toyota that while beat up, still runs great.
@@BlueDually4x4 Like I said, new vehicles beat the hell out of older models. Been there done that.........
This is the exact color of my 81 Ramcharger. 5k lb with a 5.2 v8.
Back then pickup trucks were literally just that..
Not meant as grocery getters but to haul alot of stuff in the huge bed..
And 1/2 ton literally meant that was all it could carry..
Great video showing the true differences 40 years have made
Ah, the old (almost) indestructible 318!
@@jeffhutchins7048 it was the 318.
Took forever to get to 35-55 mph..
Had a ton of those '72-"93 D/W Trucks, still have a few.
My 5' tall 19 year old daughter drives a '91.5 Cummins W-250 every day.......well so do I but mine's a Getrag 5-speed manual and her's is an auto.
Her legs aren't long enough to push the clutch in
What is better is the motors. Variable valve timing, mass air flow sensor, hydraulic roller lifters, valve rocker rails, fuel injection, more horse power & torque, and if you said in the 70’s each cylinder will have its own coil we would call you crazy. What’s bad is exhaust manifolds cracking, troubleshooting emission codes, insane amount of computers, accessories and complexity not needed in a work truck.
That engine is called a Slant 225, famous engine of old.
I love these old trucks that can be picked up for cheap. Trucks used to be for everybody, I do not know what focus groups these corporations are surveying but they are missing the mark with these modern trucks. I have a buddy paid 65K for a diesel GMC 2500, it was two years old when he hit a deer and cost his 8k to get fixed. It is madness, I drive a Honda to work and a 95 f250 with 460 when I need a truck because of this insanity.
I recently visited an old friend who has a 72 k5 blazer. We started talking about getting in running and whatnot when he mentioned how big and heavy it was, then compared it to the weight of my 08 tundra. I looked it up. The curb weight of the old k5 was HALF of my tundra and over 1000 pounds less than my old unibody 98 grand cherokee!
So much for those old school "big heavy steel boxes" huh?
That old slant six sounds soooo much better than a modern hemi
I absolutely love the slant-six trucks with 4 speed manuals like that. The 4 speed in that should be an OD transmission, called the A-833OD. Very deep 3.09 first gear ratio, 1.67 second gear, 1:1 Third gear with I believe about a 0.73 4th gear. Very nice trucks to just cruise around in and get alright gas mileage in. You can do basic hop ups to the 225 slant six, mill the head about .060, good three angle valve job with a little bowl work to increase flow, lighten the advance spring in the distributer to increase timing advance, increase total advance just a bit and step up one to two sizes in camshaft timing (might want to swap to the older mechanical cam set ups) along with headers and either a little carb tuning, or better yet, swapping to a 4bbl intake and small 500 cfm 4bbl carb and you'll increase power considerably but still have an efficient little runabout that's a reliable driver. There are some great online vids of basic slant six build ups/chassis dyno test. But do consider, "substantial" power increases are still less than a basic stock small block v8.
Planning to buy a half-ton in Germany soon; Will probably be a RAM1500 crew cab short bed - any advice which trim level? Doesn't need to be highest luxury nor base trim level, mostly on road and a bit of dirt road usage with minor easy offroad.
I like the appearance of the GMC better, I also like the F150 Lightning, but they aren't really an option for various reason, so it kind of has to be the RAM 1500
A sport with whatever options you want seems to be the way to go on pretty much every ram from 2nd gens on up.
Bighorn trim with the electronic locking axle 4x4, pick what other options though
I wish they still made basic pickup trucks like this. I would gladly buy one.
I think you could have compared is how so much more safer the new trucks are over the old.
The biggest surprise is a vehicle purchased from a used lot that still has the original owner's manual in it! I've been to a number of used car lots and the owner's manual is always missing.
I grew up with a pick up truck very similar to that 1982 Dodge. It was a 1987 LE150 4 x 4 with three-quarter ton modified suspension this truck was custom ordered 318 v8 I know this doesn’t mean shit but that little 318 V8 had about 175 hp and in the summertime on a hot day with a good tuneup on My dad’s well running truck would get a second gear rubber chirp not a burn out from an automatic transmission. Before taxes and financing my dad‘s truck was $17,000 Canadian And I will tell you with very little effort that truck will outlast that 2022 ram especially if the lifters in that hemi collapse like happened to my brother-in-law‘s hemi ram.
In the event of an apocalypse you can fix that straight six with bubblegum and a coat hanger. Can you say the same about that 2022 ram?
However I strongly suggest all manufacturers bring back the front vent windows!
I strongly suggest you read the owners manual and the data tag in the vehicle especially for the 82 Dodge about what it can tow weight wise it’s very comparable to the new truck even with the little six-cylinder. You’d be amazed how tough that little truck is.
The reason they make trucks like that today is because back in the 90s there was a luxury tax on vehicles that didn’t apply to pick up trucks and it just carried forward from there on. And depending on what country are in for example I’m in Canada if you bought a brand new pick up truck in the 90s it was a 100% tax write off basically the government paid for your pick up truck if you had a business.
Pretty soon we'll all be driving old trucks. The new ones are getting out of reach for more and more people.
Like that old Ram truck, my grandpa had one just like that with the manual transmission. He towed his boat with and family 1965 John Deere Tractor s57
My buddy's dad had this exact truck color and everything. Made it hard to raise hell driving it in a small mountain town but we did it anyway. Cool video as usual👍
If you did the same exercise with two Pete 389s and you'd have to get out a magnifying glass to spot the differences.
I'm posting this "before" I watch the video. "Oh yes I will!" 😀
I can remember when the standard 1/2 ton trucks were 100's before they became 150's.
Please do the mpg loop and compare to a new truck. It would be neat if you could test it with a new ram 1500 classic 3.6 2door long bed 2wd.
Gotta love the dual exhaust on a 6 cylinder. Great video as always, I love watching you guys. Makes me miss my old 1979 Ford F150.