1982 Dodge D150 Royal review from North America

The power steering box blew a steering shaft seal at 79700 miles.

The carburetor float had to be replaced and the carburetor rebuilt recently.

The carburetor bogs down erratically after the rebuild... possibly the needle valve.

The seat was torn and a new cover installed and the carpet has been replaced.

There was no headliner or any plastic trim inside when I got it. I do not know if it was there to begin with.

There are some minor fluid leaks and the valve guides are due for replacement.

Everything else is regular maintenance issues; such as the rear tires, the oil changes, etc.

As a truck, the D-150 is a rather reliable truck.

Mine has loads of horsepower and torque, and plenty of speed when the time is right. I have actually had the truck up to 90 on its first trip home. This was only because at the time, the speedometer cable was not plugged in properly.

It is generally a large, old truck with enough power to go around, and I am sure it can haul quite a bit of payload.

The replacement parts are not all that expensive, but maybe I have just gotten lucky with the prices. I might have spent around $300 for replacement parts so far, and I payed 500 for the truck.

I perceive the engine and transmission to be exceptionally reliable. The 318 is one of the best engines on the roads today, and the Torque-Flite 727 3-speed automatic is the same one found in Chargers and Challengers from the '70s. It has plenty of torque transfer to the rear wheels, and hooked up to a trans cooler, it proves to be almost bulletproof.

The body is another story, but then, I live in Illinois. Salt spray, road materials, snnow, and mud take their toll on the floorboards, mine included. They are rusted through, and the replacements are pop-riveted sheet metal/duct tin put on by the previous owner.

Otherwise, there is very little wrong with the truck, nothing that cannot be repaired.