1979 Dodge D50 Sport from North America - Comments

The lower seal in the steering box started to leak at 5000 miles and was fixed under warranty. Other than oil and filter changes every 2000 miles and other routine maintenance, it needed no repairs until the balance shaft bearings failed at 240000 miles. At 300000 miles, I treated it to new brakes, shocks, ball joints, and u-joints. Reliability, thy name is D50.

It consistently gets 38-41 mpg on the highway. It can still fry the bumpers on any other four cylinder pickup you care to name. I used it on my farm for a few years to do things most people wouldn't ask anything less than a one-ton pickup to do and it never complained. Did I get a freak of production? Maybe, maybe not. It is the best pickup I have ever owned and I have no plans to get rid of it.

I have had mine for a year 88 2.6 and had a complete rebuild including a new carb and I get 12 miles per gal brought it to 3 mechanics and it is still the same I wish someone would buy this from me because I have put tons of money in it and with gas prices I would get rid of it.

I've the 1980 version and am seeking a donor truck... probably will keep mine forever.

My neighbor is selling a 1980 D-50 That is in great mechanical shape, but has rust at the lower doors and rocker panels. It also has a nice cap.

Located in NH.

I have a 1980 Dodge D50 sport. I bought it used in 2000 for $75. I drove it from Boise, Idaho about 150 miles west to my parents place in Eastern Oregon (it got 12 mpg and wouldn't exceed 55 mph). Then the fun began. Multiple iterations over the years of major repairs until I realized the balance shafts bearings were disintegrating and fouling engine bearings. I rebuilt the motor completely and it became a runner in spring 2005. I have a Weber 32/36 DGV carb and a header installed, the motor is a non-jet valve '84 G54B. I can't seem to get more than 24 mpg out of it on the highway and about 22 average around town, but it's a quick truck and very dependable now. Steering stability is horrid, downright dangerous. Upper ball joints are completely shot, have new ones on order and will also replace suspension arm bushings and pitman/idler/steering rod arms and wheel bearings while I'm at it. It's yellow with the sport stripes, it's a P.O.S. to some, I love it, and I don't mind the labor.

I too, am the proud owner of a ’79 D50 sport, the orange and black model. The truck was given to me by a relative about 12 years ago, in fair condition as I was temporarily between vehicles. I figured I would just drive the truck until it died, then get another vehicle. Ha! 12 years later, only 2 or 3 oil changes, and more abuse than any vehicle should legally endure, it was still running.

Needless to say, I was so impressed with the truck, that when the timing chain finally wore out this spring, I decided to rebuild the entire drive train. I pulled the engine and tranny (2.6L/ 5speed) from an ’86, had it completely redone, put a header and weber carb on, and put it back in the truck. Mine had previously been a 2.6L/automatic. The truck now runs ‘better than a new dodge”, as the expression goes.

I next intend to do a frame off restoration and have intense respect for this amazingly simple, rugged, and reliable little piece of transportation.

BTW, the Ram 50 club at yahoo is extremely helpful for anyone looking for info on these great little workhorses.

This is an update on the D50 that is the subject of this review. Amazing!, still going strong at 425,000 miles. When my father retired from farming a few years back, he kept his old farm pickup which finally died. I gave him the D50 with the stipulation that I get it back when he decides that he is through driving. It left some BIG shoes that a 2000 Nissan Frontier with a V6 and 5-speed don't come close to filling. Barring disaster, I plan on driving the D50 into my retirement.

My Yellow 79 D-50 SPORT was still running when oil started showing up in the coolant at 428K miles. I took the engine to a machine shop to have it rebuilt, they went broke and I lost that engine. Over its lifetime, I had it painted four times before the passenger side was blasted with gravel off a roof in 110 mph winds. I had an employee tow me, engine-less, to the wrecking yard. On the way I realized why I had kept that truck for 23 years, and had him tow me back to the shop. The next day I had someone else take it away. I am still looking for another truck like that one, it was built on a sports car frame (Sapporo) and fit like my favorite slippers. I had very few repairs, a great ride, and incredible dependablity...I worked that 2.6 engine like it was an eight cylinder in a three quarter ton. I overloaded that truck many many times all over the western states in temperatures from below zero to 120 degrees. From interstates to winding high mountain roads it was both a great sales/delivery vehicle and a real work horse...the only thing that could have improved it was an extended cab... What a Pick-up!