Comments: 1-15, 16-17
Had to replace the front floor pans, they often rust out on these convertible ram chargers.
Blew a rear drive shaft U-Joint.
New radiator.
New dual exhaust.
I love this truck! It's unstoppable, gets good mileage, runs beautifully, and is more comfortable than my parent's 2006 grand marquis.
A 78 360 with a 4 speed cannot get good mpg.
I've owned a 1978 and a 1988 Ram charger, and the 1978 has a much smoother ride than the 88. all in all, the 78 is a better machine. and a blast to drive.
I would think that a 1978 360 2-barrel with a 4-speed, in a full time 4x4 truck, would probably get about 13 highway, 9 city. Somebody who owns one, please confirm that. My 1985 with the 318 automatic (not full time 4WD) gets max 18 mpg highway and 12 city, but usually more like 14 in mixed driving. The manual transmission ought to help, but the full time 4WD would knock that down. It may not be good, but is not significantly worse than the mileage being reported for relatively new 4x4 trucks by owners on here. I've seen several people talk about their 8 mpg 2004 Dodge 2500, Chevy Silverado, etc.
I have a 79 RC with a 360 4 speed with full-time 4x4, and it gets around 15-17 mpg with normal use. towing or off-roading is another story, more in the single digits.
Who cares what gas mileage it gets!
Those of us who own Ramchargers care for two reasons: 1) we consider Ramchargers to be real 4x4's, not SUVs and 2) despite that, the anti-SUV bleeding hearts automatically attack trucks like ours as "old gas guzzlers". Therefore, we like to be able to say "Hey, our old trucks are not only more capable as 4x4's than these new so-called SUVs, but they really don't get any worse mileage." That is why we care about the mileage reports.
I had a 78 Power Wagon and routinely got 13 MPG.
In town 13 MPG. On the HWY 13 MPG. Towing my Honda Civic while doing 90 MPH on the FWY 13 MPG.
Dual Tanks - 42 Gallons nice to know you can just pull the switch to enable the secondary.
I have a 1978 440 ramcharger and get an average of 12 mpg.
No I don't hate your trucks or anything, in fact if I had a good mudding or 4x4 place around town, I'd consider an older dodge to go offroadin. But you cannot say things like this truck gets good mileage. It's just not true, it gets pretty bad mpg anyway you look at it. An I'm not bashing the truck, just your views on "good" mpg ratings.
Fair enough, no of course they don't get great mileage compared to economy cars, but they are not economy cars. The point is that they don't get substantially worse mileage than brand new full size or mid size SUV's and pickups, and in some cases they are better. In fact, my Ramcharger gets 14/18, which is exactly the value reported by EPA for a new 6-cylinder Wrangler, or Dodge 1500 pickup, etc. If you say that these old Ramchargers get bad mileage, you also have to say that virtually every SUV and pickup gets bad mileage, which is pretty much true. And before anybody brings it up, a Honda CR-V is not a real 4x4, and only marginally an SUV.
You forgot to mention that all those new $X$ :P 4x4's have an entry fee north of $18000.00 dollars and all come with super spiffy $4k-8K dollar paint jobs and... aw shucks you went off road and did what... in your Cinderella truck and now look at it. :| looks like a herd of feral cats scratched the H#%ll out of your paint job and you still have how many payments left!
While the RC owner pulls out his trusty clacker can of flat black, brown or green and is done touching up the truck in minutes. :D.
And for all you Toyota boys out there, those are nice trucks and pretty capable too. Just don't forget where they learned the engineering from. That front axle is the same as the pre-74 dodges only scaled down.
Not that I mind riding in a 4x4 Camry. :D.
I want to get a 78 rc, but people tell me they break down all the time, and I was also wondering how much it costs to fill up the tank. So if someone could please e-mail me at zachs.monarrezgalvez@yahoo.com that would be great thanks.
I had a 78 ramcharger, best vehicle I ever owned. I presently own a 2000 Nissan Maxima. I would take the 78 Ram anyday over the Max. The Ram rode like a truck until it was loaded then it rode like a Caddie. Eat gas, you bet. Expensive to repair natta. Tough, yup, like an armoured car. Dependable, yup, in the ten years I owned it, let me down once and that was mechanic error not the truck.
Why don't they make vehicles like that anymore? I miss my Ramcharger.
I am about to purchase a 1978 dodge ram charger with a 400 engine in it. is this factory or something the previous owner just put in? please email me at newlyn_lw@yahoo.com and tell me what kind of engine goes in there. thanks.
I just bought a 78 ramcharger with a fiberglass cap and enclosed cab. Were those caps aftermarket items? It has a 360 (not original) with an automatic transmission. Why does it downshift so often? Either way, I am keeping this one! It rides nice and looks great!