New Member - looking for info about dad's truck

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

korokinopio

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2016
Posts
3
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
none
Engine
none
Hi guys
I'm hoping someone here might be able to help me.
I'm thinking about getting a hobby vehicle to rebuild/repair, and I kinda think I'd like to get a truck like the one my dad had when I was growing up. The only problem is that I don't really know what truck it was. I mean, I know it was a Dodge, but that's the only thing I'm certain of, most of the rest of what I "know" is stuff I remember dad telling me about it, but I don't know how accurate my memory is, or even how accurate what he told me was.
So, I was hoping that if I post what I "know" here, someone might be able to tell me what I'm looking for.

What I remember about the truck:
-It was blue (not helpful, I know)
-it has a single full bench seat
-it was not a crew cab
-there was a lot of space under the hood
-it was automatic
-it had at one point been converted to propane, but when dad converted it back, it was gasoline, not diesel

Things I might remember:
-it had a floor headlight switch
-it had a straight 6 in it
-it had a carburetor (not surprising considering the year)
-it had the mount for a ram on the hood, but the ram was long gone

Things dad said about it:
-it was a mid year model change
-he always said it was an 80/81
-it had a weird headlight configuration; that is, the ones made before this model had a single headlamp on either side, possibly round, this model had 2 square headlamps on either side, and the model after this one again had only one on either side, possibly square.
-he swore it was a ram, but I see that if it was an '80 that it couldn't be a ram.

From what I've been able to gather online, it looks like it might have been a Power Wagon, but because dad always said it was a ram, I'm not sure.

Any help you guys can give me would really help.
 

Joe w.

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2015
Posts
2,749
Reaction score
688
Location
Virginia
Ram Year
1999
Engine
318 5.2l
79's had square headlamps but only 1 on each side but mine didn't have ram emblem on hood. My dads 80 model club cab had round headlights but no ram emblem on hood. I'm thinking the truck may have been and 82 up model
 
OP
OP
K

korokinopio

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2016
Posts
3
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
none
Engine
none
Thanks for the reply.
The year is one of the things I'm pretty confident about. The ram ornament is one of the things I may be fabricating in my own memories. It may not have had it.
I'm pretty confident about the year because I know he bought it brand new.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
 

RonJon '06

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2014
Posts
3,372
Reaction score
1,183
Location
Southern Minnesota
Ram Year
2014, 1985
Engine
6.7, 360
Sounds like the truck you're looking for is a 1980. I had a 1980 D100 with single round headlights but I believe the twin rectangular headlights were still an option and came standard on the Power Wagon.
 
OP
OP
K

korokinopio

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2016
Posts
3
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
none
Engine
none
Thank you. Did your truck have a hood ornament? Even if it wasn't the ram.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
 

RonJon '06

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2014
Posts
3,372
Reaction score
1,183
Location
Southern Minnesota
Ram Year
2014, 1985
Engine
6.7, 360
Mine didn't have a hood ornament but they were used before 1981. And you're right, starting in 1981 they had single rectangular headlights like my '85.
 

Stewart

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Posts
126
Reaction score
282
Location
Minnesota
Ram Year
2020
Engine
Hemi 5.7 eTorque
I had an 80 power wagon. It had the single round headlights. The only Ram on the truck was the leaping Ram decal by the power wagon emblem on the front fenders.
 

Stewart

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Posts
126
Reaction score
282
Location
Minnesota
Ram Year
2020
Engine
Hemi 5.7 eTorque
I am sorry if I am opening old wounds here, but I am assuming that your father is no longer with us. If so I am sorry to hear that. As far as getting any information about his truck. Once again sorry for some of these questions. Talk with your mother, she may know more than you think. Pictures, old payment books, insurance or repair records. Both parents, parents. Cousins, uncles and aunts, work friends, bowling pals. Lots of guy friends or relatives may know more than you may think about others trucks, heck maybe that's where he got the truck in the first place. Anyone of the can get you with some one else. If you do have luck make sure and see if the have any pictures of the truck, your dad with the truck or maybe you, your dad and the truck. I do wish you the pest of luck here. That would be a great piece to have. Please keep us updated, especially with pictures ( most of us like shiny things and pictures).
 

Sniper X

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2016
Posts
114
Reaction score
13
Ram Year
1991
Engine
318
The 1979 trucks I've seen had those double rectangular headlights but may have been late 79s early 80s. Just googled 79 dodge truck pics and they all looked like the orange one with the dual rectangular headlights.
 
Last edited:
Top