Lil Red Express

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.

Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Posts
39
Reaction score
4
Ram Year
2012 Ram 1500 Larime
Engine
Hemi
Hey every one. I have a 1979 Lil Red Express truck And I too Am going to rebuild the 360.
Did that engine have any different innards?
(i.e.) Cam ,,Heads etc?

THANKS
Does any one recommend a good profile for a different cam or should I just stay stock
 
OP
OP
Dodgedaddie also
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Posts
39
Reaction score
4
Ram Year
2012 Ram 1500 Larime
Engine
Hemi
Does MOPAR offer crate engines for 1979 error?
 

Joe w.

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2015
Posts
2,749
Reaction score
688
Location
Virginia
Ram Year
1999
Engine
318 5.2l
They had W2 heads I think the cam was different to
 

406shark

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2019
Posts
49
Reaction score
67
Location
Minnesota
Ram Year
2017
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Hey every one. I have a 1979 Lil Red Express truck And I too Am going to rebuild the 360.
Did that engine have any different innards?
(i.e.) Cam ,,Heads etc?

THANKS
Does any one recommend a good profile for a different cam or should I just stay stock



The prototype engine came with the W2 cylinder heads... production engines did not.

Here shows the basic spec's for 1978 and 1979 Lil Red Express trucks...

https://www.dodgeconnection.com/LilRedInfo.html






Jeff
 

dapepper9

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2013
Posts
5,908
Reaction score
2,224
Location
Iowa/Nebraska Border
Ram Year
2001
Engine
5.9L V8
It might be more worth your while to just grab a low mile magnum from a wrecked 2nd gen truck or junkyard, throw an airgap manifold and a carb on and then use the ignition, timing cover and accessory drive the truck already has and make more power than it did factory but with a very very similar setup to what it was new.
 
OP
OP
Dodgedaddie also
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Posts
39
Reaction score
4
Ram Year
2012 Ram 1500 Larime
Engine
Hemi
That wouldn't be original to the truck
 

tidefan1967

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2018
Posts
2,941
Reaction score
4,862
Location
Summerville, South Carolina
I don't think it would be worth the upgrade honestly. I think they fudged the numbers on it it a little bit considering it was the fastest vehicle of any kind in 1978, even faster than a Corvette at the time. If it was me I would consider a mild aftermarket cam and leave everything else pretty much stock.
 

Yeret

The Village Drunk
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Posts
938
Reaction score
178
Location
Under the hood fixing/breaking something.
Ram Year
1999
Engine
5.9 Magnum
Have manufacturers even done that since emissions equipment became mandatory? Hell, Dodge seemed pretty modest when rating the 5.9 Magnums at 245 horsepower but I seem to recall reading that this claim was actually pretty much spot-on. Hell, I think the 383 Road Runner engines circa 1969 were rated at 335 horsepower and they were demonstrated as outputting about that. Maybe Mopar is just more honest about their power ratings?

At any rate, Lil Red Express is AWESOME! OP, you got any pictures of yours? Factory stacks, stepside bed and a (relatively) hopped up 360. What more could you want for a muscle truck? They should have offered factory stacks for the later SRT-10 Rams, LOL.
 
OP
OP
Dodgedaddie also
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Posts
39
Reaction score
4
Ram Year
2012 Ram 1500 Larime
Engine
Hemi
During the 60's-70's ALL the manufactures de-tuned there engines for insurance rattings (@ least verbally),,,:cool::33:
 

stepside

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2020
Posts
6
Reaction score
19
Location
Michigan
Ram Year
1999
Engine
318 MAGNUM
That's a 70's Dodge stepside bed. I hauled it home and refurbished it and put it on that 99 chassis.
 
Top