For Fan Car Friday this week we bring you Stephen and his 1983 Dodge RamCharger Prospector.  Fan Car Friday is a segment where we want to share with the world the automobiles that our fans have. We have absolutely no affiliation/relationship with the cars, the build or the owners. This post was made with written consent from the owner.

“”Big Red” is an 83 Prospector with 4″ lift 33X12.5X15’s 318 4BBL, hooker long tube headers and Eddy 1406, mufflers are Cherry Bomb turbo.

The next one is our donor truck, also 4X4 1985, 318 Holley 2BBL. This truck is nearly complete, except for interior and rust free. For those of you who like Mopar trucks these are getting hard to find in good shape. I’m a disabled combat Vietnam Vet (69-70). My second new car was a 1968 Chevelle SS 396/375 M-22 rock-crusher and 3:90.1 posi, long gone I’m afraid.

Many thanks for the compliments, Big Red has had its share of defaults, and over the last 4 years we have sunk some bucks into this, to get it properly set-up for my wife’s daily shopping treks to and from all types of driving conditions in Wisconsin, and that has its challenges.

This is our 3rd Ramcharger, before Red we had a 1993 Royal 150 LE that lasted 12 years of nearly trouble free driving, but corrosion took hold of the latter part of here career, and sadly had to sell it.
Since a lot of folks here drive Blazers, Bronco’s and 4 Runners, I chose the Dodge Ramcharger because of its durability and lineage to the Power Wagon. The LA series 318 small blocks are the most produced Chrysler V8’s in production and are easily available, not a big fan of the 360 the other option for RC’s.

Everyone here in Oshkosh loves this truck, and the MOPAR fans are quite reassuring of its stamina.”

The Dodge Ramcharger was a large sport utility vehicle built by Dodge from 1974 to 1993, and based on a shortened-wheelbase version of the Dodge D Series/Ram pickup truck chassis. A Plymouth version, named the Plymouth Trail Duster and offered from 1974 to 1981, was Plymouth’s only SUV. The Ramcharger was primarily produced as a two-door, four wheel drive vehicle although a two wheel drive version was available. As a full-size SUV, it competed with the Chevrolet K5 Blazer and the 1978-1996 Ford Bronco. It was powered by a Chrysler LA engine and the most common was the 318 in³ (5.2 L) and the 360 in³ (5.9 L) and in the early years, the big-block RB 440 in³ (7.2 L) engines powered the Ramcharger. It was discontinued at the end of the 1993 model year in North America. In Mexico, it continued to run that platform until 1996. Then brought back in from 1999-2001 as a 2 door Dodge Ramcharger with a ’94-’01 Ram front end. Approximately 30,000 were produced and were all two-wheel drive. Engine choices were the 5.2 318 c.i. Magnum or the 5.9 360 c.i. Magnum.

The Ramcharger and Trail Duster followed the D-series pickup’s 1981 redesign into the Ram and is considered the second generation. For example, you can swap body panels between generations and they will fit but the outer bodylines won’t match up. They had a grill style that is commonly referred to as the egg crate grille because of its shape and was kept until 1985. In 1986, they redesigned it to be the much more appealing crosshair grille that is common on many Dodges today. In 1991, there were another batch of grill changes that lasted until 1994 when American Ramcharger production stopped. The generation two trucks had a few different trim and interior option levels, but not much changed over the years. These models had a non-removable welded steel top instead of the removable top. The Trail Duster was only available for one year with the Ram design and steel non-removable top, as it was dropped after the 1981 model year.

From 1981 through 1987, all models were carbureted, but in 1988, throttle-body fuel injection (TBI) was added to the 318. Fuel injection was added to the 360 in 1989. Power output for the TBI 318 was 170 hp (127 kW; 172 PS) and 245 lb·ft (332 N·m) of torque. The 360 with TBI was rated at 193 hp (144 kW; 196 PS) and 285 lb·ft (386 N·m) of torque. In 1992, the multiport fuel injected Magnum 318 was the standard engine while the LA 360 with TBI was still offered as an option. In 1994 the Magnum 360 replaced the LA engine version.

Many manual transmissions were offered throughout the years, starting with the A-230 three-speed and ending with the A-535 five-speed in 1992. The NP435 “granny gear” 4 speed was the most common in 4WD models, as well as the close ratio version, the NP445. In 1988 the clutch was converted from a mechanical linkage to a hydraulic system. Automatic transmission models had the Chrysler Loadflite TF-727A or B until, in 1991, it was replaced with the A-500/A-518 four-speed.

An all-wheel-drive NP-203 transfer case was standard until 1980, when it was replaced with the part-time NP-208. This was supplanted by the NP-241 in 1988. Axles were Dana 44 front and 9¼” or 8 1/4″ Chrysler corporate rear. AWD models (1973–1979) were equipped with the full-time version of the Dana 44 that had no provision for locking hubs and had a front wheel bearing design with a somewhat dubious reputation. In 1978 when the part-time 4WD system was introduced, the front Dana 44 was equipped with a more conventional front wheel bearing design and automatic locking hubs. Late in the 1984 model year the Dana 44 was switched to a CAD (Center Axle Disconnect) version. The CAD Dana 44 was vacuum actuated by a switch on the transfer case and powered by engine vacuum. The CAD Dana 44 was carried on until the end of Ramcharger production in 1994. The vacuum switch on the transfer case would occasionally fail and either leave the CAD engaged or not engage the CAD at all. Limited slip differentials were available for the 9¼” rear axle. The AWD versions used a 5 on 4½” wheel bolt circle and the part-time 4WD models used a 5 on 5½” bolt circle. Two wheel drive models used the 5 on 4.5″ wheel bolt circle and in 1985 changed to the 5 on 5.5″ pattern.

The Ramcharger continued to be sold in Mexico and Canada until 1996, with minor running changes from the last version sold in the U.S. in 1994.

It is still a very popular vehicle with the daily driver or custom automotive fanatic. They are commonly built up as lifted 4 wheel drives, but there is occasionally a lowered 2 wheel drive version. However, they are one of the few vehicles that looks good in either direction.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Ramcharger

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