79 Little Red Express (Not Mine)

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67/6barracuda

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79 LITTLE RED EXPRESS

I was checking out craigslist and saw this truck. I always thought these trucks where the coolest. I assume they don't come up for sale very often. This one is missing its original motor a little ruff but mostly complete. Figure Id share if someone was interested in it.
 
What a shame. That's a parts truck at best.
 
IDK, it looks completely intact. It might be restorable.

Floorpans are gone. No tellin what else is rusted. It's in Florida. I bet it has rust in every seam where sealer USED to be. lol 3800 would be about the price point with the original drive train.
 
My Brother in Law has one in storage complete.. original Engine is long gone and it had been wrecked in front so different sheet metal. Wanted to sell it at one time until he found out it was not worth much..Colorado truck.. solid floor pans.Was a nice truck until he let his oldest son drive it when he turned 16.
 
There was one for sale near where I live a couple years ago, a 79 like that one (the less desirable of the two years IMHO). He wanted 3500 and it looked pretty good from the road.... still had the pipes on it and he had a title.
 
In FL (a "top down" rust state), the drip rail above the windshield causes the cab roof to rust out on these.

Last year there was on closer to me that was on ebay twice and on CL for six months.

Had original engine with chrome lid.

Started at 5K and went down to 2500 before it disappeared.
 
In FL (a "top down" rust state), the drip rail above the windshield causes the cab roof to rust out on these.

Last year there was on closer to me that was on ebay twice and on CL for six months.

Had original engine with chrome lid.

Started at 5K and went down to 2500 before it disappeared.
I`d like to have one, think Id put a 400 or 440 stroker in it, and a 87 grill if it would fit , and I bet it would.
 
That thing is a mess.

I had an original paint 79 years ago. Fun truck. I wanted to put a 440 in it but friends talked me out of it because it was so original. After I sold it they asked why. I said it was too slow and you talked me out of putting the 440 in it. Lol

I’d like to have another one. Jamie loved that truck.

They pop up on Craigslist quite often. Owners asking stupid money for them. They just aren’t worth that much. Probably because it’s a truck.
 
I would have liked to had the one near me, as I have almost all of the parts it was missing-

Tail gate, stack shields, and side steps (although not chrome).

I'm out of room with too many projects.
 
Floorpans are gone. No tellin what else is rusted. It's in Florida. I bet it has rust in every seam where sealer USED to be. lol 3800 would be about the price point with the original drive train.
I guess you missed my sarcasm...I thought saying "completely intact" would give it away.
 
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My local Dodge dealership has a nice original and unrestored one sitting on their showroom floor...

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The classic truck market has been booming I'm surprised these little reds are out there like that. I would love one if I could. Someone should build one to walk over old farm truck on street outlaws.
 
It is a shame that somewhat rare cars end up on the other thread.. cars left for dead. I know where a Lil Red Express is. It is a one owner, in plain site, under a carport its entire life. I don't remember when he stopped driving. I went to church with him for 16 years before he died in 2005. She won't sell it. One of the grandkids may want it....its been 12 years now and her grand kids are in the 2 generation.
 
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I had a 79 back in the early 80's and would love to have another some day. I was given information about an older guy who has several in various states of repair from original to basket case. I just don't have room for another project or money for a complete one. Some day...
 
The classic truck market has been booming I'm surprised these little reds are out there like that.

Not popular enough with the crowd that’s into the old trucks. Plus sellers think they have a gold mine with a LRE. Problem selling a LRE is you have to find the guy who wants one. With cars I’d I shut is looking for a b-body he may end up in a a-body if onecatchrs his eye. a LRE is a late 70’s truck and that’s how it’s viewed. Not viewed as a muscle car so it’s overlooked a lot.
 
Not popular enough with the crowd that’s into the old trucks. Plus sellers think they have a gold mine with a LRE. Problem selling a LRE is you have to find the guy who wants one. With cars I’d I shut is looking for a b-body he may end up in a a-body if onecatchrs his eye. a LRE is a late 70’s truck and that’s how it’s viewed. Not viewed as a muscle car so it’s overlooked a lot.
yeah, but they were the fastest thing out of Detroit one year. There were write ups about it smoking that years trans ams too !
I cant afford to pay much for anything now that I`m retired, but I think I`d build a warlock out of a basket case , if I had one.
 
I've got some pics of a 10k mile survivor truck that I'm keeping for reference.
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Really men ! ?? Please don't hesitate to buy one of these trucks because of rusty floor pans!!!
A Florida rig always has potential of being a beach rust bucket. I think Dodge was using some galvanizing in fenderwells and other important areas, we're not talking about a rust bucket Ford here!
All I'm saying here is if you are interested in one of these kind of trucks and the worst problem is rusty floor pans....2 floor pans $109+shipping and once again the $89 harbor freight welder and $14 cutter/grinder. Three hours per side start to finish for a first timer. ?I wonder if the sound deadner under the carpet will be able to tell if I did it my self? If the new floor pans last half as long as the originals...
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yeah, but they were the fastest thing out of Detroit one year. There were write ups about it smoking that years trans ams too !


I understand all that but the fastest thing out of Detroit was only a high 14 second truck.

In the end it’ too many people still look at it as freaking truck not a muscle car.
 
I think that they are cool, but not my cup of tea.
They were pretty fast back in the day, being that a lowly pickup beat everything on the drag strip that came from Detroit including the Corvette goes to show you how lame the late '70s were for performance.
To be fair, the trucks were exempt back then from the car's emission regs, and Dodge took advantage of it and spanked everyone big time!
A brilliant move by Dodge at the time.............
 
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