The Ram - An 89 Dodge Raider

I have some weird fascination with these trucks, with no real interest of messing with YJ/TJ/JK/KJ/JKU/anything jeepanese. Well, except for maybe a right-hand drive XJ or an FC. But I digress.I already had 4 in my posession, with two as parts cars, when I start seeing another one popping in and out of my neighborhood. Never could find it for a while, always passing it on the way in or out of the neighborhood. Then I finally spot it, but no one is ever home. Then it disappears for a long while (months). Driving by one day, I see it tucked in the backyard, crashed.

Left notes to try and sell them some parts, and the guy called. Went over to talk, apparently his son had taken it to college. Was on the highway, the driver's rear tire blew out and he bounced it off of a couple guard rails. Kind of rare, one year only V-6, MT with a really clean interior. The deal was made for $500, jumped it, fired right up. Swapped a couple of good tires onto, put a straight tie rod on it and drove it home.

So stripped off the damaged stuff, started building. Found some 15X10 wheels with ok tires on CL.

With those, I need to do a BL, ordered a Stick of 2 1/2" UHMW rod and made my own body lift kit.

My little helper before lift.

Using the Monster measuring device.
After.

Front before.

After

i had to replace the right front fender, and you can see the paint scheme. Spray can bedliner, with the bottom body line having a coat of silver paint for contrast. Seven cans of spray-on bedliner and all the scratches from the accident were covered. Didn't get a pic of that apparently. Had a hood scoop from my V-8 S-10, wanted to add that to let some of the heat out.


After the holes were cut, painted it with bed-lined, then fitted the hood scoop, which I had painted silver.
Also had a big Ram decal from a neighbor down the street who had a pick-up, but never put up on his truck. That is why the "name" is "The Ram", the boys saw the sticker and named the truck.

before we put the sticker on the hood,
my one boy wanted to etch the window, so i let him loose with the engraver.

cant say i remember seeing another one of those with a 6cyl ever..

The Florida 4X4 birthday Bash was coming up, and I had no bumper on the back. Knew I'd be pulling someone out, so got too crackalackin. Using a reciever hitch as a base for the bumper, I put a cross bar over the top, plus since driving it, feeling how much more manly it felt as a V-6, added some humor to the bumper.

Added some extension to the reciever hitch square tubing, some D-rings and a lite to help in with reversing in the dark, and that end is done.

Admin wrote:cant say i remember seeing another one of those with a 6cyl ever..

The V-6 only came in one year in the two-door. The 3.0 V-6 has been the Mitsubishi staple engine from 89-2000. Basically twice the hp and torque of the I-4.

i do remember it in the 4 dr,but a 4 cyl in the 2 dr.for some reason i remember driving one that had factory lockers too?

The second generation on up had an air locker available, 92 and up. I have put an air locker rear end in both my first generation trucks. 3" wider stance, dual piston disc brakes over drums, bigger bearings and u-joints. Best part is it bolts in. get the larger rear u-joint put on your old driveshaft and its an afternoon job.

So getting ready for the Pig Roast, and was a bit paranoid of all the stories of deep water of Ocala. Ran over to Smitty's Muffler in Middleburg and had him bend me up one in 3" exhaust tubing.

Noticed I haven't posted in a bit. Here's how I've been running it lately;

Except for this last weekend. Went with one of the local clubs to a place I knew would be muddy, with minimal articulation. So I put my 35's on with MUCH better tread to be able to tear it up a lot better. I like the look, but they aren't permanent.

First trip to Hardrock with the 33's