Li'l Red Express on Ebay

[jdr1234]

Here's a nice '79 Lil' Red Express for sale on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1979-Dodge-Lil-Red-Express-Truck-360-V8-A-C-214-mo_W0QQitemZ370009961163QQihZ024QQcategoryZ6197QQs sPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If the link doesn't work, it's auction number is 370009961163 .

The truck looks pretty nice, except for the bed (could use a makeover like Ram3500Dually is doing to his!).

Check it out-lots of nice pics of it!

[Ram3500Dually]

I can see quite a few wrong things with that truck. Mirrors, steering wheel, wheels, grill. The wood in the bed is factory but if you look at the steel at the back where the boards go to looks like it was rusted pretty bad and painted over. Body looks very impressive.

[jdr1234]

I can see quite a few wrong things with that truck. Mirrors, steering wheel, wheels, grill. The wood in the bed is factory but if you look at the steel at the back where the boards go to looks like it was rusted pretty bad and painted over. Body looks very impressive.


Good eye on the bed-I didn't notice the painted over rust area.

I agree on the rest of the body-very impressive!

Out of curiosity, what's this truck worth the way it sits?

[Ram3500Dually]

The Lil Reds have never brought much money. The 78's are worth more money then the 79's. The 78's have more power and there were less of them made.
1978 production 2,188
1979 production 5,118

78 had the purple shaft cam and no cats
79 had the regular 360 cam and cats.

Hard to say what that truck is worth but I don't think it will sell for its buy it now price.

[dr. bob]

Yeah, some details are wrong, but nothing that couldn't be fixed. The body looks real good except for that bed. I bet the doors rusted too, and were replaced, which would explain the morrors- I also think the door panels should be wood grain to match the dash, not chrome.
Not bad at all if you could get it for about 3 grand below the buy it now.

[DiverDwnPowrRam]

smells like a clone...on the dash is a screw hole probably someone mounted the cb trans there but under and around you can just see a blue color faintly..looking at the write up SL M does not exactly say this is a LRE but says they have one. I also agree that the buy price is way too high for a 79.

[67coronet]

Its a nice truck but for the price why didnt they go all the way and do the bed and at least spray the underneath?
If anyone is interested, I have a set of those same wheels for sale best offer.

[dr. bob]

The VIN is correct for a Lil Red Express, but whoever fixed it up did not do a proper restoration so there is much on the truck that is not 'correct'. But it is a nice truck, good as a driver or weekend toy, even if it is not up to show condition.

[mikehopkinsjr]

I think its a scam, yea its nice yes it is or appear to be a lil red but if it was kept by a museum wouldnt the undercarriage be a whole lot nicer. Seems like they just dressed it up,

[Ram3500Dually]

It was donated to the museum and they are selling it is what I got out of the add

[jdr1234]

Man-I just learned A LOT about the LRE trucks-you fellas have "eagle eyes" on these models and if I ever decided to buy one, I'd definitely come here with my questions. :rck: Definitely words of experience you guys are speaking.

Thanks to all who posted! :gr_patrio

[bherder]

Didn't the LRE's also come with the voltage/vacuum/tach gauges on the wings of the dash? I also thought the dash was that fake wood-grain stuff too.
Dunno, just asking... ;)

[62savoywagon]

The door panel pieces were wood looking like the dash. I have these on my doors and looks as though they sanded the wood grain out or wire brushed them, to get that chrome look which does not look very good.

[dr. bob]

The St. Louis Car Museum isn't just a museum- it is just an up-scale used car place that specializes in upscale antique and collectible used cars. Ive never dealt with them personally, but know people who have, and they are a well respected business. They have overe 150 cars on display and another 60 or so for sale or on consignement.
The VIN checks out, so this is a real LRE, but it is not even close to a proper restoration- someone fixed it up and made it a nice driver though.

[Ram3500Dually]

Dash in lil red is silver. Here is my 78 in the trailer.

[62savoywagon]

Looks as thought the dash has been painted black. May have been the woodgrain look from another truck.

[dr. bob]

My uncle's '79, which he bought new, has a woodgrain dash around the guages- it matches the trim piece across the front of the dash and the door panel accents. In this truck the trim piece is still woodgrain, but the door panel accents are either wrong or have been brushed to pull of the woodgrain, and the dash looks painted over.

[Ram3500Dually]

According to Dodge Connection the dash is silver in the Lil Red. The door panels are all black.
My 78 and 79 both have silver faced dash with the guages on the left, clock on the right and all black door panels.

[AP]

I can see quite a few wrong things with that truck. Mirrors, steering wheel, wheels, grill. The wood in the bed is factory but if you look at the steel at the back where the boards go to looks like it was rusted pretty bad and painted over. Body looks very impressive.

The painted wood in the bed is factory? I thought the wood in the bed was suppose to look like yours. Also, I don't like the steering wheel. It's suppose to be a "Tuff" wheel right?

[Ram3500Dually]

The wood in the bed was originally painted Red. Most that have restored them or fixed them up have opted for clear finish. Both of mine had traces of red on the wood.

This is the proper steering wheel for a Lil Red

[AP]

Ah , I see! Your bed looks better! :rck: The proper steering wheel for your truck looks like what they call the "Tuff" steering wheel. My Cuda had one. They are common in alot of Mopar muscle cars. Like this image I took from a site in a 71 Bee.

[dr. bob]

According to Dodge Connection the dash is silver in the Lil Red. The door panels are all black.
My 78 and 79 both have silver faced dash with the guages on the left, clock on the right and all black door panels.

Dodge Connection is in error. Paul bought his new, so it is original and unmodified, and it has the woodgrain dash. His is not the only one I've seen like that either- there were at last a half dozen with wood dashes at the last owner's club meeting; a woodgrain dash show winner that fetched over $25K; and a '79 in the Dupont Registry with a woodgrain, build sheet and all original sales paperwork to prove it is correct. If I recall correctly the one on display at the Chrysler museum has a woodgrain dash also. Maybe the ones with AC came with the woodgrain dash, or maybe it was some combination of option packages, but not all Lil Red Express had a silver dash.

[Ram3500Dually]

HA1 Air Conditioning Optional
GL2 Tinted glass Optional
KB5 Bucket Seats Optional
KT6 Red Interior Optional
KT1 Black Interior Optional

It must be the air difference because these are the ONLY options on a LRE.

[04 Rumbles]

The St. Louis Car Museum isn't just a museum- it is just an up-scale used car place that specializes in upscale antique and collectible used cars. Ive never dealt with them personally, but know people who have, and they are a well respected business. They have overe 150 cars on display and another 60 or so for sale or on consignement.
The VIN checks out, so this is a real LRE, but it is not even close to a proper restoration- someone fixed it up and made it a nice driver though.
Sweet Truck!

[dr. bob]

Looking around on Google Images, in the Dupost Registry, and Hemmings, I think more and more that the woodgrain dash came with A/C. Paul's has AC, and every place a woodgrain dash LRE has a picture of the engine bay I see the AC compressor. Funny how I never noticed that before.

[Ram3500Dually]

Never noticed it either since most Lil Reds I see don't have air.

[jdr1234]

Final bid was at US $11,755.00 -----and did not sell!

[~77~]

I am about 30 mins from this place, I might just venture over there and eyeball it myself.

[jdr1234]

I am about 30 mins from this place, I might just venture over there and eyeball it myself.

Let us know and take some more pics if you do!

[Ram3500Dually]

They should have sold it. I have seen nicer ones go for less

[Autoglass]

Never noticed it either since most Lil Reds I see don't have air.

All truck have air conditioning,,, it's called 2 - 75 !