1978-1979 Dodge Lil Red Express
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Contents
Background:
The Last American Hot Rod to roll off the assembly line in the late 1970s.
History:
Model Predecessor
1990-1992 Lil' Red Express Dakota by L.E.R Industries
Model Successor
Export Versions
Related Models
Warlock, Midnite Express Truck, True Spirit
Competition
Ford F-Series Trucks(For 1978 & 1979) Chevrolet Full Size Trucks (For 1978 & 1979)
Body Styles
Technical:
Class
High Class
Platform
Engines
EH1 360 High Performance Chrysler LA small block based on the car division E58 police engine with upgrades. The upgrades included a 68 340 Chrysler LA small block camshaft with a 276 duration, .484 lift and 48 degree overlap. Then a double roller timing chain and gear set was added for durability. A set of 360 high flow heads featuring 1.88/1.62 valves helped moves gases in and out. It used a forged crankshaft with 8:4:1 flat top pistons and featured a bore of 4.00 inches and a stroke of 3.58 inches respectively. It is also believed the rocker arms and springs are more heavy duty than the standard E58 pieces used. Also, Chrysler topped the package by using a 850 cfm Carter Thermoquad 4bbl carburetor with bigger primaries and secondaries than the police version of the carburetor. The engine was rated at 225 hp @ 3800 RPM and 295 lb/ft of torque at 3200 RPM.
- Note: The prototype Lil' Red Express used W2 Cast Iron Heads, Holley Aluminum Intake, and Holley 4160 4bbl carburetor. Again, this was only the prototype and not the production version that featured this items like some people believe.
Transmissions
A727 Loadflite Transmission with upgrades. The upgrades included a 440 valve body install to provide firmer and positive shifts. A Chrysler 9" 2500 rpm stall torque converter was used to give quicker launches and acceleration. The gear ratios were as follows: 1st= 2.45; 2nd= 1.45; 3rd= 1.00; and reverse is a 2.20 ratio.
Specifications:
Length, width, height, wheelbase
Wheelbase = 131.0", Overall length= 210.2", overall width= 79.5", Curb Weight= 3815 pounds, Fuel Capacity= 20.0 gallons, Tread Front/Rear= 67.5"/65.2"
Year by Year Changes, Production Numbers, and Cost:
1978
1979
Wiki Topic References:
Magazine References:
External Links
http://www.dodgeconnection.com
