Greenlight 1978 Dodge Ramcharger

The final part of the 1970's Dodge trucks in diecast is the Greenlight 1978 Dodge Ramcharger, the only diecast version of the Ramcharger and one of Greenlight's first foray into 4x4 SUV's.

Click Here For Photo Gallery

A bit late to the party

In 1966 Ford released the Bronco as their first SUV, then in 1969 Chevy released the K-5 Blazer as their first true 4x4 SUV.  Dodge had to wait until a new D-series pickup platform was released in 1974 to finally have one of their own called the Ramcharger.  Dodge had a late start, and starting in a gas crisis was not a good start either, but the truck lasted on for a few decades before phasing out in the mid-1990's as Dodge decided to make a more competitive SUV based on the mid-size Dakota truck platform.  For Mexico they got another generation of the Ramcharger that was produced until 2001; essentially a Ram pickup front with the back-end of the Durango SUV.

Click Here For Photo Gallery

The early versions are still prized by many for its rugged looks and durable frame with live axles front and rear for serious 4x4 work.  The styling looks just like a regular-cab, short-bed D-150 4x4 with a top in the back and a spare tire on the rear tailgate.  The inside is the same, now with a rear seat and a roll cage behind the top which can come off just like the Bronco, Blazer, International Scout, and Jeep competitors.  The engine family is the same as the D-series trucks from I-6 to several V8 options through a three-speed automatic or four-speed manual, transmissions with a 2-speed transfer case .  The 5.9 Magnum V8 was the most common on the Ramcharger's.

Click Here For Photo Gallery

Also interesting to note is the Plymouth version called Trail Duster from 1974-1981.  What's the difference?  Aside from a few extra details nothing much (it was probably a filler for the Plymouth line to spread cross for the platform and the Chrysler corporation).  Greenlight released the Trail Duster a few years after the initial release as a Ramcharger; since then the casting has been used more in the Plymouth guise than the Dodge one.

Click Here For Photo Gallery

The Greenlight versions

Now I don't have all of the variations, but Greenlight did a nice job with them:  open-top, closed-top, Fire truck, rescue vehicle, camoflauge, you name it!  The first release was the open-top version with the yellow and white two-tone banana crème color and blacked-out steel wheels.  The details were excellent from the big front grille to the rear-end with taillights, silver tailgate panel, and spare tire on the frame mount.  The interior is sharply-done as well with correct dash, seat pattern, and door panel details, along with the four-wheel drive floor shifter.  The hood opens to reveal the engine compartment with the large air cleaner with dual inlet pipes.  The chassis is metal and features the correct details as well; also note this is one heavy casting!

Click Here For Photo Gallery

Shortly after the first Country Roads release, the hard-top version appeared in the Black Bandit release (doesn't it look cool with the B.B. 1966 Ford Bronco?).  The blacked-out look perfectly matches the wheels compared to the banana crème version.  The top is plastic, is nicely detailed with the window trim, and comes off; however the top doesn't like to stay on during movement since there is no latching points, so it's only good for display purposes (the 1966 Bronco, with the same top-on, top-off look, resolves this by securely attaching the top to the front windshield).

Click Here For Photo Gallery

About a few years later in another Country Roads release, the Ramcharger was rebadged a Plymouth Trail Duster, which also includes relocating the front badge from the grille to the hood, changing the rear tailgate badge, reuniting the two-tone look, and adding rallye wheels from the Chevy Muscle car family.

Click Here For Photo Gallery

I hope the Ramcharger/Trail Duster returns in the near future because with more 4x4's coming in, the Bronco and the 2014 Jeep Wrangler, the Ramcharger/Trail Duster will fit just into possibly a new series for Greenlight: Rugged 4x4's!

Update 7/23/18: Added pictures of the Ramcharger from the All-terrain series.  Now the Ramcharger is not new to the series it does, however, mark the return of the removable roof, separate lifted axles, front bumper bar, and a very cool rally racing deco.