The new-ish parts hauler

[Roadtech195]

I just picked this up today. 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 sport 4x4 5.9L 140k asking price was 5,995 and I got it for 4000 out the door. All it needs is a dashboard and radiator. No rust,dents or dings at all. New tires too!

[ga93sle]

Not too shabby! Std cab short boxes are my favorite, and I love Ram Sports. Those 5.9s are beasts! Just don't expect to pass any gas stations lol.

[SSEiMan01]

Wait... What!?!?!? It's NOT rotted out?!?!?! What is this sorcery???


I like it! You did good!

[Sadden]

Quick grab a can of WD40 and wipe the whole works down to keep it that way.

[00Beast]

Nice Truck!!

He's in Texas, guys. Hence why no rust, lol.

Funny story: lots of Briggs & Stratton engines use the same spark plugs as that truck. Just some food for thought.

[SSEiMan01]

Ed, those older Ram's rot out if they're sealed in a vacuum from day one...

[Roadtech195]

I have the radiator, fan shroud and related stuff out of the truck. The only rust I have found was on the fan shroud bolts! I'm going to clean them up and be done. I found out I have a seperate transmission cooler and oil cooler so I am thinking it has the tow package.

[Roadtech195]

I got the radiator in and everything is good. The lady and I took it out for a road test and even with it being 101F today, the truck never got hotter than 210. Now I have to fix the dashboard. I was thinking of gluing the pieces together and then wrapping it in deerskin. I'll post pics if I do it.

[Hotwheels]

Wait... What!?!?!? It's NOT rotted out?!?!?! What is this sorcery???


I like it! You did good!

Ditto. It blows my mind to see a un-rusted '94-01 Ram. All the ones in heavily salted northern MN are severly rusted - don't think I've seen a rust-free one for at least a couple years. Always liked the looks of them, and remember how groundbreaking they were when they came out in '94. Is the tranny pretty solid on it? That's the main weak link on the 5.2/5.9-equipped Rams. Visited my in-laws this summer out in Utah, and everyone out there is driving rust free '94-01 Rams. Hmm...I have an idea of where my next truck may come from...I'd be interested in bringing back a '03+ Ram 5.7L in a couple years.

[ga93sle]

Wait... What!?!?!? It's NOT rotted out?!?!?! What is this sorcery???


I like it! You did good!

Ditto. It blows my mind to see a un-rusted '94-01 Ram. All the ones in heavily salted northern MN are severly rusted - don't think I've seen a rust-free one for at least a couple years. Always liked the looks of them, and remember how groundbreaking they were when they came out in '94. Is the tranny pretty solid on it? That's the main weak link on the 5.2/5.9-equipped Rams. Visited my in-laws this summer out in Utah, and everyone out there is driving rust free '94-01 Rams. Hmm...I have an idea of where my next truck may come from...I'd be interested in bringing back a '03+ Ram 5.7L in a couple years.

We have an 01 Sport Quad Cab on our lot right now with no rust on it... If I didn't like the GP so much it would be in my driveway right now lol.

[Roadtech195]

Transmission is working fine, hauled a pallet of paver block about 15 miles and it didn't slow it down much, no slippage or anything. I may have the tranny rebuilt in the future just for piece of mind. bbk thottle body and headers are next.

[tripscarcare95]

Very Nice

I have a blue 1998 Ram sport that I picked up last fall. I use it as a daily driver and its a good hauler for Home Depot purchases. Newer tranny and over 305,000km, or 190000 miles. Thing runs like a champ, could compare this motor to a GM 3.8 L just cant kill it.

[sandrock]

The 318 that was in the old Jeep Grand Cherokee I bought for the stepdaughter just would not die, no matter what was thrown at it. HORRIBLE fuel mileage, but it wouldn't leave you stranded!

[LakevilleSSEi]

360's are fun, until you realize you're putting your truck payment thru the filler hose a week LOL. Won't leave ya stranded but the mileage on those things you'd almost wish they would LOL

[Roadtech195]

Yeah the first week of ownership put a dent in the wallet. I am going to do a tune up on it this weekend and see if I can get some better mpgs out of it.

[sandrock]

A tune up....a GOOD tune up at that...won't be nearly as effective as you think it oughta be. It'll run better, sound better, give you a little bit more power.

But more economy?? Very little, if any.

[LakevilleSSEi]

Yeah there's really nothing to do to get decent MPG gains out of a 360 other than don't drive it.....

[Roadtech195]

The to do list for this weekend will be: plugs, wires, filters, and a seafoam treatment. I don't expect to gain too much on mpg's but at least I know it will be less things to go wrong. This truck needs a fwi or something to ease the flow of air, already has a good exhaust system on it.

[LakevilleSSEi]

They respond to CAI/FWI's pretty well...hey could net ya 1-2 MPG...so get ya to about 8.5-9 MPG lol

[olblueeyesbonne]

Don't know what you guys are talking about -I'm driving a 01 2500 quad cab 4x4 with a 5.9L and just tonight I drove 40 miles down I94 @ 73mph and averaged 27.6 mpg according to the overhead info center.

Coming through a 60 mph zone with cruise set at 60 on level road (hardly any wind) and the instant readout was showing 34-35 mpg.