Fast Facts
'78 Dodge "Lil' Red Express" pickup truck
Owned by: Greg Willis, Windsor, Virginia
Mopar Power
- Engine: Original E58 cop-engine 360 was rebuilt by Bob Twiford and Greg Willis, and still has its cold-air system with inlets under the grille, chrome exhaust stacks, and no factory-installed cats. Updates include a Comp Cams hydraulic-roller camshaft, ported and polished heads, Dynamax headers, and an Edelbrock "Performer" four-barrel (and intake) instead of the OEM Carter ThermoQuad
- Transmission: Restored 727 Torqueflite, column shifted, with a TCI converter.
- Rearend: Restored 3.55-geared, SureGrip-equipped Dana 60 rear end
Sure Grip
- Suspension: Restored original D150 "Lil' Red Express:" Front coil springs, front sway bar; rear leaf springs and tubular Monroe "Gas Matic" shocks at all four corners
- Brakes: Restored original front discs/rear drums, power assisted
- Wheels and Tires: Period-correct chrome 15 x 10 inch American Racing wheels wear 275/60R15 Kelly-Springfield "Charger" tires
High Impact
- Body: Original '78 D-series pickup cab, short (6 1/2-foot) Utiline bed and frame restored by Donnie Kamper, Smithfield, Virginia. Reproduction wood bed floor installed by Greg Willis.
- Paint: DuPont Bright Canyon Red, in base/clear form, with repro LRE graphics by Phoenix Graphix
- Interior: Restored original'78 D-150 Adventurer black vinyl bucket seats (with Legendary covers), "Tuff" steering wheel and tach-equipped dash. Repro carpets by Auto Custom Carpets.
For LRE duty, the E58 360-inch small-block got a cold-air intake system, chrome air cleaner and valve covers, plus the same camshaft the '68 340 used.