This High-Value Dodge Resto Truck with Mitsubishi Origins is Confounding, and We Adore It | Carscoops

      A considerable amount of time and finances has been invested in restoring this overlooked light truck to a condition suitable for shows.

      Recently, a meticulously restored Dodge Ram 50 with minor upgrades was sold. The Ram 50 was a Dodge-branded Mitsubishi L200 light truck from the 1980s. It boasts a 2.6-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 109 horsepower and powers all four wheels through a manual transmission.

      I've always believed that winning a life-altering sum of money would be more about commissioning unique builds rather than simply purchasing high-end supercars. Sure, acquiring a new Ferrari F80 would be fantastic, but I would be far more thrilled about undertaking something much more unconventional.

      Imagine hiring a top-notch shop to install a Civic Type R crate engine in my weathered second-generation Honda CR-V and restoring it to create a remarkable sleeper. And who cares if you’ll never recoup the investment?

      A Neglected Compact Pickup

      It’s likely that such thinking inspired someone to invest an extraordinary amount of time, energy, and money into creating the stunning Dodge Ram 50 Sport truck featured in these images. While the Ram name currently appears only on full-size trucks, during the late 1970s and 1980s, it was also associated with simple, lightweight four-cylinder trucks that endured tough lives before being unceremoniously discarded.

      You probably haven’t encountered one of these rivals to the Ford Courier and Toyota Pickup in years, and certainly not one like this. Restored to a condition that exceeds its original state, its jade-colored exterior is beautifully complemented by striking orange and yellow graphics. This D50 build is impressively refined, appearing largely stock at first glance.

      However, a closer inspection reveals subtle modifications, including enhancements to the appearance and breathing of the 109 hp (111 PS) 2.6-liter inline-four engine, a wooden-lined bed, a robust roll bar, and a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel.

      Vanguard Motor Sales

      The Ram 50 is not truly a Ram but a Mitsubishi L200, sold in the U.S. as the Dodge D50 between 1979 and 1980 before adopting the Ram 50 name. This truck is technically a Power Ram due to its all-wheel-drive transmission, which became available starting in 1982. As an '86 model, it represents the final year of the first generation, with the second-generation pickup introduced in 1987. That year also saw the launch of the larger Dakota by Dodge, but the Ram 50 continued until the mid-1990s.

      What Does a Dream Cost?

      The exact cost of building this truck, which has since been sold, is unknown, but since Vanguard Motor Sales listed it for $59,900, it provides some indication of the financial commitment required.

      So, if money were no object, what kind of unique, impractical project would you create? Something fast? Something unusual? Something only you would appreciate? Share your thoughts in the comments.