tuffone20 Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I just picked up some resin parts for this kit to turn it into a '79 to '81 model year and to go 4X4 with it. Check out the photos. Now I need to find some good 4 wheeling wheels & tires for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuffone20 Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Thanks, I'd like to do this as a short bed, but might have to use the stepside because I haven't had much luck finding the other bed. I tried to delet the other one but couldn't find out how to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blvd1968 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Soreal makes the best tire and wheel combo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwc43 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 The flat hood is wrong for a '79, it should use the scalloped hood. '79 was the only model year for a Dodge truck with 4 headlights. All other years have two headlights. I'm working on a LRE truck right now. Where can I find some of these kits and decals? Would love to build a Warlock to go with my LRE. I have a prebuilt 4x4 step side coming in the mail right now that I want to strip down and rebuild when it gets here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuffone20 Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 The flat hood is wrong for a '79, it should use the scalloped hood. '79 was the only model year for a Dodge truck with 4 headlights. All other years have two headlights. Well that's a bummer cause I was told it was for a '79 to '81 Dodge truck. Oh well still going to build it, but now I don't know what year it is going to be?? Thanks or the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwc43 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 (edited) Welcome,anytime. They went with the flat hoods on 80 and up, but that would be a dual headlight only, not a quad. So, who ever told you 79 was only off by one year. '80 was kinda a make over year for the body. So if you use the quad lights, you are pretty much stuck with a scalloped hood to make it look correct. The body is pretty much unchanged from '72 to '79 and all panels will change up till '93 if you put the right pieces together to make it look right. 1994 was the first year for the swoopy fenders. Some say it was taken from the Studebaker trucks and I have actually seen a pic of both trucks side by side, so they may be right after all. I do know the '94 up trucks are more areo though. Edited March 24, 2009 by dwc43 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuffone20 Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 So I can pass it off for an 80 model year? Which is what I was hopping for? And does So-Rear have a web site? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwc43 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 So I can pass it off for an 80 model year? Which is what I was hopping for? Yep, as long as you put in the dual headlights instead of the quads. The step side beds are all the same from '72 to when ever the last year they used them. Only step side I ever owned was a '78 Trail Duster 4x4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwc43 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 That's incorrect. I worked for Mopar for 6 years. The quad lights was a one year only model and there was no upper or lower level to it. If you bought a '79, you got quad lights no matter what trim level you bought with the truck. No if you like you could put a quad light set up in any year truck from '72 to '93 cause all this stuff will swap, but it wont make it right for the yeat vehicle you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuffone20 Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 Sweet! I just looked at the 79 & 80 trucks and seen what I needed to see. Thanks for posting that link it has lots of good info and photos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwc43 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 1980 1979 1978 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwc43 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Notice that the 1980 truck is the first year for the plastic grill too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwc43 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 OK, soooo you'r telling me BOTH broshures are wrong ?? I copied the pics to my fotki so I could post them. Here's some pics from the '79 brochure ,, , , and a couple from the '80 broshure. The truck you have in you'r post as an '80 is an '81. Yep, I'm afraid so. Some of those pics in that ad are last years models. No '80's truck every had quad lights. And in some of the smaller pics are some real old king cab wrecker shots and plow truck shots. They really messed that ad up. I guess they thought no one would notice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwc43 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I like the black and gold Mitsubishi 50 in there. Neat little truck with a 5 spd and 2.6 4 banger. The Mikuni carbs on those things sucked though. Almost $800 dealer price for one of those and you could never get a rebuilt carb to work on those things. Years later they finally put a Holley/Webber design on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 (edited) Well,, I guess we'll just agree to disagree then. I'm old enough to remember when those trucks were new. the brochures are not wrong. I remember those also...the '80 had the black out on the grille, and was the first year they used the Ram name, IIRC. My Dad had a '79 Power Wagon 4x4 w/ the quad lights from '82 till '94...I learned to drive in that truck..was quite a turd, not much power, no steering feel or centering, would often stall on left turns. I would assume the quad light vs. single lights was a trim level thing, my Dad's '79 was a Power Wagon w/ the Adventurer and Prospector packages. Edited March 24, 2009 by Rob Hall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwc43 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 They screwed those ads up all the time. I've got several that are screwed up that I was using to write a book with. I've owend several trucks over the years. I've got a '68 D330 and a '70 D300 car hauler that we use to tow our race cars with. Still have an '85 4x4 as well. I bet I never get rid of that one. Only owned one step side though. Never owned a quad light '79 cause I just don't like the look. A friend of mine has both a quad light '79 and the single light '80 and '81. He put a 440 in the '81 step side. Will just light the tires at will even in high gear. He did it one night on a bridge in town just to prove it would do it. Bad truck for sure. Don't like these new ones as much as the old ones though. They just aint as tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VW Dave Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 1979 Looking at the underside of it, that's the flat hood you said is incorrect for a '79. My mom's old '79 was originally owned by a neighbor, and she bought it in '81; the hood was flat on it from day one: My dad also owned a low-mile '79 for a couple of years that had the same 'incorrect' hood on it. I'll also agree to disagree with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 (edited) Looking at the underside of it, that's the flat hood you said is incorrect for a '79. My dad also owned a low-mile '79 for a couple of years that had the same 'incorrect' hood on it. I'll also agree to disagree with you. Yeah, the '79-80 had the flat hood w/ the raised section and the ridge down the center...similar to the '81+ models, probably (since MPC didn't do the '81 and up, I don't know how similar they are..I know the taillights changed and they added creases to the fenders and a new dash). The hood with the Sebring-style indents was '72-78 only AFAIK.. Edited March 24, 2009 by Rob Hall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_rules Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 (edited) My 1980 setting in my driveway right now, '78 Dodge van behind it. Edited March 24, 2009 by bill_rules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwc43 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 It's possible that they are late year builds and just used the new hood cause the old ones were discontinued and they ran out. Happens all the time, but it does not make it a correct piece for the truck. For instance in my real car garage I have a Charger that has a blower motor and heater assembly for the rear defrost. That car should have had electric rear defrost, it's even in the broch, but I am sure they had left over parts and use them up. For another instance, there are FOUR known 4 dr. 426 Hemi cars in '64. They were never available, but they do exist. Mopar screwed up all the time,so I wont say it's not possible to get some factory screw ups, it's just not correct for the model year and if you check the numbers, they will confirm that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 My 1980 setting in my driveway right now That kind of looks like the color my Dad's '79 was.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 (edited) It's possible that they are late year builds and just used the new hood cause the old ones were discontinued and they ran out. Happens all the time, but it does not make it a correct piece for the truck. For instance in my real car garage I have a Charger that has a blower motor and heater assembly for the rear defrost. That car should have had electric rear defrost, it's even in the broch, but I am sure they had left over parts and use them up. For another instance, there are FOUR known 4 dr. 426 Hemi cars in '64. They were never available, but they do exist. Mopar screwed up all the time,so I wont say it's not possible to get some factory screw ups, it's just not correct for the model year and if you check the numbers, they will confirm that. That was 30 years ago...unless you worked for Chrysler then, how would you really know? Every 1:1 '79 Dodge truck I've seen in the past had the '80 style hood... my Dad's did. Edited March 24, 2009 by Rob Hall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigPoppa Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 How about you just make it so it looks good I like the flat hood a lot better, where did you get the parts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuffone20 Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 How about you just make it so it looks good I like the flat hood a lot better, where did you get the parts? that's just what I'm going to do! It can be a Johnny Cash truck!! A part from this year and a part from that year As for the parts let me check with the person that made them to see if he is going to be doing anymore of them and I'll let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
early iron Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 (edited) I too had a '79 (well my father owned it, bought it new, but I drove it some times) and it had the flat hood. I think the other hood was only on the '78. That was a fun truck, probably one of the fastest vehicles made at that time. Edited March 24, 2009 by early iron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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