Trail Duster on the bay for $150 ends today

[Mr_Snerdly]

This Ebay in Palmdale 74 Trail Duster is a 360 4bbl, with AC.
The owner says that it is not bashed in right front.
Only a switched fender.
Some of the missing parts, like the side glass are inside.
Someone needs to buy this since I might do something rash
if no one else bids.    

Even my daily driver Ram 2500 is not running now nor my other two old trucks so I would have a hard time
dragging it 50 miles home even though I have the right trailer.
By the way,  I need a strong trailer hitch for an 84 R/c.
All the application guide exclude Ramchargers with gas tank skid plate.
It almost seems like the one on my 95
has the right dimensions even though they are two totally different generations of Dodge!

[hiltman]

Nice find! I bought my '77 Ram Charger in 2006 for smog exempt status. Unfortunately, they stopped the rolling 30 year exemption shortly after! I'lll have to drain the battery in my mouse to help me restrain from clicking on that bid button! I'll check back on that listing later to see where it's at.

I know a guy who has an '84 RC if I recall. I think the back portion of his skid plate was cut out. I wonder if it was done to mount a trailer hitch. Bill has an '87. He may have a suggestion.

John

[hiltman]

Mr. Snerdly,

I'm going to take a stab at this TD. Reply back if you are feeling Rash, and I won't bid. I just woke up. I guess it's not a good idea to stay up intil 4am!

John

[hiltman]

Thank you for posting this link Mr. Snerdly!

I just picked it up for $150. Smog exempt, here I come!!!

John

[hiltman]

PS... I sent an email to ask about that skid plate. I'm positive he has a trailer hitch. I'll let you know if he has any information.

[hiltman]

I lied, it wasn an '86 RC with a hitch, not an '84 RC. He took the full skid plate from Spider Ram's RC before it was sold earlier this year and no longer has a hitch. The previous owner did have to remove the rear portion of the skid plate in order to install the hitch that was on it. But he doesn't think that all styles of hitches would require skid plate removal or modification.

I have a friend in CO I can check with too. His RC has a Cummins Turbo Diesel conversion, and is definitely set up for towing.

John

[Mr_Snerdly]

That's awesome that you bought it.
I was laughing    when I read that you'll have to drain the batteries from your mouse.
I can relate to that!
I was tempted up till the last second. When someone bid
15 seconds before the end I was relieved because I would have even been tempted for 15
more seconds and maybe even contacted the seller after the auction.
But my neighbors and code enforcement will be the better for it.
But I will be living the whole experience of you owning it vicariously!
So keep the updates coming!
It is cool of the owner to sell it for cheap.  Just a core for the engine is worth the price.

But I'd bet if it didn't sell, he would have sent it to the junk yard.
A pre smog, 360 4bbl hopefully rust free, mostly complete Trail Duster!
The midwesterners (like I used to be) never see that for 10 times the price.

It MAY even run.
By the way, it has two aluminum slots on the back. I can set you up with two more.
I bought them for my 75 club cab short bed but switched to 8 lug axles.

[hiltman]

I left a voice mail and sent an email earlier in the day to clarify the title situation. He replied to my email with less than five minutes left on the auction, so that's why the bid came in so late. For the price, I would have bid even if he didn't respond. I was really surprised that nobody else had bid on it yet. And I would definitely hate to see it go to the crusher. I'll see if I can get some vehicle history when I pick it up.

How close are you to Simi Valley? I have relatives up that way. What do you need in order to get your trucks back on the road?

John

[Clubbs]

congrats on the new rig... at $150  you can consider it an investment.

Dave

[Mr_Snerdly]

I am in LA, which is about 40 miles south.
My Trucks about 80 about miles east of Simi Vallery, very hot deserty miles.
I have most of the parts I need. I am better at collecting parts than I am at putting
things on. Both my V8's have swapped engines. But these engines were not
proven good. They are pigs in a poke.
I really feel I need two running in case I have to retrieve the first one when the
second one breaks down. So the Ramcharger would need a STRONG trailer hitch.

I have to put the accessories and exhaust and intake on.
I really should start another post for all the things I need. And keep in mind, they
have to be cheap or free.
I really feel I need two running in case I have to retrieve the first one when the
second one breaks down. So the Ramcharger would need a STRONG trailer hitch.

[hiltman]

I just read through your post. You weren't kidding about long!

Why don't you cut and paste the information from the RC and Diesel into seperate posts? You can edit your original post and remove the duplicate info. It may turn into some sort of a build thread if you aren't careful though! Include the basic vehicle info in the subject.

I think things will pick up a bit in here if we get busy on our projects and get out onto the trail a bit more.

John

[Bill Cooke]

I have two trailer hitches but.... the one that would fit is not very strong. The strong one does not fit with a skid plate. I guess that means niether would do you any good. Sorry...

The weak on mounts "outside", mean the side plates are to the outside and the tabs face inward. The strong one has a ton of reinforcing and mounts insdie of the bolts and hangs in the frame just a little. That is why it would not fit with the skidplate. It's also mounted to my truck so there's that problem too. 

We'll see if the 74 has one and if it might work.

I know that all frames are the same from about 76 to 93. Trucks or RC will work for a hitch. The earlier frames (72-75) were quite a bit different at the back so I could not say 100% all hitches would be interchangable. The 94 and up... I could not say. I never checked to see if it could be done. Measure the heck out of it and see I guess. The RC frame is 38" wide if that helps.

Bill Cooke

[Jedrattle]

 

[hiltman]

Jed,
Thanks!

Snerdley,
I'll let you know if the TD has a hitch. You are welcome to it if it does. And if it does, I'll leave it in Simi Valley to make it easier to get to you...

John

[Mr_Snerdly]

Thanks, Hiltman.
No it doesn't have a hitch. They told me that during the auction.
When are you going to pick it up?
I was going to send you a personal message but I can't figure out how.
Do you have any of the other parts I was looking for?
Windshield, springs or blocks?

[hiltman]

I'm going to pick it up Sunday. There are three icons under my profile pic. The second or third one will work to contact me.

Earl asked if any of us had a set of stock springs. It was concluded that my springs/blocks were tossed after I lifted my RC. I'll assess the situation with the '74 TD. There is a good chance that I won't need the stock springs/blocks. How soon do you need this stuff?

John

[Mr_Snerdly]

Did you pick it up?
I am dying of curiosity !   
How is the Trail Duster?

[hiltman]

I can honestly say that Sunday/Monday was the hardest day I remember! Yes, the two days just sort of blended together!

It was very difficult to navigate the trailer in the lot, plus it was rather tricky to even get into the lot.

Only one tire held air. both front tires were shredded. The TD was nosed in to the fence, so it had to be loaded with the rear end to the front of the trailer. I believe the TD would have tracked onto the trailer just find if loaded engine first, or if the front tires held air. We couldn't get the rear tires to guide between the trailer wheel wells. I will definitely need to shorten my ramps too. Adam and his Brother worked hard to help get the TD loaded, but in the end we wound up dropping it for another day. I called AAA to have them pick it up with a flat bed, but the driver wouldn't take it. It probably wasn't worth his time, plus he had a new truck. There were some trees, and he was worried about his paint. I woke up at 6am, started to load at 11am, called AAA at 6pm, gave up at 7pm.

Regardless, it shouldn't have been as big of an ordeal. If I had known the situation of the tires, I would have brought some. As a matter of fact, there were 5 stock tires off a Jeep Cherokee stacked next to my trailer when I picked it up. If you recall in the listing, it was stated that the tires held air, but would slowly leak out.

You might be wondering why this sounds so bad. I drove over 350 miles Sunday. It was 102 degrees in the desert. The only shade I saw was lying on the ground underneath the TD in a swarm of Fire Ants to hook up a chain. I was dehydrated badly, and sun burned by the end of the day. Fortunately, it was windy that day, or it would have felt much hotter. I realized this morning why I felt so terrible. I couldn't piss on Sunday no matter how much water I drank because of the heat. I was pissing blood this morning, and finally passed a kidney stone a couple of hours ago. Definitely a wake up call to take better care of myself. I was in no shape physically for this kind of endeavor.

I'm not totally discouraged yet. I'll reschedule for another weekend, hopefully with some help. But I don't expect too much difficulty now that I've assed the situation. I think my brother in law has a trailer winch I can use next time too.

I really didn't spend much time inspecting the TD. There is rust in the top. The interior is beyond gone. I don't think this TD will be nearly the bargain I hoped for after my time, gas, pain and suffering are all factored in!

Anyhoo, there were a couple of highlights. I was able to visit with my Sister for a half hour, and there was a smokin' hot girl lying by the neighbor's pool. It might have been a mirage for all I know. I only saw her for about 8 seconds!

John

 

[Jedrattle]

 

WOW!! Well, at least you know to take a floor jack, tires, and wrenches/sockets! Good luck!!

[hiltman]

I had all of that with me. We did find one tire in the field that matched up, but it didn't hold air either. Floor jack on dirt not ideal, but doable! Too bad you weren't there. You skinny guys can manuever much better than us big boned guys!

John