My red 88 Ram 50

Hello!

I've been using this for resources for my new Ram 50, so I figured I should make an account on here. My Ram 50 is a 1988 with 86k miles on a G63B and 5-speed. Considering it's been in Wisconsin its whole life, the rust on it is minimal - the bottom of both front fenders and the corners of the front valance have bubbling paint, the right rear wheel tub has a 2" square hole through it, and the frame under the left front bed mount has a 3"x5" hole in it (OEM boxed frames suck).

As far as I know, it's all stock (including the chrome 14's), but it needs some work - besides the rust that is. Someone tried cutting the cat off of it, so I'm replacing the exhaust (I was able to get the cat re-welded for $20, so it's just new cat-back). It doesn't have a radio, but I have an install kit for an aftermarket one. Finally, it won't idle. My dad and I are working on that though.

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The topper's not on it anymore, and all the stickers on the truck windows and topper windows have been removed.

I've already done some cosmetic work to it - repainted the front bumper, left mirror, and door frame. Gotta do the right side next week.

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Hi TohruRokuno, welcome to the site. Your Ram looks like it's in pretty good shape. Good luck with sorting out the idle issue with your dad. If you get stuck, well, you've come to the right place to get help :thumbup:

Welcome as well! Just got back from a week's vacation in WI, had a great time but the salt damage I saw on relatively new vehicles was near criminal!

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Originally Posted by geezer101

Hi TohruRokuno, welcome to the site. Your Ram looks like it's in pretty good shape. Good luck with sorting out the idle issue with your dad. If you get stuck, well, you've come to the right place to get help :thumbup:

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I might have to take you up on that help. The carb is stock and up until I got it, untouched (we had to remove the anti-tamper caps for the adjustment screws). I've taken it to a family friend who worked as a technician at a Dodge dealership for 15+ years - he's pretty sure there's a bad solenoid in the carb, one that controls air-fuel mix at idle.

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Originally Posted by lush90

Welcome as well! Just got back from a week's vacation in WI, had a great time but the salt damage I saw on relatively new vehicles was near criminal!

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Yeah, it's why I'm happy with how lightly the D50 got off (rust-wise) - it's definitely not seeing winter use.

I've got first-hand experience with how bad salt damage can be - this was my '97 Escort in 2012:
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It had holes through every footwell, this was just the worst one. It got scrapped when the diff shot spider gears through the trans case.

That...is some serious cancer in floor of that Escort. And the diff ate itself? Did this car have a rough life or was this just another quality Ford product?

The car had an improperly-installed aftermarket power sunroof that contributed to the floor rot (the clear tube by the orange wire is one of the drain tubes for it), but it got most of the rot honestly - the rockers and rear quarters were just as bad.

I'll admit that I didn't baby this car, but these weren't great cars - the automatics had glass jaws and the cylinder heads like dropping valve seats.

I ended up with another one ('97 purple 5-speed sedan) that the motor from the red one went into. I sold it to buy the 50.

Here's what it looks like right now:

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It came back from the exhaust shop last week - the flange where the cat meets the downpipe was bad and leaked, so the shop did a downpipe-back exhaust with cat delete.