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Thread: Chrysler D50 Sport 1979

  1. #1

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    Chrysler D50 Sport 1979

    Hi from Australia! I bought this 1979 Chrysler D50 Sport at the beginning of the year. Also known over here as the Mitsubishi L200 Ute. This little ute was originally the Promo vehicle for Chrysler Australia and was then re-badged for Mitsubishi Motors Australia and kept as the promo vehicle for the model run from 1979-1986. It was subsequently sold to one of the Chrysler/Mitsubishi mechanics and largely owned by that family all these years until recently. It hasn't done a lot of work over the years (140000kms) and has been garaged and kept original. It has a factory fitted 2.6 and 5 speed as well as factory fitted air con, so it's specked the same as an American Dodge D50- we only ever had 2lt 4G52 or 4G63 motors in them from factory over here. I believe the 2.6 & 5 speed came from the Scorpion/ Sigma production lines. Anyhow, it's very rare for an Aussie car and a great little survivor. I plan to restore it fairly faithfully- it has quite a few engine gremlins at present, the main one being a head problem, burning off a lot of coolant. So i'm weighing up rebuilding the 2.6 vs swapping in a DOHC 4G63 I previously converted into another L200 some years ago that I recently bought back as a wreck. I'll post something about that car separately.
    Hope it's of some interest to you good people!
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  2. #2




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    Great looking truck - it looks just like the 1979 - 1980 Dodge D-50 sport models here in the USA. They came with the 2.6 and either a 5 speed or "baby" 904 Aisin-Warner 3 speed automatic. I also see the bucket seats that were in the sport model only. Any chance of some interior pictures? Welcome to the forum!
    Pennyman1
    The best Dodge that Dodge never made
    Living the D-50 lifestyle since 1980

  3. #3

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    Thanks! I've only seen 1 or 2 other genuine 79'-80' sport models over here. Yep, interior looks to be the same as your Dodge D-50 Sport, same stripes also, which I need to replace. Don't suppose anyone has re-created them over there?
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  4. #4




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    As a matter of fact, they have been recreated for your yellow truck by someone on this forum - pm 2nup350 for details. I wish the US version came with the center armrest. The center of the seats are the same as the bench seat material, and the dash is totally different than the regular truck one.
    Pennyman1
    The best Dodge that Dodge never made
    Living the D-50 lifestyle since 1980

  5. #5

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    Awesome!, I'll send a message re the stickers. The centre arm rest is actually a really cool folding middle seat! it is slightly different vinyl, so I think someone has added it somewhere along the way. It is a perfect fit in there, and it's made like a proper seat with spring mesh. It is super handy when i have both kids in the car with me, and a handy arm rest otherwise. The vinyl is a bit cracked so I'm going to have it re-trimmed to match the seats better, and actually mount it to the floor- it currently 'floats' in the middle there. The seats & door trims are still in great condition. To be honest, between the seats, armrest, spring rates, diff ratio and air con, by today's standards it is still a really comfortable car to drive. Not bad for pushing 40 years old eh!

  6. #6

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    welcome to the forum MrL200 good looking little truck the only bad thing i see wrong is the steering wheel is on the wrong side but other wise nice

  7. #7

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    Another member from Oz! Your truck has S.A. plates on it - what's the story? I would advise you not to butcher an all original truck with an engine swap. There are literally no L200's left that haven't been driven into the dirt. If it was a beater, the crime has already been committed and turning it into a project build would be less blasphemous. I looked for a year before I found one that had everything I wanted, and even then it was a mess. Got pics of your previous project?
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  8. #8




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    I agree with Geezer don't butcher it with an engine swap. I have a 1981 Dodge Ram 50 Big Horn truck that is very rare as well, and I am planning to restore it as close to factory as I can - afaik, there are only 5 left in existence, and one was 4g63t swapped. the interior is trashed, and the motor has a rod knock, but it is mostly all there and no rust holes anywhere, just surface rust in a few places.
    Pennyman1
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  9. #9

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    Very clean. A great starting point to chop up!

    Looks nearly factory fresh, would definitely stand out at a car show

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by jamesw View Post
    welcome to the forum MrL200 good looking little truck the only bad thing i see wrong is the steering wheel is on the wrong side but other wise nice
    Ha! I've been thinking the same about your trucks! It's bizarre how similar mine is to the Dodge D 50 sport and then all our L200's have quarter side windows and all American ones have a full side window.

  11. #11

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    Geezer & Pennyman, i think you blokes are on the money. I originally went looking for a good one to do a hemi V8 swap. Turns out i got one that is too good! It's unique in the fact that the 2.6 and 5 peed were factory fitted by Chrysler, so i do really want to hang on to that originality but i also want to lift performance- the 4G63 N/A DOHC has more possibility of tuning and ultimate performance- and i have one already (and a good 5 speed narrow trans). I would do a lot more on engine conversion this time tho rather than changing the car to fit the motor- so that it could be reverted back to the 2.6 later on. I'm very big on not modifying the actual car. But it would also be good to (and simpler) to rebuild the 2.6 with some go-fast mods.

  12. #12

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    Hey Geezer, I bought the ute in Adelaide- It was Retained by Chrysler originally and not actually registered until 1986 when it was bought by one of the retiring mechanics who later passed it on to his brother who i believe was an ex Chrysler pattern maker, at the time living in Melbourne. It was used by a race team carting tyres etc around Calder park and later running the occasional pattern to the foundry, and a lot of sitting around in a garage so it seems. It's showing 46000k's on the clock, doesn't have a number in front but i don't think it's been around the clock more than once, there is very little rust around it- none in the doors, sills or floor, just bits and pieces of surface stuff. I bought it from a guy in Adelaide- cut a deal over the phone and flew to Adelaide, drove it back. I think there was only one other owner between the 'son' and the guy i bought it from. There's a photo online of it with plates "sly 079" and white walls. Its a good thing it didn't end up in the hands of a mini trucker like to only other Chrysler D50 sport i've seen- a red one that has been air bagged. At any rate, i think it looks just great in my garage!
    I'm struggling to find photos of my blue ute in it's glory- there is one on my website tho.
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  13. #13

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    This is what's left of my old blue 83' L200. This has a 4G63 N/A conversion in it. I sold it a few years ago and then found it for sale at a wrecker when i was looking for parts for my yellow one. It had a full custom fibreglass front end on it that i made. I bought it back earlier this year, still not sure what i'm doing with it yet...
    There is a photo of it on the Gallery page of my website when i put it on the road in 2007. I'll dig up some other photos soon.
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  14. #14

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    Ready to drive in 2007. Came off the road after the engine died in 2001.
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  15. #15

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    Your blue project build was a nice truck. Looks like it took a big hit Was that a Skyline front bar on it? If you want to go US style you can use Sigma doors. I remember seeing one on sigma-galant.com when I was an active member. You can get the 2.6 hauling well enough without messing with the truck too much. A decent duration cam and a Weber carb will be a good start (you've already got extractors with some thermal wrap so I wouldn't be surprised if it's had some port work). I've seen bike carbs on the 2.6 and it sounds mean and goes hard.
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  16. #16

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    I have been talking recently to an engine builder re the 4g54 & looking at deleting balance shafts, balancing crank, looking at heads, valves/springs and compression ratios, cam and carby options. The idea with the 4g63 dohc is that i can leapfrog all that development work and tune up a better power/torque curve with an aftermarket computer. cost wise, it will probably be much the same either way, but more expensive in the exhaust dept with the swap and potentially in the wiring and conversion mods i have in mind. I do like the idea of keeping the yellow one original and rebuilding the 4g54 will be more straightforward so will probably go that way. Which leaves the door open for a better go at the 4g63 in the blue one when i do something with it.
    Blue ute was a lot of work over several years starting in 2002 when i was a bit inspired by the Rodeo's at the time. I was trying to modernize and produce something that might have been a 'factory GSR' model. It was always intended to have a tub tray but couldn't find one. The front bar is a modified version of the mid 90's triton bar and the indicator/park lights to suit. The grille is custom made from a foam pattern to suit. I have a mould for each of those. Guards and bonnet were fibreglass also- i still have those moulds but I'm going to remake them- guards will be a straight copy, bonnet will be something along the lines of Pennyman's Geronimo but i will most likely copy a standard bonnet to start that process off.

  17. #17

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    It wasn't until you said the front end was all fibreglass that I noticed the bonnet didn't have the centre ridge, then the added small side indicators. Wow. I mean that is some really nice body work. You have ticked all the right boxes on the 4G54 rebuild. I'd remodel the bonnet with a reverse air intake over the exhaust manifold side to vent instead of scoop. Heat is the enemy in these trucks, especially the G63B engine. The Gen 1's don't look right with a drop side tray on them, it ruins the lines of the truck. I'm in 2 minds of a custom grille. I'd like to do a full flush front end but I still like my chrome bumper (I picked up a wreck with a Volvo air dam grafted to the underside of it's bumper which is quirky, but works due to the Swedish brick being about the same width and similar body styling) A factory GSR would have twin headlights and a box section or honeycomb grille in black, a front air splitter lip with GSR on the lower right side and no chrome trim strips on the cab (they'd probably be black) The badges would be the same as Sigma GSR's - 2.6 GSR in red. GSR's come with bonnet vents or flutes. If you wanted to really up the ante on the 2.6 - hunt down Sigma GH turbo gear. It's neanderthal tech but is a completely different flavour of mental. My friends' GH in near stock form was silly fast...
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  18. #18

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    Cheers, i originally made the front grille to suit the standard bonnet and modified the plastic corners of the triton bar, painted the whole cab in acrylic, then decided i didn't like it. So i took a mould off the bar, bonnet and guards, made new guards, filled in the ridge and pointy front in the bonnet mould & made the bonnet and remodelled the grille to suit, took a mould off it and made a new one of them, this time with a flat return back to the top of the radiator support. Then painted the hole cab again in 2-pack. I've gone full circle now tho, i'm more into original with some added extras rather than full custom. I like your ideas on a GSR concept- I may end up doing something along those lines with the blue one. I do have loose plans to take moulds off the tub on the yellow one when i do the resto so i can make a new all fibreglass tub for the blue one. One day, when i have time...
    I'm definitely leaning more towards rebuilding my 2.6, not turbo tho. I'd actually like to see if a single 45mm down draught weber might work under the original air cleaner.

  19. #19

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    A 45 downdraft will be too big but a 38 DGES will be up for the task. It seems the 38 is becoming more popular for carbie swaps. Has more top end potential than the 32/36 and is a more modern design. You'll be able to hide it under a modified air cleaner without too much grief and will work with an off the shelf adapter plate.
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  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by geezer101 View Post
    A 45 downdraft will be too big but a 38 DGES will be up for the task. It seems the 38 is becoming more popular for carbie swaps. Has more top end potential than the 32/36 and is a more modern design. You'll be able to hide it under a modified air cleaner without too much grief and will work with an off the shelf adapter plate.
    Great! Thanks for the tip, sounds like a plan.

  21. #21

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    cool body mods on the blue truck

    that yellow is clean


    Too bad u ruled out turbo 2.6, and u don't have a supply of starion TBI bits for the taking
    They make excellent project material. Performance rips with simple mods, stock ecu/simple wiring. Look nice to


  22. #22


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    Hello MrL200, welcome & thanks for showing your amazing find; what a gem you have down there... I'm HOPING you keep that truck forever and buy the kids ice cream & junk food on your outings with them... Maybe you could get a chance to drive a 2019 Corvette ZR1 (anything with 755 HP) sometimes to satisfy the need for acceleration & speed..?

    My brother solved a cooling system head gasket leak with one bottle of Bars Leaks on my 2.6L truck; you could see a steam & water trail out the tailpipe but the Bars fixed it...

    I owned & drove a bunch of right hand drive cars when the USNavy kept me in Japan; fun I spotted one minor difference in your truck compared to the US export model... Hint: Red rear side marker lights...

    I'm a newbe here + I have no right telling you what to do = I LOVE YOUR TRUCK MAN

  23. #23

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    Those are some crowded Starion engine bays. I am surprised that they are still running the single injector system. The similar set up in Cordia turbos was woeful. Oz never had 2.6 turbo Starions - only the G63B turbo which was a good bit of kit. This is why I recommended the GH Sigma turbo gear. It uses a draw through turbo with a CD 175 style Stromberg carb on it. No ECU or electronics on it but it requires a distributor that is set up for boost.
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  24. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by xboxrox View Post
    Hello MrL200, welcome & thanks for showing your amazing find; what a gem you have down there... I'm HOPING you keep that truck forever and buy the kids ice cream & junk food on your outings with them... Maybe you could get a chance to drive a 2019 Corvette ZR1 (anything with 755 HP) sometimes to satisfy the need for acceleration & speed..?

    My brother solved a cooling system head gasket leak with one bottle of Bars Leaks on my 2.6L truck; you could see a steam & water trail out the tailpipe but the Bars fixed it...

    I owned & drove a bunch of right hand drive cars when the USNavy kept me in Japan; fun I spotted one minor difference in your truck compared to the US export model... Hint: Red rear side marker lights...

    I'm a newbe here + I have no right telling you what to do = I LOVE YOUR TRUCK MAN
    Cheers! I can't see myself ever selling the yellow one. They're an old-ball classic but totally rare and unique to anything else getting around. I'm planning to get my speed fix out of the blue ute- I'll most likely get all my custom 'wriggles' out with it building it into a crossover rally/ hill climb/ hoon machine and leave the yellow one as a classic Sunday cruiser. I have it on historic rego which means it needs to stay largely original. This rego is super cheap and limited to 60 drive days per year plus club events which is perfect. My plan is to restore it ground-up into the best example in the southern hemisphere.
    I'll keep an eye out for those marker lights!

  25. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by dash View Post
    cool body mods on the blue truck

    that yellow is clean


    Too bad u ruled out turbo 2.6, and u don't have a supply of starion TBI bits for the taking
    They make excellent project material. Performance rips with simple mods, stock ecu/simple wiring. Look nice to

    I did think about a turbo 2.6- but would go MPI and aftermarket computer/ modern injection path replacing dizzy with crank/cam angle sensors etc. It will mess with my historic rego conditions too much so I'll be doing all that in the blue ute down the track with a 4g63t dohc setup and another custom FRP body- this time a full fibreglass tub tray as well as front end.

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