What Is it?

The past two weeks we showed you our last pickup for a while. Following the 1957 Ford Ranchero and the 1959 Chevrolet El Camino, the 1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express held us over the Thanksgiving break for two weeks.

We thought this one would keep you scratching your heads during that time, but a great many readers recognized the low-production, two-year vehicle, which Dodge alternately called the Li'l Red Truck. (We hope our clues helped: "Can you identify the year, make and model of this little vehicle. … We're giving you two weeks to express your guess on what this red auto might be." See, we gave you the entire name, except we didn't boldface it last week.)

The pickup stood out among the Dodge lineup for 1978. The short-wheelbase truck, painted Bright Canyon Red, had gold striping, decals and oak panels on the flanks by the wheelwells and in the bed and on the tailgate. Rising above the roof were dual chrome stacks releasing the loud exhaust from the 360-cubic-inch V-8. Horsepower wasn't all that great - 225 net - because those were the big, bad days of government controls to ease pollution.

Still, the truck caught a break and did not have catalytic converters, so it was one of the hot rods of its day. It reportedly was the quickest vehicle from zero to 100 mph in America.

All the trucks had automatic transmissions, and it came with a bench seat, with buckets optional. Chrome five-slot disc wheels and white letter tires were standard.

For 1979, Dodge replaced the single, round headlights with quad rectangular lights, altered the grille and hood, and catalytic converters were added. That year saw a gasoline crisis, so the hard-charging Li'l Red Expresses phased out after 1979.

Chosen randomly from the correct entries was the name of Larry Williams, of Martinez, who wrote: "This week's picture is a Dodge Li'l Red Express truck; however, the year model might be a little difficult with just rear-end picture, for the 1978 and '79 were the same.

"The 1978 had single headlights, while the 1979 had quads and a flat hood. 1979 fell under dreaded catalytic converter rules with a little less horsepower from its 360 engine.

"For several years, I furnished the Speedy Dry trucks and trucks that carried the big fire bottles that were quite heavy for Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 1979, I picked the Li'l Red Express truck for that chore.

"No problem for the Speedy Dry trucks, but the ones for the fire bottles were another story. I had to put another spring in the rear plus the biggest shocks I could find, for the fire equipment they used back then would normally go on a three-quarter-ton truck."

We thank him for his entry. Other readers identifying the vehicle were:

AIKEN: Bob Ennis said it was the 1978 Li'l Red Express: "I recognized this one. Big picture helped. I loved it back then but decided it wouldn't make a good family car, commuter vehicle in the New England winters. So I bought a Dodge V-8 station wagon that was actually pretty good in the snow. This truck was one of the (quickest) vehicles of its time. With a big 360 V-8 and a four-barrel carburetor, it was really a muscle car but not advertised as such. A great iconic vehicle the kids all loved."

Ann Willbrand correctly guessed the truck and said: "I remember seeing a couple of them around Aiken in the mid-'80s."

AUGUSTA: Rick Farris said: "The vehicle in the photo is a 1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express pickup. I believe Dodge made them for only a couple of years, 1978 and 1979. They had the 360-cubic-inch, 225-horsepower engine that Dodge had warmed up with a few performance parts and performed fairly well for the time, although only available with an automatic transmission. I recall seeing a couple of these on the street in Augusta, back in the day. Neat li'l truck!"

Walker Mobley Jr. said: "I think Dodge might have introduced a version of a step-side, short bed pickup and called it a Little Red Truck. This might have been in the late '60s or early '70s, and I don't think it stayed on the market but a few years if that long. I vaguely remember seeing only a few on the street at that time. In thinking about and looking at the photo, I don't think this was offered by Ford or GM. So, I'm going with my best guess and say Dodge. Keep these coming!"

Gary Engen said: "For the third week in a row you have featured a unique pickup truck. This one is the classic 1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express truck.

"Though it may not have looked like it was faster than a Corvette, the Li'l Red Express was reported to be the (quickest) American vehicle (from 0-100 mph) produced that year. The tall exhaust stacks and the bright-red color quickly identified it as that sporty short-bed truck produced by Dodge in 1978. It had a starting price just over $7,400, with slightly more than 2,000 being produced in 1978. If you can find one, they tend to sell from $15,000 to $20,000 on classic car markets today."

Dalton E. Brannen wrote: "The 'little' vehicle is a Dodge Li'l Red Express truck. These were produced in 1978 and '79 and were unique and distinctive. All were red with a large, gold-colored decal on each door and nicely finished wood panels on the sides of the bed and the tailgate. The most unusual feature was the chrome vertical dual exhausts, which came up on both sides behind the cab, one of which is shown in the, photograph. The '78 and '79 were very much the same, with the most visible difference being the single headlights on the '78 and dual headlights on the '79.

"This era was the beginning of increased emissions regulations. Pickup trucks were technically considered to be work and utilitarian vehicles and for a while were exempt from some emissions requirements. Among those was the power-sapping catalytic converter and hence was absent in '78. As a result, it was quick and it was reported to be the best-performing American vehicle from zero to 100 mph for the '78 model year. Though I am skeptical of this claim, it was impressive off the line."

Marc Wilson identified the vehicle and said: "The Li'l Red Truck by Dodge was a high-performance truck more suited for the drag strip than hauling around old mattresses and household junk. I believe it had a 1978-79 production year run, so I am going with my guess of 1978, for that was the first year. My friend John Hayes lusted after one, but the price tag brought him back to reality."

Keith Stone got the 1978 Li'l Red Express: "I have a good friend who would drive his dad's truck often. It had a huge gas pedal that hinged from the floor. Under the hood was a 360 Police Interceptor with dual exhaust stacks. It even had a wood bed and tailgate. We took it to Daytona for our senior Evans High trip in June 1981. He carried our stereo speakers for our sound system. Probably good for 15 mpg on the road.

"That truck was lots of fun back in the day."

Tony Brunson said: "This week's What Is It? is a 1978 or '79 Dodge Li'l Red Express truck. A friend had one, 1979 model, and boy did I want one, too. Cool-looking truck! However, its performance was not like the original Li'l Red Wagon truck. Now that was a cool truck. I always thought the wheelie in it put you in the clouds. I am only guessing this truck was made because of the Li'l Red Wagon.

"Thanks again for the stroll down memory lane."

Scott Eberl said: "I think this is Dodge's power wagon special version of the Little Red Wagon drag truck. Probably 1984."

Lowell Fritsche said: "I knew it as soon as I opened the paper. Little Red Truck. Dodge brought this out in 1978, so that is probably the year. 1979 was the last year for it. The only difference was mostly the engine and drivetrain. It sure was a hit. Anybody who wants one now sure has to pay even if they can find one. In a way they made more sense than the Ranchero or El Camino because you could actually haul something in the Little Red Truck. Not a lot but it wouldn't drop to the axle like my Camino did when I tried to load my lawn tractor."

John Hayes said: "The car in today's paper is a Dodge Li'l Red Express, a 1978-79 vintage truck."

BLYTHE: Ricky Albino said it was the 1979 version of the Dodge Li'l Red Express pickup: "A good friend had one in high school."

CANTON, Ga.: David Anderson said: "Continuing with the truck theme, this week we have the 1978-79 Dodge Li'l Red Express truck. Conceived as a follow-up to the limited-edition 1978 Warlock truck, it is a little more purpose-built than that one. The Warlock was a Utiline (stepside) based Sport Truck, for lack of a better terminology, from the Dodge Adult Toys catalog. It was available only in red, black, orange and two shades of green, each with gold tape striping, chrome running boards, chrome deep-dish wheels and real oak bed side rails. It was advertised as a fun truck that will make you the center of attention while carrying the "gang" around on those weekend outings.

"Also from the Adult Toys catalog, the Li'l Red Express Truck was also based on the Utiline truck body and appropriately only available in red but with a choice of either black or red interior. On the exterior is chrome running boards, chrome slotted wheels, real oak panels attached to the outside of the bed and tailgate and that same gold tape striping as well as gold Li'l Red Express Truck decals on the doors. By far however, the signature outward appearance of this truck is the factory standard, big-rig inspired exhaust stacks on either side of the pickup bed. As far as I know, this is the only factory available non-superduty consumer pickup truck on which exhaust stacks were available - and they were loud. In fact period advertising carried disclaimers that it was not available in all states and that even in the states where it was available, it may not meet local noise ordinances!

"For performance, it was only available with a special modified version of the Police high performance 360 V-8 and an automatic transmission. It is widely recognized as the first factory Muscle truck. It is more than capable of smoking the rear tires and according to Car and Driver magazine tests of the day, it was the quickest American vehicle from 0-100! Allegedly, it could beat the 1978 Corvette in the quarter-mile.

"I can remember first seeing these trucks back in the day and thinking that it had to be a custom job. Of course, I checked them out and was surprised to find that it was a factory offering - impressive I thought! I know that I have seen more than a few of these trucks with the same oak bed side rails as the Warlock although I can find no mention of them in any literature. The Li'l Red Truck is not mentioned in the regular Dodge trucks brochure and the single page pamphlet that I have located for both 1978 and 1979 does not mention the availability of any side rails. All-in-all this is quite the footnote, not just in Mopar history, but in automotive history in general. It might have continued for more than two model years if not for the 1979 gas crisis that pretty much killed off anything with more than 125 horsepower and eventually nearly anything with more than six cylinders!"

CROWN POINT, Ind.: Dan Hoyt's mother in McCormick, S.C., showed him the quiz and he identified the pickup.

EVANS: Paul Perdue wrote: "This week's vehicle is a 1978-79 Dodge Li'l Red Express truck. I procrastinated the last two weeks so here is my last minute guess …"

Steve Proffitt correctly identified the big red truck: "I believe this picture to be the 1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express. I remember seeing these trucks on the road when I was a teenager and thought they were the coolest thing, especially the vertical-mounted exhaust pipes that brought another degree to the coolness factor."

Jerry Paul guessed it to be the 1979 Dodge Li'l Red Express truck."

Jeff Keevil knew it was the 1978 Dodge Little Red Express truck and put in a little Sherlockian deduction: "I think I see a side marker light at the bottom of the picture. That would make it a 1978. The 1979 version had the side markers incorporated into the taillight.

"Back in the '70s I had a friend that was a real Mopar fan, and he really talked up the Li'l Red Truck. Between the new emissions regulations, insurance costs and gas prices, there was not much coming from Detroit in the performance department. It was all show, no go. Dodge built a street-legal hot rod for the masses."

Larry Heath wrote: "1978 Dodge Little Red Express Truck. This was a special edition of a normal Dodge truck. It included red paint, wood trim, vertical exhaust pipes with low-restriction mufflers, and a modified 360-cubic-inch V-8 engine. Also, different wheels and white letter tires were included. It was only available for 1978 and 1979.

"My recollection of riding in one of these is that the interior was rather plain and it was very loud. Not a good vehicle for everyday use."

Bill Harding said: "Once upon a time, Chrysler Corp. had a Dodge Division, which manufactured cars, trucks and vans. All of them wore Dodge nameplates, just as Ford and Chevy cars, trucks and vans wore Ford and Chevy nameplates.

"When Fiat acquired Chrysler in 2010, it was decided that Dodge was no longer a suitable name for a truck. A decision was made to rename the Dodge truck line as Rams. (I am still waiting for Ford to eliminate its name from its truck line and rename it the F-Series Division. Chevrolet may then be expected to rename its truck line the Silverado Division.)

"Anyway, the Dodge Li'l Red Express truck was sold only during the 1978 to 1979 model years. It came with a Medium Canyon Red exterior, with red or black interior trim. Chrome was used on just about everything that could be chromed - side steps, wheels, air cleaner cover and valve covers, and on the dual vertical exhausts and heat shields, which sprouted on both sides, right behind the cab.

"There were gold-colored stripes over the wheel well openings and gold decals on each door. On the tailgate and on each side of the pickup box were simulated oak trim panels, held in place by chromed bolts.

"There was one engine available: a 360-cubic-inch V-8 with a four-barrel carburetor mated to an automatic transmission. Besides the two interior color choices, there were two extra-cost options: air conditioning with tinted glass and bucket seats. I think it is just a bit chintzy that with power steering, automatic transmission, five raised white-letter tires and five chromed wheels, a special steering wheel, those gold decals, the simulated oak panels, and all of that chrome included in the base price - why not throw in bucket seats and air conditioning, too?"

Terry Benton said: "I believe this week's photo is a 1979 Dodge Li'l Red Express. I had to work a little harder on this one. Thanks for your column."

Glenn Frostholm said: "In keeping with the truck scheme, this week's vehicle is a 1978 or '79 Dodge Li'l Red Truck. Unable to tell the exact year. The 1978 had round head lamps, and the '79 had stacked square head lamps."

GROVETOWN: Neal Dutton guessed a 1976 Dodge Li'l Red Express.

HEPHZIBAH: Eddie Cleaves guessed it looked like a 1977 Ford F-150.

KEYSVILLE, Ga.: Glenn Widner accurately identified the truck and added: "The 1978 and '79s were basically the same. The main difference was the 1978s didn't have catalytic converters. The high-performance 360 V-8 engine made about 225 horsepower, which was pretty respectable for the time.

"By contrast, in 1979 I bought a new Chevrolet Malibu with a 267-cubic-inch V-8 engine making about 125 horsepower. All Li'l Red Wagons had a 727 Loadflyte automatic transmission."

LOUISVILLE, Ga.: Bob Holbert wrote: "The vehicle is a 1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express truck. Initially, it was to be called the Red Warlock, but the name changed during production. Engineered for speed, it sported a 360 V-8 with a four-barrel carburetor with minimal pollution-control equipment. Besides its red color scheme, its most obvious features were the vertical dual exhausts like a big rig truck just aft of the cab. The sporty truck was produced only in 1978 and 1979, falling victim to the gasoline crunch that doomed most muscle cars and trucks."

MARTINEZ: Joe Bert said: "This week's quiz features Chrysler Corp.'s version of a dressed-up pickup. You described this image as a 'little vehicle,' and in reality you are correct. That photo shows a 1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express stepside pickup. That truck had a strong-performing 360 Police Interceptor engine with a unique Hemi-style exhaust system. These trucks were produced in 1979 also.

"2,200 of these trucks were made in '78 and 5,000 in 1979."

Travis Starr said: "This week's truck is a 1979 Dodge Li'l Express Adventurer 150, with 225 horsepower. Supposedly the (quickest) American vehicle at the time."

MIDVILLE, Ga.: John Sherrod said it was the 1978-79 Dodge Li'l Red Express: "One year, maybe 1979, had square headlights. I first saw this truck at a Millen, Ga., dealership."

Lawson Brown said: "It looks like a mid-'70s Dodge Little Red Wagon. A tacky gimmick truck that I am so happy went out of style pretty quickly."

MILLEN, Ga.: David Thompson said: "I'm guessing a 1978 or '79 Dodge Little Red Express truck."

NORTH AUGUSTA: Ed Wilcox knew the vehicle: "I saw one of these in a display of new vehicles at a mall when I was in high school and never forgot it even though I never saw another one.

"This week, I was surprised to learn that it was the (quickest) American-made vehicle to 100 mph that year because of its 360-cubic-inch engine with a four-barrel carburetor and an emissions rule loophole allowing pickup trucks to not have catalytic converters."

Paul Brewer said: "I love all the trucks you have been featuring, and you picked the bad boy of 1970s trucks this week. It is the Li'l Red Express Dodge.

"It was only produced in 1978 and 1979, with the '78 being the more desirable model because it didn't have the catalytic converter, so leaded fuel and more horsepower. Car and Driver claimed the '78 Li'l Red Express was the (quickest) American-made vehicle to 100 mph in that model year. The Express came with a 360 V-8 and fairly low gearing, so it really screamed during stop light grand prix.

"These trucks, in good condition, bring a pretty penny at auction today. Another great choice!"

PERRY, Fla.: Larry Anderson had no trouble identifying this vehicle, because he is the reader who suggested it a few weeks ago. He even mailed some photos to give us a good idea of what we were running. We thank him, and we urge anyone who has a favorite vehicle to write to us.

SPARTA, Ga.: Jimmy Wallace guessed the 1978 Dodge D-150 Li'l Red Express pickup.

THOMSON: Steven Foster got the year and vehicle exactly right.

TIGNALL, Ga.: Danny Blakey, guessed the Li'l Red Express to be from 1987.

Gene Wilson said his son-in-law, Al Rose, pointed out that the pickup with the stacks on the sides was the Li'l Red Express, but he also said it was a 1987.

NO CITY LISTED: David Hair said: "It is a Dodge Little Red Express truck. I had a good friend, now deceased, Tracy Slayton, who had one."

Chris Jeselnik said: "1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express truck. It had a high-performance engine used in police vehicles for the then-current emission standards had pretty much made everything else gutless.

"A friend from Millen, Ga., bought one, and the off-the-line acceleration was awesome. We had a lot of fun with it.

"If Dodge made something just like it today, it would sell."

THIS WEEK'S QUIZ

Can you tell us the year, make and model of this vehicle? For extra points, tell us why you never see this specific model in front of the supermarket.

You can enter through our easy online form at chronicle.augusta.com/whatisit or email glynn.moore@augustachronicle.com.

Before Wednesday, tell us your name, city and any personal stories you have about a car like this. Please don't lift information verbatim from other sources, because we want your personal accounts. You haven't failed us yet.

Entries might be edited for space and content, and they will be printed Friday.