With its Cummins 5.9 and 5th wheel hitch, today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe D250 looks ready to pull just about anything. Let’s see if it’s nice enough to have you pulling for its price.
I think unbridled enthusiasm is contagious, or at the very least, intrinsically threatening. Just look at those infomercial shysters hyping the latest “instant-this” and “magic-that” on TV. The thing of it is, once the anticipatory excitement has worn off—usually right after receipt of said amazing invention—a realization sets in that it’s not all you were led to believe it was.
You could imagine that to be the reaction of anyone buying yesterday’s 1992 Volkswagen Jetta GLI 16V at its $16,500 asking price. Yes, it was an amazingly tidy restoration. And you’re darn tootin’ it was unique. Still, at the end of the day, it’s just an old GLI, and using it in any significant fashion would likely diminish the one thing that makes it stand out—its pristine born-again aesthetic. Those factors weren’t lost on you all, and, with a hefty 80 percent Crack Pipe vote, the GLI pulled in a loss as well.
Speaking of pulling, have you ever needed to drag something of substantial size or significant weight? You have? Well then, today’s 1993 Dodge Ram D250 Club Cab diesel should give us much fodder for conversation.
Dodge first introduced the D/W series of pickups in 1961 and aside from the company dusting off the old Dodge Ram brand for the line in 1981 it carried through until 1994. Along the way, Dodge offered a number is interesting and iconic editions of their full-sized trucks, including the Li’l Red Express step-side which for a moment in the ‘70s was the quickest American-made vehicle you could buy, at least according to the editors at Car and Driver magazine.
With the D/W Ram, Dodge also embraced the diesel lifestyle by offering a series of Cummins oil burners alongside their own traditional gas-fueled sixes and eights.
This ’93 Ram features the 5.9-litre 12V Cummins straight-six which comes with both turbo and intercooler. Initially designed for farm equipment, the 6BT eventually found its way under the hoods of medium-duty trucks and buses as well as in Dodge’s Ram Ds.
Here the 12V turbo mill pumps out a modest 230 horsepower but a more impressive 440 lb-ft of torque. All that twist can be had at a mere 1600 rpm too.
That makes this 158K Club Cab an excellent candidate for towing or just dragging heavy shit around. A removable fifth-wheel hitch in the bed makes it an even more versatile workhorse.
The truck presents in two-tone dark copper over gold and rides on Alcoa aluminum wheels. It is 2WD so while it does offer the potential for serious towing, you shouldn’t expect that to extend far off the beaten path.
The bodywork looks reasonably clean and without any major sign of past workplace injuries, and the paint is certainly fancy. The interior is likewise solid, although there is some sag in the headliner and the dash wears a carpet toupee that looks a little skuzzy. The seats hail from the mouse fur era but look intact and without any egregious stains. Things are pretty luxurious here too, what with power windows, locks, and mirrors. The A/C and cruise are both claimed to work without issue.
Also working are the original VE pump and the factory Jake Brake. If you’re unfamiliar with the latter, that’s a device that allows the massively high compression of the Cummins to engine brake the truck, thus saving the mechanical brakes from overheating or simply being overwhelmed when towing down a significant incline. The transmission is a four-speed Torqueflite which benefits from a factory cooler.
The seller claims the truck to be in excellent condition and boasts of it: “This truck is a beauty, and more reliable than most new vehicles I’ve owned. Starts with half a turn, pulls, shifts and stops like it should. Best running 5.9 I’ve owned, she’s no slouch, everything functions great, and has some cool factory extras.”
Those are some pretty compelling arguments in its favor. Of course, you have to take the bad with the good, and in this Ram’s case that means a busted tailgate handle, some wear and tear, and that aforementioned droopy drawers cab ceiling.
For his ad, the seller has parked the truck at the beach at sunset—the magic hour, if you will—giving it the best background in which to look its best. That’s pretty and all, but sunset is not an apt metaphor for a truck that is offered with plenty of life left in it. The title is clear and the seller says he’s in no hurry to be rid of his ride.
If you’re at all familiar with the Dodge diesel market, you’ll know that prices for these guys can be all over the place. As workhorses, so can their condition. This one seems to be in better than average shape, and comes with a $6,800 asking. You’ll now need to decide if that’s a deal or not.
What do you think, could this Ram be worth that $6,800 price tag? Or, for that much, is it a work truck that’s just not working for you?
You decide!
San Diego, CA Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to RevUnlimiter for the hookup!
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