When we saw this '77 Dodge Ramcharger in line for one of the tougher trails at the annual Hump N Bump trail ride in Nevada, we did a double-take. After all, it's fairly uncommon to see fullsize SUVs on the trail, let alone fullsize rigs that look as good as this and aren't thrashed and bashed. Then there's the fact that at 32 years old, this rig is officially classic iron. And it's a Ramcharger. Sadly, that's a trail rarity in itself nowadays.
We introduced ourselves to the truck's owner, Doug Fenner of Las Vegas, and soon learned this auto painter/paint shop manager (this explained the pristine body) drives this rig on the street regularly and wheels it often. Naturally, we wanted to see the rig in action so we hitched a ride with Fenner to see how the big truck handled the tough Nevada terrain. What we found was that not only did Fenner know every nuance of his Ramcharger, he also did a darn good job building it. Not only did it work well on the trail, but after a hard day of wheeling, the rig had suffered no breakage of any sort. True to form, Fenner drove it the hour trip back to his home in Las Vegas, listening to that big-block music the entire way.
One of the things we noticed right from the get-go was that the Ramcharger had impressive power. A look under the hood explains why. Nestled between the framerails is a 440ci V-8 (bored 0.060 over) that used to reside in Fenner's drag car. He installed it in the Ramcharger "because I had it." The engine, assembled by Naffziger Racing, has an impressive collection of go-fast goodies like TRW 2266 forged pistons, pocket-ported 452 heads, a Crane cam, Rhoads lifters, stainless steel valves, a Melling high-volume oil pump, and a Weiand Action +Plus dual-plane intake topped by a Quadrajet carb with 14x6 K&N filter. The exhaust system utilizes Hooker headers, a 2.5-inch X-type exhaust, and Flowmaster mufflers with Dynomax Race Magnum mufflers used as resonators. The Edelbrock Quadrajet is fed via a 1/2-inch fuel line and a Holley electric fuel pump, and the incoming fuel is filtered by a Perma-Cool filter/water separator. An Optima BlueTop battery and an Optima RedTop battery combine with a Perma-Cool Maxi-Cool dual-circuit cooler with fan (to cool the engine oil and power-steering fluid) to round out the underhood mods. Interesting fact: Fenner says that before he de-tuned it, this engine, on nitrous, flung his 3,700-pound drag car down the quarter mile in 11.80 seconds at 118 mph.
Specifications
General
Owner/Hometown: Doug Fenner/Las Vegas, Nevada
Vehicle/Model: '77 Dodge Ramcharger
Estimated value: $12,000
Engine
Type: 440ci V-8 bored 0.030 over
Aspiration: Weiand Action +Plus dual-plane intake, Quadrajet carb, Hooker headers, 2.5-inch-diameter X-type exhaust, Flowmaster mufflers, Dynomax Race Magnum mufflers as resonators
Output, hp/torque (estimated): 400/510
Drivetrain
Transmission: TorqueFlite 727, diesel planetaries, Perma-Cool cooler
Transfer case: NP241
Suspension
Front: Skyjacker 6-inch-lift leaves, Skyjacker Hydro 7000 shocks
Rear: Skyjacker 6-inch-lift leaves, Shaggy's Offroad shackles, Skyjacker Hydro 7000 shocks
Axles/Differentials
Front: Dana 60, custom crossover steering, modified Skyjacker pitman arm, Offroad Design steering arm/Lock-Rite
Rear: Dana 60/Detroit Locker
Ring-and-pinion: 4.10:1
Wheels/Tires
Wheels: 16x10 Mickey Thompson
Tires: 315/75-16 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain
 The rig sports a 2-inch body...  The rig sports a 2-inch body lift, and this increase in height, in association with the suspension lift, generates enough room for the BFGoodrich 315/75-16 Mud-Terrains on 16x10 Mickey Thompson wheels to travel without body contact. Fenner likes to run the Ramcharger doorless in the summer, so to see what's going on behind him he uses a pair of Jeep YJ outside rearview mirrors mounted on the Ramcharger's hinge pillars. A Bestop soft top, Fleet Orange paint, and a rear-mount carrier holding a pair of 20-liter fuel cans round out the exterior mods. |  Inside the truck, there's...  Inside the truck, there's a full cage created by Nick Hill Fabrication and it's part of a system that ties into the frame as well into the custom rear bumper and rocker protection. The interior also features a pair of front seats with RCI racing harnesses pirated from a sandrail, rear Summit Racing seats, a Grant steering wheel, a B&M shifter, and a swap meet-sourced boost/vacuum gauge and Sun tach. Fenner says the rig's sound system is by "Flowmaster and a big-block." |  Up front is a Dana 60 axle...  Up front is a Dana 60 axle snagged from Fenner's old trail ride: a '79 Crew Cab Dodge. It was rebuilt by the crew at Driveline Service in Las Vegas and fitted with a Lock-Rite locker, 4.10:1 gears, and a Great Lake Offroad diff cover. Braided stainless steel brake lines carry fluid to the stock disc brakes. The steering system is comprised of a Skyjacker pitman arm modified to accept a spherical rod end; custom crossover steering; and an Offroad Design steering arm with spherical rod ends. To ensure durability, Fenner boxed the frame and braced the area around the steering box and he also sleeved the steering-box mounting bolts. The rig's 6-inch-lift leaf springs are from Skyjacker, as are the Hydro 7000 shocks. |
 To help keep the big-block...  To help keep the big-block cool in the often-broiling Nevada desert, Fenner vented the hood to help with heat extraction. Speaking of extraction, he mounted a Hi-Lift Jack on the hood as well so it would be easily accessible in case the Ramcharger got hung up. |  A front prerunner-style winch...  A front prerunner-style winch bumper by Nick Hill Fabrication has a pair of recovery shackles and it holds a MileMarker 8,000-pound winch and a pair of 9-inch Lightforce lights. It extends around the lower front fenders to provide a level of protection from trail damage. |  The custom rear bumper, also...  The custom rear bumper, also made by Nick Hill Fabrication, is designed with rear quarter-panel protection. A pair of bars travel underneath and alongside the rear panels to help guard the big truck against trail damage. |
 Dividing the power to the...  Dividing the power to the axles is a fixed-yoke NP241 transfer case out of an '89 Ramcharger. It feeds a pair of High Angle Driveline CV driveshafts with 1410 joints in the front 'shaft and 1350 joints in the rear 'shaft. The transfer case is bolted to a TorqueFlite 727 transmission that was rebuilt using planetaries from a diesel application. The 727 is cooled by a Perma-Cool cooler with fan and it has a Mopar Performance cast-aluminum pan. |  Aft is a Dana 60, which was...  Aft is a Dana 60, which was also pirated from Fenner's old Crew Cab and rebuilt by Driveline Services. It too sports 4.10:1 gears, a Great Lake Offroad diff cover, and stainless steel brake lines, but it differs from the front in that it has a Detroit Locker. The rear suspension is also similar to the front in that it uses Skyjacker 6-inch-lift leaves and Hydro shocks. In the rear, though, Fenner incorporated a set of Shaggy's Offroad extended-length rear shackles to generate lift and improve flex. | |