Dodge Ram 50 Powered by a 6.5-horsepower Go Kart Engine Is Bonkers

Owner of this old compact Dodge Ram has created a very cool farm truck with a $120 engine and lots of innovation.

The Dodge Ram 50 (also called the D-50) was a compact pickup sold in the United States from the late 1970s into the early 1990s. It was built on a chassis shared with the Mitsubishi Mighty Max and in stock form, the balmy four-cylinder engines offered less than 100 horsepower. These small trucks have proven to be popular platforms for big V8 swaps, and there are more than a few Ram 50s in the Mopar show world running blown 440-cubic inch big blocks.

However, the EverythingWithWheels YouTube channel went a different, cheaper route, replacing the stock four-cylinder with a tiny 212cc engine from Harbor Freight. The engine, made for off-road utility vehicles and go karts, lists for $119.99 at the well-known purveyor of inexpensive tools.

The Machine

The video begins with a walk-around of this early-1980s Dodge Ram 50, with the host explaining that he was given the truck for free, so he pulled the factory engine out and replaced it with a 212cc Predator gasoline engine from Harbor Freight. With 6.5 horsepower, it is considerably weaker than the stock engine, but as we see later in the video, it works.

During the walk-around, then we get a good look at the unique motor mount system, how the choke is routed into the cabin and how the throttle works with the stock pedal. We also get a close-up look at how the engine drives the transmission, with a chain and a series of sprockets connecting the output shaft of the small engine to the input shaft of the transmission. This allows the driver to use the original shift to work through the gears.

Finally, we get a look at the interior, with the choke and kill switch that are unique to the new, small engine, along with the plastic panels that the owner has used to spruce up the cabin.

Driving

With the camera perched next to the truck, the video host shows us how he starts the Ram 50 with the pull cord in the left-front wheel well. He then gets into the tiny Dodge truck, shows us that reverse works, then he drives off into the distance with the 6.5-horsepower Predator go kart engine. It sounds like he gets up into third gear, topping out at around 20 miles per hour, so while this isn’t a viable option for road use, it seemingly makes for a great farm truck.

Really, it sounds like your average gas-powered golf cart or utility cart, except it offers the interior space and hauling space of a small, flatbed pickup. More importantly, this Dodge Ram 50 is an awesome piece of engineering and a cool use of an otherwise-useless truck, so crank up your speakers, mind the wind noise and enjoy!

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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