Back in '99 or so not long after getting my Durango I got wind of the Dodge Ram SUV, based on the 2nd gen platform RAM. If I recall, it was only available in Mexico.







I actually looked into the cost by calling a few Mexico dealerships and checking availability and cost and they were right on par with our fully loaded new RAMs up here.

It's possible I could have bought it but I would never have made it across the border. The calls I made resulted in finding out that it had not been tested by the EPA or DOT and I would have to buy and have (2) of them crash tested by the DOT and (1) tested by the EPA...before it would be allowed in the USA as a legal truck.

I was just wondering if any had made it into the USA legally and were maybe for sale? I don't think I would be interested unless it was a steal, but I thought it would be cool to see them bought and sold as used trucks here in the USA.

 

I think Merc saw one of these in Canada??

I want my truck bed though.

 

There was a white one with Arizona plates that I used to see when I first moved here 10 years ago. It was always in the Sierra vista and Bisbee area where I'd see it. I haven't seen it around for probably 5 years. I don't know if an Arizona inspector just gave them an Az title to stick it in the Fed's eye or if someone went through the whole Federalization process. I never got to ask the guy who was always driving it. Those Ramchargers (and that was their official name in Mexico) used to be very common around here, with Mexican plates. But now I only see one maybe once or twice a month. I wanted one real bad, but gave up on the idea of getting one.

p.s. According to Dodge M.A., they were discontinued in 2003, so if a dealer has one, it is very used by now.

 

It's odd but one of the reasons I dug it so much back then was that it used Durango / Caravan taillight lenses.

 

You mean this one. $5500 in Vancouver,BC

I don't have the link any more sorry. Try www.autotrader.ca

 

It's possible to get it registered in the States. A member on Ramcharger Central bought one in Canada and just got it registered in Texas I believe it was. They pop up on Autotrader occasionally, I would LOVE to have one to swap over to 4x4 (any real RC should be 4x)

 

I agree, and I would think converting it to 4x4 would be a piece of cake using a donor truck.

I converted that 1978 D100 to 4x4 using the front suspension from a 1984 Ramcharger. It bolted right to the frame. The transmission bolted up to the Magnum 360, and I swapped the tunnel and modified the floor using a boot from a 1998 Dakota. The cab also got a 1998 Dakota center console and buckets. That was a cool truck.

I've thought about what I would do if I did get one of those Gen 2 Ramchargers. V10 and 4x4.

 

i think you got your info a bit mixed up. i think he bought it from CA as in California but even then the guy he bought it from did not even start the paperwork needed to register it in the US.
http://ramchargercentral.com/project...ew-toy-156448/

 

Once they are 20 yrs old you can them legalized and registered fairly easy. I used to run the japanese importing scene around here. Wasnt much of a scene here in little rock though, 90% of my sales were online. Once they become old enough i may try to hunt one of these down. Would just look sick with some 44"s and fender flares with the 4wd conversion....and a V10.

 

Ah crap. Post 21 and 23 is where I saw Canada. Knew it was in there somewhere!