I Had No Idea This Existed

"bwp240" (bwp240)
10/13/2016 at 13:00 • Filed to: Weird Trims, Dakota

Prepare to step aside

Image Credit: CurbsideClassics.com

What you are looking at is a 1987 Dodge Dakota with a stepside bed. What? A stepside bed. Surely that is not factory?

First off, don’t call me Shirley. Second, yes, this is a factory Dakota, eh, sorta.

In the late 80s, Dodge had this obsession with sending cars to outfitters and making limited edition trims. In 1987, 700 Dodge Dakotas were shipped from the factory to Country Sales of Three Rivers, Michigan, and had stepside conversions. These Dakotas were then shipped off to dealers mainly in the Great Lakes region. Most of these trucks seem to appear in MI, IN, OH, and PA.

Image Credit: ebay.com

The stepside Dakota joins the Shelby Dakota and the Dakota Convertible as seemingly random one-off Dakota trims of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

but wait, there’s more...

In 1978, Dodge built the Lil Red Express. The Lil Red Express was constructed on the Ram platform and is the predecessor to the SRT-10. It was incredibly loud, powerful, and fast for its time (thanks to loopholes). It was the fastest production vehicle of 1979, beating out Ferrari.

Image Credit: flemingsultimategarage.com

Flash forward 12 years and someone got the idea of paying homage to the Little Red Express. Dodge liked the idea so much that they contracted a company, LER, to make the kits and offered them as dealer options for the 1990 through 1992 model years.

However, instead of this being an option for the Ram, they were made for the Dakota. The reason? I have no idea... The only one I can think of is size?

Image Credit: CurbsideClassics

Anyway, the Lil Red Express Dakota was a shell of the hero it was honoring. It is basically like the time your friend modified the exterior of his car in NFS Underground 2, but forgot to modify the engine. The stacks on the back did not function, and the performance was no different than the base Dakota. However, it certainly is a looker. For the 1992 model year, Dodge offered the Lil Red Express Dakota with a 5.2L Magnum V8 so it could at least have a little bite to its bark.

Dakota Warrior. Image Credit: oocities.com

If you are not a fan of the Lil Red Express Dakota then you have the Dakota Warrior. It is exactly the same as the Lil Red Express Dakota, sans the pipes. If you are looking for either truck, good luck. Production numbers are not known, but guessed at less than 1000 for both trucks combined with the Warrior being far more rare. If you are trying to find the V8, well then you have quite the hunt ahead of you.

So would you rather have the Express or the Warrior. I choose the convertible.

Ebay Listing that inspired this post.

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Sources

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Dakota#Li.27l_Red_Express_Dakota_and_Dakota_Warrior

Edits 10/14/16: Changed model runs from“1990 and 1992" to “1990 through 1992", added sources.

DISCUSSION (21)

Pickup_man > bwp240
10/13/2016 at 13:13

I never knew any of these existed. Kinda cool, but I still can’t help but wonder why, especially the Lil Red Express Dakota, way to tarnish one of the coolest trucks ever Dodge. Still though, I kinda want one.

Stapleface > bwp240
10/13/2016 at 13:19

That Dakota Red Express is awful. Honestly I don’t want to chose any of them. I spent some time with one of that vintage and it wasn’t anything to write home about. Matter of fact, the Dakota has never really wowed me in any body style they were made. If I HAVE to take one, I too would take the convertible.

bwp240 > Pickup_man
10/13/2016 at 13:29

At first I thought it was just some guy who wanted to do it, then to find out that it was a manufacturer option from Dodge just made me intrigued.

bwp240 > Stapleface
10/13/2016 at 13:34

That’s what makes it so silly. All of them are base Dakotas. None of the trims really have anything super special about them. The Shelby wasn’t all that powerful, and the stepside, though neat looking, really isn’t that different from stock. At least the convertible was a bit unique.

I guess the beauty of it is that you can get parts for a really “rare” truck for almost ever. Are these going to be as nostalgic as the stepside C-10s, no, but if you like rare trucks and want cheap entry, this is the way to go.

Birddog > bwp240
10/13/2016 at 15:03

One of those with the Magnum 5.2 would be quite a fun ride. 230hp and 295ft-lb of torque was Mustang territory back in the early 90s.

bwp240 > Birddog
10/13/2016 at 15:21

Lucky for you, I managed to find one... According to the listing they only made 32 of them. http://www.reachoo.com/ads/86192896

Kinja'd!!!

19JRC99 > bwp240
10/13/2016 at 18:34

The reason for using the Dakota is probably weight. As the owner of a ‘96, I must say I quite like the Dakota, but that bed is a little funky.

19JRC99 > Stapleface
10/13/2016 at 18:35

That’s why I like them. They’re basic. They aren’t trying to be more than they really are. Mine’s a work truck, and little else (for now) and I like that it’s from a time when you bought a truck for work, for a working man’s price.

Sorry about the little rant.

Stapleface > 19JRC99
10/13/2016 at 19:45

You’re right, the Dakota isn’t bad for the basic truck to do truck things. I just personally preferred the Ranger or S10 over the Dakota. But if you need a truck, the value really can’t be beat. The Dakota when it was sold was essentially a full size truck from 25 years ago.

19JRC99 > Stapleface
10/13/2016 at 19:57

Basically, until 91 I’d rather have a Ranger. From 91-96 I’d rather have a Dakota, then back to Rangers starting 1997. Just never cared for the S10.

Tristan > bwp240
10/13/2016 at 20:17

Wait... hold the phone...

The Lil Red Dakota was a thing that was produced?! I used to see a MINT one parked on base every day, and I openly mocked it constantly. It was just so tacky and poorly executed- I thought it was some supremely lame garbage someone put together in their driveway... I mean, the stacks weren’t even hooked up!

I personally LOVE the original Lil Red trucks...

dogisbadob > bwp240
10/13/2016 at 20:47

There was also the Midnite Exoress, which was a Lil Red Express in black “Lil Black Express”

That Dakota Express is kinda hilarious tho

Goggles Pizzano > bwp240
10/14/2016 at 01:03

There’s one in my neighborhood. Always thought it was a custom. Thanks for the info!

Kinja'd!!!

Pixel > bwp240
10/14/2016 at 10:12

A landlord I had in college ran his construction & property maintenance business out of basement of the building I lived in, so I saw him every day. His work truck was an absolutely trashed Shelby Dakota with a ladder rack on it. I always figured he’d picked it up cheap and didn’t know/care that it was a relatively rare truck.

Then one day he showed up in a “new” truck, a tired Dakota convertible. With the same ladder rack installed on it. That was the point I knew I was renting an apartment from a madman.

bwp240 > Pixel
10/14/2016 at 10:54

Ladder rack; with no roof?

Kinja'd!!!