- What is the Dodge Palamino pickup truck?
- Chris Stapleton’s Ram 2500 is a modern-day Palomino
- Chris Stapleton is a longtime Ram fan
Pickup trucks and country music go together like peas and carrots. It’s unsurprising that Ram trucks has retained brand ambassadors such as Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton. What may be more surprising is that when Ram offered to build a completely custom Ram 2500 for Stapleton, the singer-songwriter designed a one-off based on the often-forgotten 1979 Dodge Palomino Edition pickup truck.
What is the Dodge Palamino pickup truck?
The Palamino was a unique appearance package Dodge offered across much of its pickup truck lineup during the 1979 model year. It featured two-tone cream and white paint as well as saddle blanket seats.
This 1979 Dodge D-150 Palomino pickup is pretty rare and the seller says that it doesn't have any rust and it's from Montana. They're asking $7,000. Have any of you seen a Dodge Palomino pickup? -> https://t.co/RqVU8HDwTZ #DodgePickup #SpecialEdition pic.twitter.com/XSnWwGB4NX
— Barn Finds (@barnfinds) March 31, 2020
1979 Dodge pickup trucks with the Palomino package featured a strong western theme. Firstly, the name “palomino” refers to a golden or tan-colored horse. To this end, the Palomino package came with several two-tone paint options, all featuring whites, tans, or browns. It also usually included a pinstripe running along the truck’s body.
The interior of Dodge trucks with the Palamino package was even more western. Its bench seat was upholstered not in vinyl or leather, but with a “western motif” that looks a lot like an iconic saddle blanket pattern. There is not much information on the Palamino appearance package, but surviving trucks optioned with it range from the Macho Power Wagon to the two-wheel-drive, half-ton Dodge D150. You can see more info on the Palomino at Barn Finds or on Just a Car Guy‘s blog.
Chris Stapleton’s Ram 2500 is a modern-day Palomino
Ram 2500 “Traveller” custom | Stellantis
When Ram offered to build singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton a completely custom pickup truck, he could have opted for anything: low-pro rims, a monstrous lift kit, or even a squatted truck. Instead, he opted to create something unique: a modern take on the 1979-only Dodge Palomino-package truck.
According to Ram’s parent company, Stellantis, this custom is finished in “Linen Cream, Radar Red, Bison Brown, and Cashmere.” An 18-inch version of the 1980s “Turbo Fin” rims anchor the truck’s retro good looks. Instead of “Palomino,” Ram wrote “Traveller” on the truck’s tailgate. This is a reference to Stapleton’s album of the same name.
Inside, the pickup truck diverges from the original Palomino’s western theme. It is finished in bison-colored leather and walnut. Ram even upholstered patches of its seats in a checkered flannel, similar to the jacket Stapleton wore on Traveller’s cover.
Ram 2500 “Traveller” custom interior | Stellantis
Stapleton’s Ram 2500 is a heavy-duty truck with a crew cab and 6’4″ bed. It’s powered by the legendary Cummins I6 turbodiesel with a six-speed automatic transmission. It is even outfitted with locking “Ram Box” cargo containers along the sides of its bed.
Chris Stapleton is a longtime Ram fan
Ram and Chris Stapleton | Stellantis
Stapleton is one of Ram’s main ambassadors in the country music community. He recorded a cover of “I’m a Ram” for the automaker’s commercials.
Ram brand CEO Mike Koval Jr. even said, “Our journey with Chris throughout his career is something we are extremely proud of, and to see this Ram Truck collaboration come to fruition is an endeavor we will cherish for a long time.”
For the time being, you can see Stapleton’s Ram 2500 Traveler on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. It is part of the Chris Stapleton: Since 1978 exhibit, which happens to be sponsored by Ram trucks. When the exhibit ends, perhaps Stapleton will toss his guitar in the bed and do some traveling.
In the meantime you can watch Stapleton’s cover of “I’m a Ram” in the video below:
Keyword: Chris Stapleton Based His Custom Ram Pickup Truck on a Forgotten 1979 Dodge Special-Edition