Nearly 50 years before high-performance trucks like Ford's F-150 Raptor, RAM's 1500 TRX and the Toyota TRD Pro Tacoma landed on American showroom floors, the Dodge Li'l Red Express thundered onto the truck scene. Powered by a 5.9-liter V8 with 225 hp, the Red Express officially became the first truck to kick load-carrying ability to the curb, and focus squarely on performance.This is the story of the 1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express, and how it has now evolved into one of the greatest performance trucks of the century. A (Shooting) Star Is Born Bring A TrailerPicture the scene. It's 1978, and Dodge has created a truck the likes of the world has never seen. A truck that, famously, became the fastest American production car (of any shape or size) to get to 100 mph, completing the run in 19.9 seconds. Car And Driver magazine conducted the test in 1978, and the Dodge outpaced contemporary performance cars like the Chevrolet Corvette. It was unlike any truck the world had ever seen, not only rattling the cage of the established performance brands, but turning into the proverbial bull in the China shop, knocking over all the finest cooking ware.They called it Li'l Red Express, an "adult toy," according to Dodge marketing jargon. Only 7,316 units were made over a two-year production run, ending in 1979. Today you can pick one up for less than $30,000, with some examples selling for as little as half that.The Dodge came straight from the factory with Chrysler's high-performance 360 small-block V8 engine, code named E58, developed for use in fast police interceptors. For this role, the engine was modified even further, upping power to a very handy 225 hp.Bring A Trailer The engine came with a four-barrel carburetor, a custom high-performance exhaust system that culminates in two big rig-style chrome stacks, located behind the cab, and a heavy-duty three-speed automatic gearbox and custom gearing for the rear axle. Another trick was the deletion of a catalytic converter, courtesy of a loophole in the emission regulations that excluded a truck with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of more than 6,100 pounds. A Very Fast Lounge On Wheels Bring A Trailer Dodge apparently modeled the Li'l Red Express along with popular 18-wheeler truck finishes, hence the two chromed exhaust stacks, located behind the cabin. Working in conjunction with custom exhaust mufflers, the 5.9-liter V8 produced a truck-like roaring sound, as befits a muscle car from the '70s.To add further to the 18-wheeler theme, the Li'l Red Express is decked out in a bright red hue, with golden graphics and plenty of chrome finishes. Polished oak wood planks line the narrow cargo bed, and is a tip of the hat to vintage truck designs. The Li'l Red Express was obviously never created to haul really heavy stuff around, but it is rated to carry 2,500 pounds of cargo. Two Versions, Same Show Bring A Trailer When the Li'l Red Express landed on Dodge showroom floors in 1978, parent company Chrysler had no idea how popular its "adult toy" truck would turn out to be. Demand proved high, and 2,188 trucks were made in 1978.The 1978 model came with distinctive round headlights and the hood has a classic Dodge muscle car design. On the technical front, the 1978 version was the one that had no catalytic converter included. This was the Li'l Red Express version that was the fastest American car in 1978, beating a bunch of performance coupes to the title. With the very limited number of trucks made in '78, the original version is arguably the most collectible of the lot.Bring A Trailer Following the great reception the truck received in 1978, Dodge added some small updates for 1979. It also upped the production to an eventual 5,188 trucks for the 1979 version of the truck. Styling-wise, the most obvious update is the double square headlights, instead of the single round versions on the 1978 Red Express. Also, the hood features a flat design, instead of the indented version of the first-generation model.There were also some updates under the skin. A catalytic converter and the ability to run on unleaded gas were added to the deal with no compromise in power, the V8 engine still produced the same 225 hp and 295 lb-ft. The 1978 truck used special chrome wheels, with seven-inch wide rims up front, and eight-inch items at the back. Dodge simplified the set-up in 1979, with the same-sized eight-inch rims doing service at all four corners. In the cabin, a new 85 mph speedometer was added.Interestingly, the Dodge Li'l Red Express never came with a spare wheel. This was apparently due to cost-saving measures. For the record, the Dodge truck was not exactly a bargain in the late '70s, retailing for around $7,000. The State Of The Performance Truck FordThe world of the performance truck has moved along briskly since 1978. But as the world has gone greener and more, the focus of modern trucks has moved away from cool street trucks (like the Li'l Red Express), to amazing trucks that not only make more horsepower than supercars, but can also race through and off-road environment like a Baja racing truck. Well, almost.Take the Ford F-150 Raptor R, for example. It is powered by a supercharged version of Ford's 5.2-liter V8 engine, and it produces 720 hp. That's seven-hundred-and-twenty horsepower! It will blast to 60 mph in less than four seconds, and thanks to its Fox dual-valve racing damper system and 37-inch all-terrain tires (and a lot of other upgraded parts too), it can deal with just about any off-road challenge. And it can do so at a ridiculous rate of speed.DodgeBut sadly, it appears as if the days of a ridiculously fast street performance truck are over and done with. Dodge did give us some limited edition specials over the years, like the 2003 Dodge Ram SRT-10 truck, a wild creation powered by the brand's equally ridiculous five-liter V10 engine, straight out of the Viper supercar. Just like the 1978 Dodge Li'l Red Express, the SRT-10 is as practical as a wheelbarrow without a wheel. But it represents a level of truck coolness and performance that not even a 720-hp Ford F150 Raptor R can replicate.Street performance trucks are just a different breed of cool. Big power, wings, bling, road presence, thunder, and the kind of attraction that will see the law pull you over.... not to issue a fine, but just to get a closer look at the truck, hear it roar, and take some selfies.Dodge So, after the federal government recently updated the emission regulations, opening the door for the good old internal combustion engine to live on to fight a few more decades, why not create a 2026 version of the Li'l Red Express, or the SRT-10? Sure, that Raptor R is an amazing piece of kit. But imagine a high performance street truck, powered by the latest, supercharged V8 engine conforming to emission regulations, producing around 600 hp, sent to the rear wheels...Throw in a wing or three, maybe a scoop and a cool body kit, some Recaro bucket seats, massive brakes, a sports-tuned suspension with a lower ride, the latest high-performance road tires... in a regulated world where we have to put a sticker on a hot cup of coffee to warn customers that the coffee is hot, such a truck will be a heck of a thing. Just like Dodge did in 1978, upsetting the apple cart and creating a truck that was faster than a Chevrolet Corvette.
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