Re: '78 Ebko Lebaron - Therapy
GT - it is a 1500...has the tow package, 5.7 Hemi...6 speed automatic transmission...and I won't require the help of the Admiral when backing up for trailer connection...has a rearview camera....spray in bed liner..8ft bed, so next time I need something from the lumber store I won't have to have it cut into teeny tiny pieces...oh ya heat side mirrors for next winter, or next week....which ever is coldest soonest
SUH-WEEEEEEEEET!!!!
That there will give you many happy years of trouble free service...from all the sources I have talked with, the New Hemi's are easily good for a couple hundred thousand miles, as long as you take good care of them...after they are thoroughly broken in, you can switch it to a good quality synthetic oil and filter...yeah its more expensive but the good stuff easily lasts two to three times longer than conventional, so in the end its a wash as far as cost, but the engine gives better fuel economy, performance and lives longer, so in the long run, it actually saves a few bucks...
Also heard good things about those 6 speed trannies, strong, reliable and really good on gas cruising on the highway...
Back up cameras are a Godsend, they make backing up and hitching up a lot easier...just get some practice using it to get used to the depth perception and actual distances...if you have the back-up warning beeper, it will soound like you are going to 'RAM' [pun intended] into something and still be several feet away...
Now for the bad news, these puppies come with a really good rust through warranty and the dealers are real good about honoring them...just be sure to keep a really close eye on possible trouble spots all along/around the roof line, and those hidden areas like the inner part of the fenders in around the engine compartment and areas underneath. also the bottom edge of the doors...some trucks we get at the shop are prone to rust right away, and others never get any...especially up North, in the winters when they start using the road salts...just be sure to have the dealer take care of anything that pops up...
I have already replaced the entire roof, several bumpers, and a couple of bedsides and body panels on trucks as new as this year's model...
Like they say, "If you can't Dodge it, Ram it!":lol:
Enjoy!
