The worst thing you can do to a vehicle is let it sit for years.
Old cars and trucks are like humans—no exercise is a worst-case scenario.
That’s why when a classic piece of iron gets rescued from a lengthy hibernation, the world becomes a better place.
Jerry Sutherland
Keith Walker was the rescuer for this 1985 Dodge Royal SE, so when it came up for sale he jumped at the chance. The Dodge was his wife’s grandfather’s truck, so when the opportunity to own it came into Keith’s orbit–he jumped at the chance.
He paid far less than the current value of an ’85 Dodge in this condition, but Keith respects its heritage. The grandfather bought the truck when it had about 6600 miles on it and immediately changed the rear gear so he could pull a trailer. Keith is going to leave it like that.
The truck has never seen winter so it’s in remarkable condition. This is a Royal SE Edition, so it’s fully loaded with power windows, power brakes, power steering, power windows, power locks, and air conditioning. Keith said the only issue are the power locks, so he’s looking for some help in that area. The upscale interior is in good shape on this truck—the seats, dash and door panels all look great.
Keith had to get the Dodge up to roadworthiness after its ten-year siesta, so it’s been checked out in all the typical areas like electrical and cooling. Keith added dual exhausts to give the old workhorse a bit of a rumble and put his own stamp on the truck in the process.
He did all the detailing in the truck, so it looks great after almost 40 years. Keith redid the coating on the truck bed plus he added a cover because he wants to preserve the condition of the Dodge—but he wants to haul stuff. That’s why most guys own trucks.
There’s about 185,000 miles on the truck, but it was well-maintained under Grandpa’s watch. Keith did have it repainted and when it was stripped down Keith was amazed at the condition of the trim—and the metal under the trim.
Keith is still feeling his way around this ’85 Dodge. He gets a lot of attention and “I used to own one”, stories when he’s at a show, so he learns more about this old truck at every event.
The 318 is still running like a champ after a major tune-up, so Keith is very confident behind the wheel. The original tires were way past their due date, so Keith is currently running a nice set of winter tires—even though the truck will never see another winter.
Keith has goals for the Dodge. He’s in the planning stages of a cross-Canada tour where he puts a topper on the truck, uses it for a camper and hits the road. Keith’s still getting to know the truck, but he got some great advice from the guy who worked on it.
Never sell it—you’ll never find another one like this.
Jerry Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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