Looks are deceiving in the custom car hobby.
There is no way you can be sure what you’re looking at is what you think it is.
This 1985 Dodge Ram is a classic example.
Jerry Sutherland
It looks like a ’78 Macho 4×4 on the surface because the paint and front end suggest this is one of the rare special edition Dodge trucks from the late 70s. The rest of the truck tells you the whole story.
The truck bed has the distinctive lines of an 80s Ram truck, and the interior confirms the assessment that this Dodge truck is a tribute to the ’78 Macho Edition.
Todd and Michelle Plamondon are the proud owners of this ’85 Dodge Ram. A friend spotted the truck, found the guy who owned it, and gave Todd and Michelle the information. This truck was sold new in Barrhead, Alberta Canada back in 1985.
Michelle was 100% behind the purchase, so Todd started a campaign to buy the old Dodge. He said, “It took three years of pestering him” to wear him down to the point where it was for sale.
Todd learned this was a field truck because it had been in outside storage for many years. The previous owner had rescued it and taken the Dodge home where he mapped out a game plan. Michelle wanted to emphasize who built this truck: “I wanted to give you the names of the 2 men who did the work and paint job, as I believe they deserve the credit for it. Richard Lee was the one who taught William Highbaugh and together they produced this beautiful beast”.
He started by stripping the ’85 Ram down to metal and doing some serious panel replacement. This was a major job and that’s when the Macho tribute concept came alive.
The previous owner retained the factory 318 LA engine because he knew those were bulletproof, reliable motors. Todd is fine with that choice, but he hasn’t ruled out a 360 or bigger engine in the truck’s future.
There have been a few things to address with this ’85 Dodge. A brake was seized so Todd fixed that, did the driveline and replaced all the seals that needed attention. That’s a short list for a 41-year-old truck, so Todd and Michelle dodged a bullet when they bought the ’85 Ram.
Todd said the truck “rides pretty well” and he attributes that to the long wheelbase. The short-box 4×4 trucks are far less forgiving on the road.
This truck will never see hard duty again—even on the Plamondon farm because it’s already done its time. Todd and Michelle haven’t ruled out putting a few things in the truck bed, but it will never see real work again.
Michelle said the truck, “Is a little hard to start if it sits too long” but the 318 has been very reliable to date, so Todd’s not in any hurry to replace it.
This truck took years to buy, but Todd is very happy he pushed to owner into a sale because he has such a unique truck. The reliability factor is another plus, so the long-term relationship will continue with this ’85 Ram.
The only thing left is to constantly explain how a 1978 Dodge Macho has 1985 roots.
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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