Terry McCrindle is an unapologetic fan of retro rides, mostly the fast kind and mostly Mopar.
He has owned considerably more than one muscled-out Mopar over the years, including a 1975 Dodge pickup blessed with a factory 440 big block under its hood.
Terry swapped out the truck’s original automatic transmission for a 4-speed manual tranny that could handle the abuse whenever he unleashed the 440’s large herd of horses.
Jim Sutherland
Terry told MyStarCollectorCar that he “couldn’t keep an automatic transmission in it”, so Terry made the switch to the manual.
The ‘75 Dodge was a big part of Terry’s wild days when he was just a kid with a heavy foot and a truck that could hit warp drive in a big hurry. Terry’s youthful misadventures in his first Mopar pickup made him infamous (and famous) in his small northern Alberta community.
Somehow, the ‘75 Dodge truck survived a rollover at the hands of Terry’s fellow rig workers because he kept the speedy pickup and was able to round up a cab, along with a front clip, to replace the bent parts of his truck.
Eventually, Terry had to sell his original Tin Grille (Dodge trucks built between 1972 and 1980) due to neighborhood noise complaints after he moved to a new community, but Terry always carried a torch for this generation of Dodge pickup long after he sold the first one. Terry knew that he would own another Tin Grille again at some point in the future.
His search for a replacement Tin Grille Dodge had a happy ending when Terry purchased a 1980 Dodge D-150 last year and was able to experience life behind the wheel of a vintage Mopar pickup.
Terry’s replacement truck has a tamer 360 small block engine coupled to a 4-speed manual transmission with factory overdrive. The ‘80 pickup provides plenty of power for him at this point in his life and can more than handle the pace on a highway.
Additionally, Terry’s ’80 Dodge truck has undergone some interior upgrades, including leather 6-way power seats donated by a Jeep Grand Cherokee that offers both comfort and style for Terry.
The 360 offers plenty of punch, plus the overdrive combines with highway-friendly rear gears to provide sold MPG numbers for Terry. He recalled how his original ‘75 Dodge’s 440 was very thirsty and required two gas fill-ups a day when a youthful Terry really hammered on the go pedal.
Most Tin Grille fans will notice Terry’s ‘80 Dodge pickup is closer to the ground, and he told MyStarCollectorCar that it was lowered by about 3 inches by its previous owner. Terry added that it may be too close because pavement height changes are a bit of an issue when he is behind the wheel of the truck.
The message is clear for Terry at this point in his life: he wanted a replacement truck with plenty of spunk that reminded him of his first Tin Grille but did not require reliving his wild and crazy youthful days in it.
Consequently, his trip down memory lane is a more civilized one in his 1980 Dodge D-150 replacement pickup.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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