1985 Dodge Truck Specifications
by Christine Wheatley
The Dodge division of Chrysler produced three different trucks for the 1985 model year: the Ram, the Ramcharger and the Ram 50. The Ram was a full-size pickup, introduced in 1981 to replace Dodge’s D-series trucks. The Ramcharger was marketed as a full-size SUV beginning in 1974; however, it was essentially a short-bed truck built on the full-size pickup chassis. Starting in 1982, Dodge imported the Ram 50, a compact pickup manufactured by Mitsubishi. Dodge had no mid-size truck in its lineup in 1985; that came in 1987, when the Dakota was introduced.
Ram/Power Ram
The Dodge Ram was offered in two-wheel or four-wheel drive; the four-wheel-drive version was badged the Power Ram. In 1985 this truck had the standard 3.7-liter slant-six engine that got 95 horsepower. Also offered were the 5.2-liter V-8 engine with 140 horsepower and the 5.9-liter V-8 engine with 170 horsepower. Rams came with a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission or a four-speed manual transmission. New for 1985 was the Ram-Trac transfer case: a system that allowed the driver to shift in and out of four-wheel drive while traveling at high speeds. The Ram came in a two-door standard cab or four-door crew cab configuration, each available with either a short bed or long bed.
Ramcharger
The base engine for the Dodge Ramcharger was a 5.2-liter V-8 with 120 horsepower; the 5.9-liter V-8 engine was optional. Like the Ram pickups, it was available with the three-speed TorqueFlite automatic or the four-speed manual transmission. The Ramcharger came in two-wheel or four-wheel drive, with four-wheel-drive models featuring the Ram-Trac system. Its truck-like body consisted of an extended cab with a very short, covered bed. Because of high buyer demand, the Ramcharger was upgraded throughout the eighties. In 1985 it featured an upscale appearance with high-back deluxe vinyl/cloth seats, bright chrome front bumpers, P235/75R15XL radial tires and automatic locking hubcaps. It also had a 35-gallon fuel tank and a maintenance-free battery.
Ram 50/Power Ram 50
Following Dodge tradition, the Ram 50 had two-wheel drive while the Power Ram 50 name designated the four-wheel-drive model. The standard 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine powered the truck; the 2.6-liter, four-cylinder overhead cam Hemi engine or the 2.3-liter, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine were optional. The truck came with a four-speed or five-speed manual transmission and the option of a four-speed or five-speed automatic transmission. With a bed length measuring 81.5 inches, a bed width of 64.2 inches, a truck width of 65 inches and total truck length measuring 184.6 inches, the Ram 50 was truly a compact truck.
Writer Bio
Based in Royal Oak, Mich., Christine Wheatley has been writing professionally since 2009. She contributes to several websites, specializing in articles about fitness, diet and parenting. Wheatley has a Bachelor of Arts in art from Calvin College.
