17. Dodge Lil’ Express Truck
The muscle car era affected the truck segment, which resulted in a few more powerful engines. However, nothing changed the truck industry more than when Dodge introduced the Lil’ Express Truck in 1978 as the first full-size muscle truck. The secret of the Lil’ Express Truck and its importance lies in the strict rules of the late 1970s, which robbed V8 engines of their power and vehicles of their performance.
But, Dodge found an interesting loophole in current regulations that declared pickup trucks didn’t need catalytic converters. This meant Dodge could install a more powerful engine and allow it to breathe easier and deliver more punch than previous models or competitors.
Dodge took a standard D Series short bed truck, added a 360 V8 engine, and put big truck-like stacked exhaust pipes right behind the doors. They also installed a more durable automatic transmission. It was attractive due to a red color scheme, signature decals and details, and lots of chrome trim. Also, this wild-looking special model had a 225 HP engine, which was considered powerful in those days.
It was the fastest-accelerating domestic vehicle in 1978. This means that the little Dodge pickup truck was faster than muscle cars like the Mustang, Camaro, and Corvette. The Lil’ Express Truck was back for 1979. It remained famous, but overall production numbers were relatively low at just under 3,000. Today, these cool-looking Dodge trucks are highly sought-after and rare, commanding high prices.