Great job restoring this truck, Im happy to see it was saved and not crushed like most would have done. Im not going to complain about the name you gave the truck either. Its your truck and you built it for you not everyone else. You done an outstanding job giving it another chance at life. Would love to see this truck someday. Congratulations,, seeing the purist comments makes me want to put a Bigblock Chevy in my 70 Coronet.. Geez guys just give the man a compliment on saving the truck.
Lol, thanks! Once I do the body swap I’ll miss the negative comments. I do get ALOT of positive comments whenever I’m out and about with it. But yeah…it’s just a truck, people.
And that’s why we renamed it Red Nite Express (like Midnite Express)…felt like it was a damned if I do damned if I don’t situation putting that later model cab on (“it’s a clone!”) and if you check the end of the video I lay out my plans for doing right by it.
I have a stock one rust free but the Arizona weather has destroyed the interior. I retire in a couple years, so that's when all the fun begins. I do like the black, but plan to stay stock. With
I’ll bet it did. Had a Volvo 240 from there and the hard plastic would just crumble if you touched it. At least interior is easier than rusted out bodies and frames. Have fun with the resto!
The story of the Midnight Express is always under debate…but the best resources are that it was a dealer option, and the few that were created all or mostly came from the Mr Norms dealership. But none from the factory.
You did great job. Only thing I would paint it red not black . Black isn't bad if it wasn't satin black but it your truck that how you wanted it .still great job .and is there a reason why keeping tailgate red?
With it being a montage of 7 trucks and the cab not being the right one I was going to catch flak anyway. Kept tailgate because I thought it would be neat to have something that showed it’s original state. And, if you go to the end of the video, I actually explain my next steps to do a true restoration with all parts from ‘79. But I still get to keep the satin black one as well so win-win.
@@stage0garage when you got that truck it was pretty bad and you bring it back to life. Hey it your truck that how you wanted it painted it black . Like I said you did great job . Very long build to and a lot of work
They had originally planned to put special heads on, but in the end just used the standard 360 heads and 4bbl intake. Only thing they ended up doing special was the camshaft. The maroon truck blew it's 318 and I've got a 360 and heads at the machine shop, just realized I don't have an intake for it yet.
If your interested in this intake let me know I'm not gonna use it would sell it reasonably.If you need a part number I'll send it.If so I'll send my phn number and send pics.
I've got a 65 Dart GT with its original 273 V8,these heads and intake came on it but burned valves,so I put a set of J heads and an original style intake,I'm still running the factory exhaust manifolds but need headers because the J heads have much larger exhaust ports and the stock manifolds cover a half inch or more of the ports,even tho I didn't want to go to headers will have to to take advantage of the heads.
You changed it to the , Lil Black Express. 🤔 Be careful. I knew a guy who he and his son took years to build an old Toyota 4 wheel drive truck to car show quality. A month after it was finished, it was stolen. Never recovered.
Yep, but the name Red Nite Express flows better and is a take on the Midnight Express they never actually made. Bummer about your friends truck, that would be heartbreaking but mines not show quality so I’d just take that insurance money and build a new one. :)
Not at all how that works :). That being said, this question brings up a good point: ‘when does a Lil Red stop being a Lil Red?’ I think I see a video exploring this topic on the way.
I really hate to see someone ruin a classic like this, you could have taken any dodge step side and made a clone the way you liked it but no you instead took a limited production classic and ruined it.
Settle down there. I worked with what I had. Perhaps you have unlimited budget but it was going to be ‘ruined’ the minute I put that cab on. Beyond that you know it’s just paint right and can be repainted? Also…watch my short video about “My Plans” for my two stepsides.
I’ve had my Li’l Red for 30 years now and can’t wait to restore it one day, nice job glad it’s still on the road and not the scrap yard.
Yeah it really was destined for the scrap heap. I love driving this truck more every day as I continue to tweak it!
I'm glad when these kinds of vehicles find their way to people who appreciate them and save them from that fate
Great job!
Thanks!
Nice work 👍
Thanks! And stay tuned, for reasons I’ll go into later, that body swap is happening sooner than planned.
Great job restoring this truck, Im happy to see it was saved and not crushed like most would have done. Im not going to complain about the name you gave the truck either. Its your truck and you built it for you not everyone else. You done an outstanding job giving it another chance at life. Would love to see this truck someday. Congratulations,, seeing the purist comments makes me want to put a Bigblock Chevy in my 70 Coronet.. Geez guys just give the man a compliment on saving the truck.
Lol, thanks! Once I do the body swap I’ll miss the negative comments. I do get ALOT of positive comments whenever I’m out and about with it. But yeah…it’s just a truck, people.
It's called a little RED express for a reason wow
And that’s why we renamed it Red Nite Express (like Midnite Express)…felt like it was a damned if I do damned if I don’t situation putting that later model cab on (“it’s a clone!”) and if you check the end of the video I lay out my plans for doing right by it.
This is no longer the Lil Red Express. It has become "The Warlock"!
Warlocks were limited edition so to speak.
Nice job doing an F100 about same process 6 years in ready for paint
Hopefully that’s not what holds you up like it did me unless you’re painting it yourself.
Great work!!
Thank you! Was well worth it.
See you in 20
20 days? Years? :)
I have a stock one rust free but the Arizona weather has destroyed the interior. I retire in a couple years, so that's when all the fun begins. I do like the black, but plan to stay stock. With
I’ll bet it did. Had a Volvo 240 from there and the hard plastic would just crumble if you touched it. At least interior is easier than rusted out bodies and frames. Have fun with the resto!
There were two versions of this truck.
Red was the lil red express.
Black was the midnite express.
They originally came with a 440 interceptor engine.
The story of the Midnight Express is always under debate…but the best resources are that it was a dealer option, and the few that were created all or mostly came from the Mr Norms dealership. But none from the factory.
@@stage0garage it was a factory option in 1978 only from the factory. The lil red express came with a 360, and the midnite express came with a 440
You did great job. Only thing I would paint it red not black . Black isn't bad if it wasn't satin black but it your truck that how you wanted it .still great job .and is there a reason why keeping tailgate red?
With it being a montage of 7 trucks and the cab not being the right one I was going to catch flak anyway.
Kept tailgate because I thought it would be neat to have something that showed it’s original state.
And, if you go to the end of the video, I actually explain my next steps to do a true restoration with all parts from ‘79. But I still get to keep the satin black one as well so win-win.
@@stage0garage when you got that truck it was pretty bad and you bring it back to life. Hey it your truck that how you wanted it painted it black . Like I said you did great job . Very long build to and a lot of work
I've got a set of heads and intake for one.
They had originally planned to put special heads on, but in the end just used the standard 360 heads and 4bbl intake. Only thing they ended up doing special was the camshaft. The maroon truck blew it's 318 and I've got a 360 and heads at the machine shop, just realized I don't have an intake for it yet.
If your interested in this intake let me know I'm not gonna use it would sell it reasonably.If you need a part number I'll send it.If so I'll send my phn number and send pics.
I've got a 65 Dart GT with its original 273 V8,these heads and intake came on it but burned valves,so I put a set of J heads and an original style intake,I'm still running the factory exhaust manifolds but need headers because the J heads have much larger exhaust ports and the stock manifolds cover a half inch or more of the ports,even tho I didn't want to go to headers will have to to take advantage of the heads.
@@samuelgoodman2825 Perhaps, are you in the Wisconsin area?
@stage0garage No in in the southern tip of Virginia,Tazewell county.
What year is that mustang is that just curious
That’s a 2004 Mach1.
You changed it to the ,
Lil Black Express.
🤔
Be careful. I knew a guy who he and his son took years to build an old Toyota 4 wheel drive truck to car show quality.
A month after it was finished, it was stolen.
Never recovered.
Yep, but the name Red Nite Express flows better and is a take on the Midnight Express they never actually made.
Bummer about your friends truck, that would be heartbreaking but mines not show quality so I’d just take that insurance money and build a new one. :)
Black makes it a "Warlack" not a little black express.
@@stage0garage they made a black version called the midnight express.
Wrong one thousand percent! If it is black, it is then a warlock pickup truck! No, if's anne's or butts!
Not at all how that works :). That being said, this question brings up a good point: ‘when does a Lil Red stop being a Lil Red?’ I think I see a video exploring this topic on the way.
I really hate to see someone ruin a classic like this, you could have taken any dodge step side and made a clone the way you liked it but no you instead took a limited production classic and ruined it.
Settle down there. I worked with what I had. Perhaps you have unlimited budget but it was going to be ‘ruined’ the minute I put that cab on. Beyond that you know it’s just paint right and can be repainted? Also…watch my short video about “My Plans” for my two stepsides.