Goofy Post

[DaveHess]

The sticker on my Ram's door frame shows Date of Manufacture as 04/2003. At the bottom of the sticker next to MDH shows 040420. So, today is the 14th birthday of the best vehicle I have ever purchased! She has been mine since day one and I do not see an end to my ownership of her any time in the near or distant future. Just thought I'd share.....

 

[DaveHess]

If I can't share with you all, who can I????? I work in an office of terrific women but I am the lone guy here and they definitely don't get the attachment between a man and his pickup.

 

[RVTRKN]

Happy manufacture birthday.

*On another note, I just recently toured the Harley Davidson Engine plant were my Harley engine was born.*

 

[DaveHess]

I would love a chance to tour a Ram plant and watch a pickup being built. I have no idea how long it takes to actually assemble a Ram. I couldn't make it to the Cummins plant tour. I hope they do that again in the future.

 

[Motorhead]

Dave, I can understand the 0404 but what about the 20? My Brother is 67 yrs old today too!

 

[Lynx0849]

Happy manufacture birthday.

*On another note, I just recently toured the Harley Davidson Engine plant were my Harley engine was born.*

Good tour. Did that in '13 during the 110th party.
Now if I can get my new saddle to fit on my new scoot, it will be riding tine

 

[DaveHess]

Motorhead: The MDH before the 040420 is Month Day Hour. So April 4th between 8:00PM and 8:59PM (20th hour of the day), the pickup came off the assembly line. First pickup off the line at 9:00PM would have had 040421. I cannot remember or quote a source where I was told that but I have believed that for the last 14 years! Happy Birthday to your Brother!

 

[Motorhead]

Thanks Dave. I'll go check my '07, 5.9. It was built the last two weeks of '06.

 

[avvblanc01]

This reminds me I have to check my truck's date code! I always celebrate my truck's birthday and the anniversary of when I bought it haha

No woman could ever understand the bond between a man and his Ram hahaha

 

[Wayne M.]

This isn't goofy at all!*

I have an April Ram too. Never knew about the MDH, so I'll have to check. I always went by when I brought it home. 8/17/04.*
The last plant I was in was Mack Trucks in Macungie pa. I've also toured Chrysler's Newark De. plant before it closed. Saw Durango and Aspen going together.*

 

[Killgore]

My wife and I took the Cummins' plant tour in 2013 and we were really impressed, learned a lot, and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

- Ed

 

[DaveHess]

This reminds me I have to check my truck's date code! I always celebrate my truck's birthday and the anniversary of when I bought it haha

No woman could ever understand the bond between a man and his Ram hahaha

You are SO right!!! The anniversary of my purchase was 7/9/2003.

 

[DaveHess]

This isn't goofy at all!*

I have an April Ram too. Never knew about the MDH, so I'll have to check. I always went by when I brought it home. 8/17/04.*
The last plant I was in was Mack Trucks in Macungie pa. I've also toured Chrysler's Newark De. plant before it closed. Saw Durango and Aspen going together.*

The Mack plant had to be awesome! Wanted to be a Trucker as a kid. Still would love to but I am a bit "aged" to be traipsing around the country. Mack's were my favorite! And I loved Cab-Overs. Still do. Especially KW's and Pete's. Chose USAF instead. Probably smarter. I get the impression trucking is nowhere near as fun as it was in the 70's and 80's.

 

[DaveHess]

Thanks to all you folks for responding to this post. It is a big deal to me as this is a great pickup truck. Even when it was hurt, it never stranded me anywhere. Always gets me home. Still looks great and will turn a head or two. If I was a smarter guy, I'd post a picture but I haven't quite figured that one out yet! In any case, thanks for sharing the day with me!

 

[Wayne M.]

The Mack plant had to be awesome! Wanted to be a Trucker as a kid. Still would love to but I am a bit "aged" to be traipsing around the country. Mack's were my favorite! And I loved Cab-Overs. Still do. Especially KW's and Pete's. Chose USAF instead. Probably smarter. I get the impression trucking is nowhere near as fun as it was in the 70's and 80's.

I am not a trucker, but I do have a B CDL. The Gov has really taken a lot of fun out of it. Some members here are way more authorized to speak on the subject.
That Mack plant is open to the public during the ATCA national meet, held down the road during Fathers Day weekend. Unfortunately Mack is not the company it once was.
A USAF career is respectable. Thanks for your service.*

 

[DaveHess]

Wayne, the honor to serve my country was mine. I enjoyed every minute of it and would do it again tomorrow. I have been retired for 14 years now and I'm sure things have changed.... I see we have a mutual love of A-Body Mopars!

 

[Wayne M.]

I see we have a mutual love of A-Body Mopars!

Ive never owned anything but a Chrysler product. The Cummins was the first deviation. I've had the Duster since '85. Others have come and gone.
I have a 340/833 combo and itching to do a Dart 'vert goin' for ice cream car.

 

[DaveHess]

Same here for a Mopar or no car family until I could not get a decent deal here on a new car for my daily driver. So now the daily drive is in a Kia Optima. We only have one Chrysler dealer here so they pretty much do what they want. I bought my Scamp in January of 1990, did a "partial" restoration but tired of people looking down their noses at it during cruises and car shows. So, decided to take it to the wild side. Ran a built 318 that sounded mean but couldn't get out of it's way. Then a 340 that would run 11.5 oh's all day long in the 1320. Broke the 727A pump and am now building a stroked and bored 383 out of my brothers now long gone 1971 Road Runner. 499 CID. Should be done later this summer. I have this nagging fear I have over done this project. Definitely have on the budget. Broke the 727A in 2005 and I am just now finishing the new powertrain. We pay cash for everything so it has taken the past 12 years to pay for the new engine/transmission combo. The next worry is whether the Super Stock springs and 8-3/4" will be able to contain that 499 torque monster. Especially through a set of 4.88's and 28x9" slicks. The slicks are going to go away for a set of 30x9 Mickey Thompson slicks. I have the spring relocation kit. Just haven't gotten around to installing it. This thing better scare the pants off of me!

 

[Wayne M.]

Sounds like you'll be in the 10's. A well built 8.75 will live. The 002,003 SS springs and long shocks are a good classic combo.

 

[DaveHess]

That's what is exactly back there! Strange Engineering spool and axles in a 489 case. The goal is 10.0's. But alas, no timeslip, no bragging rights! What does your A-Body run?