1986 Dodge D150 Royal SE

My first generation Dodge Ram pickup truck is the 1986 D150 Royal SE. While there have been many trucks before and after, the 1986 Dodge D150 Royal SE is, for me, the epitome of a classic pickup.

Buying My ’86 D150

My D150 has been in the family since 1989. Dad bought it from the Dodge dealer in Tallahassee, Florida that year. We’d gone through some rough times financially, and dad’s business was starting to generate a profit. Dad had been a mechanic for much of his life – both in the U.S. Navy and on his own.

His latest venture was a small engine repair business, and he’d been driving a Ford F250 with a 460 big block. While he appreciated the power of the 460 and the room the long bed provided, it was a clunky beast without refinement. He was ready for something nicer with a classic style. 

A long-time Dodge-Chrysler sort of guy, he loved the then-current generation of Dodge pickup trucks. He headed to the local Dodge Country dealership to see what new Ram trucks they had on offer. While walking through the lot, he spotted this ’86 that recently came in on trade. He liked the look of it, and decided to check it out a little closer.

It was a Royal SE with darn near every option available – 360 cid V-8, automatic transmission, power steering, power windows and locks, two tone paint and a short bed. Every detail was in perfect condition – from the carpet to the chrome bumpers. 

The price was right and an agreement was quickly reached. He drove it home that day, and it has been in the family ever since. 

Dodge Trucks in 1986

Before I talk about my ’86 D150, let me back up and talk about the Dodge offerings for that year. All of the following information comes directly from the official Dodge sales and marketing information. I’m fortunate enough to have a lot of the documentation from that year. If you see anything that doesn’t align with your understanding, please let me know.

In 1986, there were seven basic truck models, four that were two wheel drive (2WD) and three that were four wheel drive (4WD). For the 2WD, the trucks were the D100, D150, D250 and D350. All were rear wheel drive.

The D100 and D150 were available in short wheel base and long wheel base variants. The heavy duty D250 and D350 trucks were only offered as long wheel base models. The short wheel base truck measured 115″ while the long wheel base measured 131″.

The 4×4 trucks were offered as W100, W150 and W250 models. There was not a “350” model offered. W100 and W150 trucks could be purchased as short or long wheelbase models. The W250 was only offered with the long wheel base.

Warranty – Dodge was the first American company to offer a 5 year, 50,000 mile warranty on a pickup truck. The company really played that up with the well-known “Ram Tough” slogan. 

One ironic aspect to the company’s marketing was their touting “Extensive use of rust-fighting galvanized steel.” If there is any weak spot on these trucks it is how quickly they rust due to exceptionally poor corrosion resistance in the build.

The frame is made of carbon steel. Dodge rated the D150 for a 2,370 pound payload with a short wheelbase. The long wheelbase is rated at 2,430 pounds. 

1986 Dodge Truck Engine Options

The classic 225 CID Slant Six engine was standard on most Dodge trucks with the 318 V8 and 360 V8 offered as options. The exceptions to this were the D350 and W250 pickups which came with the 360 V8 engine only.

	225 CID Slant Six	318 V-8	360 V-8
carb	1 bbl	2 bbl	4 bbl
horsepower	95 hp	135 hp	170 hp
torque	unk	235 ft-lbs	305 ft-lbs