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Thread: Dodge Rampage / Plymouth Scamp 1982-1984

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  1. #1
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    Dodge Rampage / Plymouth Scamp 1982-1984

    The Dodge Rampage was a subcompact, unibody coupe utility based on Chrysler's L platform and manufactured from 1982 to 1984. First released as a 1982 model, the Rampage was later joined for 1983 by its rebadged variant, the Plymouth Scamp.

    The Rampage borrowed the car's unibody construction and the front fascia from the sporty 024/Charger variant, and used the suspension from the Omni/Horizon with coil struts and a linkless sway bar at the front, and leaf springs with shock absorbers at the rear.

    It was available with a Chrysler built and designed 2.2 L carbureted inline-four engine with 96 hp (72 kW) and a curb weight of around 2,400 lb (1,100 kg). In the first year, it had leisurely performance due to the four-speed manual transmission along with a three-speed automatic transmission.

    Performance was improved with the introduction of a five-speed manual transmission in 1983. The truck had a load capacity of 1,145 lb (519 kg), for a true "half ton" rating. This compared favorably to General Motors' Chevrolet El Camino's rating of 1250 lbs. In addition to the El Camino, the Volkswagen Rabbit Sportruck and Subaru BRAT were the Rampage's main competition.

    A rebadged version, the Plymouth Scamp, was only marketed for 1983. The Rampage lasted three years before being dropped from production after the 1984 model year. There was a "Shelby Rampage" built by Chrysler/Shelby engineers in their free time for Carroll Shelby, but there is no official record of the existence of such a vehicle. However, a special "California Shelby Rampage" was built in 1984 and only sold at certain California-area Dodge dealerships, which featured the front fascia from the Shelby Charger, 15-inch alloy wheels, and a ground effects package.

    The Dodge Rampage was based on the popular Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon. Their high gasoline mileage and modest price were good for the time, but the engine was also the cause of the vehicle's failure — it could not deliver the performance of the El Camino, but when one compared it to the Volkswagen Rabbit Sportruck, the Rampage seemed to have the upper hand. The Rampage's front-wheel drive configuration also added to its deficiencies, as a front-wheel drive layout is not usually used for trucks. The Plymouth Scamp was only sold in 1983, making it a collector's item. The Rampage lasted three years, though, and was removed from production after the 1984 model year.

    The Dodge Rampage (17,636 sold in 1982, 8,033 in 1983, 11,732 in 1984, its final season) didn't take off in the market as had been expected. Sales totals for the Plymouth Scamp were 2,184 base models and 1,380 Scamp GT models.

    Shelby Rampage
    In the Rampage's final model year, a Shelby Rampage was built. There wasn't a lot of time spent in its production so it was essentially a normal 2.2L Rampage, although it was turbo charged (as in the GLHS, given a body kit, and Shelby decals. Only 258 were produced when the Rampage was pulled from production. This was due to poor marketing, coupled with a disinterest in the car/truck body style with the masses. Only one dealership in California was able to get the Shelby Rampage before it was pulled from the assembly line. A concept of a car using the Rampage body was drawn during the final production year. It was titled the Shelby Streetfighter. Two were actually built by Shelby, but they were never sold, with one of them going to the designer of the car. The project was scrapped, along with the Dodge Rampage production.

    2006 Concept
    Dodge resurrected the Rampage name at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show with a front-wheel drive concept pickup. As opposed to the original Rampage, this concept vehicle was as large as the full-size Dodge Ram. It was powered by the 5.7 L Hemi V8 and featured "Stow 'n Go" seating taken from the Chrysler minivans.

    Source: Wikipedia & Dogde-wiki
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    Last edited by Man of Steel; 01-18-2020 at 02:27 AM.

  2. #2
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    Rampage eh? Somehow i think the name just doesn't do it justice

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