Classic Dodge Dude Pickup Returns As V8-Powered 2026 Ram 1500
Dude, that’s cool.
Mopar has built a tribute to the classic 1970s Dodge Dude pickup that was one of the first sporty street trucks and is introducing it at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
The iconic trim package was originally offered on the Dodge Sweptline D100 and D200 in 1970 and 1971 and featured signature C-shaped side graphics, special wheel and hubcap designs, body-color mirror arms and fuel cap , a “Dude” logo that included a cowboy hat and a selection of bright colors including Lime Green.
Disney and “The Andy Griffith Show” star Don Knotts was a Dodge trucks spokesman at the time and appeared in ads for the Dude decked out in western regalia.
To create the new Dude, Mopar started with a Ram 1500 Big Horn and swapped on the front end from a Ram 1500 Tungsten. It lowered the ride height, put on a set of black 22-inch wheels, added a front splitter and side sills with side-exit exhausts for the 5.7-liter Hemi V8, which it equipped with a Mopar cold air intake.
A custom hood was designed with a large central air intake and the truck was painted Sublime Green and finished with new C-shaped stripes and a modernized Dude logo.
Mopar teamed up with Alea leather for custom black upholstery with green stitching and crafted a Dude logo for the glove compartment door. It also designed a cowboy hat holder that attaches to a multi-functional rack on top of the dashboard and installed a console safe for other things cowboys might bring along with them.
Read Also: OHIO-BUILT ‘RAM’ MIDSIZE PICKUP CONFIRMED IN $13 BILLION U.S. MANUFACTURING PLA
The Dude is just a concept for now, but if the feedback is positive enough it could lead to a factory trim offering, or at least all of the parts and accessories being added to the Mopar catalog so you can build your own. There does seem to be a lot of momentum in the street truck space and something like the Dude would lean into Ram’s upcoming reentry into the NASCAR Truck Series next season.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE FREE AMERICAN CARS AND RACING NEWSLETTER FOR THE LATEST SEMA UPDATES
It also recently revealed the DC650 street truck, which was designed through a collaboration between Direct Connection and Fox Factory Vehicles. The DC650 has a lowered suspension and body modifications like the Dude, but amps things up with a supercharged version of the 5.7-liter Hemi eTorque engine that’s rated at 650 hp.
Follow American Cars And Racing across our social media on X, Flipboard, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook.