Adult Toys

In 1972 the E.P.A. placed into effect new regulations requiring auto manufactures to reduce exhaust emissions. In the beginning these new regulations required little change to the basic engine design and thus it seemed it would have little effect on gas mileage and performance, but this soon changed. By 1975 the writing was on the wall, poor gas milage and low horse power was driving american car sales downward, it seemed the E.P.A. was squeezing the life out of Detroit and if American auto makers were going to survive they were going to have to change marketing strategy.
Although car sales were down truck sales continued to hold their own. It seemed young adults who had grown up during the performance car era had now discovered high performance Truck'n. It was obvious to Dodge that this all new trend pointed in the direction Dodge Trucks marketing division needed to go.

1976 is recognized as the first year of the Adult Toy series, officially it wasn't until March of 1976 that R.H. Kline, head of Chryslers U.S. sales division, made the first announcement for immediate release of a new custom van from Dodge Truck. Calling it the Street Van.
Kline then went on to explain that the Street Van was only the first in a series of new customized vans and pickups that would be offered by Dodge.

Warlock & True Spirit

While the Street Van's release was getting underway it seemed that something else had also been quietly in the works at Dodge. In fact two new trucks, the Warlock and the True Spirit had already been shipped to Dodge dealers in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas to test the response of young buyers. These new trucks with their sporty look quickly gained the attention of old and young buyers alike.
It seemed that owning a factory customized pickup had become as much a status symbol with some adults as owning a big luxury car. Soon Dodge realized that it was the Warlock that seemed to grab the most attention and so on June 11,1976 R.H. Kline announced to the press that Dodge would immediately release their newest addition to its Adult Toys series, calling it the Warlock.

Li'l Red Express Truck

About The Red Express Connection...

This page is sponcered by: S&P Creations, Skip and Patti Gibbs.

The Li'l Red truck pictured above is my own (Skip's) 1978 Li'l Red Express truck taken soon after it's restoration in 1994. When the truck was purchased in the fall of 1985 it needed a complete restoration but my need for transportation came first.
Used as a daily driver until the winter of 1988, I finally decided it was time to do a (near) off frame restoration. The project lasted for about five years and at the completion of the trucks restoration I began to realize that the information I had compiled during the project would be of great value to other Lil Red Express and Warlock truck owners who also had plans to restore their own trucks.
I completed the first of four publications designed to assist in the restoration and understanding of these special trucks in 1995.
The truck pictured above is now at about 95% factory accurate and although I am not a show hound, it has been shown at a few local auto shows, capturing four first and one second place.