Everything Dodge Fans Should Know About The Warlock Truck

The 1970s saw several major shifts in automotive design, and a new type of truck emerged as a result. The public had grown tired of the humdrum and mostly functional pickup, and an industry of aftermarket customization was sweeping the country. Truck owners were adding custom paint jobs, eye-catching wheels, and sporty interior upgrades to their vehicles, and Dodge took notice. The automaker created some fantastic new pickup designs, including the memorable Warlock. The Warlock was far from the most outlandish vehicle to come out of the industry; automakers have been tinkering with design for decades, creating some of the weirdest pickup trucks ever made. 

In 1976, the Warlock debuted and was made to appeal to buyers in a completely different way than previous models. Rather than playing it safe in terms of visual esthetics, Dodge took inspiration from the aftermarket custom scene and added striking details, sporty upgrades, and plenty of attitude with the Warlock. With advertisements targeting a different demographic of truck buyer, the automaker's tag lines were things like, "Get with the adult toys from Dodge," and "Remember when you used to play with trucks? You still can." The ad campaigns were promoting style, prestige, and fun versus the traditional truck selling points of dependability, functionality, and hauling capability. According to Classic, The Dodge Warlocks between 1976 and 1979 sell today for just under $19,000 on average. So, what made the Warlock so iconic, and what features did it offer over other trucks of the time?

The '70s saw both a push for more luxury options in trucks and more performance-influenced design. The classic Warlock favored the latter, with several interior additions that hadn't been a part of standard truck cabins in the past. The Warlock featured black vinyl upholstery and a dark color scheme throughout. A gold striping pattern weaves around the dashboard, starkly contrasting the otherwise black interior. Other striking visual elements of the Warlock included bucket seats, tinted windows, and a Tuff Wheel. The Tuff Wheel was a sporty three-spoke steering wheel featured in the early '70s Challenger.

All of these features made the Warlock stand out against competitors and from previous Dodge trucks like the Adventurer, which were focused on luxury. The automaker borrowed esthetics from its earlier muscle cars to help liven up its new "adult toy" line of vehicles. The Warlock was an option for those who wanted a custom truck that came stock. And it was a good thing Dodge made the Warlock so flashy because it didn't pack much punch under the hood.

The Warlock looked every bit capable of being a muscle truck. It had the jet black paint job, custom-looking wheels, wooden sideboards, and a large chrome-infused grill. However, due to the strangling emission standards that left performance engines struggling to breathe, Warlock was left wanting in the performance department. In terms of robust performance, the automaker would find a way around regulations, and that's one of the reasons the Dodge Li'l Red Express Truck is so special. 

You could choose from a few engine options like the 225ci inline 6-cylinder, a 318ci V8, or a 360ci V8. There was also a 440ci V8 version, but these Warlocks were exceedingly uncommon. These options don't sound bad until you consider that even with small block V8s, automakers struggled to adapt to the new air quality standards. It wouldn't be until much later in automotive design that engineers figured out how to squeeze more horsepower out of smaller engines efficiently. So the 6-cylinder Warlock could generate 110 horsepower, the 318ci could muster 145, and the 360ci could manage 160. 

Since the days of the '70s Warlock, automakers have released several variations of the pickup over the years, including several special edition trucks we can't believe actually got the green light.