What Is the Dodge Warlock?

During the late seventies, Dodge was busy at work making interesting cars in a difficult time for automotive manufacturers. In the same line of trucks as the Lil' Red Express, the Dodge Warlock was a part of Dodge’s "adult toy" line of vehicles. These vehicles were intended to serve as a counterpoint to the otherwise bland creations of the American automotive industry at the time. Most trucks that were being produced during that era were purely utilitarian work vehicles, and, for that reason, Dodge sought to spice things up with the Warlock.

Understanding the Magic

Initially produced as a limited run in 1976, the Warlock was produced normally from 1977 to 1979. There were both 4x2 and 4x4 models, with the 4x4 models called “Power Wagons." The Warlock had several engine options: The base Slant Six, the 318 with either a two or a four-barrel carburetor, a 360 four-barrel, a 400 V8, and a 440 V8. The first iteration of the Dodge Warlock was made exclusively in black, while the later models, dubbed the Warlock II, came in several color variations, including bright reds and greens.

The Warlock's foreboding black paint job with chrome accents was made as a direct response to the growing culture of truck customization. It included flashier wheels, fat tires, bucket seats, real oak sideboards among other visual enhancements, like gold tape outlining parts of the interior and a flashy gold stripe running around the body of the vehicle.

Cult Classic

As opposed to the other vehicles in the "adult toys" line of vehicles, this truck appears to be more representative of its time; not necessarily cashing in on previous generations aesthetics, but rather represents its own contemporary style. The Dodge Warlock, however, has been relegated to a more obscure corner of Dodge's lineup. While remembered fondly, the Dodge Warlock holds a more arcane position in the annals of American automotive history.

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