Ok. Well, despite all my plans I've had for my truck, temptation has finally hit and I've found a 97 2500 4wd 5spd. It has 120k on it, it's black, I know the guy that has had it. It's bone stock, and has been taken care of. He used it to haul a car trailer w some classic mopars around to some shows and that's about it. The price is right, but I can't have yet another vehicle, so I've decided to get rid of my first gen and F*rd to lighten my load. I've already reinstalled my stock injectors and Hx35, and I'm gonna keep the guages, stereo, stacks as well. I have some 4" stacks I'll replace them with. The motor I just rebuilt less than a year ago, not a complete rebuild, but the head was done with all new valve seals, new head gasket, new rob bearings, pistons, and rings. Pumps a 215 pump. My question is this. I have close to 8k in my truck, but still the body and the wiring are trash. I had planned on rewiring it, but just never got the time. I realize I can't get $8000 out of it, but I'd like to at least get 4 or 5. You can look at my sig to see what's done to the truck, minus the 370's and the hx40. For some reason people look at the truck, (the body does need work, I've spent all the time on the frame and motor) and assume it's a POS. So I was wondering if it'd be more practical to sell the motor/trans seperately, then sell the chassis and body seperate too. How much do the cummins motors by themselves ussually go for? I want to sell it as quick as possible, I don't want to miss out on the 97.

 

I dont know how different the chassis were between the 1st and 2nd gens but could you put a 94-98 body on the truck that you did all the work tooi? may be cheaper than buying another truck and having to try to sell your old one.

 

smokinfive9

This might be a stupid idea, but why not buy a cheap 2nd Gen gas engine truck maybe even a reg cab short bed and put your running gear in it. I think a Reg cab short bed 3/4 ton 4x4 cummins would be the BOMB It would be a 1 of a kind and a gas truck can be had real cheap. Just a thought you seem to have a great drivetrain what else do you need. just my .02

CRIS

 

Where are you trying to sell it at? To the average Joe, your never gonna get much out of a truck that doesn't look good. If you don't already, put it for sale on this web site, and over on TDR's too. People on these web sites tend to understand better the value of what you have under the hood IMO. I do think you could probably part it out though and get your money back that way too.

 

Yeah, I should've looked closer when I bought it in the first place, I really didn't know what I was looking at. It was a cummins, it was cool lol. Now that I know what to look for I know that the previous owners severely botched and neglected the truck. The only good thing about it was the frame itself, it was pretty rust free and straight. I paid way too much for it, I don't even want to say lol it's that embarassing. Needless to say I got ripped.

Well, ok funny you mentioned it. My dad has a 98 clubcab longbed, 2500, 5spd, with the 5.9L gasser. He wants to sell it to me, but I wanted the cummins. I do want the clubcab too, which MX that's why I didn't swap on a newer body. The main reason I want the change is I use this truck alot for work since I do mechanic work out of it. I'm just sick of tuna can sized cab (the speakerbox center consel doesn't help). Another reason, I travel regularly from Columbus Ohio to Detroit & St Louis. Which I have to use my van because the truck doesn't have overdrive and can barely muster 65 mph without scaring me. I don't have a tach yet but it sounds to me like it's crankin pretty high at that speed.
I'm gonna start a new post to ask about maybe swapping the engine into the 98. that'd be cheaper. probably, just wondering about some things. See you guys got my brain moving again lol. This was to AVOID work lol.

 

Try Ebay trucks go high on there