TWX

Once I'm done with another project I'm looking to build a tow vehicle out of an old '82 Ram D-350 crew cab short bed that I bought a few months ago. I'm going to do quite a bit to this truck, like switching to '79-'80 fenders/doors/grille/valence/core support, step side bed (already installed), and some other fancy stuff, but I haven't completely settled on a powertrain choice yet. I've seen a few D-series Cummins trucks for sale, but mostly for too much money or too many miles (300K range), and I'm also curious about the use of newer Cummins engines in older bodies, especially on a truck that will be getting the works.

Any info would be appreciated. I did try to search the forums, but couldn't narrow down to a reasonable number of hits.

G1625S

Welcome to the site! What is the purpose for the rig when it's done? That will help us give suggestions...

93Fury

^^^ What he said. And if you decide to go with a diesel drive train send me a pm, I might be able to help.

TWX

I plan to tow my '78 Cordoba to out-of-town car shows and to possibly use the truck as a general vacation family hauler. If it turns out well enough I may enter it into mopar shows too. Right now it has a dana rear (I think it's a 70) with 4.1 gearing, i'd probably step down one for slightly better highway depending on expexted RPM depending on OD ratios. My wife will also need to be able to drive it, so I'll need to go with an automatic.

G1625S

Definitely step down to 3.54's. Is the truck single rear wheel or dual? Just curious. I know a lot of the older Dodges used a dana 60 out back, which would be a no-go, IMO. Depending on your budget, a 1st gen 12 valve coupled to a 2nd gen auto w/lockup converter would be the hot setup for your plans. The non lockup early autos tend to soak up horsepower, make heat and reduce fuel economy when compared to a lockup version.

TWX

It's single rear wheel, open differential. When new it was a 318/4bbl truck with granny four speed with a toploader tranny. It's got probably 276K on it, but the engine was replaced with probably another worn out 318. The 4.1 gear was probably necessary with that engine. I also probably need to have the frame straightened a bit, the stepside bed isn't lining up with the cab. It had a flatbed with ladder rack welded on when I bought it.

I can't deny that I'm somewhat biased against lockup torque converters, but that's due to problems I had with a lockup 904 (first year) in the Cordoba, and a rear end ratio change in that car led to the lockup engaging at 35mph or so, which made it wear/slip, which put clutch material into the fluid, which caused the lockup control valve to stick engaged... hopefully that has been addressed...

Were there any axle with or perch width changes between early Ram D-series and later D-series that may make axle interchange problematic? The crew cab has a carrier in the middle of the driveshaft as well, so any shaft length changes will be in the tranny-to-carrier part...

Clyde Roper

I just did a 77 clubcab last month, best thing I ever did to it. Had a wore out 400/4speed in it. Now it will actually pull my trailer up a hill at the speed limit.

johny5

Im just wrapping up my 85 crew cab build > I used all 93 club truck running gear and it was almost a bolt in , I did have to drill a few holes.
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...light=crew+cab

TWX

That's actually part of what my question is. A friend in my local Mopar club is working on a '72 3/4 ton camper special, which was the first year of the new truck that lasted essentially to '93, and with his motor out I've had a chance to see where the mounts bolt down. His has two sets of holes, one for big blocks and one for small blocks. Does the Cummins use these existing mounting holes, or will I have to fab and/or drill to make the Diesel motor mounts fit the frame?

Drilling holes in the body for wiring isn't a big deal by comparison. I plan to do all of the mechanical before the paint gets addressed, so drilling extra holes in the firewall doesn't bother me.

I'm also thinking about looking at some of the air conditioning stuff from the B-series vans, namely the evaporator setup in the back. I think it'd be neat to put a second evaporator under the back bench seat to make the cab easier to cool. I live in Phoenix...

wannadiesel

If you get mounts from a 1st gen it will drop in. 2nd gen mounts are totally different.

TWX

I've found an ad for an engine that claims to have basically zero usage:
It looks like the turbo is in the wrong spot to clear the hood, so I assume that I'd have to change that set of piping. Is there anything else different like cam or governor or the like that I would have to change if I wanted to use it in a pickup?

Pictures attached... I'd obviously have to paint it...

TWX

Oh, here's the truck I'm working on:

http://allpar.com/gallery/v/personal/TWX/D-350/

PapeCAT

looks like you're setting up for a nice project. Here is my before and after pics so far , sounds similar to what you are thinking about. Mine is an offroad beater rig for now, resto/family rig will come later after I play with it for a while... 37" tires , brownie, cummins / 727.

it is a 1972. The engine crossmember from 1972/73 is a three piece that doesn't dip low enough for the cummins to clear. all the years after will fit. I ended up hacking off a the whole 1993 ramcharger frame in the junkyard firewall fwd and taking it home...

If you have any questions let me know too. I don't have a build thread but here are some pics.

Nick

Truck as I got it.

P1010004.jpg?t=1254203456

front clip off

P1000215.jpg?t=1254203496

Engine going in

P1000307.jpg?t=1254203526

sorta finished...

truck1.jpg?t=1254203563

TWX

Nice.

It's funny. Those wheels (the slotted mags with kidney-bean shaped holes) are hard to find in eight on 6.5 these days in my experience.

I've gotta finish reassembling my '78 Cordoba before I can make headway, but I'm definitely trying to get all of the info I'll need before I get started with turning wrenches.

wannadiesel

Should run just fine in a pickup. See if you can get the CPL number from the seller.

You can flip that manifold to get the turbo down. It may or may not clear the crossmember then, though. The manifold in Dodges is a special part, you may wind up having to use one. I'm not sure if the Dodge manifold was only needed to clear the heat exchanger for the auto trans or if it was a frame clearance issue.

Obviously the turbo will need to be reclocked and the drain tube will need some modification.