JDFord

Considering bidding on an 1985 W350 crew cab short bed at a consignment auction. It is an ex govt truck with a huge snowplow. Looks like only 29K orig miles. Other than minor dings and dents the body and frame are rust free. I currently have two 1993 diesel W250 extcab trucks. My Black truck has auto trans the Red truck has 5sp. The Black truck is in better shape. I bought the Red truck as a donor to put the 5sp into the Black truck and fix rust issues on the body of the Black truck.

The crew cab truck got me thinking about dropping the 5sp and cummins into it instead of the Black truck.

Pros:
Crew cab will give my kids more leg room (I have 4 kids) than the bench seat that I put in my 93 club cab.

Body is in excellent condition with no rust problems.

Cons:
I am concerned that the short bed won't be as handy for farm use.

Crew cab frame is only 7 inches tall behind cab, 1993 frame is 8 inches tall. I figure Dodge put taller frames on the cummins trucks for a reason.

Will have to equip the crew cab with a/c (this can come from the 5sp Red truck)

Not sure if the added cab space is worth the effort it will take to put the Cummins in it and give up the long bed. I have the tools and equipment to do the swap but time is the limiting factor especially if swapping cummins and 5sp into the crew cab means fabricating stuff that doesn't match up quite right. Any opinions?

Partsdude

If I had the shop space and 3 donor trucks to make 1 from, I'd be making up a longbox crew cab. I'd use the 7" frames and Z cut them to make them fit then box them in and add a few more crossmembers. It would be a lot of welding but so worth it imho.

jesussaves

im looking for a crew cab as well i got a 2nd kid on the way and i need a 2 baby seat truck Ivr been looking at ford 4 doors because i cant find any dodges. If its a nice crew cab id buy it, you could always sell it if you dont want it


http://www.fordcummins.com/

jesussaves

BTW where are you located, if you decide not to buy it maybe i could come get it

simplysmn

GSA auction's.com they have a few crewcab's now n then check em out or if your close to Ca. P M me as for the frame yes I know there is a difference but I rolled my old crewcab and didn't hurt the frame what so ever .I'de use the crewcab frame or better yet find a longbed crewcab n use it like Me

Astro

I'd extend the frame on the CC and toss the Cummins & 5spd in it with the long bed. There's plenty of S-10's, and Ram 1500's running around with 6BT cummins motors on stock chassis....just as long as you can do the frame lengthening the right way, you don't have anything to worry about. I've always wanted to do the same thing, just backwards. Shorten a W250 Chassis with the Cummins & NV4500 and put a Ramcharger body on it. I don't really like Ramchargers, but I think it'd be a cool rig.

Twisted Inc.

just get one of those fancy things where you put your tail gate down and it loops from the bed to the end of the tail gate and back to the other side of the bed....WAALA! 8ft bed!...or make it a long bed.....its up to you man...cc cummins are cool....IMO

deking1970

I just cut a '93 4x4 long box frame under the cab and then cut a '77 crew 4x4 in the same place under the cab. Butted them together bolted in 2 ft long inserts and welded the frames like they do on big rigs. Now its a 4x4 crew long box. Here are some pix.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...5&l=1eff995a58

Firstgenfanatic

Very Cool! I like your thinking, most folks are pretty "gun shy" on cutting and extending frames. I am personally going to go this route. I think if it is done right, the results would be super strong and reliable without a doubt. I viewed your pics and it looks really good! Do you have closeups of where you extended it? I am also looking for measurements taken if you have them. I am turning my 93' CTD club cab 4x4 into a 93' crew cab longbed 4x4. I have always wanted to do this and finally got a complete 1980 longbed crew cab donor truck. What is the deal with the frames? I have heard many folks say: "watch out on the frames, they are different sizes and also the frames bends a certain way on the rear of the crew cab." Looking to get the facts............

dguru

As long as you don't mind taking a football field to turn around in. I have put over 300K on my Ford Crew and am glad it's a short bed.

deking1970

I really didn't extend the frame, I just put 2 frames together to get what I wanted. The frames are the same dimensions under the cab. So I picked a spot about a foot ahead of where the frames kick up and cut both frames in the same spot and butted them together. (I didn't really do any of the cutting or welding, that is what friends that are talented fabricators are for) They can't help but come out the right length this way. Crew cab frame from under the rear doors forward and long box frame in the back. I just figured that this was easier than swapping all of the spring hangers and cross members. Plus I happened to come across a long bed for $124 bucks, that made the decision easier. I'll go take some pix of the splice and put them on my facebook.

Winr

its an easy swap including the 5spd, especialy if you have the donor truck. The reasion that the frame is taller it that the GVW 's are more then likely different. the Cummins trucks were at least 8750lbs and the swb crews were 8475ish. Mine was a D350 149" wb, single rear wheel (7" frame section) when I streched it I butted a 8" fram and gusseted the joint been good for 6yrs now towing a 15600lbs Goosneck.

simplysmn

Put crossover steering on it and it will turn just as sharp as a shortbed if not better

Firstgenfanatic

Here it is guys!!!!! The donor: 1980 Dodge crew cab 2wd longbed

freight train

Why wouldnt you just take the crew car and make it into a cummins conversion? I have seen guys do this before. Make it a 4x4 and all the drive train from the donor truck. Wish I had a CREW! Good luck on the build.