Stamey

I have a 1974 F-350 dually with less than 100K original miles on it, that has a 12'x8'x 3' dump body on it. The dump body is self-contained, in that it has the hydraulic tank and electric pump mounted in the dump body frame. The guy who owned this truck before me had the dump body installed on this truck, from an original flatbed. The cab needs paint but has almost no rust in it.
It has a 360" gasser in it which runs like a top, but as you know, has no torque, mated to a granny 4 speed. It sucks when you have it loaded up.

I bought a 1989 D350 dually cab-N-chassis that has a 12 valve and a 5 speed. The cab on the 89 is pretty bad. It needs a fender, grill, other front end body parts. The driver's door will not latch, and I have never looked closely at it to figure out why. The cab has little rust holes in the roof between the windshield and marker lights. I suspect that this truck had a dump body on it also, but it was removed before it was sold. The engine runs fine but I have not been able to drive it much since it has no license on it. Just driving around the yard and such.

My original plan was to get a kit from FordCummins.com and swap the 12v and Getrag into the F350 but now I don't know if I want to do that. I am beginning to think it would be easier to buy another first gen Ram and swap the cab onto the D350 I have, then put the dump body on the D350 also.

I am not sure which way to go, as I would have to deal with VIN issues in the can swap, I suppose, and am thinking I need to keep the 89 D350's VIN due to the weight rating. I'm thinking I may need to change out wiring harness parts or whole since I will likely end up with a gasser cab.

I would like to hear from you guys as to which way you'd go, and why.

Thanks,
Chris

RollinCoalSmoke

I haven't done the swap personally. But I think as simple as the Cummins is to make run and no i/c to deal with i'd put the Cummins in the Ford truck. I think that would be easier doing just one swap rather than swapping a cab, front clip, and a bed. Then the vin # issue wouldn't be into play or here where I live it wouldn't be. Good luck with the choice you make.

BRUISER

swap the engine into F350.. it is easy and it only takes 3 wires to run the 12v.

the only big issue you will run into is engine mounts and cross members will need to be moved to clear engine and support transmission..

wannadiesel

What rear is under the F-350?

Both options involve plenty of work, it just depends on what kind of work you like to do. The engine swap means fab work, the cab swap means parts swapping work. Since the truck was a C&C in the first place, the bed swap should be pretty straightforward.

apwatson50

Personally I would do the engine swap, then you don't have to find another cab. But I also wouldn't buy a kit, just fab up some motor/tranny mounts.

Stamey

Well, I understand from the FordCummins site that you must "shave" the cross member on the Ford to allow the pan to clear it. This involves cutting the top out of the cross member, cutting an inch or two out of the cross member walls then welding the top back onto the cross member to maintain structural support.
Next, I need to do whatever fabbing or purchase the mounts for the engine and the tranny, and change out the U-joint, I suppose, to mate the driveshaft with the Getrag tranny. The driveshaft in the F350 seems a bit small.
As far as I can tell, the rear in the F350 is a D60, which I suppose is the same thing as the D350, but w/o the ABS sensor. I do not know if either has an LS unit.
The other swap issues I need to address, if going into the F350, are the radiator, PS pump and probably the front springs, since the Ford 360 weighs about half of what the 12v does.
All of this has me leaning towards the cab swap, even with possible wiring changes being required. I would have both trucks sitting side by side, and can take my time.
I neglected to state, as I might have thought it would be understood, that the F350 is currently licensed and driveable on the road, which means I can use it while the cab swap is going on. Once the cab swap is complete I just have to swap the dump bed, which as I said, was an add-on, so it is pretty much independent of the truck frame, having its own frame which sits on the truck frame. They blocked the F350 frame up where it was uneven, to give the dump bed a flat frame surface to sit on.
Pics to come in next post.

Thanks,
Chris

Stamey

F350:



The D350:

BearKiller

Put the Cummins in the Ford.

You will have the better end result that way.

Where did you get the Ford ??; that looks just like the neighbors truck that he used to pull a chipper and haul the chips in.

Myself, I have a 1972 F-250 4x4 HI-BOY, currently with a 390, and some mis-guided gourd-head swapped out the 4-speed for an automatic (thank goodness he left the clutch pedal hanging in the cab); I have a NON-I/C Cummins and Getrag that is going in that truck.


The rear currently in your Ford could be either a Dana-70, or more likely a Dana-60.

It should be almost a direct swap to put the 70 from the Dodge under the Ford, if the need should arise.

If you drive like you have some sense, a 60 (if that is what it is) should hold up fine.

The coined wheels on both the Ford and the Dodge should be identicle and swap from one truck to the other.


I wouldn't waste money on a "kit"; if you have basic fabrication tools/skills, the swap is nothing you can't handle.



I would retrofit a Ford diesel radiator from a 1985 F-350; they are monsters and will cool any heat you throw at them, far better than those wimpy little things Dodge used.


The power-steering pump is an integral part of the Cummins and all that is required to hook it to the Ford is to graft the Cummins hoses to the Ford steering-gear ends.


As for the cross-member, I would install some temporary braces, fore and aft, to maintain proper spread of the frame; then, fabricate an entirely new THREE-PIECE cross-member, such that there were two short "ends" bolted to the frame, with an easily removable center-section that mated to matching plates on each short section.

Should it ever be necessary to remove the oil-pan from the Cummins, it would be an act in simplicity, once the removable center-section of the cross-member were taken out.

Richie O

I agree, do the ford. It looks to be in very good shape. That dodge has been beat hard. I did not buy my trucks because they were dodges, I bought them because they had a cummins.

RollinCoalSmoke

I agree with ya BearKiller. As far as the front springs go aftermarket spring are probably still available for the ole truck. By the time you do fender, grille, bumper, cab, ect. you could be driving the Ford. I don't know about your skills with hotwrenches but if you have the skills having to buy much more than steel to make x-members ect should save you a few bucks. The old 360 and granny 4sp should recoup alot of the money you spent, some of the old school guys would like to have it to restore a truck. Anyways just my .......02 worth again and good luck.

jimlj

I have heard there are steering linkage issues with a 2 wheel drive and the oil pan if using the stock Dodge pan. Check that first. There are many applications where the Cummins is used in other equipment so a different pan shouldn't be a problem.

Shaving the crossmember is not too hard. If a boneheaded electrician can do it, anyone can. I also agree with "don't buy the kit". The same sparkie who shaved the crossmember built motor mounts and trany support with no problem.

BearKiller

There are dozens of oil-pan configurations available.


Also, these pans can be turned 180*, swapped end for end, if that is necessary for clearance.

I figure if the pan is turned around that the oil pick-up would also need be moved, but I am not certain.