New Plans!

[bad421]

decided not to finish my 2wd shorty and just make my 68 4x4 lwb my main project, planning on lifting it a lil more and sitting it on some 38's and doing a 12 valve cummins turbo diesel swap withe a 5 speed and 1 ton axles, what ya'll think?

[Burt4x4]

I think....HELL YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2x4s are boring anyway
hahahaha
You know the rules! Post pics as you go!

[bfay17]

Those look like thornbirds you have on there. If so how do you like the ride and hom they wear? I was thinking about a set of 35x12.5 for mt 70 4x4 and was wondering how you like the tires.

[bad421]

Burt4x4, thanks and of course on the pics.
bfay17, unless you like a truck that wonders all over the road i wouldn't get them unless you do a lot of off roading.

[bad421]

come on guys somebody else has to have something to say

[Chevy1TonFun]

any updates

[bad421]

nah still in the plannig and deciding part ,plus need to sell all the parts i've listed on here for sale to help fund it!

[Yukon Jack]

Gonna be one tough truck when you are done. Will you be doing it all at the same time or do a specific phase of the project than drive it for a while?

[chas350]

Sounds like a great idea!
Do you plan on beefing up the frame? I am wondering how these trucks hold up with all that torque, especially off-roading one.
those Cummins are expensive!
I am looking at a 5.3L Genlll with a six speed auto (6l80) swap into my 70.
Seems to be quite a few hurdles.

[bad421]

I'm going to try and do it all at one time except for paint and body, as far as the frame goes I tink it should be ok after I box it in.

[bad421]

Havn't posted on this one in a while but, last weekend I picked up a 91 dodge 350 4x4 with a cummins 6bt and a 5 speed, it has the dana 60 in the front and a dana 80 in the rear. It only has 106,000 miles on it. I was going to start on it right away but, I think I'm going to wait til early fall to tear into to all this. That way meanwhile I can still ride my K10 and collect parts and do lots of planning. I'm really excited about doing this project ( I've always wanted to do a diesel project since I am a heavy diesel mech) and can't wait til I can roll some coal out the 5" stack!

[special-K]

This will be an awesome truck.I`ve always wanted to do the same to my `72 GMC.Everything but the stack .I`m more about having the smoke come from a stock location.No stack to show it off and keeping a more factory-built vibe.

[dammitmitchell]

simply put..
plan on spending some darn good monies..
BUT i totally love seeing "hard core" swaps like that..
though of rockwells at all?
what are you planning on doing with the truck when done?

[bad421]

special-k, thanks I understamd about the stack, but basically the main reson for the stack is it'll be on the pass side, so it shouldn't have to worry much about hearing my girlfriend run her mouth!
dammitmitchell, I think the 1 tons will be fine, rockwells have always seeme to heavy for me plus you can still just go down to the parts store to buy stuff for the dana's. Mostly this will be just a street truck but might find it hooked to a sled every now and then.thanks

[special-K]

I understand about the stack on the right

I`d have a daily driver if I could put a Cummins in a 67/72 with one ton axles.

[bad421]

oh yeah I plan to drive it a lot, its amazing how much power you can get out of a little 5.9 and still get good mpg.

[bad421]

Well. here is the update, after getting the dodge and driving it around, I started to think I should just leave it a dodge, then I started thinking if I'm going to dump money into something it better be what I want so the Chevyummins is back on the top of the list. I've been doing a lot of planning and have decided to set the chevy on the dodge frame, after all I don't want to hook to the sled and it fall apart and after looking at it a lot the dodge frame looks alot stronger. So far I have picked up a bigger turbo, a 2nd gen intercooler and intake and all the piping as well as a 3200rpm gov spring and I have turned up the fuel a little bit, all of this stuff is on the the dodge because I figured it would be nice to get all the bugs worked out before I do the body swap. With the stuff that is done its like night and day with the way it was before, it also has a 6" stack on it now too. I'm planning on sitting the body on the second week in sept. so pics and stuff will be coming soon.

[bad421]

We now have BLACK SMOKE!

[Batman]

Sounds like a sweet project! 1 thing you may want to know about that old Dodge (if you don't already), that '91 has the old Getrag tranny in it. Those transmissions haven't held up the greatest, especially when you start cranking up pump on that 12V. Luckily they are easily rebuilt, but if you're planning on some serious power out of that Cummins you may want to get an NV4500 or NV5600 that'll really take the abuse.

For a ton of info on those things check here:

http://www.turbodieselregister.com

Check out the 1st Gen forums.

[bad421]

Yeah a lot of people hate the getrag then a lot of people love it. I have heard lots of bad thing about the nv4500, so if the getrag goes I'll just rebuild it from what I hear they were only replaced by the nv due to cost not strenght

[b454rat]

People hating the 4500??? Must be they have the 5600 cause I've never heard anything bout the 4500s other than cost.

[special-K]

When I went for parts ,the GM dealer said I was out of luck until he saw mine came with the New Venture.I always heard you couldn`t get parts for the Gertrags.I`ve never had one.I guess it held up so far.It must not be too bad.

[Northern lights]

Something to consider. If you are going to do a body swap, why not find a 2wd truck for the swap. They are more plentifull and worth less than a 4X4. I understand that the one you have is "your truck" and is the one you want to do but, in reality, it's worth more as is than the same truck in the same condition in 2wd. If money in tight, you could sell it and replace it for a 2wd with money left over. Just a thought as it seems a shame to convert an original 4x4 into a morphadite 4x4. Putting a '68 body on the Dodge frame is a great idea (provided they both have the same weelbase), I would just keep the 4x4 chevy a 4x4 chevy and find another (2wd) body for the Dodge. Just a thought.

[bad421]

Originally Posted by b454rat

People hating the 4500??? Must be they have the 5600 cause I've never heard anything bout the 4500s other than cost.

From what I've heard the 4500 has a nasty habit of the fifth gear nut coming off and that they aren't they smoothest tranny etheir, the getrag in my dodge shifts smooth and has no play in it, I've also been looking on the cumminsforums and found a lot of places to find new parts that are decent on price, but the getrag itself is very exspenive to replace.

[bad421]

Originally Posted by Northern lights

Something to consider. If you are going to do a body swap, why not find a 2wd truck for the swap. They are more plentifull and worth less than a 4X4. I understand that the one you have is "your truck" and is the one you want to do but, in reality, it's worth more as is than the same truck in the same condition in 2wd. If money in tight, you could sell it and replace it for a 2wd with money left over. Just a thought as it seems a shame to convert an original 4x4 into a morphadite 4x4. Putting a '68 body on the Dodge frame is a great idea (provided they both have the same weelbase), I would just keep the 4x4 chevy a 4x4 chevy and find another (2wd) body for the Dodge. Just a thought.

I understand what you are sayin but I'm trying to get myself down to just one toy for now I'm wanting a car to put my big block in later on and with the way things are going now I don't think i would be able to get what I would want for the 68 4x4 now. So, if I use what I have I won't have to put a whole lot of money in it to do it since I have everything already.