1955 12 Valve NAPCO Clone

[6BT 56]

Looken real good Luther . some front hubs on it as well I see. I still love your mirrors . Id kill for a set of those . My truck still has the orriginal weather strip on the doors . Shot tho . My dad got me new for my b day a while back . i kow what you mean abt the noise . I dont remenber my 92 dodge being that noisey . this truck is like riding in a tin can with a 5.9 in your lap! Im looking forward to a bit if hush matt on the floors and a new rubber floor to help out. I drive mine to work at least 3 time s a week . super on fuel so why not ! Still no fan , its ther now but now wires going to it yet . Truck has never even thought of getting hot . Good combo , lazy eng and light old truck makes this thing just put down the road . I still need to get the steering figured out tho . Way too light . Think it may need a caster shim or two to get the caster or camber what ever that is back in . Handles like a shipping cart still .

Glad to hear from you again . truck looks great !

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Luther Grimace

I had planned on using older NP205 stuff. I was thinking the tail shaft housing and hoping just the speedometer drive gear to replace the reluctor wheel. If that deems to expensive I might use one of these. I would rather not because these are like $300. I actually changed my mind about using a 4L60E in my crew cab Chevelle because I didn't want to have to spend that much money on the converesion box.

http://www.abbott-tach.com/cablex.htm

FWIW I've unscrewed the dodge electronic sensor adapter from the dodge NP205s in these first gen cummins trucks, and used a regular gear box and hooked a cable up to it. I've done it 3 times and never had an issue.

[Luther Grimace]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

FWIW I've unscrewed the dodge electronic sensor adapter from the dodge NP205s in these first gen cummins trucks, and used a regular gear box and hooked a cable up to it. I've done it 3 times and never had an issue.

Can you elaborate some more on this? What all parts are needed? Your saying remove the electric sensor and add a gear drive off an old NP205 or 203 or whatever?

[waybad]

how is that peel and seal working out??

[6BT 56]

Im a little puzzled as well . You said earlier that your truck had a relucter wheel in the t/c ? At least I thot u did . Mine has a normal ish speedo hook up with a gear reduction thing with a electric pick up on the end of that . I think I will be able to hook a speedo cable to mine . I would have to look tho . I cant quite remember now .

[Dieselwrencher]

Ok, the dodge speed sensor/transducer just screws on to the transfer case. There is an adapter that screws into the tcase housing. If you remove the speed sensor, you can screw a speedo gear box from a chevy four wheel drive, or get one from a semi shop in your area. You can even screw your speedo cable right to where you remove the stock dodge speed senser. On the yellow suburban I did, I used a 10% gear set up, but it needed 50% to get the speedo to read correct. I looked for pics, but don't seem to have any. I'll try to take some pics tomorrow of another tcase I have laying around.

[Purcell69]

Luther, nice work on your Cummins/NAPCO. A friend of yours posted a link to this build on ADVRider in a thread I started on a similar build. I'm shortening a 1994 Ram 1500 4wd chassis to put under my 1957 3100 long bed right now. I'll be using the Dodge Ram drivetrain in my build rather than a Cummins motor. I'm really impressed with what you have going.

Keep up the good work.

-Joe
Posted via Mobile Device

[Luther Grimace]

Originally Posted by Purcell69

Luther, nice work on your Cummins/NAPCO. A friend of yours posted a link to this build on ADVRider in a thread I started on a similar build. I'm shortening a 1994 Ram 1500 4wd chassis to put under my 1957 3100 long bed right now. I'll be using the Dodge Ram drivetrain in my build rather than a Cummins motor. I'm really impressed with what you have going.

Keep up the good work.

-Joe
Posted via Mobile Device

Hey Joe! Yeah he sent me a link to your build and told me about it. Let me know if I or any others can answer any questions for you. This is a great website for these old trucks and for just about anything you need to know. I think you have a great project with the 94 frame. I'm sure the coil springs ride will be superior to the leafs on mine.

Post up a thread over here too on your project if you have time. I know the guys would love seeing it.

[Luther Grimace]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Ok, the dodge speed sensor/transducer just screws on to the transfer case. There is an adapter that screws into the tcase housing. If you remove the speed sensor, you can screw a speedo gear box from a chevy four wheel drive, or get one from a semi shop in your area. You can even screw your speedo cable right to where you remove the stock dodge speed senser. On the yellow suburban I did, I used a 10% gear set up, but it needed 50% to get the speedo to read correct. I looked for pics, but don't seem to have any. I'll try to take some pics tomorrow of another tcase I have laying around.

I was thinking that this electric dodge speedometer would be alot like the differences between a 700R4 electric vs. mechanical speedometer where one has a reluctor wheel vs an actual drive gear. I need to take mine off to see what the story is. Sounds like it might work fairly easy how you described it. Do you have any pictures of it yet?

[Luther Grimace]

Originally Posted by waybad

how is that peel and seal working out??

I really don't have anything to compare it to since I never ran the hood on it with the peel and seal. I know it does take some of the tin can sound out of the panel you stick it on. I think I will put some in the cab as soon as I can get the floor done. Do you have any experience with it? Pros and cons?

[Purcell69]

Originally Posted by Luther Grimace

Hey Joe! Yeah he sent me a link to your build and told me about it. Let me know if I or any others can answer any questions for you. This is a great website for these old trucks and for just about anything you need to know. I think you have a great project with the 94 frame. I'm sure the coil springs ride will be superior to the leafs on mine.

Post up a thread over here too on your project if you have time. I know the guys would love seeing it.

I really wish the Internet was as useful now as it was when I first started playing with this truck 20 years ago, lol! After reading through your thread, I learned I COULD have separated my steering column from the gearbox and kept the original column. (Still kicking myself now for letting that go to scrap!). I have a column out of an '80s vintage Cutlass in place right now with Borgeson joints and double D shaft. It isn't too pretty in the cab, but it has worked with the original straight axle PS conversion as well as the Camaro subframe I did later

I've been taking lots of pics as I go and will start a build thread here when I get a chance. The info on the brake booster and pedal set-up was very helpful. I'm going to adapt the 1994 booster and pedal to my '57, since I don't think the small diameter T-Bird booster I have now will be enough.

-Joe
Posted via Mobile Device

[6BT 56]

Hey Luther . Did you have time to look at your t/c to see what you have ? I need to crawl under mine as well. I need to look up the speedo Cable extension that Orrie used . It looks like it will do exactly what I need it to do .

[Luther Grimace]

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

Hey Luther . Did you have time to look at your t/c to see what you have ? I need to crawl under mine as well. I need to look up the speedo Cable extension that Orrie used . It looks like it will do exactly what I need it to do .

No I haven't had a chance to mess with my truck yet on this. What is the cable extension you are talking about?

[Luther Grimace]

Originally Posted by Purcell69

I really wish the Internet was as useful now as it was when I first started playing with this truck 20 years ago, lol! After reading through your thread, I learned I COULD have separated my steering column from the gearbox and kept the original column. (Still kicking myself now for letting that go to scrap!). I have a column out of an '80s vintage Cutlass in place right now with Borgeson joints and double D shaft. It isn't too pretty in the cab, but it has worked with the original straight axle PS conversion as well as the Camaro subframe I did later

I've been taking lots of pics as I go and will start a build thread here when I get a chance. The info on the brake booster and pedal set-up was very helpful. I'm going to adapt the 1994 booster and pedal to my '57, since I don't think the small diameter T-Bird booster I have now will be enough.

-Joe
Posted via Mobile Device

Yeah that original wheel and shaft is pretty awesome. Especially the leverage you get on the wheel. I can steer my truck with my pinky. You could always find an old steering wheel and cut the center spline portion out of yours and weld it in the new one. Then you would have a tilt column with a factory wheel

I can say the pedal swap was one of the more difficult parts of the swap. You kinda gotta just start putting it up in there and finally just go with a spot to mount it. I had to cut out the original dash support that the parking brake lever attaches to. I chose to put my steering column between the gas and brake. This shifted the clutch over far but hey it works. Its alot like wrestling an alligator. Once you finally jump in you start gaining ground.

[6BT 56]

Originally Posted by Luther Grimace

No I haven't had a chance to mess with my truck yet on this. What is the cable extension you are talking about?

A while back I think Orrie said his truck has the orriginal 59 speedo cable with a early blazer factory extension screwed to the end if it . That gave him the extra 2 ft or so to go to his t/c. I need to see what the etension is and if it's stil available . He even had a pic . Its perfect . His tread is so big now . I looked for abt 20 min the other nite and didnt have time to go thru the whole thing to find the info . I did a measuring tape f/e allignment last nite . Got a bit of toe in now . Going for a rie shortly to see if its any better .

[Luther Grimace]

I was gonna throw a few a pictures on of our activites lately.

Did some yardwork with my old GM vehicles a couple of weeks back.

My 17 gallon mobile gas tanker for lawn service refueling :p




We used the green truck to haul some brush to the road. This is what I had in mind when I started this truck. Building a truck that was reliable and could be used for work. Some folks would be mad that I am using this truck to haul brush but it is better than its destiny it had before I got it from the junkyard. It could be have been recycled into a Kia frame. That would have been terrible.






We also drove the truck down to Gadsden a few Fridays back for the big cruise night they have. Ended up driving the truck a total of about 200 miles that day. Gadsden is about a 1.5-2 hour drive from Decatur. Pretty proud of the truck's reliablilty. We also had a new 6.7 Cummins Megacab blowing smoke on us when he passed us. I think he was surprised that we kept up with him in our old 55 Cummins truck.

I still have some things that I need to finish but it is hard to get motivated when I can drive it. :p

[Dieselwrencher]

I for one am glad to see these repowered trucks out working. These guys with newer trucks are all about blowing smoke. All smoke and no go.

[doc70sub]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I for one am glad to see these repowered trucks out working. These guys with newer trucks are all about blowing smoke. All smoke and no go.

well said....

[6BT 56]

Hi luther

Get your facts rite would ya . Your old truck would have made like 3 or 4 complete Kia's . Lol. Nice to see it earning it's keep. I was going to ask how the crew cab 6.2 was comming along . Now I see why it's on hold . Cant use it to fuel the lawn eq if its full of diesel . Keep up the good work .

[Dieselwrencher]

He'll have to buy a diesel lawn mower then.

[Russell Ashley]

I'll bet that old Chevy feels good to be working again, LOL. You did a great job on bringing that one back.

[Luther Grimace]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

He'll have to buy a diesel lawn mower then.

Or build one! I see a new conversion build thread in my future! :p

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Luther Grimace

Or build one! I see a new conversion build thread in my future! :p

I've got a 7hp Hatz Diesel I want to put in one of my Cubs some day. I also found a guy that has some 24hp 2 cylinder Kubota diesel engines. I smell trouble.

[y5mgisi]

Subscribed.

[Luther Grimace]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

I'll bet that old Chevy feels good to be working again, LOL. You did a great job on bringing that one back.

I bet it does. Thank you sir!