55*6BT My 55 w/ Cummins power

[II_Slow]

I have a pretty cool project working. About 2 years into with about 2 more to go.
It all started about 4 years ago - about an hour before this picture was taken. My 16 YO son crashed me beloved 1994 Ram 2500 with a 12-V Cummins.


He was fine, the truck - well, no so much. Had it dropped off at home because it had liability only, and even if the insurance paid it wouldn't have been much. The engine was fine, and the transmission freshly rebuilt a few weeks before, and the suspension had been rebuilt a year or so before. It sat for a couple of years, and drove by an abandoned 55 pick-up project every day a few miles from home. Stopped by and asked about it one day and $300 later I was the proud owner. The deal included a seperate big window cab, and I'm partial to those.


My plan was simple, find another Dodge frame, shorten it little, drop the 1994 drivetrain over in it, nothing to it. Found a 1999 roll-over on Craigslist for $400, parted out what I could, then stripped it down to a frame.



Had to lop off about 6 or 8 inches on both ends and a bunch more out of the middle. Z-Cut the frame to remove about 14 inches.

Removing this much on both sides.

Pulled it back together with a come-long, squared it back up, and welded it back together. Obviously, I'm not a professional welder.


With the wheelbase corrected, I sat the cab down on it. Great, the tires are hanging out on both sides. Guess I didn't thit that all the way through. Oh well, I'm this far into, just narrow the frame and every stinking crossmember.


Now that caused me plenty of fit issues. Motor supports won't work any more, starter is fitting the frame, so is the power steering pump, oil pan, Serpentine belt tensioner, etc. No place for the AC compressor. What a mess.