Kmehr
Adventurer
Been a long time lurker/reader, figured it was time to post up some pics and info on my build up as the truck is starting to finally get reassembled!
Picked up this 1984 W350 Crew last summer for a song. Had an anemic 360 V8, a worn out NP435, a bullet proof NP205, and Dana 60s front and rear w/ 4.10s. I've always wanted to drop my dream drivetrain in a classic crew cab chevy or dodge, so this was the prefect platform to make that dream come true! In is going a Cummins 12 valve and an NV4500, reusing the NP205.
Motor: the cummins is from a 1994 Ford school bus with only 23,000 miles! I'll be doing all the standard pump mods, I've got a BD super B turbo, .025 delivery valves, I'm in the process of porting the exhaust manifold, 4in exhaust, 3K gov springs, and still trying to decide between 5x10 or 5x12 injectors. Anyways, it'll hopefully be around 425hp and 850ft/lbs.
Tranny: it's a hybrid NV4500 of sorts, with a cummins 10 spline input shaft and the gasser nv4500 23spline output shaft so i can run the NP205. It's got a hydraulic clutch setup, and a Valair kevlar/cermic clutch that will hold 450hp/900ft/lbs.
Rest of the drivetrain: I just rebuilt the front Dana 60, including one of the kingpins, and regeared to 3.54 so I can drive 70 on the highway. Picked up a Dana 80 limited slip w/ disc brakes in 3.54 for the rear. Like I said, reusing the NP205 transfer case. Upfront I've got 2.5in lift Skyjacker softride leafs, and I'm doing a shackle flip in the rear, removing the factory lift blocks, and shackles to match the front height. Probably going to do DC joint driveshafts, but I'm not there yet
Rest of the truck: Cab has already been stripped and painted. I'm adding heat/sound insulation and picked up a factory molded carpet. The old Ford Van seats that were in it just had to much of a "rape" vibe, so I yanked them. Found a cherry 40/20/40 split cloth bench from a 2010 dodge at a u-pull for the front, and am still looking for a matching rear. I have (I think) all the parts to convert to A/C, so that will be going in as well. Have a radio plate mount 3gauge pod for the dash for EGT, fuel pressure and boost. Has a decent stereo in it, put I may spruce that up a bit as well. A nice paint job is not in the budget right now (really want to do graphite metallic from the newer dodges), but I will be line-x ing the bed and the rockers. I'm moving to Colorado next fall for work, and I'm really paranoid about it rusting (this is going to be my daily driver) so I've yanked the cab and rustoleumed the frame.
Camping setup: As you can see from the pics, it's got a lumber rack on it and thats about as far as I've gotten. I"m not really sure what direction i want to go in exactly but here is my plan tentatively: hack the ladder rack up so it will go around a camper top. Obviously add a camper top. Bed mounted/sliding/lockable storage boxes with space for tools, spare parts, some RV batteries to run a fridge and maybe the Lady's bread maker, big drawers that slide out the tailgate with gear, a sliding pantry ontop of that to one side of the bed, and a slide out counter/cooking grill on the other side. Then a roof mounted tent on top of the rack, opening to one side of the truck. An awning that rolls out behind the truck for protection while cooking. And finally on the part of the rack that extends over the cab, provisions to mount bikes and kayaks.
I had a softopper camper top on my old truck and loved it. Had a sleeping platform built level with the bed rails with storage underneath. This was a decent setup but having the sleeping platform so high, there was not near enough airspace above the bed and it was pretty claustrophobic, hence the rooftop tent idea. I loved the softopper for it's convenience when not needed, as its really compact when taken off, easy to take off if needed to use the truck bed for truck stuff, plus the sides rolled up and and you could access stuff in the bed from the side. However, as I am planning a longer excursion in the distant future, I'm a bit worried about thieves stealing my stuff while out hiking or something. I dunno I have some time to think about it. Anyways, enough yammering, here are some pics in no particular order:
before the teardown:
Picked up this 1984 W350 Crew last summer for a song. Had an anemic 360 V8, a worn out NP435, a bullet proof NP205, and Dana 60s front and rear w/ 4.10s. I've always wanted to drop my dream drivetrain in a classic crew cab chevy or dodge, so this was the prefect platform to make that dream come true! In is going a Cummins 12 valve and an NV4500, reusing the NP205.
Motor: the cummins is from a 1994 Ford school bus with only 23,000 miles! I'll be doing all the standard pump mods, I've got a BD super B turbo, .025 delivery valves, I'm in the process of porting the exhaust manifold, 4in exhaust, 3K gov springs, and still trying to decide between 5x10 or 5x12 injectors. Anyways, it'll hopefully be around 425hp and 850ft/lbs.
Tranny: it's a hybrid NV4500 of sorts, with a cummins 10 spline input shaft and the gasser nv4500 23spline output shaft so i can run the NP205. It's got a hydraulic clutch setup, and a Valair kevlar/cermic clutch that will hold 450hp/900ft/lbs.
Rest of the drivetrain: I just rebuilt the front Dana 60, including one of the kingpins, and regeared to 3.54 so I can drive 70 on the highway. Picked up a Dana 80 limited slip w/ disc brakes in 3.54 for the rear. Like I said, reusing the NP205 transfer case. Upfront I've got 2.5in lift Skyjacker softride leafs, and I'm doing a shackle flip in the rear, removing the factory lift blocks, and shackles to match the front height. Probably going to do DC joint driveshafts, but I'm not there yet
Rest of the truck: Cab has already been stripped and painted. I'm adding heat/sound insulation and picked up a factory molded carpet. The old Ford Van seats that were in it just had to much of a "rape" vibe, so I yanked them. Found a cherry 40/20/40 split cloth bench from a 2010 dodge at a u-pull for the front, and am still looking for a matching rear. I have (I think) all the parts to convert to A/C, so that will be going in as well. Have a radio plate mount 3gauge pod for the dash for EGT, fuel pressure and boost. Has a decent stereo in it, put I may spruce that up a bit as well. A nice paint job is not in the budget right now (really want to do graphite metallic from the newer dodges), but I will be line-x ing the bed and the rockers. I'm moving to Colorado next fall for work, and I'm really paranoid about it rusting (this is going to be my daily driver) so I've yanked the cab and rustoleumed the frame.
Camping setup: As you can see from the pics, it's got a lumber rack on it and thats about as far as I've gotten. I"m not really sure what direction i want to go in exactly but here is my plan tentatively: hack the ladder rack up so it will go around a camper top. Obviously add a camper top. Bed mounted/sliding/lockable storage boxes with space for tools, spare parts, some RV batteries to run a fridge and maybe the Lady's bread maker, big drawers that slide out the tailgate with gear, a sliding pantry ontop of that to one side of the bed, and a slide out counter/cooking grill on the other side. Then a roof mounted tent on top of the rack, opening to one side of the truck. An awning that rolls out behind the truck for protection while cooking. And finally on the part of the rack that extends over the cab, provisions to mount bikes and kayaks.
I had a softopper camper top on my old truck and loved it. Had a sleeping platform built level with the bed rails with storage underneath. This was a decent setup but having the sleeping platform so high, there was not near enough airspace above the bed and it was pretty claustrophobic, hence the rooftop tent idea. I loved the softopper for it's convenience when not needed, as its really compact when taken off, easy to take off if needed to use the truck bed for truck stuff, plus the sides rolled up and and you could access stuff in the bed from the side. However, as I am planning a longer excursion in the distant future, I'm a bit worried about thieves stealing my stuff while out hiking or something. I dunno I have some time to think about it. Anyways, enough yammering, here are some pics in no particular order:
before the teardown:
