At last, A 12 valve sits in my driveway!

[redthies]

After many months of looking I found the right truck. A 94 Dodge 2500 with 12 valve Cummins and a built auto. I found it close-ish to home and got to feel some trust for the seller. Crucial for me to be happy about a purchase.
I made plans to see the truck on a Monday back in April. He phones me on Sunday night and says "my buddy was using it to move and the new tranny blew up...". Back to the drawing board. I decided to call the seller again two weeks ago and see if he had sold it. Nope. Ok, I'll come down. Boom goes the rear-end! (At this point sellers wife is telling him to not answer my calls anymore!). I look, he fixes, I buy. But not before getting a $368 speeding ticket while delivering it to the border for me! Poor guy!

So, I now own a truck with a new $4500 billet auto trans, new transfer case, new rear end, new 35" Cepek MTs, recent paint and documented proof that it goes at least 94 mph! All this for the price of base model untouched high mileage trucks locally. I think it was worth the wait!

I'll post some pics when I dig out the camera tomorrow... There has to be a way to post from the iPhone but me iz dumm!

 

[pulltilbroke]

PICS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!:coffeedrink:

 

[Regcabguy]

Good find! Logon to www.egrbrakes.com for some improvement in the whoa department. All the domestics had marginal brakes during that era.

 

[Metcalf]

Cool, looking forward to pics, info, and the build.

For brakes, if you can find a 2001.5-2002 front axle they have a different outer knuckle that allows you to bolt on 2003+ dodge brakes. Those year front ends also don't have the CAD, and they have 32 spline front shafts instead of 30 spline. I know you have a new rear end, but the rear end from this year also comes with factory rear discs with a parking brake They are worth keeping an eye out for. I have seen them go for $1500 for the pair. Factory gear offerings are 3.55 and 4.10 in that year too.

What are the other plans for the truck?

 

[redthies]

I guess first things are a leveling kit and bolting on some of my aux lighting up front. It has a multi mount winch set up as well, so I guess saving up for a winch might happen too. I bought a reg cab on purpose as I like my trucks to be CLEAN, and my wife's lab sheds like a freakin' machine, so a cap to keep it out of the weather will be the compromise on what she calls my "bachelor" truck. Good thing she just got a new VW Tiguan a couple of months back. That should keep her happy for a few minutes at least!

I will be a few days or more before I can do much as I promised I would finish the Airstream before any other projects began. I should have that done by the end of the weekend.

And now for the main event...PICS!

 

[pulltilbroke]

Did I see that truck on one of the diesel forums for sale?

It looks kinda familiar.

 

[redthies]

I don't know. He had it on Spokane Craigslist back in April, but that is the only place I saw it. If you find it, send me a link... He hasn't had it listed for sale in about three months I think. I just still had his # and gave him a call. It is in nice shape, so I am happy. I looked at a lot of SERIOUS junk for only a little bit less money... Like only $500 less.

 

[redthies]

The red one in the background is now for sale... Any takers on a 94 gasser 5 speed? :sombrero:

 

[lastgoodusername]

nice truck. can i recommend the best thing i did after i bought mine. subscribe to tdr. cool website and a ton of info specific to your truck. johnny

 

[Rot Box]

Glad to hear you landed one :bike_rider:

Can't wait to see what you do with it!

 

[sdjohn99]

Great find! If you want to be able to post pics from your iPhone get tapatalk from the app store. Have fun with that truck.
JE

 

[redthies]

I have to change tires, take out the tint, possibly put on a muffler and who knows what else to get it through the out of province inspection. At least I can just swap the 285s from the red truck. The tint is a joke. One inspector has a tinting shop located next to his inspection bay, and he asked if I want an appoitment to have it put back in as soon as he has signed off on the inspection! What a tax grab!

I promised the tolerant one I would have the Airstream done first, so I will be a few weeks before much happens...:costumed-smiley-007

 

[redthies]

How hot is too hot?

So we took the locomotive for a 500 miler today. On the majority of the drive over a 6000' pass etc, it ran around 160-170 degrees on the factory gauge. On one long steep hill it was up in the 190 range. At what point should one be starting to back off the throttle? The tranny is built and engine has fuel plate mod done. 230 is the "hot" point on my factory gauge. I will be towing a 31' Airstream so want to be in the know before I tow... :smiley_drive: also, what sort of mpg are people getting with 12v auto and 35s?

 

[IdaSHO]

YOu talking about engine coolant temp, or trans temp?

190-200 is no problem for engine oil temps. The 12V "overheats" at 230.

Trans, Id never let it get above 220

 

[redthies]

I'm talking engine temp. I assumed it was coolant temp, no? Oil temp is the factory temp gauge? I plan to install a trans temp, egt and fuel pressure gauges when fundage allows.