Project: Doitall Dodge

[Squatchout]

Nice truck and it looks like you are doing a great job with it. As an old Dodge fan I chuckle when I hear these called 1st gens. It's the 1st gen of the CTD but the last gen of these style trucks. The chassis is pretty much the same from '61-'93. Except the rear springs are shorter on the '61-'71s. Suspension is the same on the '71-'80 Powerwagons and '81-'93 Power Rams. Even some body panels will interchange. That's one of the great things about the older Dodges. 3 decades of parts interchangablity.
I have an '80 powerwagon and wish I got your fuel economy. I've got a 4spd and a mid '60s big block. Kinda thirsty.

[Metcalf]

you're very welcome, i think mine is in a lil worse shape than you started out with but i have been keeping my eyes open for a donor truck, i pretty much need everything but the cab, on a positive note a donor will leave me with alot of extra sheet metal for patch panels and such.... right now i'm running 37" hummer take offs and maybe an inch of lift in the front, they were superlift 4" springs for a gasser but that turned out to be a bad plan, they're better than the trashed stockers i had up front but they're flat after less than a yr so i think it's time to come up with a better plan, i definetly don't want to go any taller just a lil bigger in tire size and those maddogs sure do look sexy

I like the maddogs. They seem to be wearing great, less noise, better mileage, etc.

If I was going to build another one I would find a dually bed to use. If you take the fender flares off you end up with a HUGE wheel opening kinda like I have after I cut everything. In the front, I would order a pair of the Trailer products fiberglass front fenders. That would make everything SO much easier with FAR less body work.

[Metcalf]

Nice truck and it looks like you are doing a great job with it. As an old Dodge fan I chuckle when I hear these called 1st gens. It's the 1st gen of the CTD but the last gen of these style trucks. The chassis is pretty much the same from '61-'93. Except the rear springs are shorter on the '61-'71s. Suspension is the same on the '71-'80 Powerwagons and '81-'93 Power Rams. Even some body panels will interchange. That's one of the great things about the older Dodges. 3 decades of parts interchangablity.
I have an '80 powerwagon and wish I got your fuel economy. I've got a 4spd and a mid '60s big block. Kinda thirsty.

I do like this truck. I wish that there was an LMC style catalog with all the little parts for these trucks. I think that is one area where the same year Ford or GM product has a leg up.

[Squatchout]

Yeah back then the Dodges just weren't that popular. Raybuck has some body parts as do others.
http://raybuck.com/c-54810-repair-pa...amcharger.html

I guess the good thing is used parts trucks are pretty cheap.

In my case I can get most of what I need from hobby sites catering to little Red Express trucks. Same body as mine.

You can also watch on this site.
http://www.ramchargercentral.com/

I haven't read every post in this long thread. If you haven't done so and your steering is a bit sloppy. replace the shaft from the columm to the box with a new borgenson unit. It's a huge improvement over stock and won't wear out.

[Metcalf]

Yeah back then the Dodges just weren't that popular. Raybuck has some body parts as do others.
http://raybuck.com/c-54810-repair-pa...amcharger.html

I guess the good thing is used parts trucks are pretty cheap.

In my case I can get most of what I need from hobby sites catering to little Red Express trucks. Same body as mine.

You can also watch on this site.
http://www.ramchargercentral.com/

I haven't read every post in this long thread. If you haven't done so and your steering is a bit sloppy. replace the shaft from the columm to the box with a new borgenson unit. It's a huge improvement over stock and won't wear out.

I did the steering shaft when I converted to crossover steering. It was a HUGE improvement.

Thank you for the parts links.

[Metcalf]

A little more progress Sunday...



Add some fiberglass. I did two layers of glass and I think that will be enough for this application....



Then I started cutting out the hole for the speaker. 12V cordless Dremel to the rescue.....

I got a little farther than shown in the pictures. I thought I snapped a few of the finished hole but I guess I will have to take another. I was in town for dinner and was going to pick up some spray on undercoating to cover the panel in but the store was closed. I will pick some up after work tonight.

[dd76522]

tanks for the assesment, i'll definetly keep the maddogs in mind, seriously doubt i'll be able to lay hands on a dually bed around here, junkyards are not on every corner and i haven't seen any in my local travels,
quick edit allready, i found them, based on the website they don't seem like a huge company but the fenders are kinda sexy

[Metcalf]

tanks for the assesment, i'll definetly keep the maddogs in mind, seriously doubt i'll be able to lay hands on a dually bed around here, junkyards are not on every corner and i haven't seen any in my local travels,
quick edit allready, i found them, based on the website they don't seem like a huge company but the fenders are kinda sexy

Here they are on a truck....a nice truck!



Article here...

http://www.off-roadweb.com/features/...par/index.html

[dd76522]

now that is sweet! i've never seen steering box mounting like that, pretty novel...

[lstzephyr]

How thick are you planning on making those speaker boxes? Did you get your winch project finished out yet? I need to copy that and your cross over steering sometime.

That truck is badass! I like it, a lot. That is more or less what I have envisioned for awhile, although with a usable bed. I really want to set my truck up with the old style fenders/grill, and cut then bed down to a short bed but keeping the long wheelbase. It would be almost perfect for what I do. Besides how cool is this?