Jamies BB '86 Dodge truck project...

[Jamies440]

Hey all,

This is a post about my '86 D-150 and its progress as I'm big-blocking it. Its actually in and it fires, just have a few things to do to it before its driveable. So, heres the story behind the find, the motor score, and the build.

I had caught a glimpse of the Truck in 2007, saw it sitting under a tree once. I was up there because there was a yard in another town I needed to get parts from. When I got to do more looking it was Dark early and I couldnt remember what street in the small town it was in. I did manage to spot it again when I went to the yard up north again.

This time I drove down the alley and looked at it. It hadnt moved, it was sitting there for some time. The grille was broke out and judging by the mirrors it was an '86 or '87. It had Ferd truck dog dishes on it. I didnt get a chance to stop but I kept it in mind.

Then for giggles a month or so ago I was up at another yard I frequent and decided to run the 20 miles up there and see if it was still sitting there. I figured it was gone because of the scrap prices. Nope it wasnt! I knocked on the door and an elderly gentleman answered and said his Grandson had wanted it. After talking to him I told him I'd make a nice offer on it. He asked me what I wanted to give and I want out and looked at it and told him to think about what he wanted. Came back and he said $300! I put $100 down on it and picked it up the next week. Had to sacrifice a project car to recover the $$ but thats okay.

Dragged it home, threw some gas at it and it ran! Ran really rough as it had a stuck float needle but it ran and I backed it off the trailer. Trans slipped as well. I THOUGHT it was a 318 but it turned out to be a '77 360 in there hiding under the lameburn 318-2 setup. I put a 4-v on it but still didnt get it to run right. I think it was ignition related but that SOB smoked like a bonfire out the breather and tailpipe. Motor swap next post.

Anyway here are some pics!

 

[BootHead]

cool, runners for scrap price... there's hope for our youngerds.

 

[Diplomat_Wagon]

Cool!

 

[Jamies440]

Well, heres the deal on the motor. At that yard that I frequent they get in lots of cars and trucks. They are a Scrapyard but have a salvage off to the side. I was walking through to get the harness I needed to convert the truck to regular electronic with the 360 that was in it. I found a '73 Club Cab witha flatbed on it that had just been pulled in. Was told it was driven in . The motor still had fuel in the carb even. I got my harness priced for $15 and we talked about the motor. He said $100-$120 and I said how about $115 for it all. He said okay and brought the truck to where I could pull the motor. Seeings how it was just brought into the yard, the thing was COMPLETE air cleaner to pan and had all the accessories on it. Even included the trans! So, for $100 I got me one heck of a score. :giggedy:

Once I found the 360 to be bad in the truck, I decided that the 400 was going to be dropped into it.

So, the saga began, jerk the old motor out and drop the BB in. Straight forward though the dumb pre-cat on the old y pipe was a pain, had to unbolt the exhaust from the drivers side and the manifold from the pass. side. The 400 slid in though I didnt quite have the chain angled right and it hit the core support. Got it in though and on the rt. mount but had to cuss and fight to get it on the drivers mount.

But its in now and I'm slowly working at it, did get it fired Monday afternoon for giggles. :shifty:. Ran on primer gas but it lit right off. Either I'm one lucky SOB or maybe I'm getting good at this! :giggedy: Oh yeah I didnt even have to take the dang hood off to do this either! It got close a few times but it made it.

Still got a few things to do, hook up the fuel pump, trans crossmember bolts, finish up the shift linkage, trans lines, radiator, little brake booster and a few other little incidentals.

Anyway here is a pic of the motor out of the truck and one with it installed.

 

[BootHead]

I miss Kansas, we drove 20 dollar sedans on the trailer, late 80's.

 

[Jamies440]

Well, its running on its own. I managed to plumb in an electric pump down on the frame (there was two holes drilled with the exact spacing needed, how conveniant!), drill a hole in the floor, throw the wire into the cab and took a longer wire to the fuse box. Pump worked. I still need to route the wire under the mat and tie up loose ends but it works.

Then there is a small gas leak at the carb inlet, I hope I didnt strip that out. Oh well I'll drop on a 4-v. setup in the long run. I also finished up the Radiator install and the heater hoses. Still have to finish the brakes (They changed the damn pedal in '86 to a clip-style retainer for the booster pushrod). I did manage to fill the trans and it moves in drive but NO FUCKING REVERSE! Son of a Bitch! I hope I dont have to pull the damn tranny, that would irritate me but also would explain the drivetrain donor being in the yard in the first place.

Lets just say after I got it fired up this AM there I had a shit-eatin grin on my face that nothing could wipe off! Thats the best feeling in the world to get em running on their own, the open pipes helped a bit too. Take that you annoying neighbors with the loud as hell 2 stroke ATV, they run that SOB sometimes after 10. Luckily its not too often anymore.

Well, thats an update! More updates as more gets done. I want to drive this thing and leave a big long stripe down the road, I know its a one wheel peel rearend but thats okay I wanna light em up!

 

[Jamies440]

Well, it now runs and drives. I snagged a brake pedal at a yard up north for a couple bucks. Thats not all I layed my hands on, more later. Anyway swapped that on and my little booster and its ready to roll. It actually ran pretty good, though the water pump is dead (cold radiator and lower hose, hot upper) and still no reverse. I did manage to get it to let out a pretty good little smokey. :giggedy: Didnt think that was going to happen. Its pretty dang quick too. That motor runs awesome! I have a trans for it but I think the whole works is going to come back out because.....

At the yard was a Winnebago RV. I HAD to take a peek inside. What I found was an RB engine complete carb to pan. No A/C compressor so I could see the pad but couldnt see the numbers. Had a 60s Truck style steering wheel with the horn ring so I think its late 60s. Was told it was a 440 and it ran. Price? $250! No way could I pass that up. I put $50 down and am hoping to go get it next week. :giggedy:

So between Mr. 440, a good trans, and some 3.91 gears I shink she will be a screamer.

Couple updated pics!

 

[Jamies440]

Well, the 440 didnt work out. Danget! Oh well. I pulled this one back out after hibernating for awhile out back. Threw a radiator in it and a hot battery and it fired right up. Of course there was no reverse so I had to pull it out backwards with the Dakota but once it was out I drove it around front.

Basically I'm putting this sucker on a crash diet. The plan is to have a fun little toy to play with at the drags. This week I managed to put together a spare '86 steering column with a '73 shaft in it. Why do that? Because I had a good manual steering box out back in my parts stash that I wanted to use. Worked out slick. Lost a bunch of weight there losing the big heavy box, the PS pump and A/C compressor.

I also went to work in the interior and found a nice suprise. I thought the entire floors would be toast but they arent bad. Ony some rust under the hammer where it goes flat. a minor patch and its good to go. I was sure glad to lose that rubber floor mat, it was all nasty. The bench seat also went by the wayside. I had a pair of Ramcharger seat bases that pretty much bolted in, though I had to drill two inboard holes per side.

For seats I'm using a pair of buckets that I snagged out of a '75 van-based motorhome. I think Ramchargers in the 70s had em as well. They are pretty light and are super comfortable. I had to drill a hole in the seat base to make them work and modify a brace but they worked and fit nicely. The driver side is done, I'm working on the passenger side, its not as important, LOL!

As for the motor, its still the same one that I dropped in with the exception of losing the A/C and PS setup. I also wrangled one of my headers in place before it got dark. Talk about a PITA! I treid from the bottom, took off my shift linkage and kickdown and broke the damn kickdown stud off in the trans. Major cussin tantrum. In fact the whole deal was cussin tantrums! I finally pulled the two middle plugs and pried up under the mount bracket and it slipped in. WOO HOO!

But, the whole works, motor and trans, are coming back out. I need to replace the damn trans, and I want to clean it up a little bit better and maybe throw a paintjob on it.

Well thats it for now. No pics but hopefully soon!

 

[Jamies440]

Well I got the other header in, it was an easy slip fit. I had to use a mini-starter on it because there was no way that the big sucker was going back in there. Thats okay, I'll use that one elsewhere. I nabbed the mini off another BB truck project so I knew it would fit and work just fine. I also managed to get the water pump back on and coolant in it. And I DROVE it! Yee ha! Its still got the 2-v on it but its much more peppy without 500 lbs of drywall in the bed, it also sits much higher too.

The steering worked okay, wasnt real sloppy at all. Trans held fine, though I still need to wire back the kickdown linkage. Still no reverse so I'll still probably change it before long.

I still need to get the aux. gauges into it as well as a tach. I have a non-air dash bezel out of my '88 that I'm going to cut out right of the gauge openings and put a plate in there with my switches and gauges.

Still no pics, I know I need to take some!

 

[Jester]

Looks like you're having fun Now you can pull some stumps and earn a little extra coin for your other projects.

 

[Jamies440]

Well, more updates and pics finally!

Over the weekend I decided that it was time to lower it. I have an 8 3/4 out of a '72 or '73 4wd (5 on 5.5 pattern so I can use my wheels!) that turned out to be a 3.55 in a 741 case. No problem there. I also had extra new U-bolts for a Cordoba project as well as perches and centering pins. The project got scrapped awhile back so these were hanging around and I figured to use these in a truck. I also had C-Body shock plates.

Basically I flipped the axle! It dropped it a TON in the back! I like it! I still have to weld up the perches after I set my pinion angle and then put the axle back together. In the pics the front is apart, I'm getting my 100 springs out and a coil cut tomorrow. If it doent drop the front enough then I'll throw an extra leaf in the back.

Since the trans is bad behind the 400, I've decided to go ahead and pull motor and trans back out. I'm undecided on whether it goes back in the hole or not. I was thinking about putting a 360 in it so I can enjoy it on the street for awhile. I'll cross that bridge when I get there. The original plan was drag only but I really like the way it looks sitting down like it is

Anyway here are pics, shows the lowering and the seats that I'm using!

 

[beeper*71]

That axle is gonna bounce off the frame rail real nice!

 

[Diplomat_Wagon]

That axle is gonna bounce off the frame rail real nice!

:bwuhaha:

 

[Matt43]

Since the trans is bad behind the 400, I've decided to go ahead and pull motor and trans back out.

I absolutely hate taking stuff apart more than once. Do it right the first time, alot easier that way.