A resto/build/mod thread

[ofelas]

Hi all,

First Cummins (not my first Mopar though) - I did this about 2 years back, still my daily driver.

Started with blasting, powder coating the frame after checking the alignment -

Every body panel was either replaced, or patched & straightened -

Since the motor had just 88k miles on it, just some minor valve adjustment, and a few fresh gaskets/seals, along with checking bearing clearances -

New floor panels, roof skin & reworked rain gutters, then everything primered/sanded multiple times, and sprayed with Eastwood's SubLime urethane enamel + top coat clear -

Interior was restored, bombed and all connections cleaned & Ox-Garded -

New carpets, door membranes, panels, interior trim & seat reupholstered -

 

[ofelas]

part 2 - this was roughly December 2015, so excuse the dated comments -

All braking components the transfer case & axles were rebuilt with NOS parts (OK, the front pads are PFC carbon metallic)

Spicer Life U-joints all around after balancing the driveshafts. NOS springs & mounting hardware went on next.

The tranny was rebuilt stock with a tighter TCS Canada converter along with their billet accumulator, servo, strut & clamp, and the system refilled with Amsoil's Synthetic ATF.

Motor was run on some decade old Amsoil 15W40 and a Fleetguard filter for a while, then drained & refilled with Amsoil HDD 5W-30 & an EaO filter.

Diffs & NP205 got fills of Severe Gear 75W90, and the cooling system got a Cummins double jiggle pin stat + Mopar HOAT in an NOS radiator, with a factory clutch & fan.

Dayco tensioner assembly + Dayco Gold Belt went on next - I see I will spend more time with a 1/2" drive on this motor.

Bilsteins all around -

Homebrew bedliner - 6 spray cans of rubberized gravel guard -

5 year old Interstate gave up this winter, so a 1150cca Odyssey went in with ring terminals all around -

Some bling went on when I was salvaging the parts bins for my 81 W150 -

Gotta break up the 6 acres of SubLime -

Not many mods so far - just a wastegated 14cm housing with a Banks BHA; used brake line routed along the firewall to plumb into the drivers side intake -

It's been my daily driver since Christmas, liking it so far.

Going to install gauges as I'm curious what it runs at before I start fueling it.

Dumped in a pair of Trucklite LED headlamps - plug & play & pretty impressive.

Got the sound system installed.

Ended up going with an Infinity IV AM/FM/cassette/CD, and put Infinity 6x9s in the doors, and used 6x9 adaptor brackets to mount 6.5" Infinity's behind the seat. I had to tack weld a couple extra studs on the rear seat grilles to mount the 6x9 adaptors, as the factory studs don't work in this setup.

Looks factory, the sound is much nicer now. Didn't go with bass boxes/subwoofers as I listen to country & classic rock.

SRV never sounded so good in this truck before.

 

[ofelas]

part 3 - still last year -

So I had a few extra grinder & Dremel wheels that wouldn't fit in the box, and decided to indulge in some butchery. Purists - be warned.

Measured, taped & cut...front bumper -

Cut, tack welded & sprayed front brackets, and mounted lamps; used clamps & nuts to hold the loom on the existing front bumper bolts -

Now for the rear bumper -

You can see how small the lenses are compared to the tailgate running lamps -

Cut, sprayed, sealed etc etc - I chose these lamps partially because the cut would be within the recessed groove -

Rear brackets - the curved front face of these lamps fit almost perfectly against the curve that runs lengthwise along the rear bumper -

Wired the rear lamps to the factory cargo switch - they are way too bright to be used all the time when reversing -

 

[ofelas]

So enough about all this boring old man restoration shayte.

I discovered that diesels can be fun, came across some forums, lots of info/mis info but spoke to some old timers like the folks from the original Piers Diesel Research, Jeff Garmon etc. Met a couple fellers from these forums in person who took me through tuning etc.

So I won't bore you with the details, but since the above resto/build pics, I have -

Mark/Piers hybrid HX35 with a BHT3B down below -

A Giles 12mm VE -

Jeff's tranny - (haven't installed it yet, been too slammed with stuff) -

 

[sootie]

where in ontario are you

 

[jlbayes]

looks good!

 

[jedeka]

Looking good !!

 

[Dillpicle]

Awesome! the old pdr stuff was the good stuff!

 

[badbowtie]

I love the color you picked. I also like that you kept the ve. I see so many people just swapping p pumps right off the bat. Keep up the cool work.

96 3500 5x018 7mm dvs 62fmw

 

[Got Smoke?]

Awesome! I was actually going to PM you today I finally noticed the leaf springs in the picture of your relocated heat exchanger you shared with me and with others. I was going.... :what: LOL

 

[smokinVE]

Nice pick-up truck. What injectors did you go with?

 

[ofelas]

I'm considering Hungry Diesel secret squirrel sticks.

 

[BC847]

Nice build. I've been running that same PDR HX35/hybrid over an HT3B for eight years. Swapped the HX hybrid with an S362 a couple years back. Works well.

 

[ofelas]

Oh my. Your build definitely gave me a path to follow.

Made me keep my 12mm VE + 46RH.

 

[j.fondler]

when is garmon trip happening?

 

[ofelas]

Que?

 

[ofelas]

I dragged half of an old truck back to the old homestead a couple months back.

Had a spare hood ornament laying around -

Then I fueled up with that high performance red stuff -

This may seem random, but it got me thinking. High sulfur diesel in leaky non Mopar jerry cans + lamb turds make for a very slippery tailgate.

So I took a drive & came across a tailgate in great shape - picked it up for my buddy Aerospace Jim as thats what friends do. 10 gallons of Boeshield T9 deserves payback.

I needed a non slip surface for the tailgate, so some homemade Bailey's and a sugar maple fire later, I hit upon a brilliant idea to better the OEM solution.

I used an approved Weber grate brush, specially softened liver strained Guinness water, and gopher safe orange cleaner to scrub the years of grime off the ultra rare OEM non IC tailgate rubber mat.

What you see here folks will make the most hardened procedural nut smile - Bell Helicopter center punch, Boeing T9 Boeshield anti rust, and genuine US made Milwaukee titanium nitrided bits. And of course, placement measured to 1/64" with an NOS Whyte tape measure. Impact battery carefully charged to the approved level with OEM electricity. 110.275v, no less, no more.

OEM cup washers for the OEM screws. Wire brushed & sprayed with OEM Mopar Vinyl Protectant, of course. When only the best will do.

The result? Better than OEM fit & function. Because it really makes a difference.

Special thanks -

1/ Baer Aerospace Jim - Boeshield T9 & flight approved methodology.
2/ Boeing Turbojet Tom - GE/Airbus locking security screws
3/ Bell Helicopter Mike - Bell center punch. Works even on Mars.

Guest mentions -

1/ BC 747 - he inspired me to use a Baer Aerospace caliper to measure each cup washer for correct fitment into the tailgate mat depressions. Because less turbulence will give me 1/64 second better timeslips.

2/ Jim Lane - inspired me to use Airbus special security bit titanium hardware. Because thieves will be after my rare OEM tailgate mat.

Remember folks, 3 stage step drilling screw holes & 27 degree chamfer angles are the key.
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