95 3500hd gmc with a 5.9 swap

R

rayjon

Venimus, Vidimus, Deus vi
Joined
May 30, 2008
Messages
112
I have gotten so much help and information here thought I would share and say thanks to everyone who supports this forum....

I bought this truck about 4 years ago with 25k miles from the city of modesto,

First year

I got rid of the utility bed and built a hauler bed (stock flatbed narrowed a foot with the headake rack kicked in).
stripped the interior 3 layers of fake dymat and spray foam in the headliner and cab corners..
05 front seats in the front and back( had to mod the floor)

Year 2
Skirted the bed
built a beafy double stack receiver hitch on the back
B&W gooseneck pin..
painted the whole thing black.

year 3
drove the piss out of it.. figured out the 6.5 was not going to last, blowby and oil leaks

Year 4

cummins swap
used the gm nv4500 with some dodge parts..
3.54 gears..
he351 turbo
about 330hp

6k mile road trip I really like this truck...

if I stay under 70mph it gets 18/19mpg empty/light load
worst was 13.6 in NC running 80mph up and down the little hills..



Future plans

alcoa wheels (thanks to someotherguy for the info..)
2005 c5500 air ride sitting in the yard now.. only one that will work with rear fuel tank

fuller trans swap.
new front springs.. they dont like the cummins
shorten the wheelbase some??? still debating that.. I like the 10ft bed just doesn't fit in drive thru's..
 
here is how it started
whenIgotit.jpg


early2.jpg
 
got rid of the bed, picked up a 10ft flat bed and started to cut..

UglyTruck.jpg



UglyTruck_0001.jpg


narrowed it a foot and kicked in the headake rack..
 
stripped the interior and added 2 layers of brown bread to the floor and spray foam to the cab corners and the headliner.

New0661.jpg


UglyTruck_0022.jpg
 
used it for a couple of months then started on the bed

mer003.jpg


UglyTruck_0017.jpg


UglyTruck_0019.jpg
 
turned out nice.. drove it like this with the 6.5 for a couple of years before it started to have major blowby so at 49k miles it came back apart for a cummins swap..

IMG_4387.jpg


IMG_4388.jpg
 
by by 6.5

CIMG0012.jpg



cut the crosmember 4" so i could remove the pan in the truck, and use the gm fan shroud, fan in same location.. I was also able to lower the motor for more clearance, this is a 3500hd with the big frame so lots of beaf and room for stuff to fit...

CIMG0009.jpg
 
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5.9 with nv4500, half dodge half chevy...

CIMG0011.jpg


cut and modified the radiator support for everything to fit, gm radiator, dodge intercooler and ac condensor all fit behind the grill, 2 full days to get all this to fit right..

001.jpg
 
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he351 on a bus manifold, in the second pix the first is a hx35

005.jpg


RayPhone007.jpg
 
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all together and back earning its keep

RayPhone084.jpg



here is the air ride out of the topkick, had to hunt for one that mounted the bags outside the frame rail, most mout them right where my rear fuel tank is..

RayPhone085.jpg
 
thats all for now will update when I do the air ride or swap the alcoa's on

other than that it is running and working every day .. it takes 3k lbs on the bed without hitting the overloads... great chassis..
 
NICE it is like the kids song the one that never ends.Always wanting to make it better.That is like my project.Keep up the great work.

Dale
 
Thanks, in more than one way, a lot of what's in this truck came from this forum and you helped several times along the way. So thanks for the compliment and all the help
 
Did u have any problems making the gm trans work? Or did u just put a Cummins bellhousing on and go?
 
swap

Im doing ther same swap right now and was looking for some help on the wiring sure looks to be a mess but just got the 6.5 out and sold im installing a 95 5.9 and 47rh any help would be great
 
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