2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission 1994 Getting A New Body!

[1994CumminsPlowTruck]

Hi all, I'm 15 and I am going to be using our previous farm truck

for my daily driver. As we live in Minnesota, and the truck is 21 years old, it is fairly rusty and the rockers fell off! So I started watching Craigslist for a different rust free body. I finally found one in North Missouri. So, 2 days after I got my permit, my dad and I drove down and picked up a 1996 RCLB 2WD white V6 pickup. We probably wont be starting the project for a while as our shop is full with with 2 tractors we are restoring ( International Hydro 100 and Allis Chalmers "C" which will be my 4-H project. Any way, I am wondering if anyone has performed this before and if it would be worth it to put the rusty body back on the 2WD frame and sell it? Or just junk it all because the only thing that it had going for it was the fact that it was rust-free? Also, we plan to replace the 4th gear synchro and fix the KDP and depending on the funds:-laf, replace the clutch with a dual disk (because we haul round bales and I would like to do some truck pullinOo.)when it is all apart. Is there anything else we should do while it is torn apart? I was originally hoping to convert to NV5600, but that seems out of the picture now as far as cost goes.

 

[GAmes]

The reason 1500 gassers were produced was to provide sheet metal for Cummins powered trucks. You will have to swap out the wire harnesses which I'm sure will be easier once the cabs are removed from the frames. Unless you have a lot of time on your hands I doubt reassembling the gasser with the rusted body will be worth the effort. If the rockers are that bad the frame is probably in rough shape also. Be prepared to do some grinding, and possibly welding.

 

[dodgesst]

Welcome aboard from another 94 owner.

 

[1994CumminsPlowTruck]

I have a friend whose dad owns a metal fabrication shop and they have a sand-blasting booth so when the body is off, and the CTD and the transmission are out, I am going to have the frame sandblasted and undercoated to help stop the rust.

 

[GCroyle]

Good luck, challenges will abound.

Guys, how does this work out with the VIN?

 

[1994CumminsPlowTruck]

Guys, how does this work out with the VIN?

That was my other question!

 

[mwilson]

In Maine that is not a problem. You are replacing the cab and the vin goes from the old cab to the donor cab. Put your existing vin plate in the replacement cab.
In other states I'm not sure. To me it is simply replacing a part. The removed items including old cab are going for scrap.

We replace cabs on big trucks all of the time and the vin does not change. We are not required to notify the State Of Maine title division.

Mike.

 

[mwilson]

Welcome, by the way!!!

I have done several of these over the years and the Number 1 Rule is........Keep everything until you finish completely.

If you are trying to stick to a budget prioritize the following where you are in a rust belt state like me.....

All new brake lines, use copper nickel alloy. Anything else is a waste of time.
You are going to have the tank out anyway to clean and prep the frame so plan on two new fuel tank straps, new fuel lines and possibly a new filler neck.
I strongly recommend purchasing a draw straw kit and a new fuel sending unit. You will NEVER be any closer. The fuel module can be saved by using the draw straw as the lines and/or elbows that come out the top will fail if they haven't started to already from the road chemicals.

It looks like the old cab has some neat stuff already like the grill guard and tow mirrors so you have a lot of stuff to change from one to the other. Having both vehicles there is so much easier than making twenty nine trips to the salvage yard looking for some stupid little parts.

Take your time and ask as many questions as you need to, a lot of helpful people are on this site.

Mike.

 

[mwilson]

the reason 1500 gassers were produced was to provide sheet metal for cummins powered trucks.

x2!!!!!!!

 

[mwilson]

Gary mentions wiring which made me think of the following.......

Use your smart phone or a camera to take pictures of how the harnesses are routed, etc., it makes a huge difference if you have something apart for an extended period of time. I had my car half ripped apart last month and took pictures of all wiring and such before I started. It was a week later before I put it all back together and I referred to those pictures several times. It was a real help.

 

[crabman]

^^X'2
Zip lock bags for bolts & stuff, write on bag w/felt pen on location, etc.

 

[GAmes]

The pictures are important. I have been disassembling a '54 Ford for a frame off restore for about two years. I have hundreds of pictures, some of them are duplicates and triplicates from different angles.

 

[1994CumminsPlowTruck]

This is a 1/64 farm toy model that I made of it for my dads Christmas present.