CTD + Crew Cab - who's doin' 'em?

[JErickson]

Add my name to the list... Jeremy in Chandler AZ. Have not gotten the very far. I've owned my 1985 D350 Crew since May of 2005. My father owned it from 1995 until he gave it to me.

Just picked up my 1993 D350 Cummins in April of this year and it is still my daily driver.

That linkback at the bottom of the page to the ramchargercentral.com is my truck. (RamchargerCentral. Com - My 1985 D350 SRW Crew Cab CTD project)



Plans currently call for swapping drivetrain and box/some body parts (core support/grille, front doors) to the 85 frame. Hope to switch to MT. The 93 currently has the A518, 235K on that truck. The 85 currently is 360/NP435. I'd like to run the Rickson 19. 5 alloys. Paint will likely be Dark Copper Metallic (Ford color seen on a lot of 2008 or so King Ranch F350s) or that copper color on the 2008 Aspens. Outside chance of 2-toned with black. Would like to put a couple 5" or so miter-cut stacks behind the cab.

 

[Shadrach]

Welcome to the long wheelbase club. Shadrach

 

[Flexiheep]

update on my crew

Well, thought i would drop a little update here, a month ago I got my conversion running for the first time since July, 10 day after that I loaded the family and the trailer up and headed out for a 4000 mile trip from NM to Washington state and back in the winter... ... I am almost home, just a couple more days and the old girl gets a rest from dragging the trailer and only has to go to work and back for a while..... Lets see if the picture works (sitting on I10 outside Socorro NM wating for the highway to be cleared of a rollover).



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Only problems have been a dead lift pump and fuel shut off solinoid that failed outside Twin Falls ID at 4 pm on a sunday. Also stopped at a buddies shop for an alignment and they found the upper kingpins were SHOT, drives much better now.

Been running like a champ the rest of the trip, even managed a high of 12 mpg, though the low was 7 running into a headwind at 55 mph in 3rd gear at 24lb boost for 150 miles. Yep, the trailer is a 10K sail (11. 5 ft tall).....



Hope everyone elses crews are geting what the deseve for christmas, mine gets a nice break!

 

[RSchwarzli]

SAWEET! We NEED more pics of that puppy!!:Oo



More pics, more pics!



Got any shots of how the mirrors are mounted??







Robert

 

[Flexiheep]

few pictures

Here are a few pictures of my "conversion" I didn't do a diesel swap to a crew, I did a crew body swap to a club cab diesel... . I picked up an extra body the Mad Max had a year and a half ago, and last summer to the bewilderment of my neighbors I cut apart a perfectly good truck. Here are a few pictures:



Pulling it apart

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Frame stretched with overlays added

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duel 30 gallon tanks and twin fan assist Derale transmission coolers

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Cab I started with (doors not shown)

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used a 2000 radiator and intercooler to keep it happy.

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And finally it was going back together

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I spent 5 months on this thing, not counting the birth of a son in late august and I was working outside in the rainy season... ... I have to say that my wife and I wouldn't do it again, we love the truck, but the timing was wrong and WOW it was a lot of work to stretch the frame, and do all the custom stuff I wanted, everything took 3 times longer than I thought.



Duel tanks with selector valve under bed and twin fillers in bedside

full 4" exhaust outside frame to make room for second tank

2" skyjacker front springs, 3/4" longer shackles, and longer mounts for 10" travel Bilstein shocks

2000 rad and intercooler

reworked transmission cooling with under cab fan assist coolers

cross over steering with box in 2wd location





I couldn't find a decient crew to start with, but mid project I found what felt like 20 diesel powered long bed crews that would have needed just a 4x4 swap to make them what I wanted... . Oh well live and learn.

 

[RSchwarzli]

Dale - Nice pics and truck (really love the pic of the jeep with the crane on it!!)!



You were so lucky the body is clean. Mine was not the greatest but was all I had. As for the work you put into it, don't sweat is. What is meant to be was. I somewhat regret the time and money that I have (continue to) sink into the project but I am happy on the other hand that it will be done the way I want it and I know there will be no suprises down the road!! You did a great job on it! Be happy and enjoy it!



EDIT _ Got any pics of the mirrors close up?? I am SO curious on the mount.....



Robert

 

[91.5oneowner]

Man! I couldn't read through all 18 pages but... .....



I have an '85 D350 SRW Long bed and a '91. 5 CTD



I'm going to use the 85 frame, cab and rear doors. My CTD is an LE so I'm going to use as much of it as possible.

I have 3 Allison 545s. One has the drum parking brake and another has the external filter so I'm going to use a combination of all three.

I'd like to put a divorced GearVendors OD behind it to use as an OD and splitter.

Then a divorced NP 205 out of a Ford.

The front will be an '86-'91 Ford king pin, high-pinion Dana 60.

Stock Dodge Dana 70 rear with 3:54s.



I want to use Line-X on the bottom of bed, between cab and bed, in bed-over rails, rocker panels, inside fenderwells and around the outside to protect the wheel arch lip, inside bed walls, floorboards and fire wall on interior and possibly headliner and roof.



Obviously I'm not worried about weight and I know the Line-X guy so I'm trying to talk him into trying a thinner coat on the non-abrasion areas. Mostly for rust protection.

I'm going to incorperate some steel "channels" in the floor pan for running wires to the back of the cab for speakers etc.

I'm also going to weld some "ground studs" into the interior firewall to make the wiring easier.



For a paint scheme I was thinking dark or gunmetal gray with black Rallye stripes starting on the hood over the cab and terminating on the tailgate. Then have Warlock CTD or some version of that to pay homage to the origional on the tailgate too. Done tastefully of course.

 

[RSchwarzli]

Sound like another crew will soon be underway! Oo.



Robert

 

[Shadrach]

OK I finnally found some old pictures. They are not real clear but here they are anyway. The first is a " First Gen Mega Cab "for Mad Max built by Bayer Auto. It is dark green against a green background. It was on their website several years ago.



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The second is for BSchwarzli and is an example of another crew cab diesel that was sold by a Dodge dealer in Alberta. ( Go to Montana - look North ) This was advertised in the truck trader several years ago. At first I thought the price was high but now that I have spent more than that in parts alone for my crew I have changed my mind.



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I don't know who built the third one but it was advertised in Sakatchewan a couple of years ago as well. It is a " 4 door Ramcharger ".



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Shadrach

 

[Simplysmn]

If anybody is looking for a rolling 4x4 crewcab truck PM me I have 2 that I need to sell

 

[RSchwarzli]

Shadrach - Holy Shmoley!Oo. You just made my week!Oo. That is just AWESOME!Oo. Thank you!



Where ever that place in AB was that was converting these, they were really pumping them out! Not just 1 or two units!



As for the Ramcharger conversion, there was two places that did them. If my memory serves me correct one was Bayer long ago, and the other was a place down in the east US. Also wonder if the AB place did those conversions too.

( Go to Montana - look North )

Thats funny!:-laf



Robert

 

["Mad Max"]

Fellas -

For those that want a megacab or Ramburban, or any custom version of a Mopar 1st gen rig or older, and if you can wait, I will be taking ASA MODIFIEDS to that level in about 3 years. Our Ramcharger was the first - the prototype of sorts - and I went crazy on it pushing the custom envelope to the max. Our '93 'Megadually' will be the second, and once I have it perfected I will be taking orders for similar jobs of any level of customization.

My wife and I just bought the land, and in a couple years we break ground, and then the new shop goes up. Custom mods, paint/body, chassis upgrades, just about anything you can imagine, we'll be offering exactly that.

We already have a couple projects lined up, and not all of them are Mopars. If we ever wreck the RC we'll very likely stretch it and build a Megacharger from the ashes.

- Sam

 

[Shadrach]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadrach

( Go to Montana - look North )



That was for the benefit of " our American brothers "



Shadrach

 

[RSchwarzli]

Shadrach - I know! It just sounded like if you actually WENT to Montana and looked north, that was what you would see! Sorry, just the way my mind works!



Sam - Congrats on the expansion/ project! It sounds great! It will be nice for a change to actually be able to get something built for a first gen by someone who knows what they are doing! Be sure to let us all know when you finally do get up and running!



Robert

 

["Mad Max"]

Thanks Bob - not sure if we'll actually go to that level but at least we'll have the space to do our own projects... which is a long list and getting longer . We have 4 of our own cars to paint...

It's funny - I 'started' this thread over 4 years ago with plans for our own crew-Cummins project, and in the meantime I haven't done a single thing to the truck except think about it and try to plan it out. We've literally been 100% fully committed to the Ramcharger, which is now by the way... Cummins-Powered baby! Oo. We did a big block 452 and ran it for a short while, but that idea got trumped by another idea. After the wreck with the '93 I started wanting another Cummins rig, and I found another '93 Ram in Phoenix with 93k miles and really great shape.

Did the usual power mods to it (in my sig below) and it is because of the '93's power and manners that I decided at this time last year to repower the Ramcharger with a 6BT/518. Here's some current pics:



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We took it to Moab this past September - it is a total off-road MONSTER. It's got a couple pieces of Unobtainium under it, mostly in a 203/205 doubler transfer case. When doubled-down (4-1 low range) I can walk faster than the truck idles in gear - it's pretty freakin' awesome.



So we've learned a lot since building the RC, and then there's the huge amount of good info just in here!, and all of that info is being used to plan the 4xMegadually. The current plan is still the megacab+8, still 4wd, still a dually, but now it's going to be a NV5600 and it'll have some 'common sense' engine work to include a PDR towing cam, ported head with studs and 60lb springs, water/meth kit, and twins. I've already got the top half for the towing twins and I'm just going to add in the secondary HT3B to get the really BIG airflow. I won't 'need' the water/meth but I'm doing it anyway . Should be good for ~ 400 hp and ~900 tq, and at our altitude it should be able to cruise uphill pulling the toys without having to lift.



With the new home plans it'll be at least 2 years before the truck get's built, but the project should move along pretty fast when that time comes.



I'm not givin' up!!



- Sam

 

[RSchwarzli]

Well I am not feeling quite as bad now that I know I am not the only one that takes so long to do a project!



I am at 3 years now working on the crew cab and seeing that others take that long too, well, I am feeling a little better!



Thanks!



Robert

 

["Mad Max"]

oh I'm here for ya man!



ya know... . one of these days we'll need to have a 'gathering'... :-laf

 

[RSchwarzli]

I am so touched!



As for a gathering, youbetcha!



Robert

 

[Shadrach]

Hey Robert ( BSchwarzli) heres an interesting truck for you. technically it is a conversion.

AutoTrader - Cars CAMROSE Light Truck & SUVs - 1991 DODGE RAM 350 - Vehicle Details

Shadrach

 

[RSchwarzli]

Shadrach



Thanks for the find! That is too cool!



Would almost say it is a crew with the rear doors welded shut. At least that is the way it looks!



Very interresting.



How is your project coming along?



Robert