GMC Conversion (first time posting, new user)

[RyanB]

Hey everyone, I have been reading all the posts here on the TDR for quite a while now but have just now decieded to join and be a member. A little info on my self, I am a die-hard GMC guy and also a diesel nut but can't understand why the General can't put a Cat into a Chevy. Anyway, I am from Ontario Canda and am about to start building a crew-cab short box dually.



First off I have found a wrecked 3/4Ton dodge cummins/5speed 4x4, it has 200K on it but I can get it for $4500CDN ($3200US) and its been babied untill the roll over which only wrecked the body. I am planning on swapping out dodge drive train and engine and putting it into my GM frame. I am building it from the ground up and chopping my re-cab frame and lengthing it so I can drop the crew cab on it and then a short box dually bed.

Right now I have a 2wd frame and I think I am going to use it seeing it has the coil spring pockets on the front and I will get about a 3" lift by using that frame.



As far as the donour truck goes. Is $3200 an okay price with 200K on it? everything is good and clean and the engine seems to run great. I am thinking of scrapping the dually idea and just going single if I can't find repacement axles, how easy is it to convert the single wheeled D60/D80 to dual wheeled?



Thanks in advance to anyone that can help me out.



Ryan

 

[WadePatton]

Hey Ryan, welcome aboard.



I'm not an expert salvage guy, but I think the CTD, NV4500, and Xfer case should be well worth 3200USD, but of course try to get it for less.



And with a project like yours, you need to throw away the receipts, you DON'T want to add it all up in the end.

 

[RyanB]

Okay, not getting too many reply's yet but thats okay I do have a few more questions that I would like to have answered. I talked to the wreckers that now have the truck that I mentioned above. Anyway, they said if I don't want this one they can find one for me exactly how I want it at the auctions. So with that said I can pretty much ask for what ever I want. So here is my question.



What would be the best engine/year to use? I was thinking a 96-98 12 valve because of the ease of instalation and it being reliable and uses hardly any electronics. Now on the other hand I will be getting the whole donor truck so everything would be there that I need to wire up a 24 valve if I want. I have heard from others here on the board that really it isn't that hard. The only real advantage I can see with the 24 valve is that when I bomb it which I am right away I can turn it back down with ease for the emission test.



I am going back to talk to the guy tomorrow so if anyone has some ideas please let me know.



Thanks... Ryan

 

[cummins_crewcab]

Hey Ryan! This is willyswanter from ORC...



Anyway, I was origionally thinking 12 valve like you but I am liking the 24's more and more. And I do think 3200 is a good deal, you didn't mention the year though.



I'm talking with the Ref here about the smog situation. If I can find the loophole about the transmission I'm going to drop in a 2003 HO 24 valve . The 5 speed Allison is sitting in the garage waiting for it