My website is now up............

[Hutchew]

Hey guys, if you are interested, check out my rather lame website. I have a handfull of pics on it now, and a bunch more to follow... .....

http://rain.prohosting.com/hutchew/ or follow the WWW button at the bottom of my post... ... ...

 

[Grey Wolf]

Nice looking project!... . how much time do you have in it so far?

 

[Nate Skate]

Great project. Looks like a lot of work, you gotta have ram balz to take on project like that. Where did you get the engine? and if you dont mind , how much did it set you back?

 

[CrewCabDiesel]

Hutchew,

Do you really want to tell them how much it cost you? You might give them a high voltage sticker shock . I think I got about $12,000 in mine, including the truck and shipping from Palm Springs. I figure I will put another $6000 into it before it is done(paint and body work) But it still beats what a Power Smoke Crew Cab costs, some where around $45,000. So I tell my wife I just saved her $27,000 by building my own truck. On the down side, she now wants to spend that money I saved her .

 

[Matt S]

Hutchew,

Looks like a lot more work than I would have imagined. Why did you strenghten the front end? Mine looks like the stock truck did.

 

[M'staedt]

Hutchew,



Nice job! I'm starting a similar project, a 1981 short box crew (2wd), only I'm not starting with NEARLY as nice of a truck as you are. Your web site will be a big help.



P. S. What's so bad about a red interior?! The one in my Li'l Red Express looks great. I'll give you a shipping address to "discard" yours to

 

[Hutchew]

Answers and other misc BS......

M'staedt, red is just not a good color for me, I have a complete grey interior out of a 93, plus grey seats from the 98. I like grey

Matt S, I strengthened the front end for several reasons, One was because every early model Dodge 4x4 I have ever owned ( 4 total) has had a problem with breaking apart the radiator core support, and cracking/coming loose in the area around the steering box/left front spring perch. Might be the way I drive 'em. Second, the motor I am stuffing in this truck will eventually put out @ 375HP and over 850 ft/pds of torque, and the last thing I wanna do is rip the motor out of the frame. Several people have told me that It will crack around the crossmember if I don't reinforce it. Third is I wanted to clear 35/12. 50-16 Tires, and by lowering the mounting points of the springs by 4" in the front and 3 1/2" in the rear, I gain that much lift and I can still run flat springs, which will ride much better than an arched set. Something I gained without really planning it was that by using the frame reinforcments, I could also lower the shock mounts and bump stops.

Crewcab and Nate, as of right now, I have a little over $18,000. 00 in mine, and I figure I have about another $3000. 00 to go to completion. You are right though, Crew, I will have a lot nicer/stronger/sexier truck than the POS CC Powerstuggle I am driving right now.

GreyWolf, I haven't really been keeping track, but from the start to where I am at now, I figure I have about 140-160 manhours into it, and probably at least that much to go... ... ... .

 

[fastmark]

One thing I wish I would have done to mine before I installed the motor is to put some insulation on the outside of hte firewall. I think it would have made the truck more quiet. Mark

 

[83 crew cab]

hutchew nice truck hope to be in the same place in a couple of months I remeber watching that truck go on ebay George