New to list, not sure if this is the right forum

[bvanetten]

Well I finally joined. I've been reading the message board for about a year now and I must say TDR is in my opinion the best diesel list on the net. I love old Chevys and the 72 burb I have is a lot of fun. It had a sb350 in it and the poor thing just beats its brains out just to push the truck down the road getting about 8 mpg. Well 8mpg and no power just isn't acceptable. My original plan was to put a 500ci BB caddy motor in it... much better milage and about 500 ft. lbs. on pump gas. But to do it right would have cost alot of money. Fuel injection, quality rebuild, different R&P, custom mounts, stronger transmission, etc... Then I got the Diesel bug. Found a guy in Mesa AZ, Randy Bleuth with Reliable Diesel. He does CTD repowers into about anything. You would be suprised how many ford and chevys are running around phoenix with cummins power! He convinced me to do it and has helped with advice quite a bit. First I bought a 1990 D350 and drive it home, plan was to put the complete drive train underneath the burb. Found out that 72 and older chevys have much narrower frame rails... it wouldn't fit! Auto body friend of mine said "Do a frame off!" I said Huh? Next thing you know the body of the burb is suspended about 4 feet in the air and we are measuring the two frames to see how things would fit! Well, it's almost done and I'll have pictures and a write-up of the process up on a web page in a couple of weeks. I'll keep ya'll posted.

Bruce

 

[Paul Herioux]

Bruce,
Welcome to the fold, glad to have you one board. Looking forward to seeing pictures. You will definetely love the CTD, with proper tuning it will take on anything that GM has ever built.

------------------
The smiling ex-dealer technician
89 w250, 47rh trans, cleaned up exhaust, Dynomax bullet muffer, 3" lift, unknown oversized injectors

 

[Scot]

Just out of curiosity, what is the width of the Chevy frame and what was the clearance problem? I am looking at putting a CTD and NV4500 in a '78 or '79 Ford F250 4x4

 

[bvanetten]

Paul,

I wish I had found your post on the transmission upgrade sooner. Would have saved time in the research process. The D350 I bought had a getrag in it... lucky for me Randy had a wrecked 95 3500 with an auto. I traded the adapter plate back to the 205 + some cash for a 205 setup for an auto and the 618, converter, adapter plate, and flywheel. I drilled and tapped holes in the adapter plate for the old starter. I know you didn't recommend doing this but it seems to hold quite well. If it dies I'll replace it with the right one. I need to take some more measurements to be sure, but it seems like the bendix doesn't engage the ring gear enough... only about 1/16th of an inch. The 1st and 2nd gen starters stick into the adapter the same depth and the bendix has the same throw so maybe im seeing things. Should the flywheel be off-set at the ring gear toward the back of the truck? I need to take some more measurements before I drive myself crazy!

Bruce

------------------
1972 Chevy Suburban with 1990 D350 4x4 CTD Chassis, 618a transmission, 12cm housing, tweaked pump, 3 1/2" straight pipe, autometer gauges

 

[bvanetten]

Scot,

72 and older chevys have narrower rails (about 23" at the front frame horns if I remember right) than the 73 and newer ones. 73 was the year they did a major body style change. I've personally seen the 5. 9 in a 73. Randy had one in his shop about a month ago. Real tight fit! I believe your ford is wide enough. Randy has done alot of fords from alot of different years. He has even done a few conversions on brand new super dutys for Earnhardt Ford!


------------------
1972 Chevy Suburban with 1990 D350 4x4 CTD Chassis, 618a transmission, 12cm housing, tweaked pump, 3 1/2" straight pipe, autometer gauges

 

[Crash_AF]

Originally posted by Scot:
Just out of curiosity, what is the width of the Chevy frame and what was the clearance problem? I am looking at putting a CTD and NV4500 in a '78 or '79 Ford F250 4x4

Hey Scot,
What info have you gathered so far? I have a 79 F-250 Supercab 4x4 (400, 4 speed 205, D60s front and rear) that I am considering putting my Cummins into because I need a back seat. I'm probably going to start fabbing mounts in August or September if things go well after the move.

Later,
Joe


------------------
Joe Hinson, 93 D-350
3in straight pipe, pump turned up 20%, ISSPRO pyro - For now

 

[bvanetten]

Crash_AF

You might give randy a call (480)325-6262 he has mounts pre-fabbed for almost every chevy and ford 73 and newer.

Bruce

------------------
1972 Chevy Suburban with 1990 D350 4x4 CTD Chassis, 618a transmission, 12cm housing, tweaked pump, 3 1/2" straight pipe, autometer gauges

 

[Scot]

Originally posted by Crash_AF:
Hey Scot,
What info have you gathered so far? I have a 79 F-250 Supercab 4x4 (400, 4 speed 205, D60s front and rear) that I am considering putting my Cummins into because I need a back seat. I'm probably going to start fabbing mounts in August or September if things go well after the move.

You are ahead of me. Between two jobs and trying to build fence, I have not had time to even had time to measure a '73-79. I believe that it should go in fairly painlessly due to the fact that it does not have the big suspension saddle. The only potential problems I see is the turbo downpipe hitting factory A/C blower housing and having enough length to get radiator, condenser and intercooler in. There may be some problem getting a big enough hole in the core support and still being able to miss the steering sector.

If this guy has mounts or even plans for some, jump on it. I probably spent 12 hrs building a set when I put a 6. 9 in a 75 F250 4x4.

Do you see many extended cab 78-9's in your part of the world? If you decide to part with yours drop me a line.

 

[Scot]

I called Randy and he says he will sell a set of mounts. Now all I have to do is find a decent truck. He said that I was the second person who called on Monday so I guess you beat me to it.

 

[Crash_AF]

LOL, yep, called around 11 yesterday afternoon... very informative, but he said he didn't have any in stock. I'm calling him again tomorrow because I forgot to ask how to handle the clutch master cylinder swap from the Dodge to the older Ford body.

Later,
Joe


------------------
Joe Hinson, 93 D-350
3in straight pipe, pump turned up 20%, ISSPRO pyro - For now