2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission replacing cab

[cumminstogetya]

I am currently looking at a 94 regular cab that was wrecked. THe truck was layed on its driver side and it doesn't look that bad. It will need a bedside, driver door, fender, driver side glass, windshield, and back window. The hood can be repaired. It did break the steering box, but I can get a remanned one from the NAPA store that I work at. The other parts should be no problem for me to get ahold of. Other than that the truck is in really good shape and has been taken care of really well.

The cab is what concerns me with the truck. Just behind the driver side door, about where the chrome stripping starts, the metal is pushed in in several spots. There is a small rise just above the rear tailight from where the back glass was pushed in. And another rise at the front of the cab by one of the cab lights.

Can this cab be repaired? Would it be possible to get a skin welded in if it is structurally sound? IF not, how hard is it to replace the cab on a Dodge? I looked on the internet and found a cab (I Think its just a shell) from a 1500 Ram, would this match up alright with a 2500 Diesel? Thanks in advance.



John

 

[HoleshotHolset]

All the 1500/2500/3500 body parts are the same... with the exception of the 3500 fiberglass wheel flares.



You better be getting a good deal on that thing... that's a LOT of work.



Matt

 

[rono]

The cab may be the same, but the firewall is different between a gas and a diesel. Diesel engine is much longer.

Ron

 

[cumminstogetya]

I would be getting a good deal on the truck if I buy it. Hopefully, the cab is salvagable, but if not, about how long does it take to swap a cab? WOuld it be possible to cut out and swap the firewalls? THanks.



John

 

[rono]

I don't know how long, but I would think a good while. As far as the firewall, probably drill the spot welds and replace.

Ron

 

[Alphacowboy]

fire wall should not be any different. I have seen people drop a CTD in a old v10 or v8 chassis and nothing was ever said about the firewall. I could be wrong, but my v8 ram I had put the engine way under the cowl under the windshield. the amount of space in front of the engine was huge. the fan shroud alone vrs the cummins one is about 4" different.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

fire wall should not be any different... . the fan shroud alone vrs the cummins one is about 4" different.

There's the key right there... the fan shroud. Gassers have like 12" worth of fan shroud... diesels have about 4".



The bodies are the same. Sure, diesels have more insulation... but underneath... they're the same.



My Dad bought his old '82 Chevy K10 (6. 2L) from a junkie. It was a sweet truck when he was done and he kept it for darn near 20 years... but he swore that he'd NEVER swap a cab again. That thing didn't even have A/C... and the '73-'87 GM's are a very simple platform... I can't even imagine how much fun it would be to do a 2nd Gen Dodge.



Would I do it? Yup. If I had a lot of time and was able to sucker 4 stout friends into helping me lift the old one off and the new one on...



Matt

 

[BTowler]

Thats alot of electrical work also, I wouldn't go anywhere near that one!

 

[Jschafer]

If you havn't done much of this work find someone that works at a small body shop and ask them, there are a lot of ways of fixing this but someone would have to see how bad the damage is. It can be straightend and a roof skin put on if it is not to bad, or it could be clipped through the windshield and rear window putting a new (used) roof on it. It just depends on how bad it is or how much you can do. If the stearing box is broken there is likely some frame damage as well. Hope this helps.

 

[cumminstogetya]

The cab is definitely bad on top. I supposed someone could cut the top off and replace the whole thing from about the bottom of the windows up. The passanger side of the cab is perfect, but the top is crumpled in the front and back, which broke out the front and back windows. If I could find somebody who has a good top half, then that is definitely worth looking in to. It is probably a lot of work switching everything over from one cab to another, even if it is a diesel cab. Has anyone ever cut the top off a cab and welded on another? I wonder how much work would be involved and about how much I could expect to pay somebody to do this?



John