The Conversion Begins!

[DTosh]

Big Ed's Extreme Truck Makeover part II is now underway. My son Tony and I started tearing apart the truck today and are planning a Motor Pull Party on Saturday. I have a few guys coming in from out of town to see how far we can get with the swap in one good long day.



Some of the things that will be done on the truck for the Conversion is:



Moving back the Trans, T-Case, and Gear Vendors.

Shortening the rear Driveshaft,

Lentghening the front driveshaft,

Installing an aftermarket floor shifter

swaping out the steering column

sound dedening material

Installing a HD low stall Torque Convertor

Installing a 01 Powerstroke Intercooler

4" downpipe

Etc, Etc



So we have our work cut out for us, my goal is to have the truck back on the road in the spring, so hopefully a couple of months.



I will be posting pics and progress as we go,



Here is the start:

 

[Rebel Ram]

Very nice! I just finished (less some minor details) my first. I was asked if the project drained me and if I would ever consider doing that again? My reply was that I really want to do another but take more time and do a newer truck and engine combo. So far your project looks first rate and I'll be watching, so stay up with the posts.

 

[JSpecht]

Take some good pics !!! Cause I have a 92 w/a 7. 3 that I have setting in the shop right now that is getting a 5. 9 and getrag.

How much differance is there in a 6. 0 inner cooler and a 7. 3 one I have 6. 0 one already

 

[JCrockett]

any progress??? pics?

 

[DTosh]

So a quick update,... I have been dealing with a bad 4 letter word here a lot this season,. . SNOW!. . We have been getting 6 inches about every 3 days latley. When we get snow I loose a day just plowing, moving cars, and clearing the lot. So I am behind on all of my projects.



I used to like winter,... till I owned a car lot,. . :-laf



One thing leads to another,. . Droopy the Plow Truck has a broken part in the steering column. Well with all the snow it HAS to be fixed. I have an extra steering column that will be installed in Big Ed, so I removed the column out of Ed to use as parts to fix Droopy.



I am removing the column shift to install a floor shifter in the center counsol. so the new steering column is from a 5 speed. Since I am putting in a floor shifter I decided to remove all of the interior.



Since I removed the interior, I decided to install sound deadening material, and what the heck, may as well install carpet.



Under the truck the driveshaft's are removed, and the trans T-Case and Gearvendors are unhooked and ready to be moved back 4" . Should be a little easier than originoally thought. I hope to have it moved back by Wednessday.



I have had one area of concern, and that is the flywheel to torque converter adapter, known as the Wave Ring (see pic) It has held up for 20K miles on a stock Cummins, however I am probablly doubling the HP and TQ and the wave ring looks a little flimsy for that. So I am having a ring made out of high tenseled steel at my buddy's machine shop. That should be done on Thursday.





You can see the wave ring on bolted to the flywheel, and here is the rest of the interior carnage,. .