wedged- 41 Dodge truck project

[wedged]

This started out as a dakota project and now is using a 1941 Dodge truck body.


Since I am starting back in on this long term project, I decided to create an update thread.

A few years back I bought a '94 V-6 5 speed Dakota for a big block swap. At the time I was thinking "sleeper". I also had long term plans of putting EFI on the 440 I was installing and then add a pair of turbos.

Here's the truck as it looked when I bought it


The first thing I did was to lower it. I used 3" blocks in the rear, then decided to cut and weld instead. I stuck with the cheap 'n dirty method.


Rear bracket

[wedged]

Dropped the front with 2" Bell Tech spindles



I had to add a 1" lowering block in the rear to get it just right. The weight of the 440 had dropped the front a little more than I thought and there was too much rake.

[wedged]

I picked up a 440 which was going to get a clean up, regasketed,painted and dropped in. In the middle of doing that, I changed my mind. It got hot tanked, a quick hone, all new bearings and rings, a set of Edelbrock heads, new oil pump and billet timing set and a small Lunati cam. I kept the stock low compression pistons to keep the short block cheap and this will allow for testing the planned turbos.


A 727 was completely rebuilt with a B&M kit, B&M deep pan and a TCI converter. This will get swapped out for a 518 OD trans with a JW adapter belhousing at some point.

[wedged]

Notched the stock bog block truck oil pan and extended the pick up. I'll need to re-do the pan to add fittings for turbo drains and increase the capacity. I may modify the cross member too.


before the swap



CAD designed laser cut adapter brackets


mock up of the first tran cross member. You can also see the stock speed sensor in the trans. I had to make a 7 v signal source so the speedo would work.


passenger side mount in place


driver's side

[wedged]

test fitting with an empty block and empty trans case


building the headers


here you can also see the custom intake a buddy made for me using a tunnel ram base. I was copying Nelson's design to go along with the twin turbo idea.I'll need all new headers when it comes time to add the turbos


it wasn't easy


but it was fun


VHT ceramic paint which didn't hold up too well. Not equal length, not pretty, but they work. I learned a lot from doing this and I look forward to doing it again some time.


Like I said, crude but effective.

[wedged]

Yay ! They fit !


I originally tried to use the stock tran cross member which ended up perfectly in the way of the exhaust. I used a cable shifter at first, then switched to a Lokar linkage shifter. No more worries about melted cables.


This is what it looks like now.



The next thing is to is getting it running again- I had a fuel pump failure and you can read about that in the EFI section. I also need to find a vacuum leak and work on the IAC to be sure it's working right. I've finally got the hoses ready for the AC system so I can finish hooking that up and recharging it. From there I am going to start working on the back half. I have a set of Mickey Thompson 29"x18"x18" Sportsman SR's for the back.


When the tires go on, a new fuel tank will go into the bed. I'd like to put C4 front suspension under it with bigger brakes and maybe a hydroboost.

[syborg tt]

Wow how did i miss this thread - great project.

[wedged]

I'm doing some modifications to the shorty hedman hedders. The passenger's side needed to have a tube moved so it would fit. I also cut off the collectors. They are supposed to be 2.5" but they were closer to 2.25" and had no length at all. I'll be putting on a longer collector that is 3" and then use a reducer after the collector to get the 2.5"

This is before i cut the collector off. I don't have an after pic.



passenger's side with the #2 tube & collector removed



with the new tube





Right now the front suspension is extended and up against the bump stop. I'll be needing a softer set of springs for the front and the rate will be determined after the truck is finished. There is plenty of room for the arm to have full travel and not hit the tube.

[R.A.D]

two projects at once. i thought you were stretched thin

[R.A.D]

is it time to come up for air yet?