64 D100... what to do...

[soopernaut]

61-68 will have all the correct stuff to convert your truck to a W the easiest. U will need to replace that torched crossmem if u go back to a std trans.

Thank you.... good to know.

Since you want to go with an automatic, I'm thinking a later truck will be better for a donor. All 61-68 4wd trucks were manuals. A later truck equipped with the engine, transmission, axle ratios you want will put you ahead rather than trying to piece it all together. You can also get factory front power disc brakes and power steering off the donor truck.

[Gigabitdrew]

Since you want to go with an automatic, I'm thinking a later truck will be better for a donor. All 61-68 4wd trucks were manuals. A later truck equipped with the engine, transmission, axle ratios you want will put you ahead rather than trying to piece it all together. You can also get factory front power disc brakes and power steering off the donor truck.

Agreed.. but HOW much newer? I don't want a computer to control everything, but I like the idea of fuel injection, electronic ignition, power steering and breaks, but a solid straight front axle... still want 4x4 conversion.

Thinking a 3/4 ton donor... Like an early 90's model W250?

am I way off my rocker?

-gig

[Hobcobble]

61-68 will have all the correct stuff to convert your truck to a W the easiest. U will need to replace that torched crossmem if u go back to a std trans.

To further Terry's point....
If you could locate a '61-'68 W100 donor and a short tail shaft small block 727 tranny, you
could build a decent truck with an automatic. Most all the parts you'd
need can be had new or used. Front brake drums from '61 through '72 are the same. The
rear brake drums should be the same from '61-'71. Some of the axle
and t-case parts can be had from Dave Cirillo in Vancouver, WA
http://www.jobrated.com

Basically, you'd just be swapping over your body parts onto the donor frame. Before ANY
of this is done though, you should check with your state DMV as to the legality of using a
donor frame. If that isn't legal, you'd need to transfer the suspension/drive line parts over
to the current frame.
John

[soopernaut]

Agreed.. but HOW much newer? I don't want a computer to control everything, but I like the idea of fuel injection, electronic ignition, power steering and breaks, but a solid straight front axle... still want 4x4 conversion.

Thinking a 3/4 ton donor... Like an early 90's model W250?

am I way off my rocker?

-gig

72-93 trucks are all similar and built on the same frames. They have the solid front axle. 72-74 have drum brakes and 75-79 are full time 4wd. Electronic ignition can be added easily to any age of truck, but Dodge had them earlier than most in 72. Power Steering and brakes were available on all 72-93 trucks.
1988 was the 1st year for FI in trucks with the 318. 1989 was the 1st year for FI in trucks with the 360. The Magnum 5.2 came out in 92 and the Magnum 5.9 came out in 93. All the FI engines use a computer and I believe the lean burn trucks also used a computer but it can be removed. You will have to pick what is most important to you.

[nytemuvr]

Agreed.. but HOW much newer? I don't want a computer to control everything, but I like the idea of fuel injection, electronic ignition, power steering and breaks, but a solid straight front axle... still want 4x4 conversion.

Thinking a 3/4 ton donor... Like an early 90's model W250?

am I way off my rocker?

-gig

72-93 trucks are all similar and built on the same frames. They have the solid front axle. 72-74 have drum brakes and 75-79 are full time 4wd. Electronic ignition can be added easily to any age of truck, but Dodge had them earlier than most in 72. Power Steering and brakes were available on all 72-93 trucks.
1988 was the 1st year for FI in trucks with the 318. 1989 was the 1st year for FI in trucks with the 360. The Magnum 5.2 came out in 92 and the Magnum 5.9 came out in 93. All the FI engines use a computer and I believe the lean burn trucks also used a computer but it can be removed. You will have to pick what is most important to you.

Check this from Wikipedia about electronic ignition systems...I thought Mopar had the first production ones myself...The first electronic ignition (a cold cathode type) was tested in 1948 by Delco-Remy,[3] while Lucas introduced a transistorized ignition in 1955, which was used on BRM and Coventry Climax Formula One engines in 1962.[3] The aftermarket began offering EI that year, with both the AutoLite Electric Transistor 201 and Tung-Sol EI-4 (thyratron capacitive discharge) being available.[4] Pontiac became the first automaker to offer an optional EI, the breakerless magnetic pulse-triggered Delcotronic, on some 1963 models; it was also available on some Corvettes.[4] The first commercially available all solid-state (SCR) capacitive discharge ignition was manufactured by Hyland Electronics in Canada also in 1963. Ford fitted a Lucas system on the Lotus 25s entered at Indianapolis the next year, ran a fleet test in 1964, and began offering optional EI on some models in 1965.[4] Beginning in 1958, Earl W. Meyer at Chrysler worked on EI, continuing until 1961 and resulting in use of EI on the company's NASCAR hemis in 1963 and 1964

[Gigabitdrew]

Agreed.. but HOW much newer? I don't want a computer to control everything, but I like the idea of fuel injection, electronic ignition, power steering and breaks, but a solid straight front axle... still want 4x4 conversion.

Thinking a 3/4 ton donor... Like an early 90's model W250?

am I way off my rocker?

-gig

72-93 trucks are all similar and built on the same frames. They have the solid front axle. 72-74 have drum brakes and 75-79 are full time 4wd. Electronic ignition can be added easily to any age of truck, but Dodge had them earlier than most in 72. Power Steering and brakes were available on all 72-93 trucks.
1988 was the 1st year for FI in trucks with the 318. 1989 was the 1st year for FI in trucks with the 360. The Magnum 5.2 came out in 92 and the Magnum 5.9 came out in 93. All the FI engines use a computer and I believe the lean burn trucks also used a computer but it can be removed. You will have to pick what is most important to you.

So, it sounds like a 1992-93 W250 with a Magnum engine may be an appropriate donor for my 64... and if they use the same frame then hopefully I would have minimal items needing fabrication, right? The wheelbase is not the same for the SWB truck as it is mine 114", and it is 115" for the 81-93. I'm curious if anyone knows someone who has done this conversion...

I appreciate all the feedback.

-gig

[soopernaut]

Agreed.. but HOW much newer? I don't want a computer to control everything, but I like the idea of fuel injection, electronic ignition, power steering and breaks, but a solid straight front axle... still want 4x4 conversion.

Thinking a 3/4 ton donor... Like an early 90's model W250?

am I way off my rocker?

-gig

72-93 trucks are all similar and built on the same frames. They have the solid front axle. 72-74 have drum brakes and 75-79 are full time 4wd. Electronic ignition can be added easily to any age of truck, but Dodge had them earlier than most in 72. Power Steering and brakes were available on all 72-93 trucks.
1988 was the 1st year for FI in trucks with the 318. 1989 was the 1st year for FI in trucks with the 360. The Magnum 5.2 came out in 92 and the Magnum 5.9 came out in 93. All the FI engines use a computer and I believe the lean burn trucks also used a computer but it can be removed. You will have to pick what is most important to you.

So, it sounds like a 1992-93 W250 with a Magnum engine may be an appropriate donor for my 64... and if they use the same frame then hopefully I would have minimal items needing fabrication, right? The wheelbase is not the same for the SWB truck as it is mine 114", and it is 115" for the 81-93. I'm curious if anyone knows someone who has done this conversion...

I appreciate all the feedback.

-gig

The 72-93 trucks do not use the same frame as the 61-71 trucks. Also you are not going to find a 115" wheelbase W250. They did not make them. You make it sound like a 1 inch difference in wheelbase is a huge difference. Nobody would even notice.

[Gigabitdrew]

The 72-93 trucks do not use the same frame as the 61-71 trucks. Also you are not going to find a 115" wheelbase W250. They did not make them. You make it sound like a 1 inch difference in wheelbase is a huge difference. Nobody would even notice.

OK.... so not the same frame... and then probably not the best of ideas. Also, seems like someone else also said there were no swb W250 trucks....

Body swap with a 1992 D250 and forget about 4wd for now, or get an older 1968 w200 and worry about upgrading the components as I go?

Thought?

-gig

I'm slow sometimes, but I am learning. :-)

[Hobcobble]

The 72-93 trucks do not use the same frame as the 61-71 trucks. Also you are not going to find a 115" wheelbase W250. They did not make them. You make it sound like a 1 inch difference in wheelbase is a huge difference. Nobody would even notice.

OK.... so not the same frame... and then probably not the best of ideas. Also, seems like someone else also said there were no swb W250 trucks....

Body swap with a 1992 D250 and forget about 4wd for now, or get an older 1968 w200 and worry about upgrading the components as I go?

Thought?

-gig

I'm slow sometimes, but I am learning. :-)

Apart from a pre-'69 W100, there are no 8 lug axle truck options with a wheelbase you could use.
You need to keep in the 114" +/- neighborhood unless you feel like shortening a longer wheelbase
frame. The '61 through '68 W100 Sweptlines were 114" wheelbase trucks with 3/4 ton axles.
Here's an example.....
http://easttexas.craigslist.org/cto/4821970050.html
John

[Gigabitdrew]

Apart from a pre-'69 W100, there are no 8 lug axle truck options with a wheelbase you could use.
You need to keep in the 114" +/- neighborhood unless you feel like shortening a longer wheelbase
frame. The '61 through '68 W100 Sweptlines were 114" wheelbase trucks with 3/4 ton axles.
Here's an example.....
http://easttexas.craigslist.org/cto/4821970050.html
John

I did not know this.... thank you!

That is not a bad truck on Craigslist either.

-gig

[lightning4x4]

as one who has built several "frankentrucks" and several where 2wd to 4wd thats a lot of work time and money .this is just my opinion ,but after reading everyone else's response I feel ,if your heart is set on a v8/auto find a decent running vehicle that has your motor and trans rebild your front end / brakes and fun driving it . if your set on 4x4 find something with the same type of frame (same year range) modifying older body to newer frame is NOT easy. the last frankentruck I built had 4 donor trucks and took 5 years to build(money has away of stretching out a build)these days I prefer to rebuild what the truck already has . if it were me ,id go big block 2wd ,good luck and have fun with it .

[Gigabitdrew]

as one who has built several "frankentrucks" and several where 2wd to 4wd thats a lot of work time and money .this is just my opinion ,but after reading everyone else's response I feel ,if your heart is set on a v8/auto find a decent running vehicle that has your motor and trans rebild your front end / brakes and fun driving it . if your set on 4x4 find something with the same type of frame (same year range) modifying older body to newer frame is NOT easy. the last frankentruck I built had 4 donor trucks and took 5 years to build(money has away of stretching out a build)these days I prefer to rebuild what the truck already has . if it were me ,id go big block 2wd ,good luck and have fun with it .

Yeah.... I'm leaning that way more and more...

As someone who has done a lot of these, if I said I wanted to put in a 318 would you go with an old school LA motor or an EFI Magnum?

-gig

[sdenty]

I am doing a 1995 5.2 Magnum swap in a 1964 with the 518 od trans(2wd).Not as hard as you may think. I got a complete factory harness with computer at a local self service yard from a 95 van for 40 dollars on half off day, then bought a factory service manual($9.95 on Ebay) and deleted all the unnecessary wiring(abs,etc).Took about 2 nights of tracing wiring. Or you might van to look for a running B van and use the drivetrain and harness. Modifying the trans cross member was easy, notched and welded in 1/4 inch plate with stock 95 trans mount used. Engine mounts are stock 1964 and bolt right up to the 95 5.2(using the lower holes on your frame mounts(upper holes are for /6).Hope this helps, good luck, and have fun.

[sdenty]

Also 1 more thing, if you use a 1994 fuel rail it has the fuel pressure regulator on the rail.1995 has the regulator in the fuel tank .

[sdenty]

here is the drivetrain mounted

[Gigabitdrew]

Also 1 more thing, if you use a 1994 fuel rail it has the fuel pressure regulator on the rail.1995 has the regulator in the fuel tank .

So, if my donor is a 95 or better, then take the tank... right? I think that is what you are saying... that was my plan for whatever my donor is... as I want to move the old tank or of the cab.

any other pointers? I haven't done work on my own car is nearly 25 years, but I am looking forward to getting this project moving.

-gig

[sdenty]

95 or newer get the tank to simplify.

[lightning4x4]

if you want simple easy i'd go la318 but if you want fuel mileage newer technology is the way to go but its a lot more work . and involves computers .if your not good with computers in vehicles go old school .

[Jake66]

just throwing in my if your up for doing some modification, my plan is to take a disc brake front axle with leaf springs form a 78 and adapt the axle to my original leaf front suspension, then adapt the steering column to the power steering associated with it, once its mounted, then figure out all the drive shaft measurements and location for the t case while still having a truck that will drive just no 4x4 till i mount the t case and drive shafts.

doing it this way will allow you to use any motor you want, keep your original frame and in my opinion save time and money versus doing a complete body swap.

[Gigabitdrew]

just throwing in my if your up for doing some modification, my plan is to take a disc brake front axle with leaf springs form a 78 and adapt the axle to my original leaf front suspension, then adapt the steering column to the power steering associated with it, once its mounted, then figure out all the drive shaft measurements and location for the t case while still having a truck that will drive just no 4x4 till i mount the t case and drive shafts.

doing it this way will allow you to use any motor you want, keep your original frame and in my opinion save time and money versus doing a complete body swap.

I like that plan... I've been intentionally staying away from the mid 70s donors because of lack of knowledge and thoughts of full-time 4wd... wouldn't that front axle have a limited slip diff? I have more reading to do, but I appreciate the feedback and thoughts.

-gig