1989 W350 re-body

[m880cummins]

My highschool buddy had this truck for a few years. Owned by a NJ electric company, they bought it with 260,000 on it and the truck is rust free but body is trashed. Last week we bought really clean doors and a drivers fender so we started to tear it apart.

I wish I had a starting picture but we started with a driving complete truck at 10:00AM and at 2PM we had this. All pressure washed and ready for frame prep, new brake lines, brake parts and a few small floor patches.



New deluxe seat lol



Bed weighed close to 1500lbs as the company welded 1/4" steel all around etc. Truck rode on helpers.



Will probably paint Red or light metallic blue and then track down an A618/47RH trans to replace the current loose-as-a-goose 727.

[m880cummins]

Latest progress:

12 cutting wheels and bumper is finally off. Need to make a new rear frame brace...



Frame prepped and painted





KDP-Pin was out and was jammed between timing cover and crank and cutting into oil seal. Explains the whole underhood being coated with oil. Pin had a flat spot and crank had a groove from the damage. Very close call...



Here's what it looked like when cover was taken off:



Valve covers and intake sandblasted, cleaned and reinstalled:



Cab cracks to be welded and reinforced:



Badly needs a new rad. Luckily we already have a NEW one:






Cab work this weekend along with finishing rear brakes and other stuff. Probably going to run 1970s dash and door panels. A little more stylish in dodge standards.....

Charlie

[CumminsPower59]

Y'all got lucky on that KDP!

[m880cummins]

Little more wrenching today... sorry for the crappy pics

Rear brakes done and assembled, drums painted cast iron gray, rear wheels painted as well as new rear tires.



Then unbolted the cab and slid it back on the frame: Lots of grease, going to pull the trans out for a rebuild and new torque converter.



Gutless cab ready for metal prep:





Charlie

[m880cummins]

UPDATE!!!!

New rotors assembled and then painted along with the transfer case cast iron gray. I found that I can spray gasoline through my HVLP gun onto the dirty greasy part at 80PSI and it is like a mini power washer that takes it down to raw metal. Then I put a little laquer thinner in the gun to both clean the gun and the transfer case more thoroughly.





Engine painted and then since the front axle shafts are blue I did all the lettering on the engine including the intake:



Heres the last of the truck. Bed and bumper weighed 1800lbs! Could account for the 14mpg along with the crappy auto trans...



THE CLAW!!!!! VIDEO!!!!



1970s dash:



Here's what we are aiming for:



Charlie

[dazedandconfused]

I wouldn't recommend spraying gas through your spray gun like that. Wont take much to deronate it and blow up on your hand.

[m880cummins]

Is it any more volatile than lacquer thinner? We used lacquer thinner like that for years until a 5 gallon drum ran $60.

Charlie

[kbhblazer]

Nice rebuild

[m880cummins]

More prep work:







Bed found and mounted for now. Will be painted later:





Charlie

[m880cummins]

Got some paint on the old truck today.

Had to run and get reducer for the paint ($70/gallon ) and 2 coats of primer and 3 coats of blue. Looks really good, paint went on pretty good. Has some orange peel but looks nice still. Ready to assemble interior and herculine floors and put windshield in tomorrow. Hope to have it running under its own power this time next week.









Also got dash painted and radiator support blacked out on the front. More pics tomorrow...

Charlie

[m880cummins]

Weekend yields this:

Dash in, heater in, steering column in, floors completely done and ready for herculiner, wiring started, wipers in. Tried installing the windshield today with a couple buddies and it cracked right where there was a chip on the edge. Guess that means going to the junkyard this wednesday.....



Then started on the front. Radiator support and radiator in, inner fenders on, wiring from cab to taillights rewrapped just needing installed, front of rad support blacked out.







Definitely think I can get it running next weekend. Probably can make the deadline of it being roadworthy in 12 days.

Charlie

[m880cummins]

Picked up a door and fender:











Burning midnight oil!



Yesterday got the trans back, mounted, cab on, all wiring re-wrapped, hooked up and finished the new trans cooler lines.





Then met the goal I set and not only got it running but took it for a test drive!!!! Most of the front clip is done!!!!! Coming down the home stretch!

Charlie

[m880cummins]

Here's today.

Got high build primer on:















I'm pretty impressed with the rebuilt auto trans. Once it is in gear with the 700rpm lower stall torque converter it really wants to go. Has some go power now!

Charlie

[jdslucky]

very nice work! very nice pace!

[m880cummins]

Well....uh...IT DRIVES!!!!

NEW VS OLD!


Painted it Thursday evening, started assembly that night, quit at 1am and started again at 5 am and drove it to high school for the day of celebration. Still needs inspection but interior is mostly assembled, got a ramcharger rear bumper and still need a front one and need to get rid of the ghetto blue rims, finish exhaust etc. I really like the new grill paint scheme I came up with just messing around with masking tape and spray bombs. Looks less dated. Need to buff the paint and put a couple emblems on (just 2 cummins emblems and a rams head). Had a few set backs in the last week such as a broken windshield, lost parts in the shop (wiper arms, hood release cable and latch, taillight pigtails etc) but it was a real relief driving behind the beast in my 1st gen and realizing I have some time for my own projects now. Maybe by this time next year I will have both the 1966 dart wagon and the 1965 a990 coronet clone on the road Will be getting some beauty pics of the truck in the next weekend. Of course, my buddy and his date for prom standing by it...

Charlie