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I Figured since I've been doing things to it I'd start a build thread to keep track of my progress, parts replaced, and parts needed. I found my truck a year and a half ago on CL listed as a W350 for $3500 so I went to check it out. Immediately noticed the mileage (93000) and knew I wanted it. Truck was in decent shape but was sitting for about 10 years in a barn so it needed some work to make road worthy. I run the VIN and determined it was indeed not a 350 but a 250 which is what I wanted to begin with. Told the owner that since it wasn't a 350 as advertised I'd give him $2500 to which he agreed to and even delivered it. So begins the saga.

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This is how it looked the day I went to see it. Yes that's a second gen bed on it.



The PO offered me a home made flatbed which a agreed to (for scrap purposes)

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Seeing how the truck isn't a W350 I felt that it should be converted back to SRW truck and even picked up a set of centerline wheels from the PO for nothing. The flatbed was the first thing removed and I found a so so bed in a local scrap yard which would work for the interim.

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With the truck sitting for as long as it did the first thing I replaced mechanically was the injectors (lots of smoke on start up). I picked up a set of 60HP sticks from Max Torque out of colorado.

Seeing how the leaf springs were reverse arched I ordered a 2' lift from skyjacker (didn't know about parabolic springs at the time). and got it sitting how it should. First night I run the truck I hit a deer (no damage), and the following day I discovered that the IP was leaking more fuel than it was sending to the injectors. I was out of $$ so the truck sat all summer and while sitting I replaced the rear main seal and replaced the trans filter/gasket. FFwd to September I knew it was time to get it going again so I reached out to Rob, at Max Torque, and got a rebuilt pump.



Once I got it mechanically running again I noticed that I still had a bad vibration and decided that it was time to address it. I tried everything to figure it out until one day I read on here about transmission mounts and I learned that mine were assembled wrong. Partly my fault for not checking when I reassembled the trans to engine, but I figured putting them back how they were was the right way. (Note to self.... Never trust anyone else's work).

Over the next few months I battled small things such as u-joints, front drive shaft rebuild and windshield washers not being hooked up. This brings me almost current.

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A few weeks ago while looking at an '86 W150 with a buddy (which he bought) I discovered that the paint job that was done on the roof was substandard and probably not prepped at all as the paint was bubbling and rust was starting to show through. Not to mention the holes from the cab lights were there and I had no cab lights (OOPS!!!!)

I got an estimate from a local body shop to the tune of $3500. I quickly decided that wasn't going to happen so I started looking for a new cab. This is "MY" project and I want to do "ALL" the work myself, to include paint. I started looking for a good parts truck to use the cab off of, but the legalities of swapping cabs didn't really sit well besides I'm cheap and nobody has an 81-93 cheap enough so I decided it was time to do something a little unconventional so the other night I stripped the bad spots of the roof down to the bare metal, encapsulated the rust. There were a couple spots that the rust left pin holes so I had a buddy tack them up along with the holes from the non-factory cab lights (the cause of the rust issue). I woke up this morning and took it to the local Line-X dealer and got a quote to have the roof done. Agreeing on the price it was time to scuff the rest of the roof and get it done. We scuffed it all the way to 1/4" from the rain gutter.

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used some OSPHO on the rust, primed it before the line-X and here is the result. No more water leak issues and the rust is gone.

Clampett

Good project. Keep us posted.

mknittle

Interesting project. I kinda like it better as a dually. but that's just me.

Dan70

Interesting choice for the roof. I kind of like it. I've been on a line x kick now where everything must be done! Haha. I was wondering if that had one ton springs on the rear?

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It has 1 ton shoes on it but seeing it had some sort of spacers on the rear hubs I'm inclined to think not. I know it has 3.08 gears if that means anything.

Dan70

Considering I'm still learning it doesn't mean anything to me lol I thought the axles were different from one ton and 3/4. I guess it would make sense that u could go from swr to dually but looks odd from dually to swr. I'm thinking of putting at least 3/4 ton springs on the back since it has the overload airbags. Maybe even 1/2 ton to try and make it ride better.

mknittle

It's nice to see somebody else working on a early non IC truck.

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I prefer the non-IC grill but at some point I'm gonna have to figure out the cooler, but I hate the thought of cutting the grill to do it.

mknittle

I have a ton of work to do before I have to worry about an IC if I ever do. still have a few things to gather for y 4X4 conversion. Then some body work but before I get too far on the body I want a bird bath hood.

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Today I found a like new truck bed (rust and dent free) that was on a truck that was totaled (91.5 cummins). I tried to buy the whole truck ($2000) but the cash just isn't right at this time so I settled for what I absolutely need, a rust free bed. Now getting it home poses a challenge in itself. I have access to a trailer but no wiring. Seeing how there was no rear light harness on the truck when I bought it let alone trailer wiring I figured it was time to wire in a 7pin trailer connector to my home made light harness. Now trying to figure out where to mount it took some time. I like the wiring setup on the new trucks and hope to fit a 3rd gen bumper at some point and since there was never any provisions for a 7 pin connector I decided I'd make good use of the 6 holes in the support brace under the rear bumper and keep the trailer connector hidden. The brackets that hang down look like crap IMHO so I think given the lack of options my solution turned out pretty nice and stealth! It's late and I can't get a good pic but I'll follow up with one tomorrow.