lassy

I just picked up a 1991.5 Power Ram 350. I've always wanted a 1st gen and was able to trade my GMC 2500 for it. Body and undercarriage are rust free and the motor and drive-train feel strong on the road. Immediate items I'm addressing are:
-non-functional odometer (already got my replacement gears thanks to the sticky)
-worn out interior (already got a factory molded carpet and will be trying to find 2nd gen seats to upgrade to)
-refreshing gage faces and lighting (contemplating the red LED upgrade)
-new cd player and speakers
-non-functional tail gate latch (fixed thanks to sticky)
-new lock cylinders with an actual key (order these from napa and installed last weekend)
-find front grill and trim pieces around the lights
-replace window gaskets
-figure out if its worth it to refinish the body and repaint, or am i better off to do a full interior and body swap from a nicer, gas truck

Has anyone on here done a full body and interior swap on these before? I haven't seen a write up on one yet but would be interested to know how difficult it was.
I'm looking forward to getting mine as nice looking as some of the ones I've seen on here. Here we go!!

maybe368

Welcome to the forum. Just a comment, I like the fact that my tailgate doesn't open with the latch. It prevents people from easily opening and stealing and I can open it with a finger nail...Mark

PapeCAT

Unless you are 4 foot something - it will be tough to fit anything other than a bench seat in a reg cab! The bench tucks further back under the window. If you get 2nd gen buckets etc you will have to move the seats forward a lot.

Good luck. Sounds like you have a project on your hand$

The fact that it is a W350 one ton is pretty cool because you have the taller 8" frame under there. The W250 regular cabs have the noodley 6" frame.

As for the interior replacement - there isn't much to these trucks. Are you looking to just replace the carpet /seats or the whole thing? (Dash / Door panels / headliner etc.)

Truck actually looks nice with decent paint and straight too.

1STGENFARMBOY

Pape are thinking of the N/I trucks ? ? because my truck is a 93 W250 with an 8 inch frame.

Dar

carrnutt

It looks like a great base. I would think it to be easier and more efficient to refinish what you have than to do a swap. Since it's rust free, and looks to be in nice shape, by the pic you posted. If the other side has some panels that are messed up or whatever, you can always swap out pieces as necessary.

Good luck and Grats on you purchase.

lassy

As far as the interior goes, I was thinking of getting mine cleaned up first, but maybe trying a full swap if I could find a nicer gas truck with low miles I could buy and swap with, then resell it with my interior.

I was thinking I'd try this 2nd gen seat swap: but just realized this swap was for an ext cab and mine is a standard cab with an angled floor board, which is probably not going to work.
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...h-t276849.html
For some reason the previous owners removed the A and B pillar trim as well as the headliner.

j_martin

Rock Auto has about the best prices on OEM quality weatherstripping. I imagine the waist seals in the door windows are toast.

lassy

thanks guys, yeah weatherstripping needs replacing. has anyone refinished their door panels? the surface of mine are worn,and i guess they are the factory molded plastic color, kind of a blue/greyish color. i could probably sand blast it all to get a consistent surface texture, then paint with an epoxy interior paint of some kind.

maybe368

To paint any plastic or vinyl parts, I would use vinyl paint, it works real well...Mark

carrnutt

I have found SEM products to work really well.

gyman98

I did mine, here's before and after pictures

PapeCAT

Yeah N/I trucks mainly. I have a friend with a 91.5 reg cab intercooled with a noodle 6" frame though. You never know what you'll have I guess! But the strongest 8" came out in 92 according to mysteryman.

lassy

What kind of paint did you use? How is it holding up? Thanks!!

sootnsmoke

Looking forward to hearing about how your odo gear replacement goes. Our 91 has a working speedo but non working odometer so I am thinking it needs the two plastic gears as well. Nice truck by the way. Body looks good. I would paint it down the road as the last item on the list.

gyman98

I used Dupli-color vinyl and fabric coating on the carpet and and vinyl areasd and Krylon fusion on the plastic areas. They are for my crew cab project and I havent installed them yet, can't speak for the Dupli-color yet but Krylon fusion is awesome!