Hey Guys recently picked up a 78 Crew cab w200 Ex Firefighter truck. 400BB starts and runs like a new truck with 4 speed in it. Tranny Shifts great, has 5th wheel hitch, trailer brake, class V receiver. Previous owner used it as his tow rig. Put it on hoist at shop, everything solid underneath. Definitely worth $1500 bucks.

Here's some pictures of the beast..

 

Few questions

1) Does the 5.9 12v have same bellhousing bolt pattern at the 5.9 24v and 6.7 cummins?

2)I know the front end I will have to fab up some parts, gonna use true coilover suspension in the front. Can I use Driveline from mid 2000's dodge ram 3500?

3)For Highway and mild heavy towing behind a 6 speed manual, what you guys recommend... 3.73 or 4.10 gears

Thanks for the inputs-this be my first actual Frame off built the way I want truck, so all help and input is appreciated from you guys

 

Hey Welcome to the board! Looks like a good starting point...Congrats on the purchase. Do you have a donor yet?

 

So awesome! I have that grill out in the barn really wish I could make it work.

What tire size you going to run, how heavy to tow, and how many hills you need to assend on your daily driving?

 

Thanks, The guy was a good man. He waited a week for me to come get it and said he has 10 other guys calling about it after I messaged him...lucky me and yet that same day I got it some1 tried to buy it off me lol... neways

No I don't have a donor yet, But parts are ease to come buy around here, as well as first gens- However I know a few places with a few mid 04-07 ram 1 tons for parts and would prefer newer differential setups for ease of replacement parts and making it electronic shift 4wd also.

Haven't found a 1st gen cummins for donor yet for front clip,doors, dash with complete inside and engine bay wiring harness. The ones I have found are all good condition driveable/working trucks for 4-9 grand range

 

I plan on using that Grille on the 75 plow truck of mine.

35" tires,6-8" lift, anywhere from 10-15k lbs, and we got some pretty descent big hills, but trip to work walk in the park-1 baby hill and that's it, otherwise everywhere else I pretty medium grade inclined hills

 

I'm going to get yelled at, but if you have to coin and can find a parts truck then a 6.7 would be a super slick transplant! If you could find the whole drive train then switch bodies that would be the best in my humble opinion. Not saying it would be easy and quick, but it would be the ultimate truck.

I would say 4.10's and a G56.

 

I thought about putting the cab on a newer truck that's wrecked with straight frame. I guess would have to figure out what the wheel base on the crew cab is and a newer crew cab dodge.. I know when I first got the truck the cab felt huge compared to my 04,but I measured door to door and it was only about 2 inch difference.

6.7 would be nice, unless some1 knows a company that sells everything to convert to a p-pump,otherwise 12v are cheap to come buy...got one from salvage yard to drop in 95 v10,for 800 bucks shipped to the door with rebuilt pump,all valves were in spec,no blow by,and swapped tranny governer and torque converter over for the diesel engine, runs and drives great,that one we put a different frame that was in better shape under it..

Heck I even Thought about a 8.3 Cummins,but not sure of a manual transmission that could hold up and still use a dodge transfercase for 4wd

 

If money isn't an issue they do make a pee pump conversion for the 6.7. It isn't cheap or easy. If my wife would let me pull the trigger I would do it for my truck, she gets a little upset about my diesel addiction though. I keep telling her I can move on to meth or coke, she doesn't like my sence of humor.

Good luck with the build. Plead post many pictures.

 

I got time to decide and do measuring/ figuring out..

Also I thought I read somewhere weren't 94 and up frames wider then the 75-93?

How do they measure wheel base-center to center or front to rear? Finding several different wheel bases listed

I thought I also read in another forumn,that firewalls are different from 82 and down crew cabs vs newer crew cabs?

 

Yes from75 to 80 the firewalls are a little different but with a little work you can still get all the newer first gen stuff to bolt up to it. A doner first gen is kinda important, if you have a doner you can bolt up all the cross members and the cummins will drop right in using the first gen motor mounts. Also you would have the dash, wiring harness, heating and air, etc, etc. It could all be done custom but you will have a pricey bill when all said and done

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Nice looking ride!

 

Did a little bit of researching at work earlier. If I got my research right,1st Gen Crew Cab Short beds were 149" wheelbase and seein how I'm wanting this truck to ride like brand new truck with coilover suspension, I started looking up wheelbases throughout the year. So I started lookin at 2006 and newer ,and guess what I found out. 2010 and up ram 2500/3500 Crew cab shortbeds wheelbase are 148.9"(.1" not gonna worry about that its basically 149" lol)

And since I wanna run newer driveline setup with G56 Transmission,transfercase and 1 ton axles and have a stronger new frame, I can Buy a new Frame Through online Mopar OEM parts store for $1700-2000 roughly with all the mounting supports. Long as I can bolt up a 12V to G56,i Figure I could build the driveline while still drive the crew cab as it is,Somethin about that 400 and 4 speed and Badass looking truck factor that I can't keep myself out of it over my newer one lol.

But I will have to do a lot of frame measuring and comparisons,I printed out all the specs on the 2010 frame from dodge to compare with, but its raining hard and snowing lately and haven't got garage cleared out and other vehicles moved around to bring it in. And I'm More then positive I will have to move and make new Cab Mounts and possibly address some cab and driveline clearance issues.

Is the 78 Short bed box 6'4" also like the newer rams?

 

Great project! I am putting a 93 CTD into a 79 reg cab power wagon W200, first frame off as well. Easy trucks to work, less some ignorant bolts.

Wish there were more 4dr 1st gens around these parts.

 

oh ya....and The Sticky thread will become your best freind very quickly