Depends on how much yiou can find a truck for. It's always nice to have the whole truck just for spare parts

 

It has always been my experience that you can buy an entire truck that is drivable for less money than an engine on the ground.



The older Suburban is very do-able for a Cummins swap; there are a bunch of the same basic chassis/body 1-ton Chevys around here with 1st Gen. Cummins in them.

Probably by far the easiest is to mount the Suburban onto a Dodge/Cummins chassis; I have seen it done both ways and the body swap is by far the easiest and also the best end result.

 

buddy of mine has a 94 style 4x4 and he install a 4bta and used a 4l80e. he just pulled the whole mess out and used the dodge trans 47re and is a way happier camper. if you are looking for a .... i know where .... i wouldn't use the gm trans. he sold the gm adapter for three times the money the dodge cummins adapter cost.

 

Pulling off the front clip today,also going to begin to pull the motor.

Still have not decided what tranny to use.
I am going to be pulling a 10,000lb race trailer.

 

Just found a 1995 4x4 3/4 ton auto with a cummins 114k wrecked.
Dealing with the guy right now.

 

I'd use the 47RH that's stuck on your Cummins. If you are good at wiring you can use the Dodge PCM and make it work factory.

 

Whats the least desirable year for a 5.9 cummins?

 

Anything after 93! Just kidding. They're all pretty strong engines

 

If I use a NV4500 do I have to use a different transfer case?
Which tranny (other than the 4l80e) will allow me to use the transfer case thats in it right now,if any?

 

Whatever years that had the fragile "53" block, and so far as I am concerned, anything built after 1998.

 

That could be a big concern! I didn't read this whole post, so i don't know if you plan on running the suburban tc, but if you are gonna get one from a donor, 1st gens are passenger side, and 2nd gens are driver side.

 

I think some more research needs to be done here.

And some questions need to be answered first. We need to know what your intended use is for this rig. If it is going anywhere other than to get groceries, you better think long and hard about putting a passenger drop Chevy D60 underneath and get rid of that IFS junk. Fab skills crucial of course.

This conversion has been done before on same era chevy 3/4 ton pickups, and I know someone you should talk to. His name is trevor and here are his pics. PM me for his # and you can chat with him.

http://s837.photobucket.com/albums/z...arts/?start=20

 

I am going to use it for my daily driver 95% of thr time.I am also going to use it to hunt in Montana and pull my race trailer a couple of times a year.