folks,

i've looked for a rust-FREE, 2WD, "extended cab", manual trans First Generation 2500 Dodge, till i'm blue in the face.

yesterday evening, i was told of a "dirt cheap" 1993 that "fills the bill", except that it has a DEAD (and said to be UNrepairable) auto transmission.

has anybody reading this ever:
1. changed out an auto transmission for a 5-speed trans
(WHICH transmission did you use AND is this a complicated/grossly expensive project?)
AND
2.has a list of the "stuff", that i'll need to do it
AND
is willing to share their experience of doing it, so that i don't have to "reinvent the wheel"?
(i have access to the assets of the military auto craft shop at Quantico Marine Base, which has hydraulic lifts,transmission jacks, plenty of tools & "limited fabrication facilities".)

THANKS for reading this!

yours, PG

 

Personally, I would look for an NV4500 found in the '94 and up trucks. They can take a lot more abuse than a 'Rag, and you can find a donor for cheap. I was contemplating swapping my truck to an NV4500, and I found all the parts needed for less than $800.

 

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...6&postcount=29

always check the "sticky" threads at the top

 

jesussaves;peobryant,

PEOBRYANT: have you DONE that particuliar swap? - i'm told that it is a "BEAR" to do, with lots of fabrication/bodywork required.

JS: as i'm new here, i didn't know about them = silly me.
yours, TN46

 

No, I haven't personally done the swap. With a donor truck it shouldn't be that hard. A 2wd truck will have a small trans hump that will require some pretty major surgery, as all 5spd and 4wd trucks have the larger hump, but again, if you have a donor truck, it shouldn't be hard.

 

Extended cab '93 will have the big tunnel.

Donor truck is the easiest way.

 

No worries Welcome!!

 

All extended cab trucks, or just the '93?

 

Any diesel extended cab has the big tunnel.

 

to all,

THANKS for your input
BUT
(i'll ask again) has anybody here ACTUALLY done this conversion & is willing to tell me about the job/their experiences in detail, either ON/OFF net?

yours, TN46

 

I've done the swap on a 1989 D250. For your truck it should be fairly straight forward. I believe the A518 auto is longer than the Getrag so you will need to lengthen the Driveline. It is an easy swap if you have the parts. No fab necessary.

 

Yea easiest thing to do is find a donor truck with a 5 speed...like some old beat up high miler.

that you can rip apart and use the 5 speed components to make your new ext. cab a nice truck....

You'll need everything associated with a manual trans, flywheel, adapter, slave cylinder, master cylinder, clutch pedal, cut hole in floor, etc...

 

Are you looking for a 5spd 2wd truck to buy?

 

yeah I think he is but can't find any nice non rust ones.

 

Kansascrewcab76; papeCAT; all,

YES, i've been looking for a rust-FREE, 2WD, extended cab, First Gen w/5-speed for well over a year. - EVERY one, that i've looked at, has been either rusted out or wrecked.
(i've probably driven well over 500 miles to look at UNSUITABLE trucks, that were NOT "as advertized".)


do people responding to "Wanted to Buy" ads think that "the advertizer" is/i'm STUPID and/or BLIND?

for example, one guy told me, about a month ago, that his '93 was "in really great, but not perfect condition. it needs a major tune-up & a new radio.", so i drove 90 miles one-way to find that it had several rust HOLES in the body & had major rust in the frame/suspension system.
( note: i wanted to wrap a long 2x4 around his noggin.)

another guy wasted my time on Thanksgiving weekend, by getting me to drive 60+ miles, one way, to see a TOTALED 1991 single cab . = i asked him, "WHY did you waste my time, when you knew it was wrecked?" he said, "i thought you might buy it, if you came down & saw it."

yours, PG