Ok so I'm looking for a 1st gen to play around with, mostly on the street and some at the strip. My main goal is to suprise the crap outa the rest of the diesel crowd that either think first gen Dodge's are slow as smell, or don't even realize they had a diesel back then... (you know the type of guys... the ones with the new fancy high dollar trucks). Also to mess around with the local ricer crowd. Obviously a 2wd is going to have a weight advantage, I'm just not sure if I should be holding out for a auto or manual? I know the auto when setup with a good converter and valve body among other things is a good choice, but I'm concerned with the lack of a locking converter. How much power is this going to throw away? With the g360, obviously I'll need a clutch, but I'm thinking thats going to be cheaper than building a auto for it. Can you shift them pretty fast? Is there a short throw shifter for them?

I realize the BEST setup would be a later nv4500 OR a 47RH with the locking converter, but I don't see these as options anytime soon, as I just want to do this on the cheap for fun. So I guess my question is what is the best choice on a budget sticking with 1st gen drive train?

Thanks for the imput,
Jason

 

You will def be faster with the auto, but budget wise, the 5 speed is cheaper

 

I forgot to mention, auto wise is the better choice the 727 3spd or 518 w/od a better choice. Is there aftermarket stuff available for them both? Is one stronger to begin with?

Thanks,
Jason

 

518 auto......

 

In stock form, the 727 has a slightly tighter converter. And yes, there aftermarket parts available for the both of them.

 

i'd would get a 89- 91.5 (pre-intercooled) 5-speed for a play truck more power avaiable for free.

 

hand shakers are funner in my opinion, but autos are faster

 

Ya I have had all manual CTDs so far, but I just want whatever will blow the doors off the competition the best...

Jason

 

Auto is faster. In 1/8th mile 727 with 3.08's is fine. Some people are close to running out of rpm's with the 727 and 3.08's in the 1/4.

 

You mention that 2wd will have a weight advantage which is true but keep in mind that all that fun power going up in tire smoke because of lack of traction may not be as much fun. 4X4 will have a definite traction advantage and will probably be quicker than 2wd. Just food for thought.

 

For a low-buck drag truck it's hard to beat a non-intercooled D250 with an auto. Throw in a decent TC and a shift kit, a set of POD's, a compressor upgrade, a shot of nitrous or water/meth, tweak the pump up good, put a set of sticky tires on the back and you are in the 13's.

 

You should not need all that to run in the 13s,with just a water to air intercooler and the pump turned up my 91(non i/c) D250 auto ran a 13.95@97 mph with a 1.94 60ft on street tires ,still run the stock turbo,injectors,and trans.

 

I know the non i/c trucks have the better flowing injectors and dv's. You say water meth or nos, would installing a intercooler be just as good? (i'm thinking used for cheap, dodge or a ford 7.3)

I had thought about the 4wd luanch advantage, but I wonder how fast your truck needs to be before you really need the 4wd to put the power down. I'm not talking 10sec material here...

Thanks for all the suggestions... I thinks is obvously going to be an auto, I don't know if it will be the 727 or the 518. I would like a non i/c truck for obvious reasons, but for cruising down the highway, the od just sounds like it will be nice. Is it a real strain to cruise 65 or so with the 3 speed? I'm mostly highway around here.

Jason

 

65 is easy with a 727. I think it is more of a mpg thing. I can do 65 in second with my 89. It is at 3200 plus but will do it. Both of my 89's would only do 75 to 78 at stock settings but if you turn out the high idle screw you can do close to a hundred. On the 518 od tranny most likly it will have the 3.54 gears so the final high gear ratio must be close to the 3.08's in 3rd. If that makes sense?

 

So your saying the final drive in o.d. vs the 3rd gear in the 727 is close to the same because of the taller gearing?

One other stupid question, obviously I'm going to throw a 3k gov spring in the pump, at WOT, how will the trans know when to shift? Do you have to change something with the trans in order to take advantage of the new available rpms in relation to shifting?

Jason