Agreed, they should actually rename the 318 "The Rented Mule"

 

Unless you have an HO 03, you have a 47RE. I still say it can be upgraded for less than a swap and will be a better tranny.

 

Both of my 03's have the 48RE and are the California edition-neither HO or SO. They are rated at 235hp/460tq instead of 250hp/460tq or 305hp/600tq. It was the very early 03's that had the 47RE. Probably had some leftovers and didn't want to waste them. I made sure the spec sheet said 48RE before I purchased the truck.

 

The 47 and 48re are so great and tough that ford and chevy guys are chomping at the bit for that conversion.......right? Yeah sure. I have yet to see a swap kit to put a 48re in a chevy duramax. The 2 48s i owned were very unimpressive including one that ATS built.

 

I can only speak from experience having owned both, stock to stock imop the allison is way better. Have not built a 48re yet, so I can not say anything bad. The allison we have that is built wont die, and believe we've tried!!

 

So now this goes back to the original post that all that is needed is the bell housing and the Alllison swap should be straight forward. So all of the old bread trucks and old Fed-Ex trucks out there lying in the junk yard could be holding the key to the swap. As a matter of fact I would love to have one of the 4 cyl. Cummins out of one of those trucks too for my Landcruiser.