ive been thinking about doing a cummins conversion in my 79 powerwagon single cab short box 1 ton 4x4, i was wondering how much work would be involved in this conversion. i have a rolled 97 2500 4x4 ext cab long box 12valve with a 5 speed, the powerwagon has a 440 with a 4 speed and a np205 with dana 60s front and back, would it be possilbe to get the tranny and transfer case from the 97 into the 79 or would it be easier to find bell housing adapters if thats possible? any help or ideas is appreciated

 

The '79 will be a right hand side drop for the front and the '97 will have a left side drop so the tranny is a no go. Simplest soultion would be to find a NP205 from a 1st gen diesel truck.

Might consider swapping the '79 body onto the '97 frame. A dash from a first gen truck should bolt in and give you all the electrical stuff for a clean factory look.

 

yea thats right... didnt think about that, its just an idea ive been pondering while bored in camp, ill have to have a better look at what is all there for parts when i get home

 

Sorry that should have read the t-case is a no go. No problem with the tranny and I know of someone who has hooked an older NP205 t-case from a 1st gen Dodge to a 2nd gen tranny so it is possible.

 

thats good to know, im thinking it wont be to hard its just take a fair bit of time and figuring stuff out.

 

Finding a wrecked 1st gen diesel would make things easy. Most of the stuff would just bolt on with little or no mods needed. Would simplify the wiring as well.

 

yea im gonna start keeping my eyes open for one.

 

this is the truck im planning on puttin the 12valve in
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...erpics1044.jpg
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...erpics1042.jpg
and heres the rolled donar truck
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...scamera068.jpg
just need to find a first gen diesel for parts now

 

Cool project. Are you going to keep the stock 79 grille or go with the newer 89-93 grilles?

 

i was planning on leaving the 79 grill

 

I'de love to see how you are going to do that. I'm trying to use a 1992 core support and keep my 1973 grille on my project and I'm running into some issues.

 

Ouch! Were you driving at the time?

 

yea i guess ill see how or if i can make it work when i get that far.
no my dad was driving at the time some how he only came out with a few scratchs

 

You can use the axles from the 2nd gen and make it work. I had to massage the tunnel a bit with some fiberglass work but you can get the transfer case to fit with the stock cover / boot.

On the front axle I cut the coil buckets off level to the center pumpkin on the drivers side. I then welded up some 3/8" plat as spring perches and basically tapped stud holes into the pumpkin for the inner holes on the spring plate. If you look at the drivers side of the current axle it has (1) ubolt and then two studs. I did the same thing but on the drivers side with the 2nd gen front end.

 

Lucky guy!

Did he have quads on the deck at the time? Wondering if the top heaviness of it contributed to the roll over.