After thinking about it for bit, I think a Cummins conversion is the way to go. I like the old school 1st gen Cummins, but I need the room for three boys and the wifey. The new trucks are nice, but the payments are unrealistic. Also, this lets me build EXACTLY the truck I want.

So idealy I am thinking an early 80's crew cab with a p-pumped motor and NV4500, but the trucks are getting tough to find, especially 4x4 versions. How tough is it to do the swap into a ford/chevy crew cab? Do I just hold out for the Dodge, or are the Fords/Chevys better trucks? What is everyones thoughts on the ideal conversion? I have time to do this and am going to reseach it thoroughly before starting, so let's hear some ideas!

 

Both can be done..

I did a dodge crew cab and it was very easy.. everything pretty much bolted right in except for tranny cross member.

as for chevy.. my buddy has a older 4 door chevy with a cummins in it and the biggest issue he had was on the chevys the front cross member has to be modified or the oil pan will hit it.. they just cut his and reinforced it with no issue.

and he had to fab up motor mount brackets.. they do not just bolt in.. if you go with a ford there are a few places that sell ford motor mounts that mount to ford chassis and to cummins engine.. but i have seen same issue with front cross member having to be modified.. other then that the engines fit fine..

 

Did you check out that sweet 72 crew for sale in the classifieds?

Heck, I don't need one and I am thinking about hopping on a plane.

That guy has way more than 5K in it.

 

i just finished mounting my cummins in my 87 chevy its a job.....but its not difficult so much as it is time consuming to make sure everything is right....if you can cut and weld you can do it.....i just love chevy trucks and cummins engines so i combined the two...but first gens have REALLY grown on me so as far as easy to do that has to go to the dodge swap...2nd to ford because they make the parts to do it....and chevy's prob the most difficult....

 

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think that I am going to hold out and go with the Dodge crew cab. Not only is it the easiest but I really am a Dodge guy at heart. I will keep things posted when I start and as I go along.

 

Im in the excat position as the OP! how good are the ford transmissions. Can they hold up to a cummins? On the Fordcummins website they all use the ford trannnys. On the other hand how hard is it to convert a dodge crew cab 2WD to 4wd?

 

it takes some work.. if you look in 1st gen section there is a thread about converting 2wd to 4wd

 

im looking at an 88 and 92 F350 crew cab but they both have autos for a gsser? Are they any good or do people use the Dodge trannies?

 

I have "heard" on reliable sources that a E4OD can be built to hold the Cummins to a extreme mild build. But I have not seen it done. The 4R100 and 5R100 series I have seen to hold up.