Thinking about building a truck from basically scratch

[Don B.]

I've always been a die hard Dodge guy. But I can't get a truck like I want from anyone. And Toyota Nissan can go pound sand.
I have most of the parts.
83 d250 Rolling frame (used to be my truck 15 years ago, my son bought back from my cousin for the engine for a 72 fury wagon) have completely rust free bed cab doors and fenders courtesy of Colorado and Georgia.
Have a couple of possible engines from 318s to a low mile motor home 440 and trans. Only thing I don't have is the 5 speed trans (yes if I do it it Will be a stick) I have a 12 1/2 ton and it is ok, no character.
Not a fan of the rear coil spring suspension for pulling my camper or utility trailer.

I want wing windows (never smoked in my life) summer on the floor, wiper switch by itself on the dash and cowl vents. And a CARBURETOR.
K I S S. My wife wants a different camper which helps my cause, and I want to go back to a 3/4 ton just because I want a 3/4 ton. And I work on computerized crap every day at work. I want to get away from that. I'd rather use a timing light, vacuum gauge and screwdriver instead of a scanner. Previously mentioned tools owner already, and collecting dust as is my Sun scope haha

 

[Don B.]

I meant dimmer switch on floor, damn autocorrect.
Actually found one close to what I want, already in 1 pc too bad it's 3 states away.

 

[Duner Wi]

Good plan, as long as you good tin you can find the rest. Have fun.

 

[mechanicfred]

I'm in the process of doing this right now, I bought a clean '79 D200 at an auction in Two RIvers and have put it on a W200 frame. 4.10 gears, trac lok, 46rh transmission and 241 transfer case. behind a 318. Used the steering box from a '74.

 

[mechanicfred]

Maybe get er finished this next week!

 

[Dave in NY]

Looks great! Ought to make you a nice truck. I did similar back a few years ago only it was a 74 W200 with 360 and Torqueflite trans. Was a great truck. Sadly the NY road salt ate it up.

 

[Welding man]

I've always been a die hard Dodge guy. But I can't get a truck like I want from anyone. And Toyota Nissan can go pound sand.
I have most of the parts.
83 d250 Rolling frame (used to be my truck 15 years ago, my son bought back from my cousin for the engine for a 72 fury wagon) have completely rust free bed cab doors and fenders courtesy of Colorado and Georgia.
Have a couple of possible engines from 318s to a low mile motor home 440 and trans. Only thing I don't have is the 5 speed trans (yes if I do it it Will be a stick) I have a 12 1/2 ton and it is ok, no character.
Not a fan of the rear coil spring suspension for pulling my camper or utility trailer.

I want wing windows (never smoked in my life) summer on the floor, wiper switch by itself on the dash and cowl vents. And a CARBURETOR.
K I S S. My wife wants a different camper which helps my cause, and I want to go back to a 3/4 ton just because I want a 3/4 ton. And I work on computerized crap every day at work. I want to get away from that. I'd rather use a timing light, vacuum gauge and screwdriver instead of a scanner. Previously mentioned tools owner already, and collecting dust as is my Sun scope haha

We are building a 1951 dodge pilothouse. We took the front clip from a 2 WD Dodge Dakota RT with a 318 HO and are totally rebuilding everything front to rear. Cab goes to the sandblaster tomorrow. Engine is on the stand and the rolling chassis is complete. We hope to be driving it in the spring.

 

[Don B.]

What was your experience with the sandblaster?
I've done lots of it myself over the years. Not much sheet metal because of the horror stories about warpage.
I've heard lots of good about "dustless" blasting.
Also soda blasting. Also heard of a few horror stories there. Like people who had theirs soda blasted then once painted the paint peeled off because of some residue left over from the baking soda. More good than bad stories.
It's looking more like this may be a "go".
Problem is my cab is currently death warmed over mouse gray, (not stock, don't know what is under that), bed is US forest service seafoam green under peeling jade green, my doors and fenders are also Heinz 57 colors. I want to get this all blasted before it's all bolted up to the frame, and don't see a week or two of solid DA sanding happening since I do have a "day job".

I've recently been shopping out west looking at similar rust free trucks, debating whether buying one of those might be a better start. By the time I either have one shipped back plus the price of buying it in the first place, spending the same Amount of money on what I have currently, will go a LONG way doing as much as possible myself (I do have a 2 post lift of my own and a compressor bigger than what some of the shops I've worked for had over the years plus a pretty good size 220 powered miller mig, in my garage here at home) and if I DIY it, I'll end up with dang near a new truck when Im done.
If I buy it'll be most likely 4wd because this many years later there isn't much difference in prices I'm finding on available trucks out west, but for my purpose I really don't need it .

 

[Welding man]

The older stuff we work on, the 46 Dodge we built a few years ago. the 51 we are building now and a 1948 Ford F5 fire truck we are building for a customer, there is enough metal there that warpage is not a problem. We picked up the Ford and Dodge cabs last week and put a quick coat of primer on them to keep the rust down. The guys that did them do this kind of work all the time. We are taking the frame out of the F5 to be blasted and powder coated very soon. They blasted both cabs inside and out and underneath for $200 bucks each. Very happy.

 

[Destroked 450]

What was your experience with the sandblaster?
I've done lots of it myself over the years. Not much sheet metal because of the horror stories about warpage.
I've heard lots of good about "dustless" blasting.
Also soda blasting. Also heard of a few horror stories there. Like people who had theirs soda blasted then once painted the paint peeled off because of some residue left over from the baking soda. More good than bad stories.
It's looking more like this may be a "go".
Problem is my cab is currently death warmed over mouse gray, (not stock, don't know what is under that), bed is US forest service seafoam green under peeling jade green, my doors and fenders are also Heinz 57 colors. I want to get this all blasted before it's all bolted up to the frame, and don't see a week or two of solid DA sanding happening since I do have a "day job".

I've recently been shopping out west looking at similar rust free trucks, debating whether buying one of those might be a better start. By the time I either have one shipped back plus the price of buying it in the first place, spending the same Amount of money on what I have currently, will go a LONG way doing as much as possible myself (I do have a 2 post lift of my own and a compressor bigger than what some of the shops I've worked for had over the years plus a pretty good size 220 powered miller mig, in my garage here at home) and if I DIY it, I'll end up with dang near a new truck when Im done.
If I buy it'll be most likely 4wd because this many years later there isn't much difference in prices I'm finding on available trucks out west, but for my purpose I really don't need it .

My brother in law used to have a business soda blasting before a arsonist burnt his shop down
I do remember that after soda blasting the metal has to be cleaned to remove the residue left by the soda before paint was applied
I would have to ask him what they cleaned the metal with but it wasn’t simply a water wash

 

[Don B.]

My brother in law used to have a business soda blasting before a arsonist burnt his shop down
I do remember that after soda blasting the metal has to be cleaned to remove the residue left by the soda before paint was applied
I would have to ask him what they cleaned the metal with but it wasn’t simply a water wash

Please do and post back

 

[wilson ind]

I've always been a die hard Dodge guy. But I can't get a truck like I want from anyone. And Toyota Nissan can go pound sand.
I have most of the parts.
83 d250 Rolling frame (used to be my truck 15 years ago, my son bought back from my cousin for the engine for a 72 fury wagon) have completely rust free bed cab doors and fenders courtesy of Colorado and Georgia.
Have a couple of possible engines from 318s to a low mile motor home 440 and trans. Only thing I don't have is the 5 speed trans (yes if I do it it Will be a stick) I have a 12 1/2 ton and it is ok, no character.
Not a fan of the rear coil spring suspension for pulling my camper or utility trailer.

I want wing windows (never smoked in my life) summer on the floor, wiper switch by itself on the dash and cowl vents. And a CARBURETOR.
K I S S. My wife wants a different camper which helps my cause, and I want to go back to a 3/4 ton just because I want a 3/4 ton. And I work on computerized crap every day at work. I want to get away from that. I'd rather use a timing light, vacuum gauge and screwdriver instead of a scanner. Previously mentioned tools owner already, and collecting dust as is my Sun scope haha

you do know scratchy is chicken feed

 

[Don B.]

The post above makes no sense.

Parts are coming together.
I found the bell housing and flywheel I'm gonna need to put the NV4500 in there, my son has a lead on a trans locally, my engine build plan is coming together, and I even found a Mopar M1 dual plane intake for a 4bbl carb that bolts straight to the magnum heads without having to drill and tap the heads for the older small block intake... And it didn't cost me $600 like most i see....
The original truck that was on this frame was maroon, with a maroon interior but I already have an 85, d150 that's that color so being as how no 2 panels have for this 3/4 ton are the same color I think I'm gonna go a jade/forest green with tan interior. Ive got some tan interior and have a lead on the rear as soon as the weather improves....
gotta wait and see how Uncle Sam treats me for tax time to get much deeper right now... And wait for winter to end so I can get the dustless blasting guys on it.

 

[Don B.]

Ok I found some rust free solid gas tank straps since I couldn't find any listed to fit any 81-87 but I could find older and newer with nobody knowing if the older or newer ones would fit my year.
Steering box is in for rebuild, "just because" as long as it's off the frame for "it" to be blasted....
As soon as I get my refund from Uncle Sam I will be ordering new rear springs, as there are a couple cracked leaves. I replaced the front coils when I owned it before I sold it to my cousin some years ago. Most of the front end is newer than the age of the truck too but I have EVERYTHING to completely rebuild that again too. Ball joints bushings tie rods, sleeves center link idler arms and now a new steering box... (Rebuilt)
It's moving along slowly.

 

[Don B.]

Im probably gonna use those rust free gas tank straps as templates to make new ones out of stainless. I have both an 83 and an 85, 1 is 1/2 ton (slant 6 even in that one which is staying). The other (which is the one i have in pieces/ is 3/4 ton.

 

[Don B.]

Well 2 days ago I got a can't pass up deal via marketplace on a set of stainless steel brake lines and fuel lines from tank to carb for less than each would cost from the company
Guy had a bunch of stuff that he had bought with the same idea as I have, same year truck, but I guess his was rotted out worse than what I have so he bailed.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

See what all he has. Could be more treasures you could use.

 

[Don B.]

I did
That I know of he has all "duralast" (useless zone brand) drums rotors pads shoes ball joints and tie rod ends plus some Dodge van lower control arms (of which are the hot setup for "lowering" one of these trucks of which I definitely ain't gonna do. I was hoping to see some interior parts, I need a set each of tan and maroon door panels (door "cards") but if he had anything like that he had it well hidden.

 

[flmeredith]

I've always been a die hard Dodge guy. But I can't get a truck like I want from anyone. And Toyota Nissan can go pound sand.
I have most of the parts.
83 d250 Rolling frame (used to be my truck 15 years ago, my son bought back from my cousin for the engine for a 72 fury wagon) have completely rust free bed cab doors and fenders courtesy of Colorado and Georgia.
Have a couple of possible engines from 318s to a low mile motor home 440 and trans. Only thing I don't have is the 5 speed trans (yes if I do it it Will be a stick) I have a 12 1/2 ton and it is ok, no character.
Not a fan of the rear coil spring suspension for pulling my camper or utility trailer.

I want wing windows (never smoked in my life) summer on the floor, wiper switch by itself on the dash and cowl vents. And a CARBURETOR.
K I S S. My wife wants a different camper which helps my cause, and I want to go back to a 3/4 ton just because I want a 3/4 ton. And I work on computerized crap every day at work. I want to get away from that. I'd rather use a timing light, vacuum gauge and screwdriver instead of a scanner. Previously mentioned tools owner already, and collecting dust as is my Sun scope haha

 

[Tom in Mo.]

I've been seeing some old Dodge's sell quite well on BaT Auctions.