87 Ram 50 SBC/T5 swap

[Mike P]

I've been lurking here off and on for a few years looking at other peoples V8 swaps and now that mine is well underway I figured I’d post about my experiences putting a 283 Chevy small block and T5 into my 87 Ram 50. Hopefully it will give someone contemplating a Chevy swap into their Ram 50/Mighty Max an idea of what they’re in for.


The truck: The truck is an 87 Ram 50, 2WD, 5 speed, open rear end (3.90 gears) manual steering and factory AC. The truck has a lot of family history and I ended up with it about 10 years ago when the rods started knocking. It’s got a straight rust free body and because of the family connection I stuffed it in a back shed figuring one day I’d get around to getting back on the road and eventually passing it on to another family member when I’m through playing with it. I’m an old hot-rodder so the engine swap plan always involved an American V8. Here is the truck resting just before it got moved to the main shop.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/XD501_zps1dbd5621.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/XD501_zps1dbd5621.jpg.html)


Planning: I live in Arizona (south of Tucson) at 4500 ft elevation. We get well over 100 degrees some days in the summer and I’ve seen it at 0 degrees in the winter. The plan was/is to build the truck as a 365 day a year driver capable of also making an annual vacation trip to Illinois (4000 mile round trip to a 200 ft elevation).

Believe it or not the biggest consideration on this swap was being able to retain the factory AC. This is going to be a driver not a weekend toy and summer here makes the AC is mandatory.

With the hood open and looking at the little 2 liter in there, it looks like there is a lot of room for almost anything.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Ram%2050%20b_zpso9eo9wvg.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Ram%2050%20b_zpso9eo9wvg.jpg.html)


It looks that way clear up until you take a tape measure out and find out the engine compartment is really short and there is not a lot of room to go forward with the AC condenser before it hits the grill. Looking at a some of the other peoples swaps with Mopar, Ford and Chevrolet small blocks, none tht I came across had AC and in most cases they had moved the radiator either under/in the core support or in front of it. I’ve built/owned Mopar, Ford and Chevrolet small blocks over the years and properly built I like them all, so brand was not a big consideration for me (although I would have kind of liked to have a Mopar engine in something that has the name Dodge in huge letters on the tailgate.

The Mopar and Ford small blocks actually seemed to fit a bit better (in large part due to the pan configurations) than the Chevy. In the end for me, the determining factor turned out to be the engine length and the Chevy SB with a short water pump is the shortest (although the Ford SB is a close second and has the distributor in the front which is an added benefit). In the end the SBC won out. On paper it looked like I might be able to run the radiator and AC condenser in the stock location….but more on that later.

The next consideration was what to use for a transmission. From what I researched there were only 2 rear end ratios for the 2wd 87 Ram 50; 3.55 and 3.90. My truck has the 3.90 and even if it had the 3.55 an overdrive transmission is mandatory as it be will racking up a bunch of interstate miles. The 2 most logical choices from an availability/cost standpoint for me were the Borg Warner T5 5 speed manual and the TH 200 4R automatic.

Engine: In the past I have been accused of going a bit to the extreme as far as my engine selections (my current shop truck is an 83 El Camino with a 507 Cubic Inch (8.3 L) Cadillac engine). For this project I decided that I’d go in the other direction and look at a smaller displacement engine. My first thought was a 305 roller motor with Vortec heads I have in the back. It’s carbureted and other than needing freshened up it is a good solid motor. In the end however I elected to use a 283 I had recently rebuilt for an era correct 1960s hot rod project that never materialized. The engine is fresh and only has a couple hours of test stand time on it. The engine specs out as follows:

1960 283 (+.060 overbore)
Steel crank
8.75:1 compression
1965 Power Pack heads (opened up for 1.94 intake valves)
Flat tappet hydraulic cam (equivalent to 275 HP fuelie cam)
Reproduction Corvette rams horn exhaust manifolds (2.5” outlets)

I’d originally built the engine with Tri Power but changed it over to a single 4 BBL when the decision was made to install it in the ram 50.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/runstand283_zps6c257a69.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/runstand283_zps6c257a69.jpg.html)

Transmission: I decided I’d keep the truck a manual shift and did some horse trading for a rebuilt T5 (5 speed) from a 1992 S-10. I had looked at both the S-10 and Camaro versions of the T5s and decided on the S10 version because of shifter location. It forward of where the original shifter went, but the Camaro version was too far back and would interfere with the seat adjustment.

I gave some thought to the clutch linkage when I was deciding on the bellhousing. The D50 uses a cable operated clutch and I figured it might be easiest to retain the cable type rather than building mechanical linkage or using a hydraulic setup…….I’d probably rethink that now, but more on that later. As it was I managed to find a bellhousing and clutch fork from a mid 1970s V8 Chevrolet Monza (as far as I know the only SBC cable clutch setup Chevrolet ever used)

This is the transmission and bellhousing. It’s next to the Saginaw 4 speed I was using for comparison prior to making the minor modifications needed to the T5 input shaft and bearing retainer.


http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/XD502_zps9f01a439.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/XD502_zps9f01a439.jpg.html)

[DroppedMitsu]

Oh man this looks like it's going to be a sweet build! Keep us updated, can't wait to see more.

[Mike P]

Transmission: I decided I’d keep the truck a manual shift and did some horse trading for a rebuilt T5 (5 speed) from a 1992 S-10. I had looked at both the S-10 and Camaro versions of the T5s and decided on the S10 version because of shifter location. It forward of where the original shifter went, but the Camaro version was too far back and would interfere with the seat adjustment. The internal shift mechanism for the T5 is located in the top cover of the transmission which causes the transmission to be rather tall compared to a standard 4 speed (T-10, Muncie or Saginaw) or an automatic.

I gave some thought to the clutch linkage when I was deciding on the bellhousing. The D50 uses a cable operated clutch and I figured it might be easiest to retain the cable type rather than building mechanical linkage or using a hydraulic setup…….I’d probably rethink that now, but more on that later. As it was I managed to find a bellhousing and clutch fork from a mid 1970s V8 Chevrolet Monza (as far as I know the only SBC cable clutch setup Chevrolet ever used)

This is the transmission and bellhousing. It’s next to the Saginaw 4 speed I was using for comparison prior to making the minor modifications needed to the T5 input shaft and bearing retainer.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/XD502_zps9f01a439.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/XD502_zps9f01a439.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

So the swap started (the old truck needs paint, but is still pretty presentable).

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150322_115922479_zpscfzezs7k.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150322_115922479_zpscfzezs7k.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

So out came the 2L and 5 speed. The engine went to a friend’s machine shop as a core to possibly rebuild as some point and the transmission ended up at another friends transmission shop where parts were used to get another Ram 50 back on the road.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Ram%2050%20c_zpsfyr1ol2t.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Ram%2050%20c_zpsfyr1ol2t.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

I used an old block and pair of heads I had laying around for the mockup bolted to the T5. The thought was I might be able to get the engine fairly low by using a 1963-5 Chevy II front sump oil pan and pickup. It turns out the pan sump isn’t the real issue with using a SBC, it’s the rear sparkplug on the driver’s side. With the engine as far back as it will go, it can only go down so far before the plug interferes with the steering box, even with a short header sparkplug. So it is what it is, at least I can use the common rear sump oil pan and pickup.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Z%20Install%203_zpsupnq1gui.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Z%20Install%203_zpsupnq1gui.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

With the engine as low as it will go the next issue becomes the transmission tunnel and here is where the major surgery begins.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150315_074942991_zpsrceeknh7.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150315_074942991_zpsrceeknh7.jpg.html)

The tunnel needed to be wider and taller, so after the cuts were made there was a fair amount of hammering and trimming to get everything to fit. Even after the transmission was where it needed to be, addition tweaking was required to make sure I could get to the transmission and bellhousing bolts so clutch changes could be made without pulling the engine.

[Mike P]

Although I’d hoped to avoid it, I pulled the dash and heater box so I could get into the firewall and floor to weld the tunnel back together. As long as I was there, I also installed a new heater core and water control valve……I figured it was a good time to do it as I really don’t want to have to pull the dash out a second time for a leaking heater core down the road.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/tunnel_zpsy5rnbfep.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/tunnel_zpsy5rnbfep.jpg.html)

Then it was piece the tunnel back together. As I don't have an English wheel, was too lazy to cut a tunnel out of a donor car, and to cheap to spring for a prefab universal tunnel, I built it in sections from some stainless I had laying around. I also built a new shift handle for the T5. I retained the stock shifter hole so I can use the the D50 boot and plate. It will take a custom carpet to fit the enlarged tunnel, but that's something for down the road.

[Mike P]

With the engine where I wanted it I started on the mounts. I did the transmission mount first. This pretty much just amounted to modifying the rear crossmember.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150328_155452706_zps7gjqczyk.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150328_155452706_zps7gjqczyk.jpg.html)


The T5 mount is back quite a bit further than the original mount , so I cut off the original mounting pad and lowered the new mounting surface, then drilled a hole for the transmission mount bolt. I’m using an aftermarket single stud urethane mount. While I was at it I also flattened and enlarged the area where the original exhaust pipes goes over the crossmember….more on that later.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150404_151107490_HDR_zpskdiv7vc6.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150404_151107490_HDR_zpskdiv7vc6.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

I then moved on to the front mounts. I cut off the original mounting pads and built new ones forward of the original mount location (I used stock 1960s-70s frame mounts for the start point and then built them down and over to the frame). I’m also using aftermarket urethane mounts for the engine. Yeah, they’re not the prettiest I’ve ever built but their solid and functional and thruck will never see a car show.


http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150708_144832260_zpsfhbiy4ja.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150708_144832260_zpsfhbiy4ja.jpg.html)

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[Mike P]

With the engine setback, a stock HEI distributor (my first choice) is out of the question. I looked into relieving the firewall a bit more but the heater box is right next to the firewall on the cab side and relocating it would take more work than I really want to do,

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150822_055257627_zpsiwsfzctd.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150822_055257627_zpsiwsfzctd.jpg.html)

I can fit a stock point style distributor in but it is very tight. So I elected to go with a small cap Mallory Dual Point (converted to Pertronix electronic ignition).

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Z%20Install%205_zpsx1kp2okx.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Z%20Install%205_zpsx1kp2okx.jpg.html)

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Z%20Install%203_zpsupnq1gui.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Z%20Install%203_zpsupnq1gui.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

With the mounts done and the engine where it was going to live at, it was on to the cooling system and the real fun began. This is the part of the swap where no matter what it looked like on paper or even measuring separate parts, reality and interferences can really bite. I had purposely held off ordering a radiator until this point so I could get accurate measurements and use the biggest radiator possible. Clearances were tight but it looked like I could get a 26” (w) X 18” (t) 2 row (1 inch tubes) radiator in. When I went shopping the best I could find “off the shelf” was 26” X 16”. It looked like I would just be able to install it and run a flex fan, or maybe an electric puller.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Z%20Install%204_zpsjgjhlcx0.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Z%20Install%204_zpsjgjhlcx0.jpg.html)


Unfortunately when the radiator arrived it turned out to be just a bit thicker than advertised…….just enough I wouldn’t be able to remove the fan or water pump without first removing the radiator. Even getting an electric puller fan in was out of the question. I looked at using a pusher mounted to condenser, but even that would have been tight and I was afraid that the single 14” as a pusher would not be up to the task on a hot day. Some more measuring, and I bit the bullet and went ahead and decided to move the condenser forward as much as I dared and relocate the radiator into the core support.

The first step was to drag out the cutoff wheel and widen the opening in the cure support and then much as I hated to cut out the bottom of the support.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150808_065956646_zpsv31yu9qn.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150808_065956646_zpsv31yu9qn.jpg.html)


Then it was tie the bottom of the support back together with some angle iron (which would also act as the bottom support for the radiator). This picture is when it was being tacked in prior final fitting and welding.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150808_065940726_zps3bzafykx.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150808_065940726_zps3bzafykx.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

With that done I was able to get the radiator mounted. Then I set about modifying and building brackets to move the condenser moved out. With the grill on, there is just enough room to get the hoses and receiver dryer in, so that part was taken care of.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150812_141246926_HDR_zps4xsqhd0q.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150812_141246926_HDR_zps4xsqhd0q.jpg.html)

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150812_143821031_zpsjadrvc2i.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150812_143821031_zpsjadrvc2i.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

Then it was back to the other side of the radiator to figure out the fan. Ideally I would have liked to have run a fixed blade fan and fan clutch but even with the radiator moved forward there was just not enough room. My second choice in these situations is to use a flex fan. Personally I prefer the OE Ford 7 blade fans when I can find them. They have a bit more pitch and stiffer blades than the aftermarket units so they flow a bit more air.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150812_084839493_zpscwdkfff3.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150812_084839493_zpscwdkfff3.jpg.html)

I like to run fan shrouds, and normally keep a few factory ones around to modify for custom applications. I didn’t have anything on the shelf that was close to fitting, so I modified an old Cal Custom 2 piece aftermarket one that was left over from a project I parted out years ago. The chrome was crap, but it was going to be sandblasted and painted anyway, so it was no big deal. It’s not prefect and doesn’t provide full coverage for the radiator, I’ll see how it cools when I get it on the road and may redo it at some point.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150810_043726996_zpsrx5zqd6m.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150810_043726996_zpsrx5zqd6m.jpg.html)

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[Mike P]

That just left a couple of minor issues to address. The first is that the radiator is actually just a bit lower than the thermostat housing. To solve the filling problem that creates I’ll be using an in hose fill neck in the upper radiator hose. The other problem is that it’s almost impossible to remove the radiator cap on the radiator without loosening the radiator supports, and I really don’t want to cut a section completely out of the upper support. I decided to put a 16 pound lever cap on the radiator and I’ll use the nipple on that radiator neck for the overflow bottle. The lever will let me relieve pressure on the cooling system if I need to. I’ll use a 20 pound cap on the in-line filler and plug the overflow port which will basically just limit that cap to being a fill for the cooling system.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/fill%20neck_zpsesm2ksaf.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/fill%20neck_zpsesm2ksaf.jpg.html)

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150812_144525856_zpsvpniipbq.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150812_144525856_zpsvpniipbq.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

The next job I started on was the exhaust system. As I mentioned I’m using repop Corvette exhaust amnifolds. I used to put headers on everything, but over the years I’ve pretty much gone to factory performance manifolds wherever possible……they don’t have the gasket problems and for all intents and purposes usually flow as well as a lot of headers at normal driving RPMs.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/ZManifolds_zps0c742c0d.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/ZManifolds_zps0c742c0d.jpg.html)

An added plus on the Corvette manifolds is both sides have bracket bosses cast in, which makes building brackets for the alternator and AC compressor a snap…….especially nice as the early Power Pack heads don’t have accessory bolt holes in the ends!!!!

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Z%20Install%201_zpsez8tl1zp.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Z%20Install%201_zpsez8tl1zp.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

Routing dual exhaust on this truck is not as straight forward as you would suspect. The problem is the driver’s side. There are 2 issues; the first is by running the 5 speed manual and cable clutch, there is no room to run the pipe by the bellhousing without melting the clutch cable (a problem I would not have to deal with if I had run an automatic transmission), the second problem is the location of the stock fuel tank which takes up all the room between the frame rail and drive shaft on the driver’s side.

I solved this problem by crossing the driver’s side exhaust under the oil pan and running both pipes down the passenger side. Space was tight so I down-sized the pipes from 2 ½” to 2 ¼” (not ideal, but still big enough to support up to a relatively stock 350 if I ever decide to up-size the engine). It got a little tight around the starter, so I changed the starter over from the standard early style to a much smaller one sourced for a 96 5.7 Camaro. Running booth pipes down the passenger side was the reason I enlarged the opening in the transmission crossmember. I still have to hang the mufflers and then I’ll cross one of the pipes back over to the driver’s side and run both out to the rear bumper.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150731_040140740_zpscrogovln.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150731_040140740_zpscrogovln.jpg.html)
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[Mike P]

Hooking up the clutch was next. I had a couple of new 1977 Mustang II V8 4 Speed clutch cables sitting on the shelf. The bellhousing end happens to also fit the Chevrolet bellhousing and clutch fork and they are long enough to go from the pedal to the clutch, so I figured why not use one of those. I did have to fabricate a firewall mount/adjuster for it but that was not a big problem (I also made a backing plate for it that fits on the driver’s compartment side of the firewall to help prevent flexing the firewall).

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150821_131620791_zpssc8p01bd.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150821_131620791_zpssc8p01bd.jpg.html)

That just left making a new arm to go on the clutch pedal cross shaft. The bracket was pretty simple. I’m reasonably happy with the end result. The pedal pressure is good, it releases nicely and there is good free play at the top (after I adjusted the pedal stop a little). It feels like a cable clutch, but there’s not much I can do about that. That being said, looking back if I were to redo it, next time I think I might go with a different bellhousing and a hydraulic setup.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150821_131620791_zpssc8p01bd.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150821_131620791_zpssc8p01bd.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

Screwed up on the second picture.......here's the arm I made for the clutch cross shaft.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150821_131642351_zpszb1wtnio.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150821_131642351_zpszb1wtnio.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

The Offenhauser dual port intake I’m using is really tall combined with how high the engine sits and I ended up having to use a drop base air cleaner and 2” filter to get the hood to close.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150731_132309720_zpsd5wcqsvj.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150731_132309720_zpsd5wcqsvj.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

Then there was the issue with the speedometer. The T5 transmission I came up with is set up for an electronic speedometer. The original plan was to dig up the pieces to convert it to cable and retain the original gauge cluster.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Dash%20Original_zpsfsizwts6.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Dash%20Original_zpsfsizwts6.jpg.html)

After a couple of months looking for parts we came up empty, so it was bite the bullet again and sprung for an electronic speedometer…….of course it never just ends there, I picked up a tach and of course I had to have the matching fuel, volt, temp and oil pressure gauges. I’ve got to admit, I do like it, and a big plus for this old man if being able to calibrate the speedometer by pushing a button on the dash rather than changing gears at the transmission.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/New%20gauges_zpsfinpyvrg.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/New%20gauges_zpsfinpyvrg.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

There was also an issue with the original fuel tank. You know…. I really wish I had drained the tank 10 years ago when I parked it. I ended up dropping it, and pulling the sender and fill pipe……..man was it ugly in there. I really didn’t know if I would be able to get it clean enough to use again. Additionally the sending unit was junk (and I couldn’t find a factory replacement, which resulted in having to use an aftermarket sender and gauge (and gave me another justification for the custom gauge cluster). I did finally get the tank clean, but it took about 2 weeks soaking the inside with acetone to do it.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/C%20Org%20tank_zpsxfnjzz8k.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/C%20Org%20tank_zpsxfnjzz8k.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

While the tank was soaking and not knowing for sure if it would clean up I also found out it only held 13 Gallons. With that I started looking at other options just in case. I found a 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air tank I had pulled out of a car years ago, and that looked like it might be a good fit. It had a bit of surface rust on the outside but looked brand new on the inside. The tank holds 20 gallons plus I had also saved the hangers for it.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/X%2058%20Tank_zpst2hucstw.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/X%2058%20Tank_zpst2hucstw.jpg.html)

I ordered a new sending unit for it then did a couple of minor modifications; added a fuel return line, and shortened the filler neck (basically cut a short section out of the neck and reconnected the 2 pieces back together with hose (fuel rated) and clamps.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Z%20Return%202_zpsl6awxzrm.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Z%20Return%202_zpsl6awxzrm.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

Then it was just cutting spare tire carrier off, adding a couple of top braces to the frame and hanging the tank. The fill is behind the fold down license plate. With the surface rust, except for the painted straps, it looks like the tank has lived there all it's life LOL.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Z3%20Aux%20tank_zps9xkjwizo.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Z3%20Aux%20tank_zps9xkjwizo.jpg.html)

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150322_164442274_zps5quimps9.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150322_164442274_zps5quimps9.jpg.html)

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150322_164545738_zpsjxud63h9.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150322_164545738_zpsjxud63h9.jpg.html)

The original tank did clean up and that was also reinstalled. The truck will now hold 33 gallons of fuel, which should get it a decent piece down the road.

If anybody is interested in doing something similar I would recommend using a 1959- 60 Chevrolet passenger car tank, (which are available new). The only difference between those tanks and the 58 tank is that the filler neck is centered on the tank instead of being offset.

[Mike P]

I'm currently getting the parts together for the drive shaft to mate the Ram 50's rear end to the T5 transmission. The trucks original drive shaft is in good shape, and fortunately it is long enough to be cut down so I don't have to build a drive shaft from scratch. I found a donor shaft in my spare parts pile that uses the correct size tube so it will be donating one of it's weld on yolks for the project.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150826_011023999_zpsjtq75vhi.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150826_011023999_zpsjtq75vhi.jpg.html)

I talked to the drive shaft shop yesterday and the parts will be going up there the first of the week and hopefully I'll have the drive shaft back by the end of next week.

.

[Redneckmoparman]

Awesome swap! Loving all of the details and ideas.

[Mike P]

Thanks, I'm having fun with this. My oldest (12 year old) grandson comes over once in a while and gives me hand, which is always a real pleasure. I let him help me rebuild the 283 last year. he's a little small yet to do much of the heavy pulling, but he does good with the smaller more intricate stuff like rebuilding carburetors, starters etc. He got to run the 283 that's in the truck a couple of times when it was on the engine stand (before and after we changed it from the Tri Power to the single 4 BBL).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2a8j3GsYNY

He's also figured out that with the seat all the way forward and the steering wheel all the way down, he can reach the pedals and steer it. I suspect that after we get it together and he gets just a bit older this may be what he learns to drive a stick with......and learn how to replace clutches if he screws up :grin: just like I did.

[Mike P]

Sorry about the triple post Josh. For some reason this didn't post for a couple of days and I restarted the thread. This one can be deleted if you want.

Mike

[Rymar Garage]

Awesome! Ive built a few SBCs with swap in mind for my 87 MM but always ended up selling before install. I will definitely be watching this build!

[Mike P]

I got all the odds and ends ready for the drive line shop so that will go in next week. It’s a bunch cheaper for me to provide the needed parts (especially as I already have them) than it is to just say build a drive shaft from scratch.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150827_153222516_zpsz44cxxqr.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150827_153222516_zpsz44cxxqr.jpg.html)

The donor shaft (upper shaft in the picture above) provided the right weld on yoke that will fit the stock Ram 50 shaft once it’s shortened. After the shaft is shortened the shop I’ll be using mounts both the differential and transmission yoke and then checks the whole assembly for balance. This will be the first time I’m using this particular shop (the owner of the shop I used to use retired and nobody took over the business). I’ve heard good things about the shop I’m sending this to, so hopefully things go well.

[LSR Mike]

nice build diary, keep it coming. my first love is a SBC, blown up a couple (as in completely destroyed). as well as the 4G64 in the current Mitsubishi Mighty Max.
(cheaper to buy 4 pistons than 8, if you get my drift)

[Mike P]

"....(cheaper to buy 4 pistons than 8, if you get my drift)......"

Aw, come on Chevy pistons are cheap :)




I got my shaft and parts up to the driveline shop in Tucson yesterday and should pick up the finished and balanced shaft on Friday. I had considered building the driveshaft myself (something I have done in the past) but there were a couple of variables I didn’t know at the time so I farmed out a bit more work than I normally would have.

For guys who have done an engine swap or two in the past this is probably old news but if someone is considering a swap for the first time, I figured I’d write up what they are going to run into with the driveshaft portion of the swap.

If you are doing a V8 engine and transmission swap on one of these trucks and retaining the original rearend, it’s guaranteed that you will need a hybrid driveshaft. If you are starting out with nothing but measurements and need a shaft built from scratch, you are looking in $300 and up ballpark (plus shipping if you use one of the on-line places) to get a drive shaft made with the appropriate yokes.

If the original driveshaft that came with the truck is still around, in good shape and you can find a local shop to do the work (or are capable of doing it yourself) you are probably going to be $$$ ahead.

Besides the original drive shaft you will need the following to get the driveshaft ready to install (whether you provide them or the driveline shop does).

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/parts_zpsshwfa0jy.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/parts_zpsshwfa0jy.jpg.html)

If you’re still in the parts collecting stage, when you buy the transmission for your swap, if at all possible try to get the driveshaft from the donor vehicle (or at least a portion of the shaft with the slip yoke). This will at least get you a start on the parts you will need. The differential yoke shown in the picture will be attached to the end of the original driveshaft (it’s the part that bolts to the differential).






The front driveshaft yoke may be the hardest part to find. Although I’m pretty sure they are available new somewhere, I have yet to find a supplier. As I have access to a large supply of driveshafts at a local mom and pop wrecking yard (a vanishing thing), I usually just find a donor shaft to provide the correct yoke.

If you’re going to build your own shaft or provide the yoke to the driveline shop, you will need to look for 2 things in the donor shaft. The first and most important is a shaft of the correct diameter. This was one of my biggest concerns as I figured that the Mitsubishi drive shaft was probably built to metric specifications and the donor shaft (from an older American vehicle) would be speced out in inches. I measured the outside diameter of the Ram 50 shaft and came up with 3 3/16th inches (or close enough to that), measured past where the shaft tapers down. I was lucky enough to find a donor shaft with the same diameter. The drive shaft was already out of the car when I picked it up, so unfortunately I don’t know what the original application was.

The other consideration when finding a donor shaft is that the driveshaft yoke is compatible with the slip yoke it will connect to. In the case of the drive shaft I took apart both it and the slip take a pretty common Spicer 1310 U Joint (used in a lot of GM products). That being said I usually don’t get too wrapped around the axle if I can’t find a driveshaft yoke that takes a common U Joint. If push comes to shove and I find a shaft that is the right diameter but is from say Ford or Mopar, there are conversion U Joints readily available to connect it to a GM yoke (my 500 Cadillac Powered El Camino is a good example, it has a TH400 and a 9” Ford rearend, it’s connected together with a drive shaft from a 1968 Dodge station wagon, it just took the right conversion joints on each end).

Anyway buying the used drive shaft as a donor will probably be cheaper than having the drive line shop provide the yoke. At this point you can either take your measurements and send both driveshafts and yokes to the driveline shop or save some money by removing the yoke from the donor drive shaft and then sending it out, or possibly building your own hybrid shaft.

You can remove the yoke from the donor shaft by either carefully grinding the factory weld that holds the yoke to the shaft or send it to a machine shop to have them a lathe to cut the weld. Be extremely careful to grind or cut just the weld. The yoke has a step built into it that bottoms out on the shaft and this must not be screwed up as it is what centers the yoke in the driveshaft tube. When you get the weld cut then it’s just hammer the joint off the end of the shaft (it’s an interference fit). When you get the yoke out this is what it will look like.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150827_153222516_zpsrmr8vzoq.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150827_153222516_zpsrmr8vzoq.jpg.html)


Basically this is where I stopped on the driveshaft for my swap. I got my measurements (discussed below), then sent the Ram 50 drive shaft, yokes and U Joints to the driveline shop. I could have finished building the shaft myself, and knowing what I do now I would have.

Part of the reason I farmed the stuff out is that this is the first time I was dealing with this particular driveline shop and honestly wanted to see how he shortened the drive shaft (in part to know whether I would recommend him or ever use him again). Then there was the question of whether the inside diameter was the same on the Ram 50 driveshaft as it was on the donor shaft …….the outside diameter was the same but if the Ram 50 shaft used thicker wall tubing the ID would be smaller requiring the yoke to be turned down, which I am not set up to do. As it turned out the ID was the same so that turned out to be a non-problem.





Anyway had I gone ahead and built my own driveshaft, this is how I would have done it.

The first step is getting the measurements for the length that you will need the driveshaft to be. You will need this measurement if you are farming out the driveshaft to be built or building your own. Most driveline shops will want the length measured from the center of U Joint to the center of U Joint. However if you are having the shaft custom made check with the shop doing the work first to make sure you know how they want it measured.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Drive%20shaft%20measure_zpsywksqekr.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Drive%20shaft%20measure_zpsywksqekr.jpg.html)

This is the way I've found to be the easiest for me to come up with this measurement for the new shaft.

First install the slip yoke in the back of the transmission and bottom it out. Then pull the slip yoke out between ¾” to 1 ¼”. The reason the slip yoke needs to have this clearance is so it will slide back and forth slightly as the rear springs compress (get longer) when it loaded or hits a bump. The clearance is also necessary to slide the shaft forward so it can be removed completely from the truck to change U Joints etc.

Next bolt the pinion flange back on the differential. Line the holes on both yokes so they are parallel to the ground then measure the distance between the center of the hole the slip yoke to the center of the hole in the pinion flange yoke. This is your center to center distance.

Next measure the distance from the center of the hole in the yoke that you will be leaving on the original driveshaft and mark where the center hole for the new yoke you are adding will be. Lay the new drive shaft yoke next to the shaft and align the center hole of the yoke you are adding with the mark you just made. Where the step on the new yoke is where you mark to cut the shaft.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Drive%20Shaft%20cut_zpskxkchxpo.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Drive%20Shaft%20cut_zpskxkchxpo.jpg.html)

The cut you make on the drive shaft tube is probably the most critical part of the whole operation. The cut MUST be perfectly square. There are various ways to make this cut; a very high dollar chop saw can be used, some shops chuck the shaft in a lathe to make the cut, or the method I use which is a large industrial pipe cutter. These are normally found in a plumbers shop. This is basically the large industrial grade version of the tubing cutters most of you have in your tools boxes. As long as the rollers and cutting wheel are tight is will also make a square cut. I think mine do up to 4 or 4 ½” thick wall pipe.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150826_012544281_zpsgf6jogcy.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150826_012544281_zpsgf6jogcy.jpg.html)

Once the cut is made, it is simply phase the yoke. Phasing the yoke means that the yokes are parallel to each other so the U Joints run in the same plane. If the joints are out of phase it will cause a driveshaft vibration.

If you look at the two drive shafts below, the bottom one (the original Ram 50 shaft) is phased correctly. The upper shaft is a factory screw up. If you look closely the yokes are about 45 degrees out of phase……..the reason it ended up on the scrap pile was because it vibrated bad enough to shake the whole car at certain speeds.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150826_011023999_zpsjtq75vhi.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150826_011023999_zpsjtq75vhi.jpg.html)

Once you have the yoke properly phased, drive or press it into the driveshaft. The step on the yoke and square cut on the shaft are what aligns it yoke so the shaft runs true. Then it’s simply run a good bead of weld to join the yoke to the shaft…….if you don’t have a good welder, or are not a good welder yourself, leave that part to a professional.

That’s about it for building the driveshaft yourself. You may or may not have to have the shaft balanced. Normally I just bolt them in if it doesn’t vibrate, great, if it does it gets sent out to be balanced. In the case of this one, I’m having it balanced anyway, mostly because it had 2 weights on one end and 1 weight on the other and one had to be removed to cut the shaft. If you are sending out the driveshaft to be balanced contact the driveline shop first……. some want just the driveshaft, other need both yokes in order to balance them. It’s a lot cheaper for you to remove or install the U Joints than it is to have the shop do them.

Costs can vary greatly from one region to another, or even from shop to shop. I figured I’d throw up my costs just to give you an idea about cost. The shop I’m using is charging me the following:

Shorten shaft and install new yoke… ….$45.00
Install U Joints…………………$15 ea…$30.00
Balancing………………………..……….$55.00

So I’m into the driveshaft for $130, plus another $30 for new U Joints.

The yoke came with the transmission but if I needed one, I can usually pick up good used ones for $10-$20 (swap meets, junk yard, E Bay etc). The donor shaft I also had on hand, but I wouldn’t pay more than $25-$30 for one (even less if it’s bent). So with everything (and fair market value on the parts I had on hand) I’d be into the driveshaft for about $200. By building the shaft myself I could have cut $75 dollars off that ($45 for cutting the shaft, and $30 for installing the U Joints).

That’s about all there is too it. Hell it actually took longer to write it up that it would take to actually build the driveshaft LOL.

[Mike P]

The pile of driveshaft parts turned into this.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150905_083156909_zpsvogtvruo.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150905_083156909_zpsvogtvruo.jpg.html)

I was impressed/happy with the shop that did the work. When I got there to pick the shaft up it was still in the balancer. He had left it hooked up so he could spin it up and show me that it was actually balanced and ran true. I’ve already referred another guy who needs a drive shaft to him.

You might notice the writing on the end of the shaft. That’s the part number for the U Joint that end takes. I figured that was a pretty good place to record it after having to replace the rear U Joint in the El Camino yesterday (abuse might have been involved :(). The El Camino uses an oddball shaft and conversion joints too, so it’s not like you can go into a parts store and tell the computer jockey an application he could find. After spending a ½ hour using the caliper to get measurements then digging thru U Joints charts to get a good part number, I figured it would be a good idea to record it for future reference in a place I could actually find it again.


I’m trying to finish up the underside of the truck so I can drop it back on the ground. I’m down to running fuel lines and exhaust. Adding the 20 gallon fuel tank adds a couple of issues besides just adding the new fuel lines. I like the way the truck currently sits. The rear springs are pretty soft however (until they compress enough to come down on the overload spring). Full of gas, the new fuel tank will add around 150 pounds to the back of the truck, which is enough to drop the truck 1 to 2 inches. I really didn’t want to add another leaf, hate air shocks and besides having bad luck with the last pair of air bags really can’t afford the space (interference with the exhaust over the axle). I ended up picking up a pair of load assist shocks. It may not be the optimum solution, but it’s the easiest and least problematic.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150903_160334838_zpscy4dijry.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150903_160334838_zpscy4dijry.jpg.html)


About the only progress actually made on the truck this week was just getting the fuel tank change over valve installed. There was no good place to mount it directly to the frame and have it oriented correctly, so a bit of time was spent getting a bracket installed.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150904_035959015_zps6uswi2yu.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150904_035959015_zps6uswi2yu.jpg.html)




.

[noahwins]

AWESOME tech article Mike P.! Great writing and photography. Really made everything crystal clear. You may have saved me others a lot of money.

I had no idea factory driveshafts could be that out of phase.

[Mike P]

Hopefully I’m done looking at the underside of the truck for a while. I test fit the driveshaft, then pulled it back out and set it aside for a bit so I could go ahead and finish up some more under truck stuff without banging my head on it every 5 minutes. I got the new rear shocks on and then started on the “fun” stuff.

I got the fuel lines run…….what a PIA. The Chevy fuel pump is on the passenger side and the original fuel lines were on the driver’s side, so I ended up running new metal fuel and return lines from the original tank and the one I added in the rear up to the fuel selector valve. Then I ran new metal lines from the valve up to the fuel pump on the engine. I’m running a non-vented cap on the 58 Chevy tank, so I also ended up running a vent line from the tank up to the charcoal canister under the hood.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150907_095427078_zpst7izyt9u.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150907_095427078_zpst7izyt9u.jpg.html)



Although I’m planning on the truck being a daily driver, there is also the possibility (probability) there will be times that it could sit for a couple of months without being started. I hate cranking and cranking on the starter to refill the carburetor so I added an electric fuel pump in the line to the original fuel tank.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150907_085021785_zpsrjhuvy91.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150907_085021785_zpsrjhuvy91.jpg.html)



The fuel lines were one of those projects that nickel and dimed me to death. Even after having both tanks in and having the fuel switch valve and electric fuel pump on hand I still needed 30’ of new steel fuel line, 20’ steel vent line, 5’ of rubber fuel line, 24 fuel line clamps, 14 clamps to hold the fuel and vent line to the frame, 20’ of electrical wire for the sending units, switch valve and fuel pump and a handful of electrical connectors.

Next I finished building the exhaust system (also a PIA). I have (had) a bunch of leftover pipes and bends from other projects plus the mufflers I had on the test stand so basically all I had to spring for was a new pair of tail pipe tips. I saved some money building it myself and got everything placed where I wanted it (something that’s sometimes iffy with the local muffler shops) but I’m getting way too old for it to be much fun.

Because of the original fuel tank and clutch cable, I ended up running both pipes down the passenger side then ran one of the pipes back over to the driver’s side after I got them past the rear end. I like the ability to split the exhaust system without having to cut pipes, so I added ball and socket joints in both pipes so I can drop the head pipes if I ever need to (sorry you can’t see them in the picture).




http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150911_143859151_zpsymnxl8wu.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150911_143859151_zpsymnxl8wu.jpg.html)


Also on the list was building a new wiring harness for the switch valve, electric fuel pump, sending units, and electronic speedometer. While I was under there, I wrapped the exhaust pipes where they run close by the starter and the clutch cable.

So as of this afternoon it’s finally back on the ground and I think everything underneath is done……..of course you know how that goes. Although unintended, I kind of like where the exhaust tips exit. From the rear you can’t see the exhaust tips because of the bumper (can you say sleeper). It sits just a bit high in the back right now with the load assist shocks, but both tanks are empty. Filling them will add almost 250 pounds to the truck.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150911_144137138_zpsiuzvauvt.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150911_144137138_zpsiuzvauvt.jpg.html)



Next week should be getting the dash back in and getting the under hood wiring started.

[camoit]

When you start to explode rear ends you should think about putting in an Isuzu Rodeo 1995 Disc brakes and it's a Dana 44

[Mike P]

“…..When you start to explode rear ends you should think about putting in an Isuzu Rodeo 1995 Disc brakes and it's a Dana 44……”

Thanks, that’s nice to know information. I really don’t think exploding rear ends are going to be much of a problem with this one though. It’s being built as more of a putt around truck (with the occasional cross country interstate trip ) in mind.

The little 283 that’s in it will do OK, but they’re not known as torque monsters. It’s one of the reasons I’m comfortable with the non-WC T5 and tiny rear U Joint. The one change in the rear ends future may be a gear change from the 3.90 to 3.55s.

[DroppedMitsu]

Looking really good, can't wait to see a video of it running. And these rear ends are actually pretty strong for what they came in, there's a few people running a few hundred h.p. through them with no problems, but then again not with V8 like torque.

[Mike P]

Well one more thing checked off the list. I spent the last couple of days getting the dash in and interior wiring done.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150916_071809660_zpsngrtqwxs.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150916_071809660_zpsngrtqwxs.jpg.html)

The truck was originally ordered without a radio, so that was on the list of things to do. While the dash was out I added a couple of 4” speakers in the dash holes and a pair of 6” speakers in the rear of the cab.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150915_050618396_zpsqltdvmem.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150915_050618396_zpsqltdvmem.jpg.html)

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150915_050735073_zpsys4l5wfj.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150915_050735073_zpsys4l5wfj.jpg.html)

I installed the stereo and then took the original radio delete plate and added hinges and a lock and used in as a door for the storage compartment under the stereo. The CD changer ended up under the passenger seat (not necessarily where I wanted it, but it was too big to go anyplace else). I also added a cigarette lighter and because that wasn’t in a convenient place added a second lighter receptacle next to where a clock would go for the GPS/phone charger etc.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150916_071735630_zpsksirtyqw.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150916_071735630_zpsksirtyqw.jpg.html)

The tank selector switch and fuel pump switch ended up in existing holes in the dash.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150916_071718749_zps84sduetl.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150916_071718749_zps84sduetl.jpg.html)

That just leaves getting the wiring and plumbing under the hood done and it should be able to move under its own power. Then I get to put tires on it, install a new windshield, do the brakes, hook up the AC, get a carpet in it, reupholster the seat………yeah, almost done LOL

I’ve got some other things I need to take care of over the next couple of weeks, so it may be a bit before I get to that stuff.

[Redneckmoparman]

AWESOME progress!!! Nice to see someone making real progress on their engine swap. Kills me not having a place to actually get any work done on my projects.

[Mike P]

I’ve been gone for the last couple of weeks so today was the first chance I had to get back to the Ram 50. There were just a couple of things left to do to make it run and I got those taken care of this morning.



The first thing on the list was getting the radiator hoses on…….I basically found some with the right bends and cut them down to fit.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20151017_162549096_zps3erehqi4.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20151017_162549096_zps3erehqi4.jpg.html)



Next was getting a battery cable over to the starter. As the starter is on the opposite side from the original starter, I had to go all the way around the engine compartment which took 11 feet of cable. On long runs like this I usually like to use Arc Welder Cable, it’s pricey but you don’t get near the voltage drop that normal battery cables that long have. Rather than have the cable hot all the time and also run a separate solenoid wire to the starter, I used a Ford type solenoid mounted by the battery. At the starter I used a jumper wire between the solenoid terminal and the battery terminal. This way the cable to the starter is only hot when the starter is engaged.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20151017_162607767_zpsuu78drfa.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20151017_162607767_zpsuu78drfa.jpg.html)



My go to alternator on most swaps is still the old GM internal regulator 10SI. I’m going to also retain the original charcoal canister mostly as a place to connect the fuel tank vents too, but as that interfered with the alternator I had to relocate it in front of the overflow and washer bottles (I still need to run a section of rubber line from the hard line to the canister).



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20151017_153819554_zpskb4lohrg.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20151017_153819554_zpskb4lohrg.jpg.html)



Once I had that done all that was left was adding fuel and anti-freeze and starting it. It fired right off (the exhaust sounds really good) and with a couple of exceptions everything worked well. There are way too many cops around to put it out on the street without registration and insurance (something I’ll take care of next week) so I didn’t go any further that up and down the driveway a couple of times to verify the clutch and brakes.


There were just a couple of minor issues. One was a small fuel leak that just took tightening a fitting. The other was that once the engine started it would not shut off with the key. I’ve run into that before with the 10SIs. The alternator will feedback into the ignition system once it starts charging. The cure is simple….just a diode in the circuit. They make a neat adapter that plugs in line to take care of the problem.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/diode_zps9azcd7jv.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/diode_zps9azcd7jv.jpg.html)



I’ve actually got a couple of them around here…….I just can’t find them. Being as how I’ve got a couple more on order now, I’ll probably come across them the same day as the new ones show up.



So anyway it was a pretty good day and tomorrow I can pull it out of the shop to do some cleanup.

[Mike P]

I finally did the first test drive on the truck this afternoon. Getting the title and registration done took a bit longer than I expected.

I also didn’t trust the 10 year old tires that were on it. I already know what happens to the rear fenders when one of them comes apart so this morning I picked up a new set of tires for it. The selection of 14 inch tire sizes suck. After hitting 3 of the local tire shops I finally found 4 tires to drag home and mount and balance.

Anyway I got the tires on, filled the gas tank and calibrated the speedometer. I’ve got to admit setting the electronic speedometer sure beats setting a cable driven one. The road test was pretty short, just about 20 miles. I’m taking it relatively easy on it until I get some break-in miles on the engine and clutch and transmission. That being said, it does run good….and it looks sooooo stock.
I didn’t set up for any videos, but my friend took a short one of me leaving his shop this afternoon and sent it to me. I’ll get a better video of it later, but at least it proves it will move under its own power LOL.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDF9CjzH18M

I think the next project will be doing the interior (with no floor mat or insulation you hear every rattle in it).

Not a bad day.



.

[Mike P]

It was one of those weeks. Monday I got around to putting gas in the tank I added when I built the 87……. and promptly draining it back out because of a pin hole I hadn’t seen.



After doing some shopping, I found a new reproduction 58 Chevy tank. The good news was it was $93 and free shipping. The not so good was that it’s only 16 gallons instead of 20 gallons like the original tank was.





Physically the tank itself is identical to the original. The loss of 4 gallon capacity appears to come from the filler neck being placed slightly lower on the new tank. I’ve run into this before on 5th Gen El Camino gas tanks, the factory offered both 16 and 20 gallon tanks…….the tanks were the same but the filler necks were located differently. Although I’m not real sure if it was by design or not the lower capacity does allow for more fuel expansion, which is definitely something that happens with ethanol fuel.









http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20151106_130850080_HDR_zpsmqh16m1w.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20151106_130850080_HDR_zpsmqh16m1w.jpg.html)





Anyway getting the new tank in was a pretty simple deal; I had to add the return fitting to the new tank, and then redo the opening where the fill neck is behind the license plate. So I’m down to 30 gallons of fuel……..14 in the original tank (which actually holds a gallon more than it listed at) and 16 in the add on tank. I’ve haven’t checked fuel mileage yet…….I’ve been having way too much fun doing things that are not conducive to good gas mileage or tire life. It should still get me a fair distance down the road.





.

[Fordubishi]

Mike is it possible that the tank is listed in Imperial gallons as 16imp gallons is 19.96us gallons.

[Mike P]

"......Mike is it possible that the tank is listed in Imperial gallons as 16imp gallons is 19.96us gallons......"

Hadn't thought of that.....but it's definitely 16 US gallons, I filled it completely after installing it and 16 US is all that will go in.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/new%20tank_zpshufdcrls.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/new%20tank_zpshufdcrls.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

When I was doing the under dash wiring on my truck, I noticed that the fuse for the horn was gone…….when I put a fuse in I found out why, the horn would not shut off. I decided to leave the fuse out and fix it another day.


The “another day” came yesterday when a non-driving, mouth breather of an old fart ran me in into oncoming traffic when he didn’t check his mirrors or use his turn signal before deciding to occupy the lane I was in. With no horn all I could do was grab a gear and go around him.



So yesterday afternoon I decided to fix the horn. The first thing I did was check the wiring diagram. The D50 doesn’t use a horn relay, the horn has power anytime the key is on and the horn pad on the steering wheel is used to complete the circuit to ground. With no relay that left the wiring being shorted or the switch in the pad being bad. I figured the most likely culprit was the horn pad, so I took that off first.



To get the pad off the first step is turn the steering wheel upside down and removing the screw on the bottom.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20151108_065301736_zpsh4unt5sr.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20151108_065301736_zpsh4unt5sr.jpg.html)



With the screw out, you press in on the bottom of the pad and rotate the bottom away from the steering wheel slightly, then pull the pad toward you to release the clips that hold the top of the steering wheel. Unplug the wire and the pad is free.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Pad%201_zpsk08aqjtj.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Pad%201_zpsk08aqjtj.jpg.html)



Next I worked the vinyl cover over the nylon inner liner with a small screwdriver until the cover was able to be pulled off. If you decide to do this in cold weather, take horn pad indoors or set in the sun, the vinyl is a lot easier to work with when it’s warm.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/Pad%202_zpsfrl7dr7h.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/Pad%202_zpsfrl7dr7h.jpg.html)



With the cover off, I found the problem. There is a thin copper circuit board piece that is what makes contact to complete the ground circuit. It appears that originally there was a piece of thin foam with holes punched under each of the little crosses. Over the years the foam had deteriorated and allowed the plate to make contact all the time.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20151108_070301220_zpsbdiwoa2m.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20151108_070301220_zpsbdiwoa2m.jpg.html)



In order to hold the plate away from the base that it was grounding against until you pressed on the horn pad, I cut some (1/4” wide) strips of old seat foam I had laying around and put them between the plate and nylon base. I used a thin bead of silicone to hold the foam in place.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20151108_070318728_zpslfa52bbz.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20151108_070318728_zpslfa52bbz.jpg.html)



The last 2 steps were to reinstall the vinyl cover working the lip back over the nylon inner liner and check it with an ohm meter.



The horn now works, but let’s face it the stock horn is pretty anemic and when I use it I want people to hear it. I happened to have a spare insulated horn (you can’t use one that grounds thru the mounting bracket, it has to have separate terminals for power and ground) in my parts stash. So out came the grill and the second horn was mounted on the left side of the radiator support.



http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20151108_071729022_zpspl38ftv1.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20151108_071729022_zpspl38ftv1.jpg.html)



I unplugged the wired from the original horn so I could splice the new wiring for the second horn, hooked them both up and put the grill back in. It pretty much sounds like a small train now. :)

[Mike P]

There are probably a couple of cross county trips in the Ram 50s future so I picked up a universal cruise control off Amazon. It’s either a copy of or a re-boxed Audiovox CCS-100 which I’ve used before and had fairly good luck with.

I kind of like these units because you can run them solely off the tach signal (no magnets on the drive shaft or VSS wire) and they don’t require a separate clutch switch. It also has the style of control switch I wanted for the truck. The down side is that the instruction while good for doing the hookup and wiring leave a lot to be desired as far as setting control switches for specific vehicles. Fortunately as I’ve used these units in the past, the trial and error was pretty minimal for me. I got it figured out this morning and the unit works well.

The under hood install went easily enough,
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20151112_120256015_zpszhcqdi35.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20151112_120256015_zpszhcqdi35.jpg.html)

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20151111_141312119_zpsxqntnhzp.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20151111_141312119_zpsxqntnhzp.jpg.html)


The under dash wiring for the switch gets harder for me every year though

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20151111_141329868_zpsqeyydb0y.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20151111_141329868_zpsqeyydb0y.jpg.html)

[Mike P]

I got tired of looking at the bare floor when I get in the truck so now that’s it’s warmed up a bit I got back on the little Ram 50 again this weekend.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150916_071809660_zpsngrtqwxs.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150916_071809660_zpsngrtqwxs.jpg.html)

It’s being used mostly as a work truck so as usual I decided to go with a low maintenance interior that is easy to clean up. The seat would be done in vinyl and I wanted to go with a rubber floor mat instead of carpet.

With the modified trans tunnel I knew a stock floor mat wouldn’t fit (and they don’t seem to be offered anymore anyway). I originally hoped to find a molded mat from a full sized truck that could be cut down to fit. After doing some measuring on a few trucks and not finding anything that looked like it would work I ended up just buying the rubber in bulk and went from there. The seat got pulled and sent out to the upholster Friday and I started on the floor.

The first thing I did was lay some insulation in.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20160304_131330310_zpshja85wr0.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20160304_131330310_zpshja85wr0.jpg.html)


Then spent most of Saturday pulling, stretching, trimming and gluing the mat down.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20160306_130419975_zpshudeqaii.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20160306_130419975_zpshudeqaii.jpg.html)

I didn’t worry too much about the wrinkles at the back of the trans tunnel as they are hidden when the seat’s installed.

The seat was finally done today and I managed to get it installed this afternoon. Nothing fancy, but a whole lot better than before!!!

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20160309_165821620_HDR_zps4tpi44wm.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20160309_165821620_HDR_zps4tpi44wm.jpg.html)


.

[geezer101]

Did you use sound deadening mat on the rear of the cabin? I would have a suspicion that noise would bounce up there between the cab and the tray body. The mat will help a lot in the floor. Another thing to add to my 'to do' list...

[ratesheet]

Hey...earlier I had noticed a post regarding rear end strength and u-joints....just my 2 cents....as a civilian contractor I rebuild military humvee's down to the bare frame and put it all back together again...the engines are diesel, I've been told they are converted 454 chevrolet motors backed by a GM hydromatic trans, these are 4 wheel drive vehicles and you would not believe the size of the drive shafts and u-joints in these, maybe 2" in diameter at best...the drive shaft diameter in my 86 D-50 is bigger and the u-joints are very similar in size, the u-joint u bolts and saddles are no bigger than the MM/D50...humvee's probably weigh in at about 5,000+ lbs fully loaded and wet...with that being said I'm betting the drive train in the MM will be just fine.

[geezer101]

Should've added - looks tidy! Nice work :thumbup:

[Mike P]

Thanks Geezer. No I didn’t add anything to the back of the cab……..I figure I’ll just turn the stereo up if needed .

Ratesheet, I’m really not too concerned about the current drive train holding up……the little jap rearends are more hardy than most people give them credit for. The little 283 is a piss winder but far from being a torque monster and I kept the rear tire size very reasonable. I’m also 64 years old and although I like to take this out and play with it, my driving habits are not as aggressive as they were years ago……I did a lot of “test to destruction” back in my misspent youth.

[Mike P]

Figured I’d do another update. With the interior done I decided to move on to getting the AC working. Frankly, if the truck had not had AC, I probably would not have built it. Retaining the AC was even the driving factor on the engine choice…….I would have preferred to put a SB Mopar in it, but by my measurements it would have moved the radiator too far forward to retain the AC condenser. Even the shorter SBC required the radiator and condenser to be moved forward to the very back of the grill.


http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20150812_143821031_zpsjadrvc2i.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20150812_143821031_zpsjadrvc2i.jpg.html)


Basically I was down installing a new receiver dryer and having the high and low pressure hoses from the compressor built. The system was still holding pressure when I took it apart and the compressor felt good when I turned it over by hand so I figured I take a chance on it. I flushed the system and retrofit it for 134a then buttoned it all up.

I started charging the system and everything was going well until I hit just under 100 PSI (on the high side….well below the operating pressure)……..and the condenser blew. I’m still not sure what happened, it could have been internal corrosion from being almost 30 years old and sitting for 10 years or maybe I nicked it when I was installing it. Anyway the rupture occurred on the radiator side of the condenser which meant the oil that got sucked out of the system was thrown into the fan and evenly deposited all over the engine compartment.


http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20160320_052420631_zpshfd8dmzn.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20160320_052420631_zpshfd8dmzn.jpg.html)


I had noticed the compressor had been just a bit noisy when I was charging it so in addition to a new condenser I also decided to put a new compressor on. Up until that point I had always figured the AC on the truck was factory. When I started looking for a compressor and condenser however nothing was matching up with the parts books or factory service manuals…….my truck uses a Sanden 508 compressor instead of the Chrysler unit, the expansion valve is completely different, I couldn’t find anything that even came close to the condenser. Even the wiring (which looks factory) is different than the factory service manual shows. I even check the parts books for trucks a couple years newer and older and still didn’t come up with anything. As best as I can figure now the system I have is probably a very nice dealer installed unit.

Finding a new compressor was no big deal but I had no luck at all finding a condenser that was a direct replacement for the one that blew. I looked at a few universal ones in the catalog, but just going by dimensions in a book and pictures of fitting locations ends up being best guess until you actually have the unit in your hands.

I eventually ended up making a run to the local wrecking yard where they had 2 86s with factory AC and after looking at the condenser figured I might be able to make one of those work (at $20 it was cheap enough to try……and if it did work at least those units are still available new in the aftermarket if what I picked up turned out to be bad too).

The 1st gen unit was actually pretty close to fitting my 3nd Gen but I did have to spend the afternoon remaking the mounting brackets I had used for the first condenser and slightly relocating the receiver dryer. I also had to have the high side hose I had had built re-done. Because I didn’t know how much oil I had lost when the condenser blew, I reflushed the system and started all over with the new compressor.

Anyway this time the charging went as planned and I now have working AC. On a side note, I went back out the junk yard and pulled the second condenser from the other 86…..you can never have too many spares LOL.


I needed to go to Tucson yesterday (about a 150 mile round trip) so I had a chance to see how the truck would do on the interstate and get an idea of mileage (it was a little too cool to run the AC). I ran between 70-80 MPH pretty much the whole trip and the truck did great. When I figured the mileage I was getting 20 MPG……I’m not disappointed but did figure the truck would do a bit better. I do figure with a bit of fine tuning and a bed cover (currently on order) I should pick up a couple more MPG.

[claych]

Nice work !!!
---On the mileage note, time to replace the 3.90's with 3.55's ? or perhaps
something in the 3.2x range ?

[Mike P]

"....On the mileage note, time to replace the 3.90's with 3.55's ? or perhaps something in the 3.2x range...."


I thought about that when I was building the truck and it's not entirely out of the question at some future point. One of the things stopping me from doing it at this point is the little 283 seems to be in it's sweet spot RPM wise (2500-2800) right now at highway speeds.

I've still haven't fine tuned it yet and if past experience is any indication I should pick up a mile or two to the gallon with the bed cover. Believe me with the stuff I usually drive even 20 MPG is perfectly acceptable.

[4cylinders]

great build!! where did you find the alternator wiring adapter? need some of those for mine.

[Mike P]

Thanks. I picked them up off E Bay.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xdelco+ant i+feedback+diode.TRS0&_nkw=delco+anti+feedback+diode&_sacat=0

[BradMph]

Luv the driving video. Always seems strange to me to hear the rumble of a V8 coming from vehicles that have been burned into our memories to sound like a 4 banger. Always draws in attention to stop and take a long look to wonder what is under that hood. Nice build! I hope some day to do the same.

[Mike P]

This should be the last major thing to add to the Ram 50.

Because of the spare, jack and tool box I want to carry in the back as well as the occasional suitcase, I decided I needed a bed cover. I ended up using one intended for a Ranger, but with a little bit of work I managed to make it work on the Ram 50.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20160428_055043258_zpssi42ssyd.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20160428_055043258_zpssi42ssyd.jpg.html)


http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20160428_054957096_zpsppjexoox.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20160428_054957096_zpsppjexoox.jpg.html)


I did an install post here if anyone is interested.

http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin/showthread.php/5565-Peragon-Bed-cover

[geezer101]

Outstanding :clap:

[340D]

How wide and long is the bed on your D50? I have a 1980 D50 and need a bed cover. Thanks....

[Mike P]

On my 87 the bed is 6' Long and 56" wide.

On a side note we installed a dead bolt to the tailgate yesterday so that could be locked from the inside. My Grandsons had a school holiday yesterday, so I figured I'd put them to work. Their hands fit inside the tailgate better than mine ;)


http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq228/fecustom/IMG_20160428_151252693_zpskywyqpdk.jpg (http://s450.photobucket.com/user/fecustom/media/IMG_20160428_151252693_zpskywyqpdk.jpg.html)

[meandmit]

Awesome build, but need more video's and or burnouts :)

[geezer101]

I wonder if you could use a release lever and mechanism from another car/hatch back and adapt it to the tailgate? :idea1:

[Mike P]

"......I wonder if you could use a release lever and mechanism from another car/hatch back and adapt it to the tailgate?....."

That's a thought (and a good one). The deadbolt is intended to be temporary until I can figure something else out. I'd been kind of leaning towards modifying a locking tailgate latch of something newer but haven't gotten further than the thinking stage.

[pennyman1]

Look for an electric latch from a mini van and connect it to the handle on the tailgate. You could also flip the handle inside of the gate, with a manual release hidden under the tailgate in case the battery dies or the latch quits working - like shaved door handles.

[Mike P]

The Ram 50 has been running about a year now and I just got back from my annual 4000 mile (round) trip back to Illinois and the odometer is now just shy of 10,000 total miles.

The good news is the truck did great and I hauled a few hundred pounds books and bookcase in it on the way home. The stock seat is surprisingly comfortable on a long trip and the AC will just about freeze you out. Engine temperature ran between 180 and 190 the whole trip (even running 75-80 MPH with the AC on and the outside temperature around 100 degrees). Gas mileage averaged 20-22 MPG.

The only problem I had on the whole trip was losing the top windshield molding and corner piece. I had had the windshield replaced a couple of months ago so I suspect the guy who did it didn’t get the trim completely snapped into the clips. If anybody knows where I can find replacement trim please let me know.

[bobbyriv]

I am so stoked to have found this thread. A couple months ago I found a 88 Ram 50, 2.0L, 2wd. A month ago I found a 88 Power Ram 2.6L, 4x4. I'm looking to do a v8 swap and, if I am able, also do a 4x4 conversion.

I live in Hawaii and have a friend that is moving off island. I am going to see if I can get him to sell me his small block zz4.

Anyways, I expect to run into a lot of unexpected stuff and this thread is going to be a lot of help. I can't wait to get going.

Thanks for all of the details you provide!