Ever get one of those nights of insomnia where you mind just won't turn off? I'm having one right now, so i'm cleaning the garage... And then a brainfart hit me

Lifted CrewCab Longbed D50

Since I have 2 2nd Gen Cabs (both in need of repairs. One needs a Front Clip, Fenderwells, Core Support, etc. The other has those parts, but is stripped of interior, needs rocker panels, floorpans, etc).

I have the frame bare anyway, was planning on doing some frame mods for a 4" Lift on the front suspension. It wouldn't be much further out of my way to extend the frame.

The plan was to use modified Doors in the rear (with side windows from a Jeep pickup) for a Full Length Rear Door on each side, with the Rear Bench Seat from a 1st Gen Extended Cab (ClubCab) Dakota for that extra bit of leg room. Alot of custom work? You bet? 1 of a kind, you bet

What makes it one of a kind? I plan on stretching the front clip several inches and ditching the 2.6L for a "Leaning Tower o' Power" The Chrysler Slant 6 (225cid) what it lacks in horsepower, it makes up for with the fact that they're impossible to kill and virtually the most reliable engine known to man. They moved countless Chrysler Muscle Cars (the stripped down/base model versions), 2WD Fullsize and some 4WD Fullsize trucks too. And there is an entire world of performance modifications out there for the 225 to build insane power (Turbocharged, Supercharged, 4BBL and 3x2BBL setups, MPFI, etc)

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the 2.6L (i'm running one in my '84 while i rebuild the diesel engine) It's just, I'm digging the idea of sticking a Slant 6 in my Truck It would be backed by a Torqueflite 904 (Slant 6 904, with the Tailshaft & Transfer Case from a Ram 50 "MA904" / KM148. which was a Torqueflite 904 with a 2.6L Case/Bellhousing) 3 things that will survive the end of the world... Cockroaches, Slant 6 engines and Torqueflite Transmissions

another upside to extending the front clip, more room for bigger tires