No help yet?? Put 8 hours into the Dodge today!

[Willy]

Pulled the hood, both front fenders, front bumper, 4 doors and it still runs! There is a lot of stuff to un/do to pull those fenders!! The drivers side is the hardest to keep all the other stuff still hooked up. Sure wish someone would let me know if I can put all this into a Gas 2001 Dodge 2500 3/4 ton 4x4 as I am coming to a stoping point now as to fixing this one or doing the swap. I can still cut the top and replace it but all the other body stuff needs to be replaced (hood, both front fenders and bed) including the 2 front doors. I saved all the door parts including the electrical and trim. Come on guys chime in here a little and help me out? Mark

[jlwelding]

If your trying to put a 24 valve cummins in a 01 2500 gaser, yes it will work. BUT you will need to use your wiring out of the cummins and all the brake boost. A heck of a job. You got a Chevy s10 you could put the cummins in?

[Willy]

Thanks, by using the wiring does that mean converting all the wiring in the dash also or just under the hood? I do have a nice dash in the truck the diesel is in and all the wiring is still complete and the truck runs. Would it be a dash swap also for this to work? I know the computer on the fire wall needs to go with the engine and I have all the drive line parts etc. It is maybe easier to cut the top and fix that and then rebuild the truck again??? There sure is a lot of crap under the hood of a cummins to follow the wiring for. I have been a comercial electrician for over 34 year and a low voltage electrician I can follow the diagrams if the jacks plug together but if it has to be spliced that could turn into a real mess! Mark

[dually]

One thing i know you will have to cut 2 holes in the cowl and get rubber gromits. If you ever need to get the push rods out it will never happen without the holes in the cowl. You should cut them before the engine is in. You will need the rear end speed sensor so the rear end and the tranny can communicate.

[Willy]

I have the rear end with the speed sensor on it. I also have the 6 speed HD manual transmission. I have from the radiator to the rear end on the drive line including the front axle set up. What does the wiring involve? Mark

[dually]

The tranny harness to the pcm , i have an auto so i dont know what you have. Everything under the hood.

[Mopar1973Man]

Basically all electrical should go with it... (PCM and ECM) and all the interior... There is many places in the wiring diagrams where diesel and gas is seperated because of differences...

[Willy]

Basically all electrical should go with it... (PCM and ECM) and all the interior... There is many places in the wiring diagrams where diesel and gas is seperated because of differences...

Thank you this is what I was needing to know. Cutting and welding the top would take way less time and chance of messing up. It may cost more but when I am done it is still a Dodge 2001 3/4 ton Diesel that can be worked on not a cross dresser! Glad I took the time to remove the parts right not knowing if I may have to still keep this truck!! Mark

--- Update to the previous post...

Just cut the top today and put the rear doors back in. I cut it in front of the back doors and I can pick up the new section tomorrow which I will trade my nice tail gate for. Trail and error on this part if it works then I will do the rest. If not I will part this baby out to get my money back. Cutting the top was easy did it with a skill saw and a regular wood blade. I will trim it to fit later when I get the new top. I left the posts max and straiten them out close as I could but I need my books to measure the works before any welding and more cutting. I need to pick up 2 front doors also so I can fit it right. Here is some pictures of it. Mark

More Pictures;

http://ImageEvent.com/willy/dodge2001

Front view;

[CSM]

Not to be a punk... But you could just do a convertible?

[Willy]

Not to be a punk... But you could just do a convertible?

I was thinking a T-Top might look better!

[MarbleCrusher]

I was thinking a T-Top might look better!

Hahaha. Yea I would much rather do the body work than all the swapping from a gasser to diesel! -Jordan-

[Mopar1973Man]

Hahaha. Yea I would much rather do the body work than all the swapping from a gasser to diesel! -Jordan-

Agreed!

[dually]

I think it will be a fun job. It will keep him out of trouble for a wile.

[Mopar1973Man]

All I can say is take your time measure and measure again before you cut anything... :smart:I did body work for about 1 year with a guy locally and it was a fun job of demo'ing out a vehicle pulling all the damaged stuff off and order the new body panels and such... Always remember the vehicle your repairing is damaged so measuring on a straight rig is going to be difficult...

[Willy]

Agreed!

The measurement for the new section is going to be a pain but I am working on some ways to do a mock up first. I will build a steel frame to support the top while I weld it using the door lock bolts on the roof and seat bolts on the floor. I also will have a steel insert welded inside the posts. In the middlle of the cab there is a section that it is factory bolted across under the headliner. I will over lap it there and bolt it to the back side and weld the seam on the top and the bolted area. I am supprised how weak the posts are in the first place!! Glad there are doors and a hood to stop the crush! Mark

One of my other projects I built my water Tender. Took several months to weld up all the stuff on the trucks bare frame. Setting up all the pumps was also fun.

[Mopar1973Man]

Oh do I remember the dayz of working the wildland fires... (Dreamin')