Teardown and Rebuild

[Hawkez]

Sticking $50K into it still doesn't make it anymore valuable to a bank or ins company than book value unless it is a 40+ year old collectible. At best one can buy it back from the ins company and part it out or fix it up again, I have done this a few times in the past with different vehicles and trailers and even a motorcycle

Ok.  But having a good insurance plan can make any type of accident better on the owner.  Liability vs Full Coverage for example.  I more or less brought it up because with my luck I would put that much into a truck and have something happen whether my fault, someone else's or an act of God.  Years ago I was in the bank signing on a vehicle and the car I was buying was parked outside.  Some one came into the office and asked who owned "the white Subaru".  With a smile I said it is now me, then she said someone just hit it .  What's that saying?  "If it weren't for bad luck...."I forget the rest  . 

[TFaoro]

No worries the truck has had full coverage since the day I put insurance on it. No there is no way I could ever get out of it what I have in it, but at least I could buy it back from the bank and keep the motor.

 

I'm really looking into a bumper (Buying or building.) I would hate to destroy the motor in a wreck but bumpers are EXPENSIVE!!

I like the look of the Iron Cross though.

[Hawkez]

I'd love to buy or build a bumper as well.  I wouldn't be satisfied at how it would come out if I were to build one and I can't afford to buy one...so I guess I'll just keep dreaming.

[Greenlee]

He may be little but he's actually my older brother I'm 21 and he's 26!

If you make the trip up to CO I might even let you drive it down the driveway!

 

So I got my exhaust all taken apart on Tuesday. Started welding things together yesterday. I'm sure I'll need a resonator, so for now I don't care if I have to splice 4 pieces together to make it work. If / when I put a resonator on I'll route DP to resonator to single piece then over axle and out the side.  

 

Been chasing down a couple leaks. I've tracked one to the seal betweeing the timing case and vacuum pump. Surprisingly the seal between the vac pump and PS pump isn't leaking. Either way the whole kit is on the way and should be taken care of this weekend.

I've also got oil on the back side of the head that I'm not sure how it got there. Either I overfilled before the initial startup, the valve cover gasket is bad, or the rear head studs are holding the valve cover up. I bought some playdough to stick in the valve cover and see if the studs are in fact hitting. Everything else appears to be leak free.

 

The transmission bearing should be here today, so I'll stick that back together and at least get it started in the truck. It's hard to tell where the downpip is going to sit with the engin being able to move freely.

 

The bed was primed last night and should be painted today. I may also do the rhino lining on the lower part of the truck and inside the bed with the paint guy. (Spray type not roll on)

It would be nice to have it all done at once and not cost over $1,000 like LineX quoted me. So if it can be done, I'll take the truck over this weekent and have the rhino lining sprayed.

 

Interior is complete, except for the area around the shifter. I really do hate the dashes in these trucks

 

I kinda just want to drive it at this point.......

I think you told my the age difference before, one day when you hit the mid 60's it will make better sense being confused all day lol. I would drive up just to take a first hand look at your tuck and what you have accomplished. It has been well engineered. We are all winners Tyler, this post has caught the attention of a lot of folks, letting us follow you and your brother around seeing up close the total tear down has been priceless. I'm in the middle of a move but I will tell you up front that this is one post I will read over and over again. First Class All The Way.

 

We all want to see you drive it at this point.....

[TFaoro]

I think you told my the age difference before, one day when you hit the mid 60's it will make better sense being confused all day lol. I would drive up just to take a first hand look at your tuck and what you have accomplished. It has been well engineered. We are all winners Tyler, this post has caught the attention of a lot of folks, letting us follow you and your brother around seeing up close the total tear down has been priceless. I'm in the middle of a move but I will tell you up front that this is one post I will read over and over again. First Class All The Way.

 

We all want to see you drive it at this point.....

Thank you! I'm dying to drive it as well. My brother bought my dad a gopro camera last year with a suction cup mount, so I should be able to get plenty of videos for everyone!

 

I got the exhaust all prepared last night but was unable to install it due to the engine position. I am not sure what the "lean" will be without the trans in, and how the engine sits now I can't even get the pipes to slide together. (downpipe is pointing down)

The transmission bearing didn't show up yesterday, so I was unable to put the transmission back together. Hopefully today I'll get the bearing, put the trans together, and stick it back into the truck. The bed was supposed to be painted last night or today, so we'll see on that.

I'm also getting the rhino lining done on the rockers, so unfortunately I probably won't be driving it until mid week. The body protection should be well worth it though!

Rhino lining will be done inside the bed once I purchase a set of aluminum bed rails. Perfect lines are priceless....

[joecool911]

I'd love to buy or build a bumper as well. I wouldn't be satisfied at how it would come out if I were to build one and I can't afford to buy one...so I guess I'll just keep dreaming.

CPP has them for $599. Got mine when it was $499. Came out pretty sweet.

[TFaoro]

That's a nice bumper Joe! I'm just not sure if I like that boxy look all that much. My truck also might look funny with stockish sized tires and that big bumper. 

 

Well I backed it out of the shop under its own power tonight!! Just have to top off the T case and trans fluid and the "hard" part is done!

Bed was painted and cleared tonight. I'll probably start sanding on the cab to get it ready for rhino lining. Hoping to spray that Sunday. Won't be able to drive for a couple days, but I better do it now or I'll never do it.

After that it's time for the maiden voyage to somewhere!

[CTcummins24V]

Money bags! I love that blue color. You might have to get some black rims to go with that rhino lining= Powder coat your rims We want pictures!

[rburks]

That's a nice bumper Joe! I'm just not sure if I like that boxy look all that much. My truck also might look funny with stockish sized tires and that big bumper. 

 

Well I backed it out of the shop under its own power tonight!! Just have to top off the T case and trans fluid and the "hard" part is done!

Bed was painted and cleared tonight. I'll probably start sanding on the cab to get it ready for rhino lining. Hoping to spray that Sunday. Won't be able to drive for a couple days, but I better do it now or I'll never do it.

After that it's time for the maiden voyage to somewhere!

I think your truck look Great,, wouldn't do nothing,, just get it back together ad RIDEEEE....dying to know how this things gonna perform 

[joecool911]

The picture makes it look boxier than it really is. Adding a grill guard which is round tube will also help.

[TFaoro]

Money bags! I love that blue color. You might have to get some black rims to go with that rhino lining= Powder coat your rims We want pictures!

Thanks! I really like the color too. I may buy black rims... but there's no way I would powdercoat the ones I have. Way too nice the way they are! Pictures are coming.....

 

I think your truck look Great,, wouldn't do nothing,, just get it back together ad RIDEEEE....dying to know how this things gonna perform 

Thank you, but the road I drive back and forth to work is riddled with deer and stupid drivers. I would hate to see my investment go to waste because a buck was in the road. 

 

The picture makes it look boxier than it really is. Adding a grill guard which is round tube will also help.

Hmmm I'm going to try and dig up some pictures with the tubing. 

 

Well I took it out for a short drive today to get everything warmed up and antifreeze flowing through the radiator. I didn't want to drive too much without the bed on it, so I only went about 10 miles on the back roads. 

I can say on stock dodge tuning I hit 30psi of boost easily. Wasn't even in it all the way  . I was really careful after that to keep the boost down so that I can re-torque the head studs. 

It's hard for me to say just how much some of the new parts helped. I can't remember the last time I drove the truck on dodge's tuning. So a "real world gain" will have to be measured when I can add some fuel.

I was able to tell a HUGE difference with the damper. The engine is significantly quieter than it was before, and it's much smoother.

The str8 pipe sounds AWESOME   And from what I can tell it isn't even droning at highway speeds! We'll see when I get it back together, but I'm pretty excited about that. 

 

I then took the truck over to the paint guy and started sanding. Ever torn into perfectly good paint that's less than a year old.... It hurts, but hopefully the liner will perform as expected! 

 

The front outside part of the bed will be getting lined as well. 

[Buzzinhalfdozen]

Looks good! Here's an option to save a little $ on a bumper if you're handy with a welder.

https://www.movebumpers.com

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

i want to do the lining on my truck too, keep the rust away.

[CSM]

On most of the old mopars I find that the rust never comes from the outside.  Bed lining the outside won't do much other than keep the rock chips down and keep the dirt in the cracks and crevices in the rhino lined rocker panels.  

 

Rust comes from inherent design flaws and manufacturing methods used in the car.  

 

One, leaves and debris in spaces between body panels like down the vents behind the engine or between the cab and inner fenders.  This is notorious in old cars and why I see most eastern and southern cars need patch panels on the firewall and lower front fenders.  I get irritated when I find old leaves in cars... Shows that folks didn't wash their cars properly. 

 

Two, is from salt and galvanic reactions on exposed metal and spot welds.  Not much you can do here other than spray and pray. Doing a serious undercoating job on the truck, religiously washing & waxing the truck, and in extreme salt states spraying out parts of the body with some sort of oil will help.  

[TFaoro]

Looks good! Here's an option to save a little $ on a bumper if you're handy with a welder.

https://www.movebumpers.com

This may be the best looking aftermarket bumper I've seen! If only I had hit the lotto.... Next summer may be the time though!

 

I got everything lined today. Looks really really good! It should stop the rock chips, which I find to be a major source of rust. I really like the liner. It has texture to it, but it isn't rough enough that it holds in dirt. Here are some pics.

 

 

[CSM]

Very nice. I really like how that turned out.  Is there any bondo in that body or is it ding free?

 

You win for nicest 2nd gen.  I can't play... especially without a repaint & rebuild.  

[diesel4life]

Looks good! Here's an option to save a little $ on a bumper if you're handy with a welder.

https://www.movebumpers.com

Bumpers like this are more for show than anything. They look good but will not protect you any better in all but the lowest collisions.I know alot of people don't like the Ranch hands but mine has saved the front of my truck twice now. Worth every penny in my book.

[TFaoro]

Very nice. I really like how that turned out.  Is there any bondo in that body or is it ding free?

 

You win for nicest 2nd gen.  I can't play... especially without a repaint & rebuild.  

One spot has a tiny bit of bondo... rear door, passenger side behind the window. Someone pried on the window with a crow bar and CRUSHED the metal around it. The tailgate has a small spot that couldn't be pulled out. The PO smashed a huge dent in it. My paint guy hates bondo though, so he stays away from it as much as possible. He's been doing this work for over 30 years, so he knows how to work metal really well.

 

Thanks.... most have no idea how much money I've spent to make it this way though. In the end.... Worth it! My brother calls it a 2nd and a half gen because it's in its own category haha.

 

Bumpers like this are more for show than anything. They look good but will not protect you any better in all but the lowest collisions.I know alot of people don't like the Ranch hands but mine has saved the front of my truck twice now. Worth every penny in my book.

I could never have a ranch hand on my truck... IMO they are very protective, but don't look very good. One definitely wouldn't fit this build.

I think one of these bumpers could be strong... just have to brace it properly! Literally anything is stronger than the stock bumper. It's terrible.

[rburks]

THIS BUMPER IS A BEAST AND LOOK KILLER,,, IF YOU GET DYI VERSION YOU COULD BEEF UP THE BRACES AND I DONT THINK HES LOOKING AT THE PRE RUNNER

 THIS WOULDNT JUST STOP A DEER, IT WOULD DO A LOT OF THE DRESSING OUT FOR YA

Edited July 20, 2015 by rburks

[rburks]

TYLER,,,is that color on your truck from the new 4th GEN trucks ???