NightMares 01 Sport Build

[NightMares]

Oh yeah no I was referring more to like a platform in a sense to rest the bottom of in after it's been hoisted up. But sounds like you found a good method I didn't know there was such an invention. Mines leaned up against the shed haha


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As what Derek just mentioned I didn't think about how the decked comes out, so that might be something that ultimately just stays in the truck once installed. I might be able to build some kind of a platform that I could slide under the shell between it and the bedrails to provide a "floor" while the shell is hoisted in the air. Then I could toss everything inside the shell I don't want to keep in the truck and lift it by the platform rather than from the basket. That would probably be an even better idea.

So...you hate my truck now? Lol if it looks cheap to you then you haven't seen it done right. I thought about wrapping it but functionally I thought that wouldnt be smart. I take mine off road through brush and trees and that would just tear the vinyl off, the bedliner has a better chance of withstanding it.

I do like your camper and decked idea. I don't think the decked will just come out in one piece though, they are assembled in the trucks and are pretty tight on both sides. If anything I think your bed rails wouldn't allow it to come out whole. Would be neat though.

Yes Derek. I hate your truck. Hate it.

Nah, like I said on your thread it turned out really good, although I still couldn't pull the trigger on doing something like that to mine. I am however considering wrapping the Bronco in some form a digital camo rather than paint the whole damn thing. From there I would just have to fix the rust and prime it once it's done, then put the wrap over it. That's an idea I've been tossing around, as it'll be more of a mall crawler anyways and probably won't see near as much off road as the Dodge.

And I referenced the decked issue in my previous reply to lil_ram

 

[NightMares]

Alright, so some updates.

I've been really slacking on the headlight department. Every time I open the box and start to play around with stuff I wind up bored and never end up actually doing any work. I haven't even unsealed the headlight housings yet.

So, I've decided to get the ball rolling on it by downsizing the build and doing it a little different rather than days on top of days of work to build these things.

So, here's kind of where I'm at with it.

Keeping the headlight housings.



Keeping the 4th gen halo's



Keeping the sequential switchback strips



Keeping the colormorph fog light bulbs



And getting rid of all of the following: Projectors, shrouds, bulbs, projector halo's, demon eyes, amber flex strips, and color morph led strips.

I'm still playing with options of what to order, but I'm going to keep it a little bit more plain.

Right now I'm considering ordering in the XKGlow demon eye LED headlight bulbs. Essentially the same headlight bulbs i have now, except they have a small line of LED's across the top and bottom that can illuminate the entire headlight housings in whatever color I want.

An added feature of these is the smartphone app. Basically when I leave the truck I can drop a pin on a map where the truck is located. When I get within a few feet of the truck, it activates the colormorph automatically, essentially meaning when I get within distance of the truck the headlights would illuminate red. Kinda cool.

Here's a link to the website with a video you can watch that shows why I'm considering going this route now.

XKchrome iOS Android Smartphone

To go with the XKChrome app, I think I want to order in the 6 piece 10" flexible strips. There's the openings in the Fusion bumper that I'd illuminate the holes with, taking up 3 of them. Then along the rocker panels so it would illuminate the ground below, taking up an additional 2. The last one I would place under the bed so it would light up back behind the truck as well. Being the boring person I am, I would leave all of these lights set on red. I like the location option where it lights up when I get within range of the truck, also giving light for under the truck in case there's snow, ice, rattlesnakes, whatever.

Going back to the headlight build, I'm going to install the 4th gen halo's as planned. I'll also install the colormorph fog light bulbs where the factory turn signal goes.

Instead of installing the sequential switchback strips only on the lower part of the headlight, I'm going to wrap them around with the 4th gen halo making the break.

Something like this.



It'll flow down, towards the outside of the truck, up, towards the inside and start over. Should look pretty cool.



From there, that's it. No projectors, no major backlighting mods, just clean and simple.






Now, onto some more fun. This is another possibility, not a guarantee right now.

I was browsing around on facebook just goofing off, and came across an ad for 4 wheel parts. It was from Alpine for their "Restyle" for the Jeep JK Wranglers, and it had an accessory control option that allowed you do to everything an sPOD would do. Basically a screen that controls lights, winch, whatever 12v accessory you want. It also had a multiple camera view option, opening up camera options for front, rear, and side views on the screen of the stereo (eliminating the NEED for a spotter when off road).





So, I started browsing around and came across the price of almost 4 grand for this unit. No.

Then I started playing around on Alpine's website, and found something a little more realistic.

The INE-W967HD has majority of the same features, retailed at $1700 instead of the $4000. It does NOT include the accessory controller and multiple camera controller, it's sold separately but still not too extreme compared to the Restyle.







So I started playing around with numbers a little bit. Because of the move back in August, leaving my job and starting up a business, among other things, I gave up on the center console and stereo build. I donated the eBay Android stereo I got to my sister for her car since her's quit working, figuring I'll get another one down the road. After seeing it work in her car....I'm glad I dumped it off on her. Sound quality was poor, it lagged, it was cheesy and I was not thrilled with it.

So I had already planned on spending closer to $700 or $800 for a nice quality double din stereo.

Now, take into account I was going to do the touchscreen sPOD with the stereo and console build. That's another $720. That's closer to $1500 range for everything already. Obviously with my line of work I don't pay retail, but still a bigger chunk of change.

Well my boss is in pretty deep with a sound company back behind our shop. We do all the wheels and tires for both their customers, their personal rigs, and their audio show rigs. So they hook us up just was much as we do them.

I called them a few hours ago to figure out a price for the Alpine stereo, accessory controller and camera controller (don't need to spend the money on Alpine camera's, just their generic).

Well, they came back with a price for me CHEAPER than the $1500 for it all.

So, I'm thinking of going down this road instead.

I'll relocate the stereo to a custom center console, then I'm thinking I'll still move the Edge CTS2 over to where the factory stereo is, then place the magnet mount for my cell phone next to it so my phone sits there instead of down in the console.

From there, I'll rewire all of my accessories over to the stereo, then keep my tuner screen on the pitch/roll screen all the time instead of on the toggle switches.

We will see what happens here. Christmas is coming after all haha.

 

[NightMares]

Alright, not sure what's going on with photobucket right now. Says site is under maintenance but I'm not waiting around to post this actual update.

One small thing, and one BIG thing.

Small thing: I've decided to pursue the overland build and scrap the exo cage. I'll start ordering some of this stuff probably after the first of the year, for now, today, I spent my limit to finish off the remainder of 2016.

To go with the overland build, I went ahead and installed that WASP on my trail rack without any brackets. Actually worked, I just need to find some rubber bushings to keep it from rattler, along with a 1.25" locking hitch receiver. Other than that, it's good. I'll post pictures once photobucket gets their **** together.

Now, onto the big stuff.

Not downsizing my build of my suspension, just changing some stuff up.

Getting rid of the DOR 7" progressive springs, DOR high steer, and the Fox remote resi shocks.

Instead, I went ahead and placed an order for some different stuff.

Going to start with Synergy shock towers for the 2.5/3.0 shocks. Designed for 03-13 but after talking to them it still fits on the 94-02. So these are ordered.

Next coming from them, their HD steering. Rather than heim joints and high steer, I'm going to stick with a tie rod end system. I don't want bump steer, and I still drive the truck on the pavement too much to do heim joints.

Now, onto some real fun. Coilovers to compliment the Synergy shock towers. I'm doing the Fox 2.0 Air coilovers (not gas charged). 30" extended and 19" collapsed.

Since Fox doesn't supply springs with their coilovers, I went ahead and spent well over an hour on the phone with my rep at Fox regarding spring rates and length. I settled on Eibach 12" 200lb main springs, and Eibach 10" 150lb tender springs. My distributor has neither the air shocks or the tender springs in stock, but after talking to both Fox and Eibach on the phone today they are good in stock in their warehouse, so maybe 2 weeks out on delivery for those. Distributor did have the main springs in stock.



Rear wise I'm sticking with the added 5" block, but instead of doing the remote resi's I'm doing Fox 2.0 air shocks. 35" long and 21" collapsed.

Now, onto a little bit different setup. Going to run the Air Lift Performance AutoPilot V2 with 3/8 line & 4 gallon air tank. This will plumb into the coilovers and rear shocks, and I can control the pressure in the shocks to help aid with control over the road. So for daily driving run them at like 20lbs, highway at like 30lbs, off road at 10lbs, etc.

I decided if I'm going to redo everything this winter I'm going to do it all right the first time rather than dink around with having to do it all again later down the road.

So yay! Can't wait for **** to start showing up!

 

[NightMares]

So fun update with a change of plans, mostly exterior makeover.

While I've adored the Hutchinson beadlocks for quite a while, they probably won't be a very large seller for the shop. Not to mention the backorder for them took well over a month for me to get mine, the price and everything will make them a hard seller.

While at Sema, my partner got some catalogs from a ton of vendors out there. One of which being one of our main distributors for wheels that we use for all our wholesale dealer packages, Wheel 1.

For the truck aspect, they carry Mayhem, ION, and Cali Off Road. Cali has just released a new line called Dirty Life, which just so happens to have a new beadlock out. Now, I won't lie, a lot of the Cali Off Road relate pretty heavily to the name associated with them, Cali. They're flashy, intricate, and more. However, the Dirty Life 9302MB's for whatever reason EXTREMELY appeal to me. Being manufactured by Wheel 1, they can do custom offsets, width, and more for certain applications. In this case, my Dodge.

The Hutchinson's would look great on my truck, but the offset is a little short and will suck them under the truck a little more than my 102's, which didn't concern me much...until I found these. I talked with my rep about the wheels a little bit, and he wound up getting me a quote for the 9302's. You can say I was a little frustrated, considering they came back at less than half the price of the Hutchinson's, and instead of a 17x9 with a 5" backspace, I can get them made in a 17x10 4" backspace, which is equivalent to my 102's.

So, I've made my decision. I'm getting the 9302's which come matte black, and having the beadlock ring powder coated red. The Hutchinson's are going to go to the Bronco, might see if the wife wants them powder coated bronze instead of black, but that's a different subject.




Going with this offset is going to be close to my width now, which frankly I like the look, but two problems: 1) cops dislike me heavily; 2) mud. If I take the truck off in the mud, it gets caked within seconds due to the tires sticking out so much.

Going this route means I have to finally wind up doing some fender flares. My shop does a ton of Rough Country flares and not so much a ton of Bushwacker, but my issue is I've had eBay flares before and they crack, they're not flexible like quality flares are. My other issue is Bushwacker's are too wide for my liking, and if I do the flares I want pocket flares which limits me pretty hard.

So, I'm wanting to do the Lund RX Rivets on this truck. They're narrower than the Bushwackers, but still flexible unlike eBay. I will color match these to the truck.

Adding to the fun here, I have yet to of found a bumper company willing to build me a rear bumper for my comp cut.

So, that leaves me to finally wind up doing this myself. So, to go with this fancy makeover this winter, I'm going to custom build my own rear bumper. Start off easy, I'm going to go ahead and start breaking down the cardboard boxes in my garage that we used to move and build my prototype that route. From there, I'll get a sheet of 3/16th steel, then just trace each panel of cardboard onto the metal and start cutting.

Design wise, I want to make the sections under the bedsides a little wider, giving me a place to step up into the bed, or to reach above the shell. I'm also thinking on the drivers side of mounting my CB antenna on that flat section as well. In the corners below the tail lights, I'm going to integrate in some recessed steps. Center of the bumper below the spare tire, I'll do a recessed flat plate that will house the winch fairlead and 2 flush mounted Rigid Dually diffused lights. Rather than put another hitch back on the truck and deal with building the bumper around it, I'll get a flat sheet of 1/4" steel that I'll weld to the bottom of the frame rails. On top of the sheet will be my winch, on the bottom below the bumper itself I'll put a 2" square for a receiver. Yeah, I won't have a high towing capacity, but at least I can tow if put in the situation. In the recess with the lights and fairlead, I'll do a flush mounted RV 7 pin.

For now, I'm going to skip the tail light guards, and just focus on getting a bumper on the truck.

Even more fun, I need a new grille already. The grille on my truck now is cracked, smashed, and all the mounting tabs are broken off. Currently it's held on with zip ties to the grille frame.

New grille time means I'm going a little more custom, but keeping it simple.

I want to do the full mesh grille, paint the outer shell red like how mine is now and leave the center black.





Now, one issue with this grille, is there is no place for an emblem. So, I'm thinking I'm going to order in the tailgate emblem for a 3rd/4th gen ram that has the red LED's for eyes. I'll place this in the center of the grille. I'll order the emblem in all black, then paint the ram red, leaving the black background.



With a new grille, flares, and rear bumper all getting redone, I don't want to put all this fancy new stuff on my hammered truck. So, to go along with this exterior makeover, I want to strip all the decals and graphics off the truck entirely. I also want to remove the hood louver and front bumper. From here, I'll send the truck itself off to get professionally detailed, cut, buffed, waxed, the whole shebang. Call it a spa day.

I want to send the front bumper, rear bumper, hood louver and beadlock rings off to get powder coated PR4 flame red. I want to throw away the sheet metal screws from the hood louver, and toss the supplied bolts for the pocket flares, and get all matching black button head machine screws. I'll put rivnuts in the hood for the louver, and then the bolts into the flares.


From here I'll call it done!

 

[Pull Ya]

"From here I'll call it done!"

These are words that I would never believe I would have ever read in this thread. Thanks for bringing us along with you on this journey.
Jay

 

[Lil_Ram]

I'll beleive it when I see it


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[derekp]

"From here I'll call it done!"

These are words that I would never believe I would have ever read in this thread. Thanks for bringing us along with you on this journey.
Jay

He must've meant he would call that post done...lol

 

[usaf2006]

Lol ive yet to finish reading the novel.. I mean post haha. I'll get around to it this winter.

 

[NightMares]

I was referring the exterior makeover being done haha. Not the entire truck. Truck will never be finished, it's always going to be evolving somehow.

I just want to get it cleaned up and finish off what projects I have for it. After doing a ton of research, talking to people, and talking to a bunch of Jeep owners, I'm having a hard time deciding drivetrain for this truck. I just got done sinking a ton of money into the transmission this last summer, and I don't know if I'm ready to yank that out and let it sit due to an LS swap.

So, I believe I'm going to go down the route of a 4BT swap. 6BT is too heavy for off road, plus with the money I just spent on the coilovers and springs, I don't want to have to do all the research and math to figure out what coil spring rates I'll need to do with it. But a 4BT will gain enough attention as for a shop rig, and give me everything I need out of the truck.

I've also decided since I'm no longer doing the exo cage, I want to go back the bed rack. My buddy has already started building the one I originally bought to fit his 3rd gen, so I don't want to come back on my word and ask for it back. So I'm thinking I'm going to order in a second one and start that build aspect. I'll come up with a rooftop tent and over cab basket later down the road, but I really want to get as much done this winter as possible.

I do have a lighting update as well though to post up. Since I'm no longer doing the new front bumper, of instead of swapping my Radiance for the 30" E2 series, I've got something in mind that is both badass, and functional. To start, the product I want to use is the new Rigid Adapt. Essentially, it's a light bar that adapts to the surrounding terrain to change the beam pattern. If it senses things up close, it switches from more a spot pattern to a flood pattern, and vice versa. It also automatically adjusts with detection of vehicle speed, which is pretty badass. They come with a controller that allows to you manually change the pattern and set it however you want, or push the "adapt" button and it automatically detects for you. Also, of course, it does have accent lighting as well, like the Radiance.

So, I want to get these guys in to replace that 30" on the top of my Fusion.















I also have another location I want to put a separate set. Seeing as I want to keep this as far from mall crawler as possible, I have yet, and do not ever plan on doing an over the windshield light bar. I've considered putting one on the top of a roof rack, but never just on the cab itself.

There's a truck I've seen on Instagram that, although the owner of it receives a lot of ****, has a ton of great ideas built into it. He did an idea I thought of a while ago trying to do, which is mounting a set of pods as cab lights. His execution, at least for the distant photo's, looks pretty clean. I like it a lot more than I thought I would. So, I want to get another set of the Adapt's, 5 in total, and flush mount them into the cab of the truck.

This will essentially give me two things: 1) Cab over "light bar" and; 2) cab lights. I can essentially run this separate set with the RGB on amber when I want to, giving the truck official cab lights.







With having to cut the metal and mount these down, I thought about how to go about painting the roof without having the repaint the entire truck, or have it obviously not match. Pictures of my truck do the paint more justice than it deserves, although there's no clear coat peeling or anything like that, it's faded pretty bad. So, I think to go with this, I want to just spray the roof black, and then leave the louver on the hood black. I'm thinking instead of black button screws, I'll have spray some button heads red and then do the black button heads on the red flares for contrast.

I also have decided I'm going to mount up those JK Unlimited Rubicon sliders for the cab, then below the front section of the bed I'll fab up a slider/step that I can use to reach stuff on top of the bed rack. I'll have it come out as far as the rear bumper. Both sliders and the steps I will just spray with rattle can bedliner black, as I know these are going to get abused hard and touch up will be easy.


So yeah, that's it for this winter project. Quite a list, but I'm going to give myself of a goal of having all this completed by mid May just before the summer runs begin. Mid may gives me a few weeks of adjustment time to sort out all the kinks.

But here's the list of everything:

Exterior: Strip graphics, complete rear bumper build, bumpers sent off to powder coat red, professional detail with cut and buff, flush mount rigid lights in cab, paint top of cab black, All Pro Pack Rack, rattle can black, beadlock rings sent to powder coat red, headlights built and installed, Radiance swapped to 30" of Rigid Adapt

Interior: Center console build to accommodate Alpine stereo and both Rigid Adapt controllers

Suspension/wheel/tire: DOR adjustable upper short arms and lower long arms, Synergy steering, Fox 2.0 air coilovers and rear shocks, Fox ATS steering stabilizer, Cali Off Road Dirt Life 9302MB 17x10 4" backspace black beadlocks, Maxxis Trepador 37x12.50x17's

Drivetrain: 4BT swap, if funds and time allows Atlas transfer case.

I'm sure there's a ton more I'm forgetting, but this is already a pretty big list. So yay!

 

[NightMares]

Alright, so 3 updates.

One.

It's official! My truck is getting a CUMMINS SWAP! I put $500 down with a shop across the parking lot from me to find me a 4BT. He did even better and sourced me a 4BTA for $3000. Engine has around 52k on it, and the shop is going to go through it for me once it gets here. They're offering a 12 month 12k warranty if I let them do the work on it, so all in all it'll cost me around $4,000 all said and done.

From there, I contacted a buddy at a local diesel shop. He said for around $1000 in labor they can get it running and dialed up a little bit. The only work I have to perform is getting it mated to my transmission and getting it mounted to the frame. They'll do all the wiring and flashing of the ECM to get everything functioning correctly, along with keeping my tach and gauges functional as well. There's a few other things I'm going to have them do as well, such as putting a boost gauge and an engine temp gauge in my A-Pillar pods. My Edge CTS2 is going to become for the most part non functional, the only real "tuning" it will do is keeping the speedometer correct with tire size. So I'll probably wind up mounting it where my stereo currently is, and doing a small center console build this winter as well.

As for the console build, I'm going to keep it simple. I'm going to pull the jump seat console lid off, then build the console around it. I'll start the plans for it later, but essentially I just want the stereo right at the top where the cup holders are (right below the stereo now), and on that same face have the room for the two Rigid Adapt controllers. The Alpine stereo I want will have to wait, as all of this is costing me more than my initial winter project budget was speculated to be, but I'll probably throw a cheapish double din in the console and make sure I leave space around for the 8" screen when I do finally pull the trigger on it.

Second.

Second update is kind of upsetting, but at the same time even better in a way. I finally did some more reading on the Rigid Adapt lights, and found that they are not detachable like what some speculations were online. They'll be sold in set lengths, and not be able to be expanded onto. Shortest light bar is 10" and goes up in 10" increments all the way up to 50" light bars. So, to cut some corners and make this winter project a little faster, I'm going to START with just some 50" light bar brackets and have it mounted above the windshield. Next winter, I'm thinking I'll actually take the time, cut out the roof, and flush mount the 50" Adapt into the roof making it a 50" light bar and cab lights all in one. For now, that's a lot of work to be dog piling on top of my suspension, engine swap, rear bumper build, and rewrap.

Third.

Wrap. I've been keeping this part on the down low for quite some time, and I'm still going to keep the design off here as it's not finished yet. But I'll say one thing, and explain a little bit about it.

So start off, it's EPIC. A lot of small details everywhere, and I mean everywhere.

To finish off, it started off as just a half wrap, meaning it was supposed to start around the back doors and go to the end of the bed, leaving from the front doors forward red. Now, with the amount of details and design, the wrap is becoming too big to try to condense into a small section. So, now it's become in a sense, a flip wrap. The entire truck is going to get wrapped, including bumpers, the grille shell, everything. Only item not getting wrapped is going to be the hood louver, which I'm going to send off and have it powder coated a gloss black so it matches the wrap better. Truck is going black, the designs cut out of it, so the red paint underneath is left exposed through the details of the wrap.

So essentially, my truck is going black and red, instead of red and black like it is now. I've been working with my decal guy for quite some time on this, throwing him little pieces here and there over the past couple months. So far I'm in love with it, and it's getting me more excited to keep this truck.

The other part I'm having him do, is we're doing in sections by body panel. That way, if I get a scratch or tear off a portion of the decal, I can just remove the decal from that one panel, and I can have him just print that same section so that installation is easier.



And I'll leave it as that. I'll post updates here once I get the final design done and the printing has started so there's no turning back.

 

[derekp]

Copy cat haha jk jk. That's going be badass man! I just spent a bunch of money last week on my own Cummins swap. I'm almost done gathering parts and im going to start here in the next few weeks. Looking foward to see the progression on yours.

 

[BlackMagnum2000]

I'm curious, why 4bt instead of a 6bt?

 

[tipnitty]

I'm curious, why 4bt instead of a 6bt?

See below.

So, I believe I'm going to go down the route of a 4BT swap. 6BT is too heavy for off road, plus with the money I just spent on the coilovers and springs, I don't want to have to do all the research and math to figure out what coil spring rates I'll need to do with it. But a 4BT will gain enough attention as for a shop rig, and give me everything I need out of the truck.

 

[BlackMagnum2000]

Ah. Thanks, I don't quite have time to read all these novels.. lol

 

[tipnitty]

Ah. Thanks, I don't quite have time to read all these novels.. lol

I hear ya. Curiosity got me wondering is why I had read through it.

 

[NightMares]

Copy cat haha jk jk. That's going be badass man! I just spent a bunch of money last week on my own Cummins swap. I'm almost done gathering parts and im going to start here in the next few weeks. Looking foward to see the progression on yours.

I've been watching yours. Looks like it's coming along pretty steady. Seems like you'll be going through with yours a little sooner than I will be, so I'll probably have a ton of questions ha.

Ah. Thanks, I don't quite have time to read all these novels.. lol

I hear ya. Curiosity got me wondering is why I had read through it.

Yeah, coilovers, beadlocks, 37's will already be hindering my on road capabilities. It won't be driven as a daily after this winter, nor will it ever pull or do majority of regular "truck duties" so I don't need the power of a 6BT. The 300lb difference is too much, not to mention the power difference between the two, I know my axles would never hold up with the 37's.

The 4BTA only has 130 horses, but it's a torque monster, putting out over 400 foot pounds. In 4 low, it won't ever have to build any boost to out perform my 360 the way it is now.

It'll probably suck around town, and I'm pretty sure with the 4.88's it might be incapable of being on the interstate, but I'm in the market for a newer diesel truck right now, so I could care less how it does at freeway speeds.

 

[NightMares]

So some unfortunate news. I was talking to my partner about next years events and what we want to try to attend. I know that I'm registering for the All 4 Fun for next summer, which registration starts on January 1st. But after talking some, we also need to try to get to a few "local" events as Colorado is a long ways away to do advertising. Out of that event, I might only get a few that will be inspired enough to just order parts from me, it's doubtful that would even happen.

So, we made a game plan to get the Dodge down to the Easter Jeep Safari, which is April 8th-16th. April is only 4 months away, and I don't foresee my truck being ready by then, especially with the diesel shop having my truck for a few days. Tack that on with more research that I've done, plus the cost, the 4BTA installed is just not in the cards right now.

So, I decided Monday night that I was going to swap the 4BTA out of my parents shed for that 5.9 I got a few months back. Next winter I'll get a head start on the diesel swap, but for this next year I just can't risk the truck not being done.

The 5.9 was going to start off fairly simple. At first I was just going to do EQ heads and do a reseal throughout the engine, and finish it off with the eBay plenum plate, kegger mod, and a 53mm throttle body. Well, my partner had his buddy over last night doing some tuning on the Evo, and I started talking to him about my truck. The buddy owns an import performance shop, but still does a lot of muscle/sport cars ranging from LS1 F-bodies up to Coyote Mustangs. We were talking about me buying the throttle body off of the guy selling them on Facebook, to which he suggested I just give him my current TB and he'll bore it out for me for like 50 bucks. Then it turned into what else he can do.

Long story short, I picked up my 5.9 from my parents this morning and dropped it off at his shop first thing at 8:00am. For $1500, he's going to tear it down to bare block, bore it .20 over, do the kegger mod and bore my TB to 53mm, then supply misc parts like seals and fluids and reassemble. We agreed if he did it for the $1500, I would supply the EQ heads and plenum plate, but after talking to him this morning he said he'd do the port and polish on the stock heads for free since the motor has under 100k on it. As long as there's no cracks in the head, which he'll check for, I won't need to order in the EQ heads. So the only additional cost for the motor build is the plenum plate, and I'm going to find some valve covers and get them painted red as well.

I ordered the plenum plate yesterday off eBay, now I'm just trying to find another set of valve covers for the engine again since I cancelled the order from Jegs for those fabricated ones (I think I mentioned on here).

Last bit on this is for $500 he'll do the labor for the engine swap as well, on top of if I get an SCT he can do my tuning for me instead of me going through Ryan. I'd love to give Ryan my business if I went for more advanced tuning, but being local and having him physically here to be able to make fine adjustments is a definite plus to me, on top of supporting another local business.


But by doing my 5.9 swap for now, it gives me a ton of time to go through and figure everything out with the cummins swap. After talking to some of the guys at a local club event last Saturday, which I'll finish this post off with the pictures, I'm afraid of running into more issues and getting a snowball of problems with the 4BTA. I think my gearing is too low, 4.88's on a torque monster engine with little horsepower might not be very street friendly. My solution to that would be an Atlas 4 speed transfer case, to which I can custom order the ratio's in and give me a higher gear for street driving with.

But anyways, looking forward to getting that engine in the truck hopefully by Christmas!

And some photo's from the High Desert Off Road 2016 Turkey Run last Saturday! Buddy sheared his rear pinion and broke the transfer case on a hill climb, so I wound up having to pull him out backwards 20 miles, which was over 1/3 of the trail. Talk about a long day!

 

[NightMares]

So my engine builder did some tinkering on the motor on Wednesday. Found two things out: 1) One head is already cracked; 2) He does not have access to Magnum pistons to go with the bore.

So, we worked out a different deal. For $1000, he's going to perform all the labor and supply basic needs (fluids, plugs, wires, etc). I'll be supplying the rebuild parts.

So, everything is ordered as of about 20 minutes ago. No going back now.

Ordered From eBay:

1) Redline Engine Rebuild Kit: Designed for a bore of .30 over, includes: Hyper-Eutectic Pistons / Piston Rings / Rod Bearings / Main Bearings / Full Gasket Set / Rear Main Seal / Valve Stem Seals / Timing Components / Oil Pump / Camshaft Bearings / Expansion Plugs

2) EQ Assembled Heads

3) EQ Head Studs

4) Runningstrongllc Lifters

5) Aluminum Plenum Plate

6) CGM Fabricated LA Valve Covers

7) SCT X3 tuner

Ordered From Summit Racing:

8) Harland Sharp 1.7 Rockers

9) Crane Cams Camshaft: Specs:
Basic Operating RPM Range: 1,000-4,500
Intake Duration at 050 inch Lift: 194
Exhaust Duration at 050 inch Lift: 204
Duration at 050 inch Lift: 194 int./204 exh.
Advertised Intake Duration: 250
Advertised Exhaust Duration: 260
Advertised Duration: 250 int./260 exh.
Intake Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.434 in.
Exhaust Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.458 in.
Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.434 int./0.458 exh.
Lobe Separation (degrees): 112

Ordered from O'Reilly's:

10) Mr. Gasket LA Valve Cover Gaskets

And that's it for right now. My builder is going to supply everything else that needs replaced, otherwise the rest will stay original unless he comes across something else that I need to order that he doesn't have access to.

I gave shipping address to him, so unfortunately I won't be able to follow up a whole lot, but he did say he'll document photo's of the build as he goes. I've decided to do the bore at .30 instead of .20, just for that little extra. He's still doing my kegger and boring the throttle body to 53mm. Once the motor is assembled from here, I'll drop the truck off, he'll install it all and then from there start the tuning process.

So, might be longer than a few weeks now depending on eBay ship times, but other than that everything that's really needed right now is on its way!

 

[usaf2006]

Sounds exciting!! Can't wait to see some progress on the build.

 

[NightMares]

Sounds exciting!! Can't wait to see some progress on the build.

Thanks man. I'm excited to see how it'll perform with the new motor. Then I'll spend the time going over everything for the 4bt this year so I can do everything on my own next winter.