thinking of buying project truck

[goldy49]

Hey Brothers,

Thinking about getting project truck to run around in. i had a lifted and tuned 5.7 1500 for years but she finally gave up the ghost. Picked up 19 Charger RT last year. Mod it up a bit in the hp department and man grandpa loves his speed! However I have been missing having truck around. As I near retirement want old truck to work on to use around house. Found a 2000 1500 (less than 750) that I figure I will need to repair motor. Have not look at truck yet.That brings me to these questions

1. Best crate motor to put in (would like a 5.7 but can be talked out) concerns about original trans?
2. How hard to located dashes to replace old dash
3.MAYBE 3-6 inch lift to be added so better to replace suspension as unit or hunt and peck
4. Not total restore but to turn heads at HOME DEPOT while I am using it loading crap up in it.

Any thoughts or ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated for this old fireman

THanks!

 

[MADDOG]

1. I'd go with the 5.7L. Depending on what you find you might want to freshen the motor. Heck, pick up a 545RFE trans, the harnesses, a PCM and a TCM while you are at it.

2 @DodgeLady just finished a dash replacement on her 2nd gen truck. I'd PM her to find out where she got it. I'm guessing it was LMC Truck

3. If you do go with a lift then, yes, there will be some suspension components, a trackbar, pitman arm, shocks, etc...that will need to be replaced. Might as well get a full set of bushings too.

4. Now you are talking about paint, trim, body work, etc...but it can be a real head turner if you want to spend the time and money.

Good luck with the project!

 

[ViolentMouse]

Buy the truck, do a 3rd gen dash swap with a 2005+ CANBUS dash. Then go find an SRT8 grand cherokee with the 6.1 hemi and AWD. You can then take the Tcase from a 4th gen ram and have a 6.1 hemi 4x4 with low range.

You'll probably have to deal with a "service 4x4" message when you are in 2x mode....but that 6.1 had a lot less issues than any of the later MDS/VVT 5.7's out there....

I have done 6 cams on 5.7's this year alone... I think I am done with the platform.

Other option... Don't do a project truck...see if the new TRX actually gets released and get a 6.2 supercharged hellcat ram with a warranty LOL!

 

[DodgeLady]

Buy the truck, do a 3rd gen dash swap with a 2005+ CANBUS dash. Then go find an SRT8 grand cherokee with the 6.1 hemi and AWD. You can then take the Tcase from a 4th gen ram and have a 6.1 hemi 4x4 with low range.

You'll probably have to deal with a "service 4x4" message when you are in 2x mode....but that 6.1 had a lot less issues than any of the later MDS/VVT 5.7's out there....

I have done 6 cams on 5.7's this year alone... I think I am done with the platform.

Other option... Don't do a project truck...see if the new TRX actually gets released and get a 6.2 supercharged hellcat ram with a warranty LOL!

Hey VM.. what is the name of the thread where you are rebuilding or disassembling an engine? I want to follow that but now I can’t find it.

Thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ViolentMouse]

short story long

 

[Snacktime]

I think you are better off doing a 5.9 magnum based stroker. If you want more modern hemi pick the right year truck. Certain years don't have good tuning options. Money spent on adapting could eat a good chunk of the budget and more modern motor go fast parts are stupid expensive.

Pick the body style you like then hunt down the right year and options.

 

[Skatulaki]

Get a 77-79 Macho SE 4x4 Like the Simon and Simon Dodge. I had a 77, but the 79 was a little " Cooler" looking paint scheme. You can get the Decals from JEGS. if you want to step it up a few notches or go whole hog , Put a big block, manual trans, and change it from Full time 4x4 to part time 4x4.
The Full time 4x4 in those days were not impressive at all. I put a 340 4 bbl Duster engine in the one I had, it was quite the beast, but the 4wd was unimpressive.