PC1P's 1990 W150 SBSC Build Thread

[pc1p]

We all know that life can be a bear at times. Some people read to relax, others do yoga or workout a lot. Then there are those of us who love nothing more than to turn some wrenches, bust our knuckles, curse excessively, and generally get coated in an even layer of gear oil and moly grease...



With my latest Jeep project basically done, it was time to find something new to turn my attention to. After considering some options such as an old FSJ, Grand Wagoneer, a square-body Suburban, and a few others, I settled on a OBS Mopar. There simply isn't a better looking truck from the 70's-90's than the old Dodge D/W series pick-ups!



I did some wheeling-&-dealing and ended up with a 1990 Dodge W150. Now let me say this - a 1990 doesn't seem like an old truck in my head, but this one turns 28 years old in October - it's technically a "Classic" (so what does that make me? ).



This one also happens to be >10 years newer than my last Mopar project (a 78 D200 w/440 and A518 conversion) but is basically the same truck underneath with a slightly updated shell. She has all the important stuff I look for in a project like this - a rust free frame and floor, unmolested engine (since in AZ it still needs to pass emissions), has working A/C, 4WD, automatic transmission, and a V8. The previous owner already dumped a good bit of $$ into the suspension, steering and brakes too.



Overall my build plans are mild - this won't be a wheeling rig, but rather something to pull the camper/trailer for Boy Scouts and to cruise around the valley when it's too hot to take the Jeep.

Short term stuff:
- Replace the itty-bitty looking 31" tires for some proper 33"s or maybe 35"s if I can squeeze them in there.
- Replace the bushings in the older Rough Country 4" lift springs (these were made in Canada - probably installed some time in the late 90's).
- Update/fix the hacked up electrical harness/fusible link situation with a PDC out of a newer Ram 1500.
- Refresh and regear the axles to 4.88's or maybe 5.13's (depends on if I go with 33" or 35" tires) - ideally find a non-CAD D44 front housing. Add a pair of TrueTracs for efficient winter driving up the mountains.

By next the beginning of next summer:
- Swap the TBI 5.2L for a mild 5.9L Magnum build
- Rebuild and liven up the 46RH

By the end of next summer:
- Fresh coat of factory Dodge Dark Quartz Gray Metallic paint.
- Completely restore interior with an original bench seat reupholstered with leather

 

[pc1p]

Took some time to do a once over of the W150 and see where I'll need to focus my attention at the start. Like many of my Dodge's before this, it's clear that I'll need to put some focus into the wiring repairs and upgrades. The spaghetti bowl mess of fusible links and half-roll of blue duct tape on the engine harness was a clear indicator of a problem at one time which was not properly fixed.







The wheels aren't bad looking and look period correct, though the 10" wide width isn't doing the 31" x 10.5" tires any favors. I took each wheel off, soaked in Eagle One Aluminum/PVD cleaner and hit it with a stiff brush...



Then followed that up with a few minutes of buffing with Mother's Aluminum polish on a Mother's Round Wheel and they cleaned up nicely!

 

[pc1p]

I had a PDC (Power Distribution Center) from a 1995 Dodge Ram in my parts bin. I picked it up, as well as the 5.9L, engine harness and ECU for a whopping $150 from a gentleman off of Craigslist. The 5.9L will be rebuilt and swapped out next summer, but I used the PDC to replace the factory relay and fusible links...



I need to pick up some 3M Friction Tape and loom, plus I'm waiting on the new battery terminals to arrive from Amazon, but overall I'm happy with how it turned out. It looks factory installed and really cleans up the engine bay harness (plus no more fusible links and the starter relay is the same as the others!). Overall install time was about 6 hours total, which included 2 hours of rearranging the PDC terminals and creating a new fuse/relay map for under the lid, and about 4 hours of labeling the old wires and soldering in the new connections.

 

[pc1p]

This is my 3rd Arizona vehicle and every one of them has had tons of dirt and dust behind and inside the dash. In the past, I've tried to vacuum and brush the dirt away, but ultimately the only way to get it cleaned was to completely disassemble the dash and hose it clean. It seems unorthodox but it is the only thing that keeps dust out of my eyes and the musty smell out of the interior.


I use a few drops of Dawn dish soap mixed with a small amount of Lysol General household cleaner and spray everything down. I then scrub with either an old toothbrush or microfiber cloth and hose clean (literally hose it clean!). The water is vacuumed out with a Shop-Vac and an air hose. Next up is replacing the old/crumbling firewall insulation with some lined butyl sound deadener.


After looking at the options for the Chrysler 9.25", I think I've decided that I want to go 1-ton's afterall. Dodge Dana 60's are apparently filled with gold around here and people are asking a ridiculous amount of money for them, so I found a mid-80's 14B-FF for a smoking price instead. I still need to find a front, but those are more common than reasonably priced rears at least.


Getting ready to dive into the 5.9L for the rebuild...


Working on the wiring harness while the motor will be at the machine shop. I've measured out where the ECU is going and the harness length, so I'll hopefully be able to just drop it in place and clip in the connectors when the motor is done.

 

[SYKRAMMAN]

Nice job, love me some old trucks!

 

[CLOUDL1GHT]

i love older builds like these

 

[SYKRAMMAN]

Wish they still used the hood ornaments.

 

[pc1p]

After getting the dash and components all cleaned and operational, it was time to reassemble. Before doing so, I used Siless 50-mil Butyl Sound Deadener on the upper firewall to replace the musty and falling off factory jute-type insulation. I double tape all the seams to prevent dripping of the butyl and it has held up fine in AZ heat without any issues. Once I wire wheel and POR-15 the floor, I'll coat the entire floor in this stuff too (as well as a 1/8" layer of acoustic foam and jute pad) - it works so well that it even made my Jeep quiet (not an easy task!) so I suspect a good bit of noise reduction over the factory setup.


It's not every day that I let someone else work on my vehicles, but it's hot AF outside and I hate dealing with exhaust stuff, so I brought my new Magnaflow 2-1/2" cat to the local shop here in town and let them do their magic. While it was down, I had them replace the rattling Magnaflow muffler that's probably been on there since before smartphones...


We've all made this pondering face when working on our Dodges... Here are the guys trying to figure out how to install the Flowmaster 40 Series and run the dual tails.


The new catalytic converter worked and I finally passed emissions (in my county, you can't even get the title transferred if you don't have it registered, and you can't get it registered if you can't pass emissions)!!!


Test #1 was way high due to the O2 sensor harness being damaged, the coolant temp sensor wires being damaged, the timing being way off, and the general poor running condition. Test #2 was better but just barely failed with all 3 components being high, so I figured it had to be due to the 200,000 miles on the 5.2L. The date stamp on the old cat was 07, so I figured with running so rich and poorly for so long that it likely just fried the catalyst bed. Using a temp gun, it showed that the outlet temperature was 30º lower than the input - a clear indicator that the catalyst wasn't working.

 

[pc1p]

After getting the dash reassembled and the truck's title successfully registered, I found the original sales wallet stuck under the one seat. As I was told by the person at the MVD, this has been originally sold and registered in AZ and has been in sunny and dry AZ its entire life! Yay for no rust

Found an interesting old booklet inside the sales wallet as well - a nice bit of nostalgia when people took road trips and the trip itself was the adventure!


I got lucky and found a gentleman selling a bunch of old Dodge parts from a 1990 D150. I got almost everything I needed for mine, including a working + non-cracked gauge cluster, A/C switch, cargo light switch and bezel, two wiring harnesses, seat belts, all interior trim panels and a even a complete set of door weatherstripping.


The best score was the complete non-tilt steering column. It was all original and even included the original Mopar key! I stripped it apart, cleaned out the 28 years of dirt and dried grease, cleaned all the electrical contacts and even wet-sanded and painted the column a semi-gloss black.


The column that was in the W150 was horrible - I believe it was an older column (from a pre-86) that they made work with and just barely. There was no bearings at the lower end of the steering shaft and the entire assembly would wobble within the column, leading to erratic and sloppy steering. The bearings in the replacement column were in good condition, but filthy. A quick shot of brake cleaner and some fresh high-temp, high-viscosity synthetic grease makes the column feel brand new...


I was originally going to install the 14B I picked up, but decided to hold that for a different project. I ran across a shop selling what was listed as a 1992 D60 for $500. I talked him down to $300 and he included the wheels and springs that were on the axle. Turns out, the gentleman didn't understand how to read the markings on the housing and it is actually a SRW D70U. It has the massive 12"x3" brakes as well as the ABS sensor, correct perch width and e-brake cables to bolt right in. My guess is that this came from a W350 based on the large diameter bolt in the shackle. I may end up replacing the spring bushings (but with the 1/2-ton and 3/4-ton bushing) and simple pick up a set of 2" Skyjacker springs for the front end. This should be plenty to clear 33" tires.


Much to my surprise, Eaton no longer offers the TrueTrac in the D70/70U. I'll either have to go with a factory Spicer Power-Lok (clutch style LSD) or go with a Detroit Soft-Locker rear. I'm usually against lockers in the rear of daily drivers, especially in SWB Jeeps, but the long wheelbase, weight and automatic transmission should make it more manageable around town. I've never had good luck with clutch-style LSD's lasting long, especially in beefy, built rigs. With the cost of the Power-Lok what it is (around $900!), the Detroit simply is the better option here (though I wish Eaton made an e-locker for the D70!).

 

[pc1p]

Went to the store to get some stuff to make chili and came out to a serious smell of gas and a puddle on the floor. I was worried about driving it home, but the engine was quite cool (the grocery store is less than a block away) and is was a short, straight drive home. I did a quick check and the leak was away from anything significantly hot and took the risk to drive home.


I made it home without any issues but hoses the intake and rear of the engine off anyways as a precaution. Once it was cool and dry, I did some digging and found the culprit. The supply line hose had completely ripped and was very softened.


After a close inspection, it appeared as though the crimps were just crimped bands over a standard hose. I tried cutting with some snips but ended up using a cut-off wheel. Obviously, if you have to do this, do it FAR, FAR away from vapors and fumes.


Although a greasy job, especially on an original 200K mile 5.2L, but after a quick 1/2 hour fix, she was back up and running! I used some 3.4 bar 1/4" hose for the return line and 3.4 bar 5/16" hose with some fuel-injection rated clamps.

 

[pc1p]

A big issue with Dodge's of this era is that anything plastic has about seen its end of life. The HVAC control switch is no exception here - they are notorious for blowing the guts out the backside as the plastic rivets let go. Having pushed mine in and having the button basically go all the way in, I figured that was what had happened. Upon ripping the dash apart, I confirmed I too was a victim of good intentions but poor execution...


Other than the popped off rivets and blow apart case, my switch was in good shape. The contacts were clean and the guides looked and operated like new.


To fix, I simply drilled the rivets out with a 3/32" drill bit (first by hand to get the pilot hole started, then with a drill) and reinstalled the rear cover with some #4 screws (you can see them in the background on the upper right of the image below).


I reinstalled and nothing worked I did some investigating and checked for vacuum supply. Turns out, the port on the manifold was clogged. I swapped the vacuum feed to another open branch and everything works like it should! The A/C is cycling on but it isn't getting very cold. I checked and it seems as though all the blend doors are operating as they should, but looks like I'll need to investigate some more and check the high/low pressures. With cooler temps coming, I won't worry too much but it's nice to know that the defroster and heater will blow as they should over the winter.

 

[BTD07]

Loving this build, you have done more than I could probably do in my life on one truck, and I am excited to see how it turns out!

 

[pc1p]

Loving this build, you have done more than I could probably do in my life on one truck, and I am excited to see how it turns out!

Thanks man! I love bringing old iron back to their former glory...

 

[pc1p]

I had a chance to swap out the 31" x 10.5" LT tires for a set of half-used 33" x 12.5" Duratracs...



I wasn't really looking for any increased performance, I'm really looking to see how much room the 33" tires have inside the wheel wells. These First Gen Rams have notoriously small openings and most tires tend to rub and trimming is often required. I'd like to NOT trim the factory sheetmetal at all, so this was a cheap way of checking before I blew a bunch of money on new rubber that doesn't even fit.


I think I'll be able to fit 35" tires, at least a small set such as BFG A/T's, with the current spring pack. I've ordered new bushings for the springs and will likely order the "Jungle" front hanger kit as well.


Still need to find a Dana 60 front to compliment the D70 rear but it's proving to be quite the challenge...

 

[SYKRAMMAN]

Very cool build.

 

[pc1p]

I've been around Jeeps for too long... I forget just how massive a D60F is!

Found me a Unitrax-rebuilt D60F out of a 1991 Dodge 3/4-ton SRW Cummins. The BOM is 610357-5 and measures 67.5" wide. The guy has all new brakes on it, calipers, Warn Hubs, etc. He was building a "zombie truck" that was basically a HUMMV body on a 91 Dodge frame. The project was a roller and was assembled but never finalized. He never even took the plugs out of the calipers!

I paid a bit more than I wanted, but considering the value here (cost of the Warn hubs, new rotors, etc.) I feel like I'll still come out ahead, even with a gear ratio change (I won't be locking this one, though if a good LSD comes my way, I would be inclined to get one).

 

[pc1p]

Exactly why I don't buy used tires...



At least the shop had a backup set of 33" tires - a set of General Grabbers that he gave me for the same price I had paid, though did get me for a $40 fee to cover the labor to swap all four (he was going to swap the blown tire for a 33" A/T, so I opted to pay to have a matching set as that will make the wheels more likely to sell once I swap to the 1-ton axles).



While I wait for RockAuto to deliver my new u-bolts, brake hoses, dual diaphragm booster and M/C, I am focusing on the inside. I removed the 2nd Gen seats that were previously installed...



... and replaced them with an uglier, although much more fitting and comfortable bench seat from an 85 W150. Despite the surface/upholstery issues, the seat itself if in great shape - no busted springs, foam is solid, and the sliders work perfectly as does the rear tip up.

I'll throw a seat cover over it for now, but will be playing with ideas on how to reupholster. I like the original design, but want a modern take on the materials. I'm thinking a grey micro-suede on the seat part (where it is light blue now), then on the accent panels and sides that a dark charcoal or black vinyl would look sharp and add some nice contrast. Top it off with some black piping and she should be a sharp looking seat.



With the new seat in place, I can weld up the holes from the late-model seat brackets, as well as the random cracks that were found. Once I'm done with that, I'll coat the entire floor in POR-15, add some 50-mil sound deadener, then top with new jute and an AAC molded vinyl floor.