My winter project. 1974 W100 Utiline

[Badart]

Had a warm day today (around here this time of year 40 degrees is nice) so I got out the pressure washer and purple power and cleaned the frame, axles and cab. There was 35 years of grease on there. She is ready to go in the garage now. :cheers:

 

[kork340]

Nice, truck looks solid! 40 would be a heat wave, its 15 here and won't break 20 all week! I like the blue and have wandered about the Summit paint, thats what the boy wants to use on his Barracuda.

 

[yellow73dart]

I like it! It reminds me of my 86 dodge 4x4. Its a short bed normal cab. The fender tags say "Ram Charger" Is this correct for this truck ? Any way I don't know what to do with it. Its been sitting for a year with no engine. I have all the parts for it. It was a factory 318/auto. I still have the original engine but I don't know if its worth rebuilding. The only rust is in the driver floor board under the peddles, and just above the pass side wheel well. Body is fairly strait. I just don't know if I should build it or sell it. I already have way too many projects, so I'm leaning towards selling. Since we're talking trucks, What do you think ?

 

[Badart]

The fender tags say "Ram Charger" Is this correct for this truck ?

Sounds like someone swapped the front corners on it maybe? The sad truth is that these trucks don't go for much money when they are running.

 

[Badart]

Well I scored some wheels today. Local classifieds and these popped up for $225 for the set. They are 17X9. Bolt pattern is 5x5 1/2 with 4 1/2 BS. Should fit perfect on my truck with 35x12.50x17's. Three of them have already been machined for locking hubs, so it is a perfect find and I will be able to mount one on the roll bar pre-runner style. :cheers: They are like brand new, but just a little dusty and snow covered in the pic. He said that he only ran them for 5K miles on his lifted jeep.

 

[HemiPar]

Great score in getting all 5.

 

[Badart]

Fabricated and installed my shackle flip for the rear springs. I plan on removing the factory 3" blocks with this. It should still give me about 5" of lift on the back. The brackets are made from 1/4" plate. Should be plenty strong.

 

[PanGasket]

Sweeet work dude!! 8)

 

[Badart]

I had to roll it out today after installing the add a leafs front and rear. I also did a shackle flip on the rear and removed the factory lift block and made 2" longer shackles on the front. The tires are 315/70/17's Mickey Thompson MTZ. I think the truck looks just about right. The 2 1/2" body lift is installed under the cab also. I think it looks mean. What do you think?

 

[HemiPar]

Great stance to the truck. I can't wait to get started on mine.

 

[73golddusterkid]

Wow the stance looks awesome! Thats going to be a sweet truck when you're done

 

[PanGasket]

wow man! what beast so far 8)

 

[Badart]

Been doing more suspension stuff. Fabricated lift blocks for the front spring hangers and also welded in gussets for the rear spring flip.

 

[Badart]

Fixed some frame damage today. The truck was hit on the front drivers corner at one time and pushed the frame 2" to the passenger side. The previous owners fix was to drill 2 holes to mount the core support panel. Used a chain winch and heated the bent sections of the frame with a torch and made relief cuts and rewelded them. Now it is straight and square.

 

[PanGasket]

Some serious skill there. I wish I knew how to do that. 8)

 

[Badart]

Some serious skill there. I wish I knew how to do that. 8)

Thanks. Young gun as long as you are willing to learn and ask plenty of questions you can do this too.

 

[PanGasket]

Thanks. Young gun as long as you are willing to learn and ask plenty of questions you can do this too.

well, how do you know when the frame is dead on straight? I've seen people heat and bend em, just didn't know how at all they did or didnt know it was straight or the way it should be. Never could ask em either cuz all of them speak Portuguese.:angry7:

 

[Badart]

well, how do you know when the frame is dead on straight? I've seen people heat and bend em, just didn't know how at all they did or didnt know it was straight or the way it should be. Never could ask em either cuz all of them speak Portuguese.:angry7:

LOL. I did the string method, by running the string down each side of the cab and doors and checked them against the core support and at the same time squaring up the front of the frame and at the same time checking the front and rear axle tube distance on each side so it tracks straight down the road. I did all of that with the front suspension loose. It took me about 8 hours to get it dead on. I figure as long as it tracks straight and the body panels line up in the factory locations then it's good enough. I was not able to check if the frame is twisted, but it looks fine and these frames have so much flex in them that it's hard to tell.

You ever seen 4 wheel drives going sideways down the highway. :angry7: I don't want that.

 

[PapstXX]

 

[Badart]

I got all of my adjustable shocks mocked up (and no they are not mounted upside down, that is the way ProComp says to mount them) and I also welded up some upper shock mounts, because the factory mounts were a little too high, because I ended up lifting the suspension about 6" instead of 4" :snakeman:. They are a little ugly, but plenty strong.

I also fabricated some lift blocks on the bridgeport at work to help level it out. So it now sits 2" taller than the previous pics. I think sway bars will be needed. :-D

I will have more pics in the next couple of days.

 

[PanGasket]

Looking good dude! Pretty and practical sometimes can be worlds apart. It's what gets the job done that matters

 

[Badart]

So I started to pull the steering column for paint and I noticed the lower bearing was seized up and the shaft was just spinning in the ceramic bearing inner race. I was bored tonight at work and made an aluminum housing with a sealed bearing on the lathe. Should be very strong and is held in place with a snap ring and has stainless steel hardware. What do you think?

 

[PanGasket]

Very nicely done!

 

[HawaiiDuster]

Nice piece of work!

 

[bayyum]

Way to be!! nice work!