Slick onto a Cummins chassis?

[Shiny]

Has any of you guys done this or seen one done?
I have a '65 Mercury Crewcab cab and also the shortbox off of my '66 Merc Crewlcab. I then scored a running / driving '90 Cummins regular cab 4x4 for $700
So I am wanting to put the '65 Crew cab onto the Cummins chassis with the shortbox. Seems pretty straight forward to me, will just have to lengthen the frame to get my desired wheelbase.
Just wondering how the Slick Crewcab will fit on the Cummins chassis for width and length.
Thanks!

-Shiny

PS, I don't want to hear any comments or bellyaching about using a Dodge chassis under "MY" truck. Thank you

[mrgoob]

Good luck with your project. Never see the old crews here (especially Mercs) and a great deal on your Dodge. Look forward to seeing some pics.

[Greg D]

I'd hate to see you take apart that badassed slammed crew (get another cab?).
Good to see you around again.

[jamesdfo]

Greg: Don't panic!! Take a look at the list of tin in Shiny's signature....the Crewlcab is safe:)

.....except maybe the box??
James

I'd hate to see you take apart that badassed slammed crew (get another cab?).
Good to see you around again.

[cooter]

i would expect to have the biggest issue will be with the length of the motor and room for the big rad and intercooler. I sure love them cummins 5.9 motors. i am thinking that beefing up the suspension may also be important

[ICEMAN6166]

i would put the cummins diesel in a slick anytime
frame choice is yours ,get out a tape and start calculating.
$700 to good to pass up a running diesel.

[cavinandpavin]

700 bucks wont get you the injection pump around here. i bet the body on the dooge is real nice..........no rust at all.......

[cooter]

in the projects section someone is building one, just scroll through and you will see a cummins build.

[rickairmedic]

Shiny the boys on Trucks on The Power Block are doing a dentside supercab on a dodge cummins chassis so . You might go to the power block websight and watch the episodes on it to get an idea of what your in for . The Dentside chassiswise should be similar to the 66 .


Rick

[Shiny]

Thanks guys!
And yeah my slammed Merc Crewy is fine. I have a mint box and nose for it and its getting a new coat of shiny paint too, plus a 5speed plus a new fresh mill etc etc... the box that I put on it when i built it was a lil rough but its all I had then. So it van go on the 4x4 truck as it will be my winter truck and the slammed one will be my summer cruiser

I bought the Cummins truck and have been driving it for about 9 months now, haven't really done anything to it.

-Shiny

[turtle1056]

Ok - where to start on this one?
Ive done 4 cummins conversion so far, so am fairly well versed on this.
The cummins has been successfully fit into many Ford trucks, of all years.
My own included, which is a 91
The engine bays are all about the same width, and depth. Plus or minus a 1/2" or so
So the cummins is marginally the same in size - just heavier that a 300 6cyl.
You run an electric fan in front of the rad, and you have lots of room.
Your life will be much easier if you use the dodge rad as well.

If you dont like where the motor sits once you have the cab on the frame - swap the mounts side for side - that moves the motor over an inch, and you can always drill new holes in the steel part of the mount for another inch. The driveshafts will acommodate this no worries

mounting the body on the chassis is relatively easy, its just mounts, and the frames are fairly close in width - so remove cab mounts from your ford frame and drill/bolt them on the dodge frame.
The motor is one wire hookup, and if you use a 1 wire gm alt, your good to go. If you insist on the Ford alternator/generator setup it is easy to adapt to the cummins mount.
If it is a std tranny - thats easy too, just get a newer hydraulic cylinder that uses the plastic line. Remove the pin, slide the dodge line into the ford cylinder and reinstal the pin - bleed it and done.

brake lines - well thats easy, steering shaft is also easy.

all in all a nice swap, and you will love the milage and power

[jamesdfo]

Guys: If you go back and re-read, you will see that Shiny has asked about swapping Ford crewcab sheetmetal on to the DODGE CHASSIS......

[turtle1056]

Jamesdfo - not sure what your point is - I covered the body swap to the dodge frame quite well I think.

[Shiny]

Thanks Turtle!
My biggest concern was how well it would fit into the engine bay as I didn't really want to have to cut up the firewall and trans tunnel to make it fit good. And you answered that. My Cummins is Non-Intercooled so it will be an easier fit too.
Also another concern was when fitting it onto the Dodge chassis with the motor in the right spot how well the front wheel would sit and fit into the wheel well opening. Its gotta be perfect or I won't be happy at all Even if it means moving the front axle forward or back and having to machine a new driveshaft.
I don't have any cab mounts so will either get some or fab my own. I will fit it with an original Slick column and fab it to work with the Dodge automatic linkage.
The wiring shouldn't be too hard, gotta figure out the damn VSS, speedo etc eh
I want to park the Dodge and start stripping it today but have to wait until I have the Crewcab cab ready to go. It was totally stripped when I got it so I am just going threw collecting all of the bits I need to make it complete. Plus it has a few dings and a couple of small rust spots too.
Can't wait to have both Crews on the road, will be some killer pics eh!

Turtle, do you have any pics of one of the Slicks you have put on a Dodge Cummins chassis?

-Shiny

[turtle1056]

Hey Shiney - thats why I put in the bit about moving the motor forwards or backwards by changing the mounts - so the engine moves to accommodate the engine bay, rather than moving axles n such. Most Fords want the engine to move a bit to centre it in the engine bay.
VSS is short for?, and you dont need to worry about the speedo.
If you have an auto with overdrive, all you need is 12v and a switch to turn it on when you want it. If by VSS you mean the thingie that mounts to the top of the injection pump to control the tranny in OD - you dont need it if you wire OD to a switch.
Speedo is easy cuz if memory serves the tranny end uses the same thread thingie as the ford so the Ford cable should just screw right on. If it is different - then cut the outer cable, on the dodge and the ford about the same place, (the inner cable slides right out) then take a pice of 3/8" brake line and slice it length wise, and take the two halves and hose clamp them around the splice. A little silicone before you clamp will keep the elements out. Then slide the inner cable back in, and screw em to the tranny

[Shiny]

Ok cool. I already have the O/D wired to a switch. Heck I even took out the ABS system out of the truck too. Making it simple simple, and the brakes are WAY better now!

-Shiny

[jamesdfo]

Turtle: Sorry, after reading it again, yes, all covered, but the first part where you mention cummins' swapped into many ford trucks is where I went astray:)

I'll just go sit in the back and be quiet now

Jamesdfo - not sure what your point is - I covered the body swap to the dodge frame quite well I think.

Ok - where to start on this one?
Ive done 4 cummins conversion so far, so am fairly well versed on this.
The cummins has been successfully fit into many Ford trucks, of all years.
My own included, which is a 91
The engine bays are all about the same width, and depth. Plus or minus a 1/2" or so
So the cummins is marginally the same in size - just heavier that a 300 6cyl.
You run an electric fan in front of the rad, and you have lots of room.
Your life will be much easier if you use the dodge rad as well.

[longcabjohn]

Could it be done by cutting the floor out of dodge and leaving it on frame, sitting floorless slick on and start welding? Like an old style channel job.


Johnny

[thenephilm]

Should be a lot easier than my project. My front clip swap and it being on the ground has been challenging and has resulted in some firewall and floor cutting. However, I wouldn't think this swap would be too terrible especially if you aren't afraid of a sawzall

[Shiny]

Johnny, I would do that if the Crew floors were rusty but this cab is nice...

thenephilm, I am good with a sawzall but even better with a torch or zippy discs

-Shiny