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When I bought the truck it was a trade-in at the Jeep dealership where I work. The truck was traded in by the original owner and was in dire need of some T.L.C, 2 cylinders were down to almost 0 compression, the tranny fluid looked a very strong chocolate shake (with extra iron), the suspension was shot (you can see how low it sat in the "before" picture), the t-case was leaking out of every seal (along with every other seal), rear diff bearings had exploded (actually slowed the truck down if you let off the gas), etc, etc.
The resto began as a simple "just get it running so I can get through the winter project" (Yeh! right). I pull the engine and my shop foreman (also the shop tranny specialist) says "hey while it's out why don't you build it up a bit", so here we go, while the engine is out for rebuild (balanced, bored .030, compression raised to 9.5-1, mild cam), he rebuilds the transmission to the point where he tells me if I can break it he will rebuild it again for free.
Fair enough, now I have a truck with a new drivetrain, (I've done all the seals & bearings while the engine was getting done), now I've got something reliable that will get me around & I've spent about as much as I want to on this thing. Second downfall....... I get 2 weeks holidays with nothing to do. (I'm starting to think there is a darker force working here). One day I see her sitting in the driveway and I say to myself, "how hard would it be to strip the paint anyway" (I did a lot more of that in the next 6 months........talking to myself that is, people were starting to worry), anyway, the next thing I know I've got a truck frame with no body on it, the body is sitting next to it stripped down to metal, and I'm wondering how the hell I'm ever going to put this thing back together again, well, after finding myself on the phone alot saying "what the #@%(* do you mean they don't make that part anymore" I finally got her finished. Below are the specs. & some of the things I did along with a list of things that will be done by the end of the summer.
General Vehicle Specifications
360, 727 trans, NP 219 T-case, AMC 20 rear, DANA 44 front, Sportside (built only in 81, prod #'s vary, I've heard from 1120 to 2500), factory oak box rails (I looked it up on our Dodge parts computer & they are original equipment)
Modifications & work I've done
Ground up restoration including body off frame, sandblasted & painted frame, complet drivetrain rebuilt, all new wiring (body lighting), 4" Trailmaster susp. lift with all new springs & SSV shocks/steering stabalizer, 33x12.50 T.S.L Thornebird tires on TAOS polished 5 spoke 15x10 alum rims, 1970 Chrysler Lime Green paint, lock-rights (front & rear), removed front sway bar (major improvement in articulation with no noticable difference in on-road drivability).
Work to be done this summer
Axle trusses (front & rear), complete interior restoration including, high back bucket seats (out of a Camaro), Grant steering wheel, all AutoMeter gauges, better stereo, ARB deep water air snorkle (maybe), oil & tranny cooler (I think there will be a 1998 Dodge Ram with a V10 coming into my shop real soon with both of these leaking & of course they are covered by warrenty), 8,000 lb. Warn winch mounted in the rear in front of the bumper (there's so much room there).
Ingo Nolting
Yellowknife, North West Territories, Canada