classiccarjack Posted February 4, 2017 Report Posted February 4, 2017 14 hours ago, Jeff Balazs said: I will do posting on this once we get started. Since I use the truck all the time this needs to be built up as something that will will go in as a quick swap. I feel fortunate to have someone as talented as my buddy Jon helping me out this way. He makes his living building race cars and off-roaders for many well known teams and privateers. He has indicated that he may be able to get quite a bit of the hardware for next to nothing...so we shall see. We are going to try and engineer this so it is a direct bolt-up system. Not necessarily a kit.....but as something that could be easily put back to stock should someone want to remove it in the future. Jeff Oh that sounds very nice! I can't wait to see how this pans out. My 1.5 Ton will need all the help it can get. She is very heavy all by herself. I am hoping to get the engine swapped today. I got some buddies coming over to help with the grunt work. Quote
Jeff Balazs Posted February 5, 2017 Report Posted February 5, 2017 I hope I can keep this on track......just found out I am going to be a Grand Dad for the first time last night. Likely that will slow things down a bit. I know what you are saying about the weight issues of a larger truck. My 3/4 ton weighs in at a shade over 4000#. It is what it is. I never really wanted anything smaller. I have found the increased hauling capacity and the longer wheelbase much to my liking. The ride quality and handling is excellent but it is a bit under powered in its stock form. That is why I am looking hard at giving it this sort of boost. Otherwise I couldn't be happier with it. I do think however that having an even larger truck and really using it like I do mine would be an even bigger challenge. I fear that it would not work out well without a lot of very serious mods in the environment I am in. I did look at a few one ton Pilothouse trucks because I really liked the idea of a 9 foot bed. But in the end I felt making one into a daily driver would be too much work and would take it out of the relatively stock realm I like so much. I suppose it all depends on where you are located and how you want to use it. Jeff 1 Quote
classiccarjack Posted February 5, 2017 Report Posted February 5, 2017 2 hours ago, Jeff Balazs said: I hope I can keep this on track......just found out I am going to be a Grand Dad for the first time last night. Likely that will slow things down a bit. I know what you are saying about the weight issues of a larger truck. My 3/4 ton weighs in at a shade over 4000#. It is what it is. I never really wanted anything smaller. I have found the increased hauling capacity and the longer wheelbase much to my liking. The ride quality and handling is excellent but it is a bit under powered in its stock form. That is why I am looking hard at giving it this sort of boost. Otherwise I couldn't be happier with it. I do think however that having an even larger truck and really using it like I do mine would be an even bigger challenge. I fear that it would not work out well without a lot of very serious mods in the environment I am in. I did look at a few one ton Pilothouse trucks because I really liked the idea of a 9 foot bed. But in the end I felt making one into a daily driver would be too much work and would take it out of the relatively stock realm I like so much. I suppose it all depends on where you are located and how you want to use it. Jeff Yay! Congratulations on becoming a grand dad! I will be ancient myself when my opportunity comes. I started family life in my 40's.... I found water close to a gallon of water in my engine. I am going to have to take ol Lucille further apart now. I bought a 265 for the old girl. I hope this will give her some grunt! Otherwise I may have to turbo her so I can get in and out of the mountains here. Looks like I will be looking into suspension swaps now. Quote
Flatie46 Posted February 5, 2017 Report Posted February 5, 2017 One thing that hasn't been mentioned that may or may not help fuel economy and performance of the Mopar flat 6 is an overhead valve conversion. Quote
DJ194950 Posted February 5, 2017 Report Posted February 5, 2017 4 hours ago, Flatie46 said: One thing that hasn't been mentioned that may or may not help fuel economy and performance of the Mopar flat 6 is an overhead valve conversion. That may help-I see those at local swaps meets all the time-cheap- nobody wants old Mopar Flathead stuff.--NOT!!!! DJ Quote
55 Fargo Posted February 6, 2017 Report Posted February 6, 2017 2 hours ago, DJ194950 said: That may help-I see those at local swaps meets all the time-cheap- nobody wants old Mopar Flathead stuff.--NOT!!!! DJ Just that it has a $5500 price tag, that is some swap meet........ 1 Quote
classiccarjack Posted February 6, 2017 Report Posted February 6, 2017 11 hours ago, Rockwood said: Just that it has a $5500 price tag, that is some swap meet........ Boy, ain't that the truth! Youza! Quote
Jeff Balazs Posted February 6, 2017 Report Posted February 6, 2017 21 hours ago, classiccarjack said: Yay! Congratulations on becoming a grand dad! I will be ancient myself when my opportunity comes. I started family life in my 40's.... I found water close to a gallon of water in my engine. I am going to have to take ol Lucille further apart now. I bought a 265 for the old girl. I hope this will give her some grunt! Otherwise I may have to turbo her so I can get in and out of the mountains here. Looks like I will be looking into suspension swaps now. Yes a larger engine will surely help. But if you are up in the mountains it may still not be enough. The grade up the battlefield to Ramona comes to mind........ I do think I would look seriously at a V8 swap if you have stuff like that to contend with. About 25 years ago I witnessed an early 50's F series ford go through the railing near the top of that grade. Fortunately I always carry rope and we were able to get down to the truck and rescue a young mother and two small children from the bottom of that gulch. They were very lucky a few trees slowed them down. I can still picture it going over the top. If you know that area you know the hand of God was involved in saving them. Jeff 1 Quote
classiccarjack Posted February 7, 2017 Report Posted February 7, 2017 23 hours ago, Jeff Balazs said: Yes a larger engine will surely help. But if you are up in the mountains it may still not be enough. The grade up the battlefield to Ramona comes to mind........ I do think I would look seriously at a V8 swap if you have stuff like that to contend with. About 25 years ago I witnessed an early 50's F series ford go through the railing near the top of that grade. Fortunately I always carry rope and we were able to get down to the truck and rescue a young mother and two small children from the bottom of that gulch. They were very lucky a few trees slowed them down. I can still picture it going over the top. If you know that area you know the hand of God was involved in saving them. Jeff I do! Wow she definitely was very lucky that day. I had a hairy moment at that same location about 17 years ago. I was driving down that grade in my 1959 Dodge D100. My load shifted while in the turn. My truck bucked and the front end pushed towards the first big drop off. With some white knuckling effort, I pitched the wheel and floor matted the gas and drifted around the turn. I had my buddy Joe Bourdage in the cab with me. He was impressed with the manuveur, but I was slightly shaken. I put a big HP engine in that truck and I will never do that again. That engine broke the drivetrain frequently. And it torqued the frame and broke it behind the steering box. Too many close calls for me to endure today. I am not as quick at the wheel as I used to be. LOL Do you reside in Ramona? Quote
Jeff Balazs Posted February 7, 2017 Report Posted February 7, 2017 No I was helping a buddy move up to Julian from the OC. That little road has some treacherous stuff going on. Most people including a lot of SoCal locals don't even know it is there. California roads got all the bases covered if you know where to look. I agree you don't need to over power it either. Just not sure a little flattie is going to work well enough in those mountains. I imagine a stock 318 would do the trick. Getting the suspension and brakes up to snuff might actually be a bigger challenge. There are several guys here who have larger truck and can probably guide you on that topic. I share this with you. Part way through the revival of my truck I decided to upgrade to 4 wheel disc brakes. Cost me dearly as I had already invested in all the new replacement parts for the original system. But I went ahead and bit the bullet........and boy am I glad I did. Took all the drama out of stopping quickly and safely. That was some of the best money I have ever spent. Whatever you wind up doing you need to have complete confidence in the brakes......especially with the kind of drivers we share the road with. Jeff Quote
TodFitch Posted February 7, 2017 Report Posted February 7, 2017 On 2/6/2017 at 7:29 AM, Jeff Balazs said: . . .The grade up the battlefield to Ramona comes to mind........ I haven't been in the south Orange County area very long and don't know all the roads. I do know that Ortega Highway from San Juan Capistrano to the Lake Elsinore area is "interesting" when driving a stock '33 model Plymouth. I know where Ramona is and where Julian is but which road exactly is the "the battlefield to Ramona"? Quote
Jeff Balazs Posted February 7, 2017 Report Posted February 7, 2017 19 minutes ago, TodFitch said: I haven't been in the south Orange County area very long and don't know all the roads. I do know that Ortega Highway from San Juan Capistrano to the Lake Elsinore area is "interesting" when driving a stock '33 model Plymouth. I know where Ramona is and where Julian is but which road exactly is the "the battlefield to Ramona"? Hwy 78 through San Pasquel Valley towards Ramona. The valley was the scene of an important battle during the war with Mexico. The grade at the top has claimed many a victim over the years. Let's just say it is not a place to have car trouble of any sort. My truck has the brakes and handling for Ortega Hwy.....but not enough grunt. Too bad as I have a customer and friend that has an awesome ranch property a few miles off the hwy towards Wildomar. Ortega Hwy has as I am sure you know claimed quite a few motorists over the years. Mostly motorcyclists these days but back in the day it was mostly vehicles with 4 wheels. Jeff Quote
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