68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

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Mudbull
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Sorry Atla, none of the build, I can get some up-close pics of the completed bumper though...

I havnt done much with the truck in the past several weeks, ive been busy with my car and with life. I did however develop a fuel leak at the tank (weld cracked from vibrations/big bump) that I will try to fix memorial day weekend. I put an offer on a home so all funds have shifted to that until I hear about it (its a shortsale so no telling how long itll take).

While ive been sitting here I started thinking about where I want to be with this truck in the future, the answer was that more recently ive wanted/needed a vehicle that can seat more than two people. Ive thought about just buying a new truck, but I don't have the room for another vehicle, and don't want the Gladiator to sit not being used. So, my (current) idea is to do this charade all over again: Buy a donor Cummins Ram, modify the frame, buy a Wagoneer, drop the body on it. Im going to keep the Dana 80 rear and NV5600 6spd for the Wagoneer. When were all done ill be selling the Gladiator.

That was just an idea, well see how it pans out in the coming months. Until then I need to rebuild my cars transmission, and Ill probably finish the interior on the truck a bit more. I'm just glad lovebug season is over!

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68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Mudbull
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Haven't done much in the past couple months, i got my speedometer to finally work, the tachometer still isn't getting a signal for some reason though. I started on some small interior things: I finally made some door panels , and I put a 6x9 speaker in the dash. One of these weekends I need to go home to pick the old head unit up to install.
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I'm still waiting on closing on my home before investing any big money on the interior or a/c. I've done some thinking about what I said about making a cummins wagoneer, in the end that's not what I'm looking for, maybe somewhere down the road I'll buy a newer cummins 4dr ram.
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

MJMadness
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by MJMadness »

I'm curious why you chose to move the engine back, rather than the front axle forwards? Was it not going to be possible to move the front axle that much without running into major complications?
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Mudbull
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

MJMadness wrote:I'm curious why you chose to move the engine back, rather than the front axle forwards? Was it not going to be possible to move the front axle that much without running into major complications?
Since the front end uses coil springs the pockets would have to be moved, the panhard bar connection, etc...as well as all of the steering box on the frame. Moving th engine is just two new mounts and weld two plates to the fre for the trans mount. Secondly the engine weighs 1000lbs+, transmission and transfer case are probably 500lbs total, we figured if we could get the weight distributed better than how dodge had it cantilevered over the front axle, maybe it would handle better and the front might not sink as deep into the mud. I wish we pushed it back another 2-3 inches so a bigger radiator and fan would fit. With that being said the truck never gets over 180deg on a 100deg day going down the highway, the fan cools it down to 170 in traffic if need be.
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Mudbull
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Nothing fun going on, I replaced the head gasket the other week because it was pressurizing the coolant system. I didn't do any work to the head but it checked out flat, I had the injectors checked and they were good too. I'm amazed at how the machining marks are still on the block and head after ~300,000mi.

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I went on my first 'long trip' after the HG change to my dads shop 120mi each way today to pick up my tig welder; it ran flawlessly.

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I have some work to do on my car-putting a four link in and rebuilding it's transmission. After this I'll be putting my truck up for sale and looking for a 3rd gen 4dr 6spd cummins. Sadly I don't have the room for three vehicles and I feel like I need a 4dr vehicle more and more...
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Mudbull
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Well, it happened again, another clueless driver had to bump into me...I was in the left lane driving past some traffic That was in the right, someone stopped in traffic in the right lane 'waved' a guy to make a u-turn. The guy u-turning listened to the guy stopped in traffic and pulled out when I was maybe 50' away. I don't know how he didn't see me, unless he was solely looking at the guy waving. I scrubbed some speed before hitting him, but not enough. The U-turner was liable for damages, so now I need to wait for a claims adjuster and start looking for parts.

I don't know the 'Kelly blue book' price that they're going to use, but I'm a little worried about what they'll say (by either not giving me enough money, or by totaling it), for what it's worth the police report estimates it at $4k damage.

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It was a good feeling that a few guys I've met in the area wo are into cars or did a cummins swap themselves stopped as they were driving by to see how I was. No bangs or scratches, just some bent metal
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Gumby
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Gumby »

That sucks man, I hope the estimate is way more than you think. I would tell the adjuster to get the estimate and go from there.
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68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Stuka »

Man that sucks! Hope the dish guy won't be driving for them anymore.


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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Thanks guys, I'm calling the insurance company tomorrow morning to try to get the ball rolling.

The Dish network guy was young, he claims it was his first traffic offense, he told me Dish and their insurance company are slimey, trying to get out of paying for anything. He told me of an incident where the dish truck rear ended a car, the insurance company found the rear-ended car had a stolen vin# on the engine block, so they didn't pay for any damages in that accident. I have a paper trail for anything non-jeep, so I have no worries, other than a lengthy legal dispute.
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Stuka »

Sounds like they like to spend more on layer fees than insurance claim fees.
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Mudbull
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

The claims adjuster came, he was a 3rd party agent and sounded pretty fair, he knew his stuff and -at the least- made me think I had a shot of getting the amount I need to put the pieces back to how they were before the accident. He said the report will be at the insurance agency in a week, so we will see. Until then he gave me the all clear to take the front end apart.

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68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear
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Mudbull
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Well it's been a fun weekend, things couldn't be going much smoother: Rocklaurence and I met up at his shop and he showed me his parts inventory. Honestly I think the parts have less rust than the panels that were in the accident. Thanks for helping me out rocky, I'm sure I'll need to get with you for some other odds and ends when I'm further along.

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I also picked up a new radiator, as I might have said before, I've never had any overheating issues, never seen the temp gauge go over 185 on the highway pulling a couple thousand pounds. But while I'm in here I want to fix what I see as 'wrong'. The stock cummins ram radiator is 1600cu.in., (amazingly) the old c4 corvette radiator I was using was only 500cu.in. I bought a new radiator meant for a 90's chevy 6.5 diesel truck, it comes in at 1300cu.in.. After looking at things i don't think i need to do any extreme bodywork to make the new radiator fit, so far all I've had to do is notch the frame rails 1.5" down to clear the hood and will have to make my own core support to fill in the rest of the gaps, but I'm amazed how well it fits (I just hope I can still fit a condenser somewhere). There is also some slight rubbing on the valance still to address, so I'm thinking of cutting it on the centerline and accentuating its V shape (when looking overhead) to get the clearance I need.

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68' Gladiator
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68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Stuka »

Is this radiator taller than an old ram one? Or did you have to notch the frame because the FSJ hood is lower?


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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Well in hindsight they are actually the same dimensions...but the factory ram radiator I believe is copper (mine was anyways), I think the thinner aluminum is what made the c4 radiator work with less volume

Here is the website I was using to play around with radiator dimensions:
http://www.yourautocoolingsource.com/site/823209/
68' Gladiator
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6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by SJTD »

NOOOOO!

Not a late hood!

Unless you're putting on a Razor?
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

I'll be putting it back exactly how it was before the accident, with the exception of the bigger radiator and hopefully finishing up the AC system
68' Gladiator
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Stuka »

Mudbull wrote:I'll be putting it back exactly how it was before the accident, with the exception of the bigger radiator and hopefully finishing up the AC system
I think what he means is the later hoods are different than rhino grill hoods. It will work, but it wont be a nice tight fit like the early hoods.
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by SJTD »

Yeah, it's one of my "things". They just don't look right.
Sic friatur crustulum

'84 GW with Nissan SD33T, early Chev NV4500, 300, narrowed Ford reverse 44, narrowed Ford 60, SOA/reversed shackle in fornt, lowered mount/flipped shackle in rear.
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Mudbull
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by Mudbull »

Ah, I see! that bothers me too, but beggars can't be choosers, I 'cracked' the valance out to gain more room for the radiator and fan, so the grille will need to be modified anyways.

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I'm confident I can modify the hood to fit tighter to the rhino grille, I can make it all look 'natural'

On top of all this I almost had another accident-someone stopped in the middle of the intersection after they and I were both past the white line on a yellow light (short left turn light). So im done daily driving older vehicles, 3 accidents in 3 years (none caused by me) and I'm sick of backtracking to fix damages caused by other peoples actions. As soon as we're done rebuilding this truck I'm going to put it up for sale, buy a newer cummins ram, and start looking for a new project do do on the side.
68' Gladiator
p-pumped Cummins
6spd, D60 Front, D80 Rear

SJTD
Posts: 1924
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Re: 68 Gladiator-Cummins+6spd, some 1 ton fun!

Post by SJTD »

Seems to me the insurance company owes you a hood that fits if it has to be shipped from Alaska, not just any Jeep truck hood. Otherwise why not an XJ hood?

Always a dilemma having an old vehicle; if you can't drive it why own it?
Sic friatur crustulum

'84 GW with Nissan SD33T, early Chev NV4500, 300, narrowed Ford reverse 44, narrowed Ford 60, SOA/reversed shackle in fornt, lowered mount/flipped shackle in rear.
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