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

[Iceman0502]

The truck looks great.

I like how your shifter comes through the floor boards.
Would you mind taking a picture of your linkage setup? Id really appreciate it.

Did you have to modify the stock shifter or that is were it fell in place?

[Mudbull]

Thanks!...Sorry, I had posted a reply earlier but it doesn't seem to have stuck. the transmission shifter is a stock NV5600 piece, no modifications except for the new hole in the tunnel sheetmetal. The transfer case shifter is modified, but it used to bolt to an automatic trans, so if the stock tcase shifter came with the transmission id bet it wouldn't need to be modified either.

Ill take some under-cab pictures when I get home Friday.

[Mudbull]

Here is the transfer case linkage, stock auto mechanism on a fabricated bracket.



The fronts coming together, wiring is 2/3 finished, need to wire the steering column still, and the lights, but the gauges are almost complete.

[Mudbull]

The steering column wiring needs to be done but the lights are wired. I removed the injector lines to be stripped and clear coated, also touched up the paint on the engine. im thinking if painting the valve covers grey? We need to pull the turbo and clock the housing so that the discharge is facing the drivers side. I also need to install my egt probe then too. So next time will be more wiring, and tigging an old aluminum radiator to fit the grille opening.

[Mudbull]

Ill update this post with more and/or different pics to follow later today.

Last night I helped my dad mount the doors and hood, wiring is nearly complete w/ only about 5 more wires to go. I pressure tested the fuel tank and only found 3-4 pinhole leaks, not too bad considering the hole that it originally had haha.

[Resbum]

Wow, very very nice. I need to get back on the ball and catch up with you.

My short break has turned into six weeks of helping my parents with the exterior of their house. My dad's pushing 80 and just can't do the things he used to. Now, when my truck is done, I can move to Oregon knowing their house is good for another 20 years.

Keep up the good work. You must be drooling to drive it, you're so close.

[Mudbull]

Thanks Resbum! There are a lot of things that should and do take precedence over this obsession, its good to take a break and remember why your doing what you are with the truck.

Here are a couple more pics (although not the best):

Fuel lines are clear coated w/ high temp engine paint. Theres a bit of corrosion on the lines, but the anodizing looked too good to cover up completely. you also cant see it, but the turbo is clocked vertically, and the egt and boost sensors are installed now.

the fuel tank passed the pressure testing and is ready to be mounted next weekend. The plan is to get the truck running in a couple weeks (radiator mount being the major holdup) and put a few miles on it while the bed is getting squared away and painted.

[Mudbull]

My dad painted the valve covers, I thought grey would break up the black under the hood. This shot also shows the EGT probe in the manifold and the injector lines a bit better.


Im still on the lookout for a radiator that will fit the front of this truck. it either needs to be no bigger than 24x15x2 or it can be 20(?)x20(+)x2 (so that it can sit next to the steering box between the frame rails.

[Resbum]

.
Freakin' woke up at 3AM and couldn't get back to sleep. Nothing better to do, so I went surfing for radiators.

Check these out. Performance Radiator search page link. search box upper right corner of page. Type in "Radiator ###"
https://shop.performanceradiator.com/in ... ommon/home

# 331 70's camaro
# 397 70's F-series
# 583cbr 70's-80's Jeep CJ This one looks like a perfect fit

[Mudbull]

Thanks Resbum,

I did a bit more research before settling on a Dodge Dakota radiator-they can be bought at any local parts depots and it gains me back a few fractions of an inch between the engine and grille. Even though it is smaller than the stock jeeps radiator, im hoping that it can cool the cummins, it cooled a 5.2 gas engine so im hoping it will work.

I also severely underestimated the fittings I need for the fuel system. So another summit order and im hoping that will be everything I need.

Lastly we routed the serp. belt to see what needs to be done for the ac compressor relocation. there needs to be a idler below the radiator hose, but that's it.

[ross80truck]

Wow, everything looks great! I came across this thread on a 4bt forum about relocating the AC bracket. Take a look. Maybe it will give you some ideas at least.

http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthrea ... -c-bracket

[Mudbull]

Thanks for the link, I think ill stick w/ my idea bc I don't think I have enough clearance at the side of the block.
I got the fuel system in today any bumped the starter, hopefully Ill have a video of it running tonight...
Unfortunately though, I got the radiator and the dims are not what they said they were on the internet, so im still looking for a rad.



The bed is off to get finished up too

[Mudbull]

went back out and started it for the first time , it took about 30 seconds of cranking and it started rite up. Hopefully this video works, this is how painless the first start was...The injector line return banjo fitting has a bit of a leak-that's all we could see!




Checked the fitment of the seats, im 6'5" so I need all the leg/head room I can get, it shouldn't be bad... the seat tracks are removed for now, we had to shave ~2" off the total bench width to make the ram seats fit.

[Mudbull]

I cut down and tigged up the turbo elbow so that it can clear the hood. The Ram seats are roughed in, the center seat is going to have to be made from scratch, it sits too high, but I will be keeping the stock console. We started the truck up again, I updated the video in my previous post to a higher quality one. The power steering works perfectly, but the headlights seem to have developed an issue (keep blowing fuses).

[twisted frame]

Your truck looks awesome. I couldn't play the video for some reason but it's great to see this thing come so far along. The dash looks especially good!

[Mudbull]

Thanks! I forget I have a youtube account, if the photobucket didn't work, maybe this will (otherwise you aren't missing too much haha).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmMifUOTkrY[/youtube]

[depogrig]

Really interested to see how the intercooler works. Have you thought about getting operating egt numbers with and without the air-to-water? Great work so far, really impressive

[TUDrewser]

I totally love this project. Very nice work and I'm a little jealous!!!

[Gumby]

Great work on the project... just makes me wish more to get one started, I love these diesel swaps. Can't wait to see it on the road.

[Mudbull]

Thanks guys! im staying up in Lakeland this weekend collecting parts from my friends & the salvage yard, but my dads been welding the bed up so we can put it on next weekend to check where we want the fenders to be.