88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis frame swap

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Crisd
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88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis frame swap

Post by Crisd »

In researching the best five speed automatic transmission I could mate up to my AMC 360 in my ‘88 Grand Wagoneer I came to the conclusion, after much research, that the total cost was more than I wanted to spend just for a trans swap. So plan B is to swap my Wagoneer body onto a chassis that already has everything I want. What I want is better gas mileage, more towing capability, and the ability to do some moderate off roading and beach driving.

I decided on using a Gen2 Dodge Ram 2500 with the 5.9 V8. I bought a 2000 2500, 4X4, regular cab with a 5 speed manual transmission for $3,000.

I thought some may find this interesting. As the days, weeks, months, of this swap continues I will post my work. Enjoy.

The plan: buy lots of zip lock baggies, painters tape, a couple of sharpie pens, and several 5 gallon buckets. Measure Wagoneer and Ram wheel base. Order aluminum three row 1970 Dodge Challenger radiator… aluminum radiators take months to get! Order Gen3 front brake calipers and rotors, order GM 1 ton rear wheel cylinder.

On both vehicles sitting in my drive way…

Day 1: Buy engine power wash spray cans and soak the engine and everything under the vehicles. Power wash both vehicles at car wash, clean under both vehicles and in the engine bay. Spend an entire day soaking EVERY nut and bolt with break free and let sit for at least 24 hours. Spend an entire day labeling everything… EVERYTHING. Take pictures of everything before removal.
Day 2: Remove battery. Remove hood, fenders, bumpers, tow hitch, grill, headlights, cut off Ram left wheel well to install on G.W. (wheel-well is needed to place battery on the driver’s side, keep battery bracket).
Day 3 and 4: Remove ECU (Ram), recover refrigerant and remove ac lines, remove radiator and hoses, remove fan and clutch assembly, remove heater hoses, drain fuel lines and remove fuel tank, open brake lines and catch fluid in jar, remove rear driveshafts, disconnect steering shaft near the fire wall, remove windshield wipers and wiper motor, remove power brake booster (after removing interior processes)
Day 5 and 6: Inside of both, remove both front seats, remove dash (Ram forums say that it will disintegrate when removing so don’t waste your time being gentle), disconnect throttle cable, power brake rod, and clutch rod (Ram), remove parking brake line, disconnect steering column shifter linkage under the body (GW), the shifter (Ram). While under the body remove all the bolts on the body mounts, remove ALL the exhaust from the Ram (new headers and dual exhaust will be installed in the future), and remove 4x4 linkage.
Day 7: Remove pedal assembly, all HVAC stuff. Spend rest of time making sure everything is disconnected to lift body off frames and gut interior of both vehicles 100%. Pull all wiring through the fire wall. Unbolt G.W. rear frame mount/bumper assembly for later use.
Day 8: Get 8 friends to come over and lift both bodies of frame using 2ea, 4×4 lumber / 16’ long slid under the bodies, one in front, one in back. Set both bodies on wood saw horses made from 4×4 lumber.
Day 9: With the chassis now fully exposed, do all maintenance (such as replacing distributor cap that can’t be reached for crap because it’s in the back of the engine and PVC, replace timing chain, water pump, intake plenum gasket, drill out all broken bolts, (because the engine has 200,000 miles on it).
Day 10: Prop up Ram frame with 8 jack stands or wood stands. Each in front of and behind each wheel on the frame. Remove rear rear leaf spring bolts and remove front rear leaf spring bolts. Remove all the rivets from the rear leaf spring front mount. Remove frame rivets. Remove cross brace. Cut Ram frame 25.5 inches. Roll rear-end forward until you have the correct wheel base, use clamps to hold frame together, check wheel base… twice three times, clamp solid. Drill new holes and bolt frame together with front leaf spring mount. Re-attach rear leaf spring bolts. Check wheel base again, if good, measure for new driveshaft length, bring drive shaft to be cut and balanced, let them install new joints.
Day 11: Modify new fuel tank to fit (keep in mind drive shaft space) and install new fuel tank. Move frame cross bracing to necessary location to hold up fuel tank, bolt in.
Day 12: Record on a piece of paper how high each G.W. body mount sits above the driveway. When welding new mounts on the Ram frame you need to know how high each should be in relation to each other.
Day 13: Do stuff I forgot to plan for. Install headers.
Day 14: Install drive shaft. Drain and replace transmission and transfer-case fluid. It’s a pain normally so it should be easy with no body.
Day 15: Install full 3” exhaust system. Run fuel and brake lines. Cut off all body mount perches.
Day 16: Bring friends back over and set G.W. body onto the Ram frame, use wood blocks as temporary body mounts to level body on frame. Look at glorious vision and drink beer.
Day 17: Weld Ram in body mounts to mate up with G.W. body locations. Front mounts will have to be fabricated from steel plate.
Day 18: Make front body mount/bumper brackets.
Day 19: Weld in drivers side wheel-well. Cut, move, weld parking brake bracket. Bleed brakes. Do misc. stuff.
Day 20: Install pedal assembly, steering wheel column, hook up brakes, clutch, accelerator cable. Install windshield wiper motor, linkage, and wiring.
Day 21: Install G.W. (metal only) dash. Install Ram HVAC.
Day 22: Start pulling all the Ram wiring through the firewall and begin hooking up everything.
Day 23: Start connecting all ground wires. Make new ground wires and connect them from frame to body. Make a few more and install them too just for good measure.
Day 24: Run Ram wires for the headlights and tail lights. Cut/splice wires as necessary. Install Ram door chime buttons in door sill.
Day 25: Connect HVAC lines. Pull vacuum and recharge. Weld in G.W. rear body cross brace to Ram frame. Install rear bumper. Install tow hitch.
Day 26: Install Gen3 front brake calipers and rotors and GM 1 ton wheel cylinder. Bleed brakes.
Day 27: Move charcoal canister from middle of frame to under the hood. Re-install front end sheet metal. Install head lights.
Day 28: Finish installing dash wiring and instrument cluster, do misc. stuff.
Day 29: Re-install all the interior.
Day 30: Drive and enjoy.
Last edited by Crisd on Fri Jun 25, 2021 5:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Black '88 on shortened Dodge Ram 2500HD chassis
Gray '88 LS ECU swap project
Green '91 all stock except vacuum hose mod
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Stuka
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Stuka »

We have had a Waggy put onto a Ram 1500 chassis, I think this may be the first 2500 swap (on this forum anyway).

I think your time line is very ambitious, but look forward to following along.
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SJTD
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by SJTD »

I think it was Jaber who put a J-Something on a Diesel Ram frame. Do Some searching here or on the other site. Had to shorten the frame but I don't remember the details on mounts, etc.
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Yeller
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Yeller »

That’s the kind of pace I usually do lol. I don’t do it on purpose, it just happens :roll:

my last full big build had a 2 year time line . 3 months later it was done and driving. It included a hand built chassis, suspension, heavily modified body, wired, plumbed, full cage and paint. Yes I have a day job, and no I didn’t sleep. So it’s possible.

PS can’t wait to see details.
The bus I ride is so short it is a yellow Smart Car full of squirrels, monkeys and clowns.

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https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewt ... 12&t=21395

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https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threa ... st-3411909
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Stuka
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Stuka »

SJTD wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 6:31 pm I think it was Jaber who put a J-Something on a Diesel Ram frame. Do Some searching here or on the other site. Had to shorten the frame but I don't remember the details on mounts, etc.
Oh you are right, he did put his J-Truck onto a 2500 frame.

Here is the build thread for it: https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewto ... f=15&t=224
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Topic author
Crisd
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Crisd »

I was surprised how rusted out the floor pan of the Dodge was for a southern vehicle.

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Black '88 on shortened Dodge Ram 2500HD chassis
Gray '88 LS ECU swap project
Green '91 all stock except vacuum hose mod

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Crisd
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Crisd »

Is there a better way of posting a pic on this site than the way I just did?
Black '88 on shortened Dodge Ram 2500HD chassis
Gray '88 LS ECU swap project
Green '91 all stock except vacuum hose mod

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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Crisd »

Here is the size difference between the Ram tank and the GW tank. I'm going to use a 1997 Ford Explorer tank because it has the tank inlet and over flow on the end and the fuel sender unit is in the correct location in relation to the GW tank.
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Last edited by Crisd on Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Black '88 on shortened Dodge Ram 2500HD chassis
Gray '88 LS ECU swap project
Green '91 all stock except vacuum hose mod
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Stuka »

Crisd wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 11:23 am Is there a better way of posting a pic on this site than the way I just did?
If attaching the images, you can copy the link of the attached image and put it in img tags. I did this for you on your post above, if you go to edit it, you can see how I did it. Really simple.

The other option is to host the images on an image hosting site, and then put the links to them in img tags here.
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Crisd
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Crisd »

Pulling the harness, lifting the body off and setting it on the Ram frame.

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Black '88 on shortened Dodge Ram 2500HD chassis
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Crisd »

For sale, big ass front bumper, fits 2nd Gen Dodge.
Black '88 on shortened Dodge Ram 2500HD chassis
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Stuka »

That bumper is something else!
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by rocklaurence »

This is sooo Cool! And your making great progress. The Cattle Catcher bumper needs to go :D

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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Crisd »

Not all the pictures are in order but basically I knocked out all the rivets out of the front leaf spring mount and off the top and bottom of the frame in that location then the frame drops into two sections. I cut off 25 and a half inches, pulled the back up to the front and slid the two pieces together over lapping, clamped and drilled new holes then bolted everything back together. Some pictures show fresh black paint over where I just took a disc and cleaned the rust off. I painted it right away because I didn't want flash rust to form.

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Last edited by Crisd on Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:03 pm, edited 8 times in total.
Black '88 on shortened Dodge Ram 2500HD chassis
Gray '88 LS ECU swap project
Green '91 all stock except vacuum hose mod

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Crisd
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Crisd »

the long wheel base is the before pics, I don't feel like moving them up a post.

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Last edited by Crisd on Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:49 am, edited 6 times in total.
Black '88 on shortened Dodge Ram 2500HD chassis
Gray '88 LS ECU swap project
Green '91 all stock except vacuum hose mod

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Crisd
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Crisd »

progress cont.
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Black '88 on shortened Dodge Ram 2500HD chassis
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Green '91 all stock except vacuum hose mod
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Stuka »

Ahh, you are doing it a bit different than the build I listed above. In the one that I linked, they cut the frame in half and shortened it. Looks like you are moving the rear axle forward and chopping off the back?

I missed some photos, disregard this.
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by bigun »

Watching this
There was a guy on you tube back east who had a supply of hemi powered Dodge vehicles something about one of the seams causing the upper body to rust out. Anyway he would leave the dash and floor board on the donor frame then set the other body on top said it was easier than trying to run all the wires

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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Crisd »

Bigun, I had considered that. My donor had a rusted out floorboard but using the firewall may have been easier. But then matching up the firewall to under the windshield would just be a new and different challenge. I'd love to watch how he had done it, do you have a link?
Black '88 on shortened Dodge Ram 2500HD chassis
Gray '88 LS ECU swap project
Green '91 all stock except vacuum hose mod

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Crisd
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Re: 88 Waggy on Gen2 Ram 2500 chassis

Post by Crisd »

Stuka wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:07 pm Ahh, you are doing it a bit different than the build I listed above. In the one that I linked, they cut the frame in half and shortened it. Looks like you are moving the rear axle forward and chopping off the back?
No, re-read the narrative above the first picture posted today.
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1. Knock out rivets. 2. Measure 25.5 inches from end of front frame rail (with rivets out, the frame drops into two pieces) and make one cut. 3. Move the two pieces back together and use the rear frame rail holes as a pattern to drill new frame bolt holes in the front piece. Bolt together.
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Black '88 on shortened Dodge Ram 2500HD chassis
Gray '88 LS ECU swap project
Green '91 all stock except vacuum hose mod
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