1985 W350 Crew 4x4 Shortbed Conversion

(That 12v Cummins Engine)


(Timing Advanced on the VE Pump)


(New Process 205 Transfer Case)


(Transmission Pan - Yuk)


So getting the thing home I started looking at the totality of the truck. The 1990 Owners Manual indicated that the 12v was definitely from a 1990 Dodge, and the engine plate showed a manufacture date of 7/1989 which lined up. The dash must have come from the 1990 too, because the speedometer went to 100mph rather than just 85mph, a change that happened in 1990. The ODO didn't work but the seller told me it had broken not long ago and was estimated to be at 150,000 miles, showing 134k. The dash and HVAC were for an AC truck, and the 12v has an AC compressor on it. The radiator was new and has top driver's side output for an intercooled-style 12v, but the water neck on the engine is original and turned for a passenger's side rad output. There are 2 upper rad hoses clamped together to compensate. The VE pump appears to have been clocked forward 1/8" due to the little marks made on the back of the timing cover so I'm guessing the "free mods" have been done. Both front and rear axles had tags indicating 4.10 gears and they did check out as a Dana 60/70 combo. The transfer case leaks a little oil but otherwise did check out as a NP205. The transmission was a mystery. Being an auto trans at this point in time (1989-1990) it only made sense to be a 727. Buy why the heck would the axles be geared at 4.10 if that were the case, because anything other than the 3.07 D61/71 combo meant I'd be limited in top speed? There was no TPS on the engine, so maybe it was originally attached to a manual transmission? The axles were surely from the 1990 truck because they were definitely a D60/70 combo, heavy duty, which matched up for a Cummins truck but not for a gasser W100, which I think would have more than likely had a D44/60 combo. And I found a plate indicating that somewhere along the line this thing had a snow plow? Is that why the wiring seemed so sloppy, because it was removed? Is that why the transmission pan and crossmember look like they've been sprayed with salt spray so much, while the frame is otherwise in good shape?

Long story short, I found that the axles, at least the front axle, is a 1989 Dana 60, which differs from the 1990 due to the size of brake rotors and calipers. When I had asked, the seller told me he had gotten parts for a 1990 D70 axle when redoing it and the axles/suspension was from the 1990 swap. Wrong. (Seller didn't even do the D70 himself, the receipts show a different name - previous owner.) I originally bought parts for a 1990 D60 but found that the rotors and calipers just did not work. 1989 rotors and calipers did. (Side note, does anyone want to buy a set of unused AC Delco rotors for a 1990-up D60 axle? lol)

(Front Axle Teardown Has Begun)


(Down to the Knuckle... Next up, Kingpins)


(New Lug Studs!)


I obviously decided to tackle the front axle first. If I planned on using the axles as part of a swap into a larger-cab truck, might as well do a good job. So I tore the thing down completely. New bearings, races, kingpins, seals, tie-rod ends, lug studs, and I took down every piece to clean, degrease, wire brush/wheel, prep and paint with rust reformer base and then top coat. I even snagged an old dishwasher off Facebook Marketplace to convert into an automatic parts washer to get it all done right. I drained the front differential, inspected inside to find it good, and resealed/filled. For this process I very much utilized Tyler Ovens' video on Youtube to learn how to do it, so thanks to Tyler for that. This process took me about a month, which included working only evenings when it wasn’t raining, and downtime waiting on acquiring tools, or parts to come in the mail. Note, I broke 3 different breaker bars trying to get the kingpins off. In the end, we used the trick where you drill a hole in a piece of scrap steel and then weld it to the kingpin and use a 4lb sledge to smack it and loosen them up. To install new kingpins, if you need a piece of 7/8” hex stock on the cheap, just run to Menards and grab a 1” wide x 12” long cold chisel, and cut off a few inches from the top. It’s a perfect 7/8 hex stock – I believe it even says so on the hang tag – and will only run you a few dollars. I didn’t get as many pics of this process as I probably should have considering the amount of work I put into this axle. But it turned out very pretty. I painted the knuckles, calipers and diff cover with a hammered copper color, and the rest in gloss black after using rust reformer on it all.

(Axle Rebuilt & Painted)


(I was looking for clearance, contemplating crossover steering)


(Another view. I like that hammered copper paint)


With the axle done it was time to test drive. Brakes worked. The first highway test drive topped out at about 42 mph. I was starting to get a little frustrated at this point, and began looking at my transmission (and replacement transmissions) for answers. After a little more internet reading with some pictures, I discovered I've got a 47RH installed under there. The "webbing" on the exterior of the passenger side, the thicker adapter plate, the length of the transmission case, and the TV cable linkage all confirm this. So my friend and I found the 3-socket connector and traced the wires back into the engine box, and into the firewall. From there I traced the wiring to the cargo light switch and a secondary aftermarket switch that didn't seem to do anything. Long story short, after some more wire tracing (and connecting the loose tail ends to the battery ground), we found out that the cargo light switch was now the OD switch, and the aftermarket switch controlled lockup. After figuring that out, I can get the truck up and past 75 mph, but it’s still a chore on the 31” tires.


(Transmission case showing the "webbing" on the passenger side)


(Notice the much thicker adapter plate)


I found that the TV cable was actually seized, disallowing me to hit full throttle, so I had to replace it with a new Lokar cable. I tried to source the linkage for an A518/46rh but had no luck. So, I stuck with the cable and it seems to work fine. I also decided that I would like to get rid of the switches for OD and lockup, and rather have the trans be controlled by a standalone controller. Luckily the guys over at HGM Electronics started to redesign their Compushift Mini controller. I put in my name and number to be contacted when the new version is ready, and I actually just got a call in mid-February saying that they’re now back in stock. Once the weather warms up, the Compushift Mini is on the list of “to-buy” things.

At this point in late September, October and early November the weather started getting cold, turning to fall and winter. The project was on hold, except I started watching all kinds of videos and reading forums, facebook groups, etc. One of the video series I got onto was the 85 Crew Cab Swap from DEBOSS Garage. I really like the way Rich explains things, and that crew cab was looking awesome. So I abandoned the idea of finding a 70’s model Ford Supercab or Crew Cab, and turned my search toward a First Gen Dodge Crew Cab.

After several failed attempts to get one (you know, these things are getting harder to find nowadays), I was finally able to source almost exactly what I wanted. A 1985 W350 Crew Cab, 4x4 with D60 front and rear & NP205 t-case, 360 V8 engine, manual 4-speed transmission. This truck is super clean and straight. No rust. It was a California forestry service truck that had only recently made its way to Colorado. The box was replaced with a box from a 1986 donor, along with some other various extra parts. The interior is in excellent shape, and tan! Everything works. The suspension was recently changed to a Skyjacker Soft Ride 4” lift with lift springs all the way around (no blocks) and a single steering stabilizer kit.














This is where I’m at for now. The plan is to take apart the crew cab and work from the frame up for a complete restomod. I plan to get started once the weather gets warm again (I don’t have a huge shop or anything), and right now I’m still daily driving my diesel truck. In the meantime, I’ll try to get a checklist going of all the planned things to get done.


(Bringing it home)

Alright, the weather is getting nice so I'm itching to start on this swap. First things first, I noticed that my oil pressure was reading kind of low, and then dropping when I hit the accelerator. I figured it was probably my sending unit, so I grabbed a new Duralast sending unit and the specialty socket for it on my way home from work. It was actually a very quick job. Much easier to work in the space of a 1st gen than in the compact engine compartments of newer vehicles.

I know, some folks will say I should have spent more than $25 on the sending unit and got a Cummins brand. But this Duralast was made in Mexico, not China, says it's made to OEM specs, and carries a lifetime warranty. So if the vibrations kill it in a year, I'll just get a brand new one for free. Besides, once I complete the swap I may need to go a different route anyway because I'm planning to get new gauges.


(Old vs. New Oil Pressure Sending Unit. Old one looks a bit worn out, and I think also had a small oil leak)

9297oldram said:

No I think most would have said why not just put a gauge on that has numbers so that you can tell how many Lbs of oil pressure you actually have.

Click to expand...

That is the ultimate plan, for sure. But I couldn't get a gauge with numbers on it on my way home from work. I live in a very rural area. Going to have to order that online. At least this way I could tell that the sending unit was, in fact, going bad and leaking, and I replaced that part with something that works and doesn't leak to hold me over until I get this project really rolling along.

I say the thing about people saying I should get a Cummins-brand sending unit because when I was looking up the problem, I ran across several forum threads discussing the sending unit crapping out. In each thread the OP was mildly chastised for getting an "auto-parts" sending unit rather than the Cummins brand at 3x the cost. The Duralast will do the job and, like I said, I live in a rural area - so picking up a Cummins brand on my way home wasn't even an option.

But I was much happier seeing my oil pressure gauge, as crappy as the OEM gauge is, working the way the owner's manual says it's supposed to work.

Kmehr, I've got a folder with a bunch of bookmarked links to other people's build threads, and yours is in there too. Reading through them not only keeps me motivated, it also helps me avoid some pitfalls by leaning on the experience of others. Thanks!

As for progress, after being 60's and sunny on Friday, we had nothing but constant rain on Saturday and Sunday it just got cold again. But that didn't stop me from starting to take apart the front clip. Got the front hitch and bumper off, grill and headlights out, wipers, cowl and hood off, battery out, front fenders off and inner fenders off yesterday before it got dark and even colder on us. I want to get the core support and radiator out soon. Pics! (I know it doesn't look like a whole lot yet).


(Hood up, ready to begin)


(Hitch, bumper, grill & hood gone)


(Fenders removed, inner fenders were next)

Progress update! Front clip broken down fully. Took out the driveshafts and the seats. Fabbed a bracket for the ol' Daytona floor jack and took out the NP205 transfer case. Then pulled the 360 and 4-speed out. The rest of the interior (except dashboard) was next to go, and I sold the rear D60 axle so I had to pull that too. She's sitting kinda awkward for now, but I plan to pull the bed and cab next, and start working on cleaning and painting the frame, as well as prepping all the body for fresh paint and interior work.

I have a friend that's offered me a free set of four Mickey Thompson 33's but I need 17" wheels for them. I also plan to get some seats from a Ford Superduty, ideally with the front center console/jumpseat. I've always liked the Ford seats (I used to have a '98 F150), found them to be comfortable, and most importantly I love that the center console has cup holders and storage, yet still folds back up as a center seat if necessary. I saw some for sale at a great price last weekend, but was too late on the trigger and they sold. The search is on!


(Front clip fully removed)


(Seat removal)




(NP205 transfer case removed)


(Engine being pulled)




(Rear axle ready to load up)


(Remaining interior flooring removed. California Forestry Service green paint showing with just a bit of surface rust.)

Progress update! Over the past few weeks more has been done, even though it feels like not much. Here's what's happened:

(1) I removed the rear bumper (it's for sale) and also the tail lights, untangled the wiring harness, removed the fuel filler neck and took the bed off the frame. For now it's sitting on a couple sawhorses, strapped down to a small utility trailer.
(2) The tiny 3-ton jack stands on the rear of the truck just weren't going to do. I sold my rear axle too early, but couldn't pass up on a buyer, which is what put me in this predicament. I'd go ahead and swap my D70 to this frame, but that would just leave me with my '89 unable to drive. Timing just isn't right yet. So, I got some scrap heavy-duty square steel tubing and decided to make a couple major-heavy-duty jack stands. These should come in handy in the future too.
(3) I finished removing the interior - dashboard, brake booster, pedals, HVAC, and cleared everything else off the firewall. This also entailed removing the windshield and back glass.
(4) I completely washed the dash and HVAC ducts, broke down the HVAC box and removed all the gummed up, crumbling weatherstripping. It took quite a bit of cleaning on all this stuff because 30 years of caked-on dust sure doesn't just want to spray off. In the end, it looks brand new. I ordered a new heater core, and also a seal kit for the HVAC box and other firewall components from Detroit Muscle Technologies and I'd recommend taking a look at their offerings because the quality of the seals are great. I'll likely be installing them pretty soon.
(5) I removed all four doors, raised the cab up off the frame and onto a new set of sawhorses I built, brushed and shop-vac'd the interior floorboards and door jambs, and ran the pressure washer over the interior of the cab. I also pulled the frame out from under the cab, letting the rear springs ride along a 2x8 board which, surprisingly, slides pretty well in the driveway.
(6) I looked into the VE pump on my '89 truck (with the '90 Cummins) and removed the fuel pin for inspection. Looks like it has been ground down. I doubt any other modifications were made besides this and the "free mods" as it looks like everything else is stock.

Next, I need to work on the frame itself. It's actually in great condition with most of it still having paint on it. There's no scale rust at all, just some minor surface rust only in various areas. The plan is to go over it with an assortment of wire wheels and cups, pressure wash it with degreaser, and then paint it with Chassis Saver. I've been comparing different chassis paints, including POR-15, but for my application I believe the Chassis Saver is likely the best, economical option.



(Rear bumper and bed removed)


(Making major-heavy-duty jack stands)


(Jack stands put to use)



(Windshield and dash removed)



(HVAC and remaining firewall components removed)



(HVAC box getting broken down and cleaned up)



(Cab completely stripped and raised up on sawhorses.)


(Fuel pin from '89 truck with '90 Cummins 12v)

Good question! Unfortunately not a whole lot. The rest of the summer saw a lot of heat, and beginning of the school year for my kids meant I was either working, running for the kids, or crashed at home. I did do some research and some more work, and I'll have to make an updated post later when I can. Here's where we are from the last post though:

1) bought a Harbor Freight Soda Blaster for the exterior.
2) bought a '84 D150 Royal SE Prospector for parts. Even though it sat for at least 15 years, we got the 318 motor running and then pulled it, along with the transmission, and sold for a profit. Then I took out all the interior plastic trim and plan to grab some other things such as the auto tilt steering column, delay wiper switch, map light, etc.
3) researched frame coating and landed on Chassis Saver. Also began the breakdown of the frame, taking out all crossmembers and drilling out rivets so that I can media blast the entire thing before coating with Chassis Saver and refitting everything back together. Found some very light surface rust behind the rear hangers which justified the frame breakdown, which I was iffy on doing at first.
4) let insurance drop and license expire on the W250. It's now a farm truck only, won't see the road. It's fate is to be dismantled and eventually scrapped once I get the drivetrain and axles into the new frame, as it's a complete rust bucket. Transmission is starting to slip, leaks like a sieve. Transmission will need a rebuild and I anticipate rebuilding the 6BT as part of the conversion. Got my eye on a trans rebuild kit, and transfer case reseal kit is already acquired.

If it gets too cold to work outside, I can work on the upholstery of the seats. I also hope to get the engine and transmission pulled and into my shop for a winter rebuild. Time and money will tell.

Alright, time for an overdue update.

Been on a Coronacation, working half days instead of full time, which has given me some time and motivation to keep working on the ol' Crew Cab project. Where I left off, I was working on the frame. I'm still at that point, but also started working elsewhere. Let me explain... here's what's been done:

(1) Drilled, cut off, ground, etc. and punched rivets out of the frame, brackets and crossmembers. I'm still working on this, but only have the front crossmember and a couple brackets to go. The way the front crossmember is positioned, I can only get at the rivets with a drill. That's the most time-consuming method, but it does eventually yield results. My father-in-law is working on a Jeep playtoy project, and found a guy that did a complete sandblast on his frame for $150, which sounds pretty reasonable to me. So when I get these rivets all cleared out, I might go that route before the Chassis Saver paint and re-bolt back together. This needs to get done, though. I've been putting it off because this kind of work isn't much fun.

(2) I decided to get into tearing down the diesel truck. The transmission started slipping, BAD, making it hard to even use around the farm. The plan is for a full rebuild of that, but first I needed to just get it in the garage and start tearing it down, and that's just what I did. The rusted-out front fenders got tossed into the rusted out bed, which was removed from the frame along with the rusted-out cab. I saved bits and bobs, all the glass and the doors, and most of the interior that I found useful. This left me with a powertrain on a frame, which I eventually started breaking down as well. Radiator looks pretty new, so I'm keeping it. Got a deal on Facebook for an OEM trans cooler with bracket and lines (probably won't use the lines). Got another deal a long time ago for a couple throttle position sensors with the bracket, which my truck didn't have, but which will be nice to use with the 47RH.

(3) I degreased with purple power and CRC degreaser, and power-washed everything (it's still dirty). Eventually got the NP205 pulled off, and the 47RH pulled off. The plastic plug covering the hole where the barring tool goes into the trans adapter plate... well, it got wrecked. It was like a hard plastic, not a rubber plug, and it broke, with part going into the trans adapter. This eventually came out when I got the transmission separated from the engine.






(Frame, nearly as it sits (front axle has since been removed - still for sale) waiting to be completely tore apart, blasted and painted)


(Front crossmember rivets - ugh)




(Bringing in the diesel for teardown)




(Power washed the powertrain)

THEN, I started teardown of the engine while everything was on the frame. A big, rolling engine stand, haha. Later I got the NP205 off, 47RH off and the 6BT onto an engine stand, and rolled the frame out of the garage and out of the way. The garage is still a mess, but I'm getting it sorted a little better. Some things that happened...

1) Pulled the injection lines, fuel pump, injectors, valve covers, turbo and exhaust manifold off the engine. I made sure the engine was at TDC, then I pulled the fan off, belt, timing cover, injection pump gear, vacuum pump and injection pump. The plan is to replace the vacuum pump per jimbo486's thread and power steering pump per thrashingcow's thread while doing a hydroboost setup. I got a screaming deal on a new vacuum pump via RockAuto (wholesaler clearance, last one remaining, over 50% off normal price) and was a bit confused at the protrusion on the timing case gear, as compared to the old pump's gear. No matter, the timing case is made to fit this protrusion perfectly, so it still works.

1.5) Before pulling the head off the engine block, I found that the ear of the upper water neck housing cracked and broke off (see picture). I had planned to replace the water neck and thermostat housing with a newer style that points toward the driver's side to properly use with the cross-flow radiator, but this piece that broke was on the head where that new housing would bolt to. This prompted a decision... I could have a buddy use a nickel filler rod and tig weld that broken tab back on, and then pay to have the head decked, and pay an extra $45 for injector sleeves since it's a 9mm non-intercooled head and all the injector nozzles/rebuilds I can find are for the newer 7mm injectors, or... I can see about getting a new head. Guy not to far from me was selling 18 of them on Facebook marketplace and eBay, and I was able to work out a cash deal with local pickup that was less than the price of the machine work and sleeves for the old head. (Machinist actually told me that was the better way to go too.) Sure I went from a head made in West Germany to one made in China, but it was made by DCEC (Cummins) and came ready to go and loaded with new valves, retainers and springs. I'll still have to replace the springs with a set of 60lb over Cummins brand springs that I purchased from PoorMansDiesel (part #3916691 x 12) and have my rockers milled for the use of ARP headstuds, so the machinist will still have some work to do from me.

The pistons and cylinders didn't look too bad. There had been a slight headgasket leak on cyl 6, and it had a little bit of water on top of the piston, but everything looked good. Plenty of carbon buildup but no real discernible ridge in the cylinders. They're a little more shiny/glazed than I want, but you can still see the crosshatch. Looks just like you'd expect a Cummins with roughly 150k miles to look. The plan here is to replace the bearings & rings, re-hone the cylinders, and call it good.

2) I did a complete teardown of the injection pump. The resources on the web that explain how to do this are scattered all over the place, with a lot of dead links, but ultimately if you're pulling the pump and have the engine at TDC it's not as difficult or risky as people make it sound. A couple of the best resources I found are 1stGen545's thread and Mike's 1993 Dodge Cummins Truck Blog (from the landing point of this blog link, click "previous page" to cycle through the entries regarding his VE pump, as they are posted in reverse chronological order as per a blog format). After tearing down the injection pump almost completely, I decided to use that Harbor Freight soda blaster to remove all the old, thick, bubbling black paint that was all over the place. The soda blaster did a dang good job at it, too. I polished up the copper and zinc coated steel parts with a tiny wire wheel on a dremel (and so far I've destroyed 3 of those wheels and counting), taped off stuff I didn't want to paint, and used self-etching primer on the cast aluminum injection pump case before finishing off with Rustoleum gloss black engine enamel (not only heat resistant, but also fuel & oil resistant to keep the paint from bubbling up).

3) I have purchased a new THD fuel pin and 3800 rpm governor spring, along with a THD hvlp fuel pump when Eric offered 50% off for 36 hours on his Facebook group page. Also used the promo code "decent1stgen" for an extra 10% off, and I recommend you go check out the guy's YouTube page - he's just a regular guy fixing up his trucks, so the content is very relatable. I also broke down and purchased the Bosch specialty socket kit for the VE pump, because I can't get the 3-sided plug off the rear housing to replace that last o-ring without the special sockets, and I don't want to cram on a 12-point socket on the other two 12.6mm 3-sided retaining bolts on the sides in order to get them back on and torqued to the correct spec.

Next on the schedule is: a) tear down, clean up, paint and reseal the NP205; (b) finish the Crew Cab frame tear-down, blast and paint with Chassis Saver, top coat with gloss black enamel, and get my axles swapped from the single-cab frame to the Crew Cab frame; (c) tear down, clean up, rebuild and paint the 47RH; (d) Finish the rebuild on the 12v, adding a new water pump, new ac compressor. I think I'm going to keep my oil pump as it looks nearly brand new with no wear whatsoever, and I was never having any oil pressure problems outside replacing the oil pressure sensor. Pics to follow!




(Pulled this nasty-looking VE pump and the timing/woodruff key had been mangled - THD hooked me up with a brand new replacement)






(Started the engine teardown - the KDP had NOT been tabbed)


(This is the ear off the old head that broke off; it can and still will be tig welded back on)




(Vacuum pump timing case gear comparison, old flat vs. new protrusion)


(Rockers & Lifters pulled from the head; Rockers still need milled for ARP studs)




(Old head)










(Engine block with head removed, cylinder inspection, crosshatch)




(I'm going to need to fab a better transmission mount...)


(This little groove in the sealing surface of the trans/transfer case had me confused, but it's supposed to be there. My rear transmission seal was obviously leaking trans fluid)


(Getting things separated)

(Made this little mount for my injection pump; hardly used it once I got going on tearing the pump down, but maybe I'll use it more when doing reassembly)








(Injection pump teardown)








(Soda blasted and taped the VE pump housing and misc. parts)