94 Ram Sport - wrecked, now what to do?
#1
10-14-2004, 03:39 AM
94 Ram Sport - wrecked, now what to do?
Hi all,
My '94 Dodge RAM has been a set of wheels into which I have poured $$$ over the past year, trying to "do it right" and make the truck as reliable as possible. I really like the truck, but it just took out 100 feet of fence, 7 wooden fence posts and an old dead tree. The upside is that the truck was still running when it went up onto the flatbed tow truck - didn't even damage the cooling system or A/C. However, the damage, it's a plenty.
The downside is that a)the entire doghouse is trashed, along with damage to both doors, cracked windshield, damage to the left of the bed, some cosmetic damage to the drivers door, and there is some frame damage to at least the radiator mount on the driver's side, b)the tranny was just rebuilt professionally (cost me $1600) about 2000 miles ago, and c)we just recently switched to liability-only insurance since my son's insurance rate was running at approximately 1/4th the truck value per year. Oh... the airbag deployed too.
Around here, doghouses are running between $1200 and $2000, and that doesn't include the door, windshield, bed, etc. The truck ran great (though the valve stem seals needed replacement) even though it had 150k miles. Frame straightening sounds like $700 based on a couple of estimates.
Should I part the thing out, sell it outright, or repair it? If I could find another truck in reasonable condition without a drivetrain, I'd consider doing a "heart transplant", but I don't know where to look. What would this thing be worth now? I have photos available, if anyone is interested...
If you have any thoughts, please drop me an email or post here. Thanks...
Randy O'Neal
randy_oneal@adelphia.net
My '94 Dodge RAM has been a set of wheels into which I have poured $$$ over the past year, trying to "do it right" and make the truck as reliable as possible. I really like the truck, but it just took out 100 feet of fence, 7 wooden fence posts and an old dead tree. The upside is that the truck was still running when it went up onto the flatbed tow truck - didn't even damage the cooling system or A/C. However, the damage, it's a plenty.
The downside is that a)the entire doghouse is trashed, along with damage to both doors, cracked windshield, damage to the left of the bed, some cosmetic damage to the drivers door, and there is some frame damage to at least the radiator mount on the driver's side, b)the tranny was just rebuilt professionally (cost me $1600) about 2000 miles ago, and c)we just recently switched to liability-only insurance since my son's insurance rate was running at approximately 1/4th the truck value per year. Oh... the airbag deployed too.
Around here, doghouses are running between $1200 and $2000, and that doesn't include the door, windshield, bed, etc. The truck ran great (though the valve stem seals needed replacement) even though it had 150k miles. Frame straightening sounds like $700 based on a couple of estimates.
Should I part the thing out, sell it outright, or repair it? If I could find another truck in reasonable condition without a drivetrain, I'd consider doing a "heart transplant", but I don't know where to look. What would this thing be worth now? I have photos available, if anyone is interested...
If you have any thoughts, please drop me an email or post here. Thanks...
Randy O'Neal
randy_oneal@adelphia.net
#2
10-16-2004, 09:50 PM
Captain
RE: 94 Ram Sport - wrecked, now what to do?
Post some photos and let us see. From the description that you gave us I think i'd give up the go on that truck and junk it. Maybe keep all the useable parts off of it. But I don't think I'd fix it. Check around w/the local salvage yards and find a truck minus a drivetrain and install yours, that's what i'd do. I think you'd have less problems doing that, than repairing the truck you've wrecked.
#4
10-19-2004, 11:25 AM
RE: 94 Ram Sport - wrecked, now what to do?
Randy, what happened that made you hit a fence? Something malfunction on the truck, or did'ya just fall asleep! 
From the sounds of it, you'd be better off to head on up to Mostly Mopar and try to find yourself a junked body, with no or little body damage, and swap everything from your truck into the new body. Engine, tranny, transfer case, and axles can easily be swapped.
I would do just that. Get yourself an old body, strip it, and while nothing is on it, pull your body panels off, and repaint and rustproof every inch of that frame. Slap all your major parts from your old truck into it, and voila! You've got a truck that will last decades longer than any of ours...
..that is, assuming that ya don't hit any fences! =P[:-]
From the sounds of it, you'd be better off to head on up to Mostly Mopar and try to find yourself a junked body, with no or little body damage, and swap everything from your truck into the new body. Engine, tranny, transfer case, and axles can easily be swapped.
I would do just that. Get yourself an old body, strip it, and while nothing is on it, pull your body panels off, and repaint and rustproof every inch of that frame. Slap all your major parts from your old truck into it, and voila! You've got a truck that will last decades longer than any of ours...
..that is, assuming that ya don't hit any fences! =P[:-]