Alrighty, i'm a newbie on here, a Learning backyard Mechanic, and in general I've got little knowledge on trucks, But heres the project I've picked up








Now, i've already done some work, I've redone the brake lines, replaced the brake booster, master cylinder, and reservoir.....

now, i when i first got this truck, i was considering making it track worthy, but after getting it back on the road and driving it for a while, the damned thing is slow as hell, any suggestions on what to do? or should i abandon that and just go for a restoration

 

Well, it's a V6. So.....depends on what your usage of the truck will be.

 

I don't think it will be a racer unless you rebuild and lighten the truck. I just logged in because that top radiator hose caught my eye. I'd replace it with one that has a proper bend in it soon. That restricted flow of the forced bend might cause an overheat or worse.

 

"She sounds hideous." "Well, she's a he, so ... "

To make it trackworthy, I'd first pull that windshield and fix the rust and rot at the top of it and the top of the cab.

And I'd pull that v6 and drop in something with a bit more he-man juice; since you'll most likely have to make motor mounts and shoe-horn anyway, a LS or LX swap; a B/RB motor (say a 440!); or even a Magnum 5.9 bored and stroked. (The engine bay is very snug for the Magnum and LA motors up there, due to the length or lack thereof; by 1991, Dodge bubbled out the core support, grill, bumper, and hood, and a few other things that bolt to a core support, to clear the LA (1991) or Magnum (1992-1996) 5.2 motors.)

But for a parts getter for your track vehicle, do a restoration, including rebuilding that V6 and regearing the diff to a 3.55 or so (hint: if it's got the 3 speed auto, it's probably 2.94 back there.)

RwP

 

Well its gonna be a daily driver work truck, but i'd also like to be able to get up and go in it, which the speedo only goes to 85, so i'm not sure if its even possible with the stock equipment

 

The V6 has plenty of pep. It's a V8 with the front two cylinders lopped off. My 94 speedo goes up to 110 and once I got it running right it hops when I want it to.

 

[QUOTE=onemore94dak;3347781]I don't think it will be a racer unless you rebuild and lighten the truck. I just logged in because that top radiator hose caught my eye. I'd replace it with one that has a proper bend in it soon. That restricted flow of the forced bend might cause an overheat or worse.[/QUOTE]



FWIW It may be the correct hose. But a lot of the aftermarket hoses would have marks on them, usually a letter with a line, and in the parts book it would say, for example, on a 92 chevy 5.0 engine, cut at letter B.

Bottom line, I agree, that aint right!! But then again, it appears the end going to the thermostat needs to be shortened.

 

These trucks are pretty heavy. FWIW best I can tell, going to the metal scrap yard, my truck weighs around 3900-4000 lbs. Now mine is 4wd, 5 speed, and long bed.

Assuming yours is automatic, 2wd short bed, it still probably 3600-3800. But that is just my guess.

The motor is only 125hp, and there is next to nothing aftermarket to make it faster.

This is what I would do, if I wanted to make a "track truck" and I assume you mean drag race.

Assuming this is drag race only, dump the AC. If not, it can be done but gets more complicated.


Find a decent used 5.9 magnum out of a junked vehicle.
Use a carb intake, ie. edelbrock 7577, etc. and a standard hei ignition.
You will need to mount an electric fan in front of the radiator, and remove the engine fan from the 5.9 to fit, but it will bolt up to your existing mounts.
I have read articles that show a stock 5.9 with a carb, hei ignition and long tube headers, on an engine dyno makes 319 hp.

From here you can go cam, heads, stroker, etc.
Good luck, and let us know what you do!!