I have a 1985 Dodge Ram D50. It was made by Mitsubishi for Dodge, so I'm asking on two different forums about it.

I don't know where to find information for it, so I ask the collective mind. My girlfriend wants to take it for a couple hundred, and try wedging a 454 or something into it (yeah she rocks). But before a daunting project like that, I'd be interested if anyone knows how strong the stock components in it are. What the transmission is able to handle, what're the weak points, etc. It's a 5spd 2.0L motor, RWD.

Anybody?

 

Yup I have a 88 Ram50. I haven't tried swapping a differnt engine in though. I have the rwd 5spd also but was thinking it had a 1.8L motor but It may be 2.0 I'm not exactly sure. I use it when I need to haul light stuff that fits in the bed and want to get good gas milage.

 

I would plan on a new tranny, rear end, extensive fabrication.... You're better off getting a Dakota and stuffing a V....wait, they already have a V8 in it. Seriously though, If she is serious and wants a Dodge nameplate look for a Dakota with 5.2 or 5.9

 

I think its a hell of an idea.
It would make more sence to me if you then bought an older carbureted dakota with a v8 and swaped the the bodies . think it can be done??? just need to work the bugs out of it then.

 

I think the first project will be to lure the hampsters out of the engine compartment.......
but seriously if I remember correctly there wasn't a whole lot of room under the hood. You'd probably be better off with an old Dakota

 

well anything is possible, after all a friend of mine squished a 302 into a miata and that thing is smaller than the D50. You will have to have the frame strengthened all the way back, obviously new motor & tranny mounts, new rear end mounts along with a new rear end, new tranny, completely new cooling system, brakes, steering components, all new gauges, new custom wiring harness for the engine and instrumentation, new springs and suspension front and rear and so on and so on... Quite an undertaking but I am sure with enough money you could do it, but by the time your done having all of this stuff custom fabricated you could have bought at least 3 dakotas already with v8's in them as others above have already mentioned.

 

im moving this to 1st gen ram, its pre 93

 

The best thing to do with a motor like that is junk it. Go get an '70s-'80 Ram 318-360ci
and then u and your girl will Rock.

 

I'm working on my 86 right now (see pics) and was thinking the same question. Here's something I found...
http://www.truckinweb.com/brandpages...d50/index.html

[IMG]local://upfiles/14999/3D680292C2744844B71C592B1E00B960.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/14999/85563E87B7404F808691DD90E7C18184.jpg[/IMG]

 

The 318/360 will fit in the Ram 50 just fine. There are plenty of them running around with v8 power. You will want, however, to have v8 transmission and axle components iirc.


And why the hell doesn't the administration understand that the Ram50 has as much in common with the First Gen Ram as a Neon does?