As some on here might remember, my truck has what they termed as front frame rails that are buckled and cracked'. Although you can't tell just from standing there looking at the truck. You have to look right at the frame in the exact spot to notice or see the damage.

So I still have no idea what I'm going to do with the truck long term. The truck basically is a pile of $**t on one hand. But on the other hand all the MSD, Edelbrock, Mickey Thompson, etc. parts make it worth too much to just dump it at a scrap yard.

I have been looking for the past year for another truck just like mine that is cheap that I can afford that has a good frame, motor etc, that I can swap all my good parts on to but NO luck AT ALL. Finding a V-8, shortbox, with a manual transmission, (and ideally a sunroof) like mine does, has been basically impossible. And any time I have found one they want a LOT of money for it.

Mine is a 2wd. I seem to find more 4x4 shortboxes with manual trans. But I don't know if the custom done exhaust with racing dumps on my truck will fit those tho. My exhaust tips come out the passenger side in front of the rear wheel. Isn't the gas tank or something on a 4x4 in the way for that to work?

The easy solution would be to just get a newer vehicle and be done with it. I don't have the money tho. This truck is my daily driver (not a project truck toy to play with in the garage. Like it would be for most people). SO it's basically drive this truck or take the bus. And the bus isn't feasible for me in Canadian winters.

So since I can't find another truck like mine that I can afford to swap my parts onto, I was wondering how hard it would be to swap a different frame onto my truck. I can easily find frames for like $100. To do a frame swap do you basically have to take the whole truck apart?

Also frame repair shops told me my frame is un-repairable simply because of where the damage on the frame happens to be. But could a body shop swap a different frame onto the truck fairly cheaply? Or is it all a major undertaking?

Thanks.

83 dodge D150 custom
318ci., 4 speed manual, 2wd

 

Its basically rebuilding the entire truck. Everything has to be moved to the new frame. Suspension motor cabs etc....Cheaply is out of the question. I bet if your frame is not bent yet you can find a local fabricator to weld up, and box the frame in that area. That will hold you.

 

Not sure how the underside of a 2wheel drive truck looks like, but the gas tank on my 85 4x4 is on the drivers side right behind the cab, dodging the transfer case was a little dicey but I have true dual exhaust on my truck with headers and the pipes basically both go down the passenger side of the truck and dump out over there.

 

Tried to have mine both run down the passenger side but the shop made an executive decision to run it back and behind the trans
[IMG][/IMG]

 

I don't have a pic, but mine dont cut back a lot farther forward than yours Emnester, the drivers side got kinda goofy between the 4sp and transfer case... If i could get the underside of my truck that clean.. i might take a pic. did you rebuild the whole drivetrain in that truck or what ?

 

Im wrapping it up right now. Heres a slide show with comments from begining to now.
http://s115.photobucket.com/user/the...tml?sort=6&o=0

and the thread I have running on here about it

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...ion-build.html

 

........Amazing resto job...........Truck looks new.......Red is my favorite!!!
..........just why did you paint engine Ford Blue?

 

Its Mopar Blue from POR 15. Its just the camera probably. Trust me its no where near Ford blue