Ramcharger Body
#21
04-08-2020, 05:44 PM
Legend
that is good to hear. definitely better to start with something a tiny bit more solid. if you want you could always turn whichever one is the spare frame into a mud truck or turn it into a small truck. 2wd truck cabs should just drop right onto the frame and would be shorter than a normal short bed truck. the ramcharger frames are also usually built a bit heavier than the truck frames.
i think they likely boxed in the area to add strength to support the sides. all that glass and tailgate is heavy. my 93 is rust back there and has started sinking a bit making it hard to open the tailgate.
i think they likely boxed in the area to add strength to support the sides. all that glass and tailgate is heavy. my 93 is rust back there and has started sinking a bit making it hard to open the tailgate.
#22
04-08-2020, 09:28 PM
Champion
Hey all, update: I brought home a new RC last weekend. This one is still pretty rough, but no rust over the windshield, and the body mounts are all there. I already installed one new rocker, and rear wheel arches, and patching in some new lower quarters and inner fender sections. It sounds worse than it is... or maybe I am used to fixing junk.
Anyways, was curious what people's thoughts were on the rear inner fender.
AS I previously mentioned, the truck rear quarter is wide open, where as the RC is boxed in. Once anything gets past the wheel wells, then it just fills up the fender until it rots out. Major design flaw. Since I am adding new steel anyways, I was thinking about leaving 4 inches of space on the inner fender wall so that everything could flow out, and I could get a hose up inside, or the oil sprayer for undercoating. There are just too many cracks and little holes on this thing to assume the quarter will keep stuff out.
I think I can do a nice job on this one, ultimately I would still like to find a southern body for my future truck.
Thanks guys.
Anyways, was curious what people's thoughts were on the rear inner fender.
AS I previously mentioned, the truck rear quarter is wide open, where as the RC is boxed in. Once anything gets past the wheel wells, then it just fills up the fender until it rots out. Major design flaw. Since I am adding new steel anyways, I was thinking about leaving 4 inches of space on the inner fender wall so that everything could flow out, and I could get a hose up inside, or the oil sprayer for undercoating. There are just too many cracks and little holes on this thing to assume the quarter will keep stuff out.
I think I can do a nice job on this one, ultimately I would still like to find a southern body for my future truck.
Thanks guys.
There is another member here who is a far piece from you but has a solid southern RamCharger. It was his late father-in-laws. If you don't mind shipping and customs paperwork, I think it's mostly just bringing back a barn find truck with some faded paint.
#23
04-09-2020, 05:08 PM
#24
04-09-2020, 10:08 PM
Legend
looks good. even looks like you got the 91 and newer style steering column which is a bonus. you may just want to use the entire wiring harness/fuel system from that body. fuel sending units are still available for the 91 and newer tanks but the 88-90 tanks are a nightmare to find sending units for. i believe the wiring harness on the 91 under the hood is also a bit cleaner and simpler than the 88-90. pretty much you may want to avoid using the 89 harness unless needed. a lot of 3 year only parts and connectors used on them.
#25
04-10-2020, 06:30 AM
#26
04-10-2020, 12:03 PM
Legend
do you got the under hood harness? the magnums are pretty nice if you got all the parts to run one. it would also likely have the transfer case that makes newer engine swaps easier plus 93 would have overdrive and better gear ratio's in the axles. i know the 3.23 with 31's are sluggish. 33's with 3.55 and the 318 magnum was not too bad.
#27
04-10-2020, 09:02 PM
Yeah, my engine is the 82, but my trans is a 518 overdrive that a swapped in with a 88 Tcase. My gears are indeed 3.23s and tires are 31s.
all the wiring is 1993, and is set up for the magnum. Maybe one day I'll convert back, but I like the idea of not having a computer. I also have the 93 axles, possibly different gearing, but I just totally rebuilt the 3.23 axles out of the 88, so I am committed for a while now.
all the wiring is 1993, and is set up for the magnum. Maybe one day I'll convert back, but I like the idea of not having a computer. I also have the 93 axles, possibly different gearing, but I just totally rebuilt the 3.23 axles out of the 88, so I am committed for a while now.
#28
04-10-2020, 09:17 PM
Legend
the magnum are suppose to put out about 60hp more than LA engine. still may be worth running the 93's axles especially with 31 or larger tire. you could maybe swap spindle out. you can run the vin to see the info about it. just change out the vin after the = sign in the link. i get you may have just freshened up the axle but probably better off to do now instead of later. would likely help fuel mileage over all. also i don't know if the 88 frame will have one or not but make sure it has the steering brace. the 93 should have it if the 88 doesn't. goes from where the steering box bracket bolts to the to the front cross member. also may be worth checking the steering box bracket to make sure there is no cracks.
https://www.chrysler.com/webselfserv...ME36C1PS176298
https://www.chrysler.com/webselfserv...ME36C1PS176298
#29
04-10-2020, 09:27 PM
I replaced every aspect of the 3.23 axles. every brake piece, seals, bearings, new springs, ubolts, and freshly painted. It would probably be easier to swap out the entire guts of the diff at this point, they would both be 9.25s. Ill check the tag on the diff cover if there is one and see what the 93 has in it. Man it would suck to take everything back apart. This is the problem with working with what you have at the time. I thought the faster gearing might help fuel economy, but I guess if the revs get too low it will just bog.
Good point on the steering brace, I should check that. I had a good look at the plate already and there are no cracks. I have had to repair them before though.
Good point on the steering brace, I should check that. I had a good look at the plate already and there are no cracks. I have had to repair them before though.
#30
04-10-2020, 09:51 PM
Legend
out back it might be quicker to swap out the diff if you know how to do that but out front might be easier to swap out the whole axle with what you need to pull apart to get the differential out. both my 81 and 93 run the same size tires. the 81 with 3.21 gears cruises at about 80km/h@2000rpm but my 93 with 3.55 gears runs about 90km/h in overdrive. the 93 is faster off the line and better for highway driving. if you are able to it may even be worth converting to 3.90 eventually but 3.55's would definitely be closer to the engines power/fuel mileage balance. the 3.21 gears will definitely make a engine work on the hills and spend a bit more time in 2nd gear if you have it lol. my 89 doesn't have 2nd gear and i am lucky if i am still doing 80km/h by the time i hit the top of caledon mountain lol.