This is my first post ever so I hope that this post follows the rules of the forums.

I have a 1979 dodge w150 power wagon with a 318 5.2L v8 with a A727 transmission and a 2001 dodge ram 2500 5.9L straight 6 diesel.

I would like to put the cab and bed of the 79 on the chassis of the 01. I'm under the assumption that it will be a really big project and. I have figured a few things out though...

• the chassis of the 01 is longer than the 79
• the engine bay is just slightly smaller on the 79 than the 01
• the cab is on the 79 is a single cab and the 01 is a crew cab
• both the 79 and the 01 have a 8 foot bed

There are a lot of other things to mention but what I'm hoping to have answered, if possible, is how to do it? I want the outside of the truck to look like the 1979 but I need the beefed up chassis and suspension of the 2001 to take the weight of the mush heavier engine and transmission that comes with the 01. I'll also need the axles of the 2001 for the gearing in the diffs and because the front suspension has coils on the 2001 not leaf springs I cant just swap all the parts over to the 1979, I need the layout and build of everything under the body of the 01. I Just want people to see a 1979 dodge power wagon driving like a 2001 dodge Cummins.

Can anyone point me in the right direction or help brain storm with me please? (Everything you see blue and chrome in the second photo is what I want to replace with that sun-burnt 79 body shown in the first photo, that's the build idea)

 

What you're looking to accomplish has been done several times by lots of people though you may not find them here. Lots of custom fabrication will be involved. At the end of the day you need the ECM battery power and an on switch/ push to start button to make it run. If an automatic you need all the additional wiring and PCM to make the trans work. That you could probably easily adapt the 79 shifter or get some type of floor ratchet shifter or something fancy, that's your decision. Custom steering sector possibly to adapt the 79 column to the 01 steering box. Swap in the 01 power booster for the brakes, probably require some drilling.

The frame will obviously need shortened, or better off finding a standard cab/8ft box rolling chassis to swap with.

 

Thank you for your incite, Things I probably should have mentioned,

So the 79 is actually gutted. No gauges left, no steering column, not even the carpeting in the cab. It is strictly the metal of the body and the glass windows, that all the 79 is. The cab and the bed are sitting on top of the chassis. There is no drivetrain except the axles on the 79 just to be able to roll it around.

Im trying to not purchase another truck so I was hoping to be able to make the longer frame of the 01 work fully knowing that is was longer. It was just the cheapest way to acquirer most parts needed to work with a 5.9L diesel.

You mentioned " done several times by lots of people though you may not find them here ". would you be able to point me in the right direction to these people please? YouTube is not being as helpful as I was hoping so far.

 

The custom fabrication will include many things ...... First of all you will need to fabricate or make mounts to bolt the cab to the frame.
Once the cab is set in place, now you have the doghouse or the front fenders, grill etc... to mount ..... these mounts are not difficult just time consuming .... many at this point might opt to weld the front end together and make a tilt front end for ease of access.
You will probably want to slice and dice your dash all up to fit the newer gauges into it .... more fabrication. ... mount seats and steering column.

Once all of this is put together and working as it needs to be .... you either need to cut and shorten the frame, or build a flatbed to fit. ..... You just have to be willing to work through each step and figure things out as you go along. .... There is no instruction book written for it.

Here is a build thread of something similar to what you want to do, He is currently working on building the bed. Yes the donor cabs are different, he is starting with a older pilothouse cab and turned it into a extended cab so lots of extra modifications .... he built a very nice tilt front end for it, you can see the steps he went through to do so. Take a look for yourself on swapping a truck body from one frame to another.
https://p15-d24.com/topic/32527-todd...read/#comments

 

I want to do the same on my 78 Power Wagon but with a gasser. I looked at the frame differences and mods will definitely need to be done. I would save/use as much on the 01 as you can. You won't really know what needs to be cut/modded till you have the body above the frame. Just for giggles i did a Google search (first gen body on a second gen frame dodge truck) and the first one a guy is doing just this.

 

Do you have fabrication tools? Welder, grinder, and something to cut the metal with, and then the other hand tools required. How about any fabrication/mechanical knowledge? It's going to cost $$$$ for doing a quality build/swap.
Me, I'd like to get a 1967-1970 Jeepster Commando body and put it on my 01. I won't because the 01 body is in pristine shape and low milage and up on 35's already.

 

You could always park under a tree and hope?

 

From all the fabrication that is required to complete the swap, shortening the frame is the easiest and most straighforward. There's a good, straight section of a frame in front of the rear spring hanger. Measure twice, cut once, weld, fish plate and maybe box the inner side of the frame and be done.

 

This isn't the worst scenario. Though the 8ft box regular cab wheel base has been standard for many years, this does give you the opportunity to make sure its a perfect fit, not just and almost perfect

I'm not sure the core supports and such will favor installation of the larger intercooler and radiator but I would start with sourcing those parts from an 91-93 factory Intercooled CTD truck and see if they will fit, might have to use the core support and stuff from a CTD truck and fab the 79 grill/lights back onto it. Or go fully custom the options are endless. If you're not looking to make over stock horse power downsizing the cooling stack for fitment wouldn't be a dangerous detriment, but if you would like to push it past say 350-400 HP, I would try to stick with a stock 2nd gen sized cooler stack.