well time to start a build thread in the next few week's i will be starting the build. truck is a 81 d150, /6 np435, she will be getting a 74 318, hedman header's, edelbrock 4bbl intake, holley or eddy carb. tranny is a 727 with a TF-3 kit installed, truck will also be getting a full 5 on 5.5 swap along with the rear being a spring under axle swap. hei ignition. truck will be a daily driver/cruiser. plan is to build the 318 in it or maby down the road put a big block in her. but right now i think the little 318 will do over all the body is in good shape, maby a few little dings in the fender's nothing i cant fix. here is the day we found her we traded a ford ranger (that we got for free) for her

dodgeconnection.com has a lot of stuff you'll need. i'm always envious when i see a stick in someones truck. now, i hate you.

You still have the driveshaft? If so Id be interested.

You need my spare OD833. Why are you going to the 5.5 lug pattern? Id stay with the 4.5s because of wheel selection..

Just let me know. I only need the drive shaft. I have a slant 6/833od truck Im swapping to a 318/np435

went n picked the truck up tonight after it sitting for a year an planning Friday or Saturday I should start some work on it

painted the valve cover's here she is getting loaded up an ready to go home

got the front clip off an the seat's out. got 1 fender to replace and I have to do some patching in the cab as the last owner must not known how to weld an they burned through some of the metal

hey guy's a little update, got the motor painted, waiting to put the timing cover, new oil pump ect on because still waiting for the new timing chain to get here, ended up going with a progear set up.. we painted the fram an wire wall think it turned out pretty good might have to do some touch up's. also traded my pacer brand 5 on 5 1/2 wheel's for a set of 15x8 eagle alloy's 5 on 4.5 so I will be staying small bolt pattern. the reason why is because I will be pulling the rear end out of my 77 power wagon an putting in the 2wd, 77 has 3.54 gear's. also ordered a pair of dynomax super turbo's, did;nt want flowmaster every 1 an there grandmother run them, plus these should give a nice town.. here are some pic's

well went to go pick my tranny up today, talked to him a few day's before, he said that he needed a tool to pull something out an should be done the next day. All he had to do was check the clutches an install my new valve body, well few day's went by an today we go down to see if it's done it's still in the back of his truck, nothing has been touched well I found a buddy an is doing it for me now, took it out to him tonight an watched him pull the pan. there was some fine metal shaving's but im installing new set on steele's an clutches an should be good.. I also got the cab sanded today, oil pump installed. still a bit to do before august 15nth..

Looking great

Just got my 72 shorty back together and test driven. I'm running the dynomax super turbos. 2.5" x pipe with turn downs directly after the muffler, right before the axle. It has a nice throaty tone at idle, but I can actually hold a conversation with my passenger at cruising speed. I only had it in overdrive for a couple miles, but at 2500 rpm, there was no drone.

I think you'll be happy with the dynomax's

Keep the pics coming. You're making me want to pull my front end apart to clean and paint

thanks ya it was the dynomax muffler's or the fullboar race muffler's, every 1 told me go with flowmaster's, I hate them, they to me sound like penny's in a coffee can lol. every car/truck that has a flowmaster sound's the same to me if it's a ford, chevy, dodge. I will probably dump the muffler's at the axle or run them out the side before the rear wheel's at like a 45 deg angle. man I cant wait to get this girl on the road it's been 100% a budget build lol. might not get paint this year but who car's I like primer better

I was going to turn them 45* out also, but because I'm trying to keep my truck looking stock, I didn't want tail pipes showing. They are tucked up and out of sight.

Speaking of budget build, I bought my trans a year ago. Just recently bought the clutch and stuff for the swap. I'm using old dynomax's that came off a motor home in exchange for glass packs, don't ask me why. The chrome tips were so rusted, I scraped the rust off with a razor blade, then steel wool and polish.

The trans swap was ~$600 spread over almost a year

Exhaust was ~$120, the majority of it being the xpipe. Mufflers were free/traded

Patience pays off. Just keep that test drive in mind, but don't rush.

Last question. Are you leaving the 4 speed pedals in? That'd be trick to drive along one day with a passenger, and press the clutch pedal in "OH NO, my clutch won't disengage!!!" Haha

I will probably remove the clutch pedal but will keep every thing because as soon as I find a another a833 I plan on swapping it in.. but I got a question for ya, ok to install a auto brake pedal ( pedal is wider) do you have to remove the steering column ect?? I have not looked into it much but just thought I would ask lol.. aint the pedal in the same location as a auto but the pedal is wider right? or do I got to change the whole set up? ya I paid $30 for the pair of muffler's off ebay, paid $200 for the 318 I picked up last summer for my other truck, the tranny came out of a 74 power wagon w200 that I traded a suburban for, but also got a set of 3/4 ton axle's for my other build so that was a plus, paid $300-$500 for the dodge it's self.. kind of fun building it on a budget lol BUT I would love to have a unlimited amount of cash for it but hey this way make's if more fun..

I've never pulled pedals out of a lifestyle era truck. In my 63, there was a bolt that ran through every pedal, undo that bolt and watch out for the overcenter spring on the clutch pedal. Not sure it's the same though for the newer trucks. I'd imagine there is still a large through bolt, undo that and pedals should drop. On the 63, I put a spacer in where the clutch pedal was, and kept the original brake pedal.

Hopefully someone chimes in that knows for sure.

hey guy's well been busy, got the tranny rebuilt, motor an the goodies installed.. painted part of the floor still waiting to fix a few whole's, I think I got to build a cross member for the 727 as the truck had a 4spd. haven't really crawled under in a while lol been to busy with the motor an tranny got a bunch of part's in last week b&m cable, bracket's ect ect.. well here are a few pic's of the motor. today I installed the alt bracket off my old 90 318 so I could use the newer style alt, bolted up nice!!! pulley's all painted, tranny is painted which we are going to (man handle) tomorrow to get it bolted together. we are getting there folks!!!

paint those balancer/pully bolts..