C-series build underway. Dakota chassis big block
#2501891
05/29/18 06:05 PM
05/29/18 06:05 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,682 Philadelphia
radar
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,682
Philadelphia
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Howdy! So I posted a little bit ago about my plans and got a bunch of wisdom from y’all and Dabee even PM’d me his phone # and sent me a bunch of helpful pictures of a finished pilot house on a Dak frame. This will be my build thread so it can hopefully help others and give folks a chance to tell me I’m doing things bass ackwards Things are moving along nicely. I have four or five days in so far. The dakota is stripped from the bed foreward, leaving the suspension and steering in place. That will all get rebuilt and rebushed later. The 54 has the fenders nose and rad support removed as a unit. It was two bolts in each doorjam and two bolts holding the rad support. They all fought mightily but none required the torch. The cab bolts were harder but the cab is off the 54 chassis as well. Yesterday I got some help from a couple friends and we did a first mock up. The rear body mount pedestals which also hold the front bed mounts are too wide and need to get chopped off so the cab can slide back. I’m saving them and relocating the front portion to be reused with new poly body mounts for a dakota. The front body mounts on the 54 cab are mushy and one is gone so I will probably be grafting in a bunch of the Dak firewall before I relieve it for the motor. Also the front horns of the dak frame hit the tins all wrong so they will get chopped off and create a new bolt in bracket for the 54 rad support (thanks for the pics Dabee!) That’s all for now. I haven’t figured out how to post pics here since photobucket screwed everybody so if you wanna see pics I have a bunch up on the flathead dodge truck forum http://p15-d24.com/topic/47345-512-cid-c-series-on-dakota-chassis-build-thread/Thanks
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Re: C-series build underway. Dakota chassis big block
[Re: radar]
#2502535
05/31/18 02:13 AM
05/31/18 02:13 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486 Freeport IL USA
poorboy
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
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Your making good progress.
The idea of doing a completely new rear frame isn't a bad idea, given the power your about to feed this thing. It would be a lot easier to set it up now, rather then to wait and take it apart to change it later. Might be a good time to upgrade the rear axle now as well.
I'm a Mopar guy, but there are not many heavy duty Mopar rear axle choices available these days. If you don't have a more suitable Mopar rear end then an 8 /4, a Ford 8,8 out of an Explorer has the 5 on 4 1/2" bolt pattern, can be had with disc brakes, and 3:73 posi rear end, can be bought for pretty cheap, and the width should be pretty close to what you need. You can buy a flange that will accept the smaller Mopar U-joint. You would need to cut off the coil spring brackets and weld on the spring perches for the leaf springs if you were going with leaf springs on your new rear frame, but there may be advantages setting up the new rear frame to take advantage of the 8,8 coil spring setup. The 8.8 will hold up a lot better to the 512 then an 8 1/4 will. Gene
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Re: C-series build underway. Dakota chassis big block
[Re: radar]
#2502788
05/31/18 06:01 PM
05/31/18 06:01 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,682 Philadelphia
radar
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,682
Philadelphia
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Thanks Poorboy
I’m conflicted about the rear. My one good buddy I wrench with keeps saying “stop playing around- do a 4 link!” but he also often thinks I should drink shots! I would love to do coilovers with a 3.90 gear dana 60 on a four link, but I still have to buy a cam and a rotating assembly. so it’s partly a $ thing. For now I think I’m counting on not racing it and having street tires slip before breaking stuff to make this rear live. It should be a fairly light weight truck. And if it breaks I already own 3 different 8.25 rears, one with discs, so there is that. If I thought I could easily sell them maybe I would buy a dana and 4 link it.
I want to move foreward quickly on this project and not get bogged down by the time and expense of bodywork or front suspension rebuilding but I also know that those things can easily happen later. Other more frivolous stuff like making it a shortbed need to happen early in the build so the wheelbase will only change once.
I grabbed another 400 shortblock last night. It looks super clean and already has a deep rear sump milodon pan and pickup which I can definitely use!
Last edited by radar; 05/31/18 06:03 PM.
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Re: C-series build underway. Dakota chassis big block
[Re: radar]
#2523854
07/18/18 11:59 PM
07/18/18 11:59 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486 Freeport IL USA
poorboy
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
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It always seems like we get nothing done with the time we have available, but any progress is moving the project forward. I like the little bites theme, that is how it will get done.
I think the front end is going to be a little low once the big block is hanging in the engine bay. I'm guessing that the motor will sit back a few inches then placement of the original motor, which will help. Was the Dakota a V6 or a 4 banger? The V8 front springs from a 91-96 Dakota might give you the spring capacity you might need, and that could leave the ride height as it is.
I'm guessing the motor will be sitting inside the cab about 6"! That will put the firewall about even with the bottom of the dash.... At least that was the way my 54 ended up. I had a hole cut in the firewall the width of the motor. It made for an uncomfortable for a rider in the center, but was OK for a passenger and the driver. Pictures of my 54, that was sold 15 years ago. It was done with an F,M,&J clip, 360, 727, 9 1/4 w/3:12 sure grip. We put 40,000 + miles on it. Gene
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Re: C-series build underway. Dakota chassis big block
[Re: radar]
#2615289
01/31/19 09:26 PM
01/31/19 09:26 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889 up yours
Supercuda
About to go away
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About to go away
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
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Nice work, I always did like those style Dodge trucks.
They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.
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Re: C-series build underway. Dakota chassis big block
[Re: radar]
#2635580
03/22/19 01:23 PM
03/22/19 01:23 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,682 Philadelphia
radar
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,682
Philadelphia
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If you read unlawfls you probably saw me having some small setbacks getting my fresh driveline broke in and driving. I’m still fixing an exhaust leak and a weepy water neck but thats normal stuff. All combos have their own combination like a safe to get them started and it took a little bit to figure out this one likes no gas until after it starts to spin, then it comes right to life. The motor feels really strong! No noises or clunk from the rear I set up. The trans doesn’t slip and shifts are smooth- probably especially because I haven’t been shifting manually yet or trying to chirp the tires with high rpm shifts. I did a short burnout in rainy weather in front of my house- spinning them was pretty effortless! I am also happy the front IFS ended up being juuust tall enough for how far I channeled the body. Gotta go slow turning into driveways but no rubbing just driving.
Last edited by radar; 03/22/19 01:34 PM. Reason: Typo
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Re: C-series build underway. Dakota chassis big block
[Re: Clanton]
#2665872
06/14/19 03:30 PM
06/14/19 03:30 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,682 Philadelphia
radar
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,682
Philadelphia
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Some more progress.
I had trans problems and ended up calling that version a mockup. I pulled the body, fixed the trans, installed a holley sniper setup, and laid stripes all over my neighborhood. Then I shattered the slip yoke doing a holeshot and the driveshaft loop wedged the carnage and took out the transmission tailshaft and main case. I have the old trans out and a new one built with some help from the board.
In the meantime I got door cards done and fixed my tired latches, along with fresh glass in the vent windows (passenger side had a bullethole!). I’m planning to do the headliner next in matching diamond pleats.
Last edited by radar; 06/14/19 03:33 PM.
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Re: C-series build underway. Dakota chassis big block
[Re: moparx]
#2674357
07/05/19 10:03 AM
07/05/19 10:03 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 34,830 S.E. South Dakota !
bigdad
Still Posting A Lot
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Still Posting A Lot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 34,830
S.E. South Dakota !
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Nice tasty, well thought out build .. good job sir
The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating.Proverbs 18:6
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Re: C-series build underway. Dakota chassis big block
[Re: bigdad]
#2676658
07/11/19 08:54 PM
07/11/19 08:54 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,682 Philadelphia
radar
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,682
Philadelphia
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Nice tasty, well thought out build .. good job sir Thanks Bigdad. Dunno if you read Unlawful’s but I have a thread on there with a launch video asking for shock recommendations and after some confusion my takeaway knowledge was that my shock angle is laid back way too far after radically lowering the ride height. I got a set of 275/50-r17 M&H racemaster dot drag radials on there yesterday but haven’t driven it yet. It runs hard for a mild street deal and I’m hoping a little more gas pedal will be usable in 1st & 2nd gear with the softer tires. I tried to think ahead building the chassis but I didn’t even think about the shock angle- just left the stock dakota crossmember and welded ears to the new rear. I’ll have to pull the bed- again- to weld in a new shock crossmember farther forward. No point in buying shocks till I get ready to do that. Probably put another post on unlawful’s about it 😂 Anyway, I spent the past couple thrashes messing with trimming out the rear surround. It’s looking much more finished now.
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Re: C-series build underway. Dakota chassis big block
[Re: radar]
#2677034
07/13/19 11:24 AM
07/13/19 11:24 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,237 north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,237
north of coder
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i would start by making the shock angle similar to the A & B-body angle, only with a little less angle. a shock works best vertically, but that is in a drag setup. i don't know what the dak uses for a rear spring plate, but a shock plate for a common B-body may work, and you could then make a simple upper mount with the angle you want the shocks at. just throwing something out there.
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