Lowered trucks...more on mine or start over?

Without question the 78.
The newer trucks aren't even close for "cool factor"

the 78.

I think you should build a twin to your 78, only a stepside.

Your 78 is the coolest truck I've ever seen just as it is. You could make the new truck similar but not the same with all the things you want to change on your truck. Just food for thought

New seats and wiring and a magnum engine in the 78.

Sheldon

That 78 is a nice truck! I think you have grown tired of it... Therefore, you should just sell it... To me. (Cheap of coarse.)

Start a new project with this..

i wouldnt sell it. i would upgrade the drivetrain and interior and make it a fun cruiser that can still be shown if you want too. kind of like a pro touring vibe

That crew cab is WAAAY too long for me. My diesel is trouble enough in a parking lot.

Older toys are pretty much out too.

What I'm really wanting is a comfortable,clean,simple,driver that can haul a couple people, a wheel/fender/bumper/etc. and get decent mileage on my trips to MT. Project budget is about $10k total.

The purple truck is too nice to load up the dog and head off to deer country in the dark. It's also not real comfortable and the carb needs rebuilt. Of course if I rebuild the carb I should throw a timing chain set on. While I'm in there I should also...see where this is going? It would be fun to drop in a newer Hemi and update the rolling stock but I have a Gen I Viper now for a fair-weather toy.

The lifted diesel isn't the kind of thing you want to be in a tight parking lot in. Forget about parallel parking between two small cars...I'd have to do it by "feel". My back is so scrogged now that on the bad days climbing in and out of it isn't much fun either.

These are the reasons I'm leaning towards a '94-'05 Club/Quad cab I can lower, drive all over the place and not care if it gets left outside in the rain. Room for 2 plus the dog, cargo capacity, easy ingress/egress, small V8s get decent mileage for what they are, aftermarket parts availability has come a long ways on these models. I love the looks of the '02-'05 Quads lowered but the buy-in would take most of my budget. I like the looks of the few '94-'01s I've seen but there just aren't many out there lowered so it's hard to get a feel for what works well. I was the guinea pig when I built the '78, I don't want to go through that again. A '94-'01 would leave enough budget for bolt-ons like LED tails, new headlights, a better stereo (I haven't had a high end sound system since the early '90s!!!) maybe some small graphics/airbrush work etc.

I guess maybe I'm just thinking (typing?) out loud here.

Any links to pics of lowered '94-'01 Rams would be appreciated...doubly so if it lists suspension/wheel/tire specs.

Thanks all.

Keep the 78'
Do an 02 with a 5.9 Mag You can find them cheap with a bad trans or Bambified in the front.
Drop,408,street/strip type
You've covered Lowered & Lifted with show now do a Show/Street/Strip truck oooor Nastruck style with a handling suspension BUTTTTTT

You've covered 72-80 94-01 02-
What about 81-93 Lowered CTD CrewCab Dually

Change the colors to some that work with your interior on the 78 & paint them opposite with a matching interior
Opposite meaning say 78 red/black & 81 black/red
Change up the wheels on the 78 to make it a different truck at the shows

Decisions Decisions



Start a poll as to what colors to use with your existing interior

Get them in the magazines & maybe that will kick start a remake of "EMERGENCY"
One can only hope!

RC buckets front & rear with full length console
I can help you with that as I'm fixing to do a similar thing to my CrewCab

Larry's already done a grille swap just take the little grilles out & put black mesh in there

The above ramblings are a result of acute "Dodge truck Addiction" & sheer exhaustion

You can pick up a CL Dodge with decent miles for between $600-1200 depending on condition with the trans bad

A buddy of mine & I grab some nice ones cheap

I bought this SS/T with a trans that wouldn't shift to OD for $775 with the A/C cold, driving down the road
Drove it for a month & a half before it quit
I have $1500 in it with a new trans & new tires me wheeling & dealing & doing the I/O on the trans

The deals are out there & you can get the custom touch you want CHEAP

I love your truck! I've seen it in person at the Mopar show they held in Bellevue. Like most the guys on this forum I LOVE the 72-80 body style, Built many, raced many but none as nice as yours. I would love to see you throw a new Gen Hemi in that thing, change your wheels and maybe revamp the paint in some subtle way, Maybe your interior as a last detail thing if you want. But you would not be as happy with any other truck! I know, cause I keep coming back to them and revamping my vision as I get older.

Just a thought!?

I would love to see you back on the WESTSIDE someday to show that BEAUTIFULLY UPDATED OLD truck!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, my thinking this week (thinking is subject to change at any time without prior notice) is to drop some money into the '78 to update it a little. That way I won't be into it a whole lot more if the buyer comes along again.

This still leaves me needing a comfortable run-around vehicle that has some cargo space and gets decent mileage. I'm thinking I've found a good candidate in....wait for it...a minivan! When I was rebuilding wrecks I had several of them and I really liked the ride, cargo room, and mileage. What I couldn't handle was the image. I've gotten older (and more broken down physically) and I think I can get past the fact that I'd be driving a minivan. Knowing what toys I have at home helps a lot in that regard.

Thoughts?
Good idea?
Bad idea?
I must've hit my head because it's such a bad idea?

Good idea. Seeing how the truck isn't exactly "finished" do to drilling being stock. Upgrade what you can. Maybe an overdrive auto or 6spd trans behind a Magnum or Bigblock.

"drilling"? I'm not familiar with that term as it applies here.
No need for an overdrive. It has a 2.76 rearend that effectively makes my final drive ratio with the 3 speed auto the same as that of an overdrive with a 3.55 rear.

Dumb phone drive line

start a 99 dakota 4 door--lower it--make it your distance runner---dont make a rash decision on your finished truck---i know some guys get tired of a car after a build and sometimes cough it up a little too soon...bob (PS--a wagon idea could be a hemi magnum--with the vote down firing order they get good mileage too)

I actually looked at a '99 Dakota Quad Cab at a dealer that sold the Ram Club Cab I went there to see. The aftermarket is full of parts for the them.... except for dropped spindles. Dropped a-arms and springs are available but they both affect suspension geometry. I'm tired of dealing with those issues.