Stick with the 440. Is it the original engine?
I have no idea to be honest. It may have been a small block truck. This truck was a sort of Frankenstein build my dad did when he was in his 20s...He took his truck that had a good frame and cab and threw in the 383 out of his '67 coronet (which was totalled) and a set of axles out of a donor one ton truck. 383 block cracked (coolant leak + new england winter + refilled with water, you figure out the rest) and replaced with the current 440 from parts unknown.
If it's something like three trips per year for distance of 200 miles or so, the 5.9 Mag will get the job done. You'll just have to drive in the slow lane, although with a jacked up Ramcharger I can't see you doing anything other than that.
A short wheelbase rig like a Ramcharger is too easy for the trailer to steer. When the trailer starts steering, your control goes right out the window. Thank God for electric trailer brakes.
That's exactly what I'm looking at. Couple times a year nothing serious. If it was serious I'd be looking at newer 2500s. And I don't know where you got ramcharger from it's a W200 crew cab long bed.
I think I'm putting this truck on the backburner for a while. I wanted to get it working but I want to do it right and right now I have better things to be worrying about. The truck has too much sentimental value in it for me to see myself getting rid of it unfortunately.
Thanks everyone for your input and maybe when I get around to revisiting this beast I will come back to you all with updates.
-JC
