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picked up a 1965 Sweptline #2417354
12/12/17 02:30 PM
12/12/17 02:30 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,628
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Red383 Offline OP
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So I picked up this 65 D200 Sweptline truck from northern CA. Non-running, non-rolling, 318 4-speed. 4.10 Dana rear. Really clean truck bought from the original owner's daughter, it sat for 20+ years. It does need a driver’s side floor pan for sure due to leaky master cylinders, and maybe passenger side. But the steps and rockers are in really good shape, along with the rest of the body.

I have since free'd up the front brake drums to make it a roller, and after draining about 2 gallons of water and muck out of the engine, I replace the points and coil, got her fired up and did a motor flush treatment. Changed the oil again. Killed the Black Widow spider in the bellhousing, replaced the clutch master and slave cylinder and now have a clutch pedal.

My main goal is to be able to start it up and pull it in and out of the shop while I work on other projects.

My plans for the truck are a 4 wheel drive conversion, I’m thinking a Dana 44 front since I don’t do any heavy wheeling, unless I come across a Dana 60 front for a decent price. This will also get rid of the drum brakes in front. Not sure how this affects the steering, what modifications I will need to make. Will a Chevy Dana axle fit? Or are the springs too wide?

I want to make this a semi-daily driver, but I am having a hard time deciding on what drivetrain I should go with. I really want to keep it a manual trans, so an overdrive tranny is a must. I’m thinking NV4500, or 5600.

For the engine, I’m looking for opinions on which direction I should go. I kind of like the look of the wide 318 that is in there, but is rebuilding it a good option? Parts availability? Are headers and intake manifolds available?

383/440? Would I be able to get a bellhousing to put the 5-speed behind it?

5.2/5.9 Magnum? 5.7/6.4 Hemi?

4BT or 3.9 Cummins would be cool, I don’t think I want a 6BT Cummins, I don’t want to mod the firewall.

I would probably go with an EFI kit on the gas engine. I have used the FAST EZ-EFI before, and really liked it.

Everyone has an opinion, so does anyone have any info to sway me towards one of these options?

Sorry for the long post, and all the questions, and thank for any input.

65 402.jpg65 404.jpg
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2417390
12/12/17 03:36 PM
12/12/17 03:36 PM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,018
N.W. Florida
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Fat_Mike Offline
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Man, that looks like a super clean truck. Good find! As for a drive train, I would look for a '94 - '01 Ram 1500 4X4 (5.2 or 5.9) donor vehicle and swap the entire drive train. I think you'd have your entire wishlist of upgrades in one package.

Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2417497
12/12/17 06:44 PM
12/12/17 06:44 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,713
Central Florida
larrymopar360 Offline
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I LOVE IT!

You sure are going to get tons of engine opinions. I would love to see you stay with the poly 318, but can't answer your questions on availability of parts. I had a poly 318 a long time ago in my '67 utiline, three-on-the-three and a 4.10 rear and it was stout!

I would consider keeping it gas powered small block to keep the weight down up front, mods to a minimum, and costs moderate. I think if parts are available rebuilding the poly 318 would be great! Looks great too just like you wrote, and just belongs. Otherwise, I'd consider a stroked 360. It would have plenty of power to move that beast, carburated or FI, fit nicely, sound great, and have tons of parts available. IF IT WERE ME, I'd keep it looking stock Mopar, or at least as much as possible, e.g. valve covers, air cleaner, engine paint, etc.

Again, I love the truck, great score, keep us posted please!


Facts are stubborn things.
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: larrymopar360] #2417510
12/12/17 06:57 PM
12/12/17 06:57 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,713
Central Florida
larrymopar360 Offline
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One question has me curious; I thought this was the grille on the '65,'66, and '67?

1965 Dodge Truck _ Sweptline Truck.jpg

Facts are stubborn things.
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: larrymopar360] #2417699
12/13/17 12:30 AM
12/13/17 12:30 AM
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Posts: 1,628
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Red383 Offline OP
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Red383  Offline OP
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Thanks for the input so far guys. I do want to keep it stock looking, with comfort and drivability upgrades.

My truck is an early 65, mid 1965, they changed to a longer wheel base, the tail gate without the chains and the grille was changed.

Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2417705
12/13/17 12:36 AM
12/13/17 12:36 AM
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Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
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Yea, me too. 64 was suppose to be the last year for the quad headlights, but with it being a Dodge, it may have been an early production 65 and they had some left over 64 front panels.

I agree with the 94-01 donor truck to hijack the drive train from. Every thing you will need will be right there as well. Gene

Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2417745
12/13/17 01:51 AM
12/13/17 01:51 AM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,935
Grove, OK
hosehead Offline
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That thing is awesome! Nice score! Keep us posted on your progress!


63 Plymouth savoy
65 d100
66 dart race project
58 plymouth suburban
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2417831
12/13/17 11:13 AM
12/13/17 11:13 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,331
Oregon
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earlymopar Offline
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Oregon
The OPs truck is a 65 Series I, the blue 65 shown by Larry is a 65' Series II.

I cringe when I see a nice solid truck like this being planned as daily driver in an area with salty roads. Unless you plan to not drive it in snow or winter. Also, leave the Chevy parts out of the equation.

- EM

Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2417908
12/13/17 01:35 PM
12/13/17 01:35 PM
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Red383 Offline OP
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I have a 1992 Ford Taurus for the crappy weather/winter days.

I did get the master cyl rebuilt and bench bled last night, hopefully get it installed back on the truck in the next day or so.

I did modify the clutch and brake master cyl bolts to make them easier to install by myself. Worked out pretty good.

IMG_6436.JPG
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2417935
12/13/17 02:14 PM
12/13/17 02:14 PM
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Blairsden, CA
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Triggerfish Offline
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Congrats on the super cool Swepty! Nice orig truck to start with for sure. My 71 W100 (orig 318 4wd), has 78 Dana 44 on the front with the disc brakes & the rear chassis is from a 78 3/4 ton W200 with in frame tank, etc. Front Dana width is perfect for my truck, so that's the route I'd go.
The 70 383 Magnum from my Challenger with forged higher comp pistons & mild cam works well with my combo, but am building a 450 hp 383 for better towing. Cummins conversions are cool, but there's a lot of fabrication required for the 1100 lb 6 cyl. A bumped up 4BT would get great mileage & power but a lot of $$ involved to make the Cummins conv. I'd go with a stroker B or RB built for torque.

Buzz PW 1 small file.jpg
Last edited by Triggerfish; 12/13/17 02:15 PM.
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2417955
12/13/17 02:37 PM
12/13/17 02:37 PM
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Posts: 760
Canada
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CTD5.9 Offline
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Canada
Great looking truck, I have a fargo in the same color scheme

A Chevy Dana 60 will fit, the difference in spring pad widths isn't much. If you are swapping in a newer drive train/transfer case you will probably need a drivers side drop transfer case So Ford, or adapt a newer one.

Edit: I forgot its also 2" narrower, still better then accidentally buying a Dana 61

If it was me, I would wait until cummins announces a new repower the current 2.8 is probably a bit small. The easiest would probably be a 5.9 magnum, I like the idea of a gen 3 but I am not sure about getting a flywheel for the truck transmission to work.

Last edited by rednuck; 12/13/17 04:37 PM.
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: earlymopar] #2417963
12/13/17 02:51 PM
12/13/17 02:51 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,713
Central Florida
larrymopar360 Offline
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Originally Posted By earlymopar
The OPs truck is a 65 Series I, the blue 65 shown by Larry is a 65' Series II.

I cringe when I see a nice solid truck like this being planned as daily driver in an area with salty roads. Unless you plan to not drive it in snow or winter. Also, leave the Chevy parts out of the equation.

- EM
Thank you for your comment on excluding Chevy parts!!!! I was going to mention that too!!!

Also, I think your truck looks so cool the way it is right now, wheels, tires, paint, etc. I know there's always temptation for shiny big wheels, new paint and such, but I really do think it looks so good just as it is! the word Patina gets overused by sellers, but your truck has the perfect Patina. I don't know how you feel about the tires and rims, but those rims and center caps look so good to me, and a the tall utility type tires too. It fits the era of the truck and I love the look.


Facts are stubborn things.
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: larrymopar360] #2417976
12/13/17 03:12 PM
12/13/17 03:12 PM
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Blairsden, CA
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Triggerfish Offline
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I think they look good with a Mopar under the hood. I thought about a 5.9 Cummins conversion, but don't want to do the mods required. A stroker 360 would be a great option for your W200.

PW 383 Magnum.JPGTowing the 64 426 Commando home small file.jpg
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2418016
12/13/17 04:32 PM
12/13/17 04:32 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,713
Central Florida
larrymopar360 Offline
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Good looking truck Triggerfish! I like your unsilenced air cleaner and the stock radiator too. Nice Fury as well!


Facts are stubborn things.
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: larrymopar360] #2418076
12/13/17 05:56 PM
12/13/17 05:56 PM
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Red383 Offline OP
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Sweet truck Triggerfish. I really leaning towards a gas engine. I like the idea of a 383, dressed up like a stock engine. I do want to consider gas mileage though so nothing too radical. I think a small block will just look too small in the engine bay. Your 383 looks great.

A Dana axle is manufactured by Dana, not Chevy. That’s just the application that it was cursed with when it left the manufacturer and went to the Chevy plant.

Cummins repower would be cool, but the 2.8 is going for 9K, out of my budget for now.

Larrymopar, I think we are on the same page. I like the look as it sits, wheels and all. The tires are junk and need replaced (I’m surprised they hold air), and I don’t know about the wheels, they are some kind of split rim, maybe I can find some newer one piece steel wheels to replace them.

The paint looks nicer in the pictures than it really is, but I want to leave it as is and get it driving before I even worry about paint. Just need to replace the floor pans. I have a 73 Dart in the body/paint stage right now, and it is taking forever.

65 300.jpg
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2418096
12/13/17 06:51 PM
12/13/17 06:51 PM
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Central Florida
larrymopar360 Offline
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Seeing it with hood open brings back memories of my '65! Flipping that hood all the way back to windshield if I wanted and those huge inner fenders; great for resting tools smile

I hear what you're saying about filling the engine bay. The poly does that if you decide to rebuild that. If you are going big block, I would strongly consider a stroked 400. The 400 makes a great stroker engine. You could F.I. that for a little more mileage, and go with a reasonable rear gear for not too terrible mileage, yet still have plenty of off the line twist with the massive torque the stroked 400's make.

I'm glad you like the paint and wheels too! It really is a great looking truck as it sits, and I'm finding myself looking at them online now....damn you, lol. I have three vehicles right now, so I really don't "need" another.


Facts are stubborn things.
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2418100
12/13/17 07:03 PM
12/13/17 07:03 PM
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Blairsden, CA
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Triggerfish Offline
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Thanks & you've got a great truck to start with & 383's are really plentiful. I rebuilt the 70 383 that was in my 71 W100 & put in in a 68 D100 that I did a frame off resto on. Added the chrome valve cvrs & bigger Lunati cam, so should be a great street motor for the D100. I put the D100's orig 383 2bbl on a stand & wish I'd built it up instead of leaving the W100 without a motor. Sure hope the new motor's done before the snow falls. These Sweptys have a lot of character & you seldom see them, so they get a lot of thumbs up at shows & on the road.

68 D100 with new 383 Mag.jpg68 D100 ready to get lowered.JPG68 w tuff wheel 1.JPG
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2418198
12/13/17 10:56 PM
12/13/17 10:56 PM
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Posts: 1,331
Oregon
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earlymopar Offline
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"I think a small block will just look too small in the engine bay."

Keep in mind that the Poly 318 in your truck is physically larger than a 383-440. Also, you asked about parts availability. There are headers and performance intake manifolds available and as far as parts you can get anything for the Poly. The nice aspect of them is that they share a bunch of parts with the LA small block (but not camshafts, pistons or rocker arms).

For your floorpans, go to http://www.exlinecustomauto.com/custom-services.html

For the headers: http://ttiexhaust.com/ OR, http://www.manciniracing.com/tti318pohe.html

Manifold: http://chryslerpower.com/webstore/Poly/Poly-SS-X-Manifold
OR look through Craigslist for used Weiand, Offenhauser or Edelbrock (used) manifolds.

- EM

Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2418200
12/13/17 10:57 PM
12/13/17 10:57 PM
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Oregon
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earlymopar Offline
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Sorry for the duplicate post. - EM

Last edited by earlymopar; 12/14/17 07:37 PM.
Re: picked up a 1965 Sweptline [Re: Red383] #2418220
12/13/17 11:24 PM
12/13/17 11:24 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,828
east side of Ohio
basketcase Offline
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nice score Red...maybe I'll see you out in it. Great looking trucks guys.


Dave


1981 Dodge D150 360 auto
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