Open Air idea!

From: woodgate (woodgate@sprynet.com)
Date: Mon Jun 08 1998 - 02:23:16 EDT


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Greetings
=20
I have an engine swap tech question. After reviewing the local laws I =
have determined that it would be legal to swap the 360 from my '85 =
Ramcharger into my 87 Dakota provided all emissions controls from the =
Ramcharger are functional in the Dakota.. The Ramcharger is very rusty =
otherwise I'd still be driving it around. I Know that in '89 dodge =
added the 318 as an option on the dakotas. Were there any chassis =
changes that they needed to make? If not then looking at an 89 might =
give me insight to getting 360 in my '87. I would use emisions legal =
headers and exhaust components for an '89. I have a fresh =
rebuild/buildup on the 727 trans in the Ramcharger and would do a pretty =
much stock rebuild on the 360 while its out. On the 727 we took the =
time to make the neccessary modifications to put extra clutches in each =
drum, better kickdown servo, shift kit along with other durability mods. =
Could I use the output shaft and tail housing from the dakota's trans to =
allow its use with the dakota T case? If not will the housing on the =
3.9's trans bolt up to a small block chrysler. Will I need to move the =
T-case and crossmember back and have the drive shafts cut down? They are =
both carborated non computerized vehicals so its a strait forward swap =
in that area. I have noticed that dodge does'nt make a new part for =
something if they dont have to. Someone broke a tailight on my dakota =
and lo and behold those from the ramcharger bolted right up and did'nt =
have the cheesy chrome bezel. I am also planing on a tire and wheel =
change. I have a set of new 31x10.50 BFG's on the Ramcharger. It looks =
like they would fit the Dakota after a set of Bushwacker cutouts were =
instaled and the rear of the fron inner fender wells were modified to =
take advantage of the cuttouts. I had heard of offset wheels being =
required with lifts for such a tire but this mod to the entire fender =
area should eliminate the need for the offset. I know I'll need wider =
wheels and I actualy hate the wheel covers currently on the truck so I =
was going to replace them anyway. I'd like to avoid offsetting the =
wheels due to the effect it has on steering geometry. A gear set change =
may be in order as well as a LSD or locker. I have the skills and the =
help to pull it off. I just need a few blanks filled in. A friend of =
mine races circle track and fourwheels. He has everything, air tool, =
hand tools, Tire Mounting Machine, Balancer etc at his HOME workshop. =
With his help and about 4 friends (also mechanics) we should have no =
trouble once I have plan based on what actually needs to be done to pull =
it off. After the 360 has been rebuilt with this crew it could probably =
be in and running right in under a weekend. The making the cut outs and =
flairs would take us about 4 hours max. Considering I have almost all =
parts already I would spend very little doing it as well.=20

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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
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<DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Greetings</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>I have an engine swap tech question. =
After=20
reviewing the local laws I have determined that it would be legal to =
swap the=20
360 from my '85 Ramcharger into my 87 Dakota provided all emissions =
controls=20
from the Ramcharger are functional in the Dakota.. The Ramcharger is =
very rusty=20
otherwise I'd still be driving it around. I Know that in '89 dodge =
added=20
the 318 as an option on the dakotas. Were there any chassis changes that =
they=20
needed to make? If not then looking at an 89 might give me insight to =
getting=20
360 in my '87. I would use emisions legal headers and exhaust components =
for an=20
'89. </FONT><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>I have a fresh =
rebuild/buildup on the 727=20
trans in the Ramcharger and would do a pretty much stock rebuild on the=20
360 while its out. On the 727 we took the time to make the =
neccessary=20
modifications to put extra clutches in each drum, better kickdown servo, =
shift=20
kit along with other durability mods. </FONT><FONT color=3D#000000 =
size=3D2>Could I=20
use the output shaft and tail housing from the dakota's trans to allow =
its use=20
with the dakota T case? If not will the housing on the 3.9's trans bolt =
up to a=20
small block chrysler. Will I need to move the T-case and crossmember =
back and=20
have the drive shafts cut down? They are both carborated non =
computerized=20
vehicals so its a strait forward swap in that area. I have noticed that =
dodge=20
does'nt make a new part for something if they dont have to. Someone =
broke a=20
tailight on my dakota and lo and behold those from the ramcharger bolted =
right=20
up and did'nt have the cheesy chrome bezel. I am also planing on a tire =
and=20
wheel change. I have a set of new 31x10.50 BFG's on the =
Ramcharger. It=20
looks like they would fit the Dakota after a set of Bushwacker cutouts =
were=20
instaled and the rear of the fron inner fender wells were modified to =
take=20
advantage of the cuttouts. I had heard of offset wheels being required =
with=20
lifts for such a tire but this mod to the entire fender area should =
eliminate=20
the need for the offset. I know I'll need wider wheels and I actualy =
hate the=20
wheel covers currently on the truck so I was going to replace them =
anyway. I'd=20
like to avoid offsetting the wheels due to the effect it has on steering =

geometry. A gear set change may be in order as well as a LSD or locker. =
I have=20
the skills and the help to pull it off. I just need a few blanks filled =
in. A=20
friend of mine races circle track and fourwheels. He has everything, air =
tool,=20
hand tools, Tire Mounting Machine, Balancer etc at his HOME workshop. =
With his=20
help and about 4 friends (also mechanics) we should have no trouble once =
I have=20
plan based on what actually needs to be done to pull it off. After the =
360 has=20
been rebuilt with this crew it could probably be in and running right in =
under a=20
weekend. The making the cut outs and flairs would take us about 4 =
hours=20
max. Considering I have almost all parts already I would spend very =
little doing=20
it as well. </FONT></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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