Truck Chat:

Mark · 09-03-2008

Who's bright idea was this:
2009 Dodge Ram pickup trucks

No manual tranny for 2009 in any Dodge truck?

And the improvements in the interior... Looks more like a car than a truck anymore. Hopefully the other brands do not follow suite.

It's going to get tough to find a truck made to work, instead of just transporting groceries from the super market.

adrian · 09-03-2008

I can't view it from here at work so I have to wait to check it out once I get home.

That is marketing for you; they go with what they think will sell the most units, not what they think makes the most sense for the type of vehicle. Once SUVs became popular it was just a matter of time before they all went from being fashion statements about "bigger is better" towards morphing into, "how can I have big, but built for soccer balls and groceries." Remember when it was all about the original Hummer and the Ford Excursion? Gas prices brought people back to their senses, but they still want SUVs, and so now the auto makers are trying to fill that gap. The new R&D and assembly lines cost money, and so the true UTILITY vehicles will start to become the new hybrids. Get em while you can, one day they will be gone... (dramatic)

Mark · 09-03-2008

It's truly a difficult decision. I am considering a new truck for work. I've always loved the Dodge..

Now I may consider a GMC or the F350 Power Stroke.
I need something with balls.

adrian · 09-03-2008

I can't afford a new truck or I would get one. I may just save my pennies and drop a crate motor in my taco in a few years. I keep having dreams of a lifted tacoma with a rowdy V and some flowmasters. I wake up covered with sweat.

Mark · 09-03-2008

A friend of mine had a yellow Toyota pickup, something like an 82? (I don't recall the exact year.)

It had a custom 5" body and 7" suspension lift, because no one made one for them yet. He had Tonka painted on the tailgate, before Tonka was cool. 35" tires on 15 inch wheels. I'm 5' 11" and I always had to jump into the cab. That thing was tweaked. Baja bumpers, nerf bars and spare tire frame in the bed. It was pretty trick. The only reason he got rid of it was the rust. He just couldn't keep up with it. If he had kept it, we were going to drop a chevy 305 into it. We had the motor and the tranny. Needed to cut the drive shaft and build the rear.

Instead he sold it and bought a chevy extra cab - stepside with a blown motor and we transplanted the 305 into it.

adrian · 09-12-2008

Since I am a man of limited means I would probably choose my motor based on the availability of adapters so that I can keep as many parts as I can. The new torque will probably start breaking things, but hopefully that will happen over the span of many months so that my budget can keep the truck rolling.

A 305, huh? Since I don't do a whole lot of crawling in positions that are dang near upside down I can probably get away without fuel injection when I do my swap. Seems like it would be cheaper... although I have heard of LS1 transplants using custom electricals that sounded sweet. Lots of cutting and welding though, I bet.

The manual tranny will come back; there are too many people that love them.

Mark · 09-12-2008

I think my only big concern at that point (LS1) would be the rest of the drive train. You have a good bit of lift now. The implant will likely relocate the transfer case further back, No? You would have some severe angles on your drive shaft, front and rear axles, etc. I could be wrong though..

adrian · 09-12-2008

The adapters are pretty compact, so I think I am good so far. But there is a company out there called Driveline, or maybe the product was called driveline, in the event that I were to get carried away with any more lift. I just got back from a concert and have a few tasty beverages in me so the world is going Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz right now; the name will come to me tomorrow, but as far back as I can tell the name of the company is Driveline.

Mark · 09-13-2008

Cool. Enjoy your evening.

Sounds like an interesting project. It's great that you can complete it as time/$ permits. Too many times I've starting something on a Friday night and had to finish it by Sunday, because that was my only means of transportation. Haste makes waste...

clockdaddy · 09-13-2008

Sorry, but after what I've seen happen to the Dodge trucks in our State gov. Fleet (5400 vehicles), I wouldn't own one. Sure...they are offering a lifetime warranty! That doesn't do you any good if it's in the garage the majority of the time!
Give me a Chevy!! Holds up better and gets a better return on it's investment when you sell it!
CD

Truck Chat:

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