Well with my headgasket blown on my 01 CTD I figured Id walk away from it for awhile and work on my 83 6.2 1 ton dump truck. I've owned this truck for over 7 years now and it has eaten a couple engines in that time. The most recent was due to a cracked block right above the oil filter.... not sure how this happened but it leaked out of oil (eventhough I checked it in the AM)


I acquired a motor from a friend who was going to scrap his 2wd truck (trans went) even though the motor was rebuild recently. I had planned on using a manifold/turbo off a 6.5 but once I got the manifold off and put the 6.5 it was short by the time it got to the back port so I scrapped that idea Here is a pic of the motor the day I picked it up with the turbo sitting on it:


old motor out:


Fresh paint, new valve cover gaskets, intake gaskets and misc clean up:


My first issue..... I got the motor stuffed back in, test fired it for a bit then I acquired a grinding sound from the starter... pulled it and the outside casting for the starter bolt broke in half SOOOooo I had to pull the motor back out to have it welded back on. I then stuffed it back in, got it running drove it a day or so then grinding again.... WTF! went to look and the inside starter bolt broke off! AHHHhhh!, pulled the starter, used a easy out and thankfully it came on the first try!! so I picked up new bolts, and made a bracket to hold the end of the starter to the block (which it never had)

Then on to the body work... Rockers, doors, cab corners, fix the misc dents dings and what not.....

 

Off to MAACO to get some paint



I put a new coat on the bed along with fixing a few rust holes in the bed:


finally back together it went with strobes in the turn signals and on the box:



It is Chrysler Green to match the 2001

Ian

 

Looks good man

 

nice job

 

looks real good

 

Thanks guys! I ordered some 3500 HD decals (the chrome 08+) from the chevy dealership the other day but they came "3200 HD" black with chrome around the edges... so Im waiting again on them to get me the right ones.

 

Looks good!!

 

Awesome, I used to have a 1978 1 ton GMC d/t, finally rusted out and the cab basically fell off the frame.

 

Great Job Ian !!

 

nice bjob on bringing the old beast back to life....im glad to see guys restoring and keeping these old diesels......