If you can find a 12V 5spd in good shape that would be your best bet.

 

Get a 1994-1998 12V Cummins

 

According to your awesome youtube video you said you already have a 7.3 and you're going to put your dieselbombers stickers on it. Just keep that one.

 

that 7.3 is no longer an option because my dad is deciding to keep it and not sell it to me. he wanted a dmax but guess hes not getting one.

 

The Dodge automatic transmission is not a "pos" as you put it. It was designed for a stock truck, and if the truck is kept stock, guess what, it does fine. My truck is mostly stock, over 18years old, and has over 200K on the stock transmission. What a "pos" it is.

The fact is, if you buy an automatic, and plan upping the horsepower, you better plan on upgrading the transmission no matter what brand it is. Everyone who claims that Dodge has a crappy transmission are ignorant. Dodge doesn't plan on people doubling the output of the engine (which on a 2nd Gen 12 Valve is VERY easy) so of course a tranny built to withstand 160-215rwhp won't hold 400rwhp for long. If that makes it a crappy tranny, then I guess you can call it that, I for one think they a perfectly fine transmissions.


Back to topic. With a limited budget, and 400rwhp in mind, a '94 to '98 12 Valve Cummins is the perfect candidate. If built PROPERLY, it will be a very, very reliable 400rwhp. But if you go the cheap route, it won't be live up to the Cummins name and be reliable. But that is in the hands of whoever build the truck, not Cummins.

A 1st Gen can also be built to a reliable 400rwhp, but it costs more than a 2nd Gen would. I like the looks and simplicity of a 1st Gen better, but for bang for your buck performance, you can't beat the P7100. No debating that.

Also, don't listen to people talking about the Dodge falling apart around the Cummins. It's all about maintenance, if you don't maintain it, it will fall apart, no matter the brand. People with over 1 million miles on their Dodge still have a truck to drive don't they? I've never heard of guys having to swap multiple bodies on their chassis to get to 1 million miles, have you?

 

yeah i guess your right about the tranny thing... but my grandfather blew his with only 120.000 on it no modifications whatsoever. your right about the 1,000,000 miles thing all he did was tow with it and he sold it for $6000 with 800,000 miles on it. he did a custom paint job and suspension thats why it was worth so mutch, i have almost all th time in the world for maintnence and to do my own work on it so everyweekend ill be playing around under the hood even if i dont really do anything. maybe check my oil so many times it al evaporates into the air. thanks for the input tho!!

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there are almost no barns on long island . yeah im not gunna go anywere near cray

 

12 v standard

 

i would go standard but too much stop and go traffic on long island. Also, i have no desire to us one. Maybe in the future.