1st gen Cummings

Drunktaco

Señor Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2018
Location
SWVA
So, I've got a deal on a 1st gen 6bt. Has ~300k on it but a head job was done about a year ago. The guy that has it doesn't really pull with it. Just rides around mostly, his dad had one similar to it and that's why he got it.

Needs passenger floor pan and the spring hangers need some love (rust crack). Nothing too bad on the frame, just some holes towards the back you can't put your pinky through but the main one is kinda wide, hand width.

Nothing behind it, it pulls like a scalded hound. Everything seems to run good. It's a 12 valve, none intercooler, turbo, 5 speed 4wd.

Pulling ~7k what do you guys think? Anything else I need to look out for? May need to play the floor pan into the rear passenger cab mount some. I've got a welder and such.
 
I know a guy who just flew to NC from TX to pay $9k for one....and drive it home
 
First thing I would address would be the spring hangers and frame. "Bad" is a relative term, since severity is a matter of opinion, but *I* wouldn't try pulling anything with the potential of the spring hangers or frame breaking. If you get it and want to fix it I have a frame I could let go. Once you fix that it'll pull 7k with no issues, just don't lug the transmission down or it will begin to disagree with you in a hurry. It would also be a good idea to change the transmission fluid and put in Synthetic 5w-30 motor oil and over fill it by one quart (six quarts total I believe.) Put a pyrometer in to keep an eye on EGT's then drive it until the Dodge electrical gremlins get you.....

Duane
 
Well, at least you spelled it right based off of who has it now

My bad, drunk, autocorrect and I didn't catch it.

Anyways, it does need some love. I've got some signs I can use to patch the passenger side floor pan, and I can patch the frame and deal with the spring hangers. I just don't know if it's truly worth it after I buy and spend the time and resources on it and then try and use it and deal with the new problems that pop up.

Dodge 12 Valve Cummins
 
You could get 3500 to 4k back if you part it out (more if you take the time to part out small stuff too), so I'd aim for somewhere in that price range at the most based on the info provided. They aren't exactly rare or hard to find as the ad states, but when they are clean and good shape they can fetch a pretty penny so 4500 isn't too far out of line imho.

Duane
 
The front bumper is tweaked and the grille has been replaced so I'd look for further indication of a front end collision too.

Duane
 
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