'New diesel' in older truck?

SHINTON

SHINTON

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Location
Triad area of NC
This is coming from an IM conversation Caver Dave and I had today, wondered what the difficulties would be for putting in a modern diesel in an older classic truck?

The two "instances" we were talking about...one is a wrecked PSD Furd, nothing left of cab/etc ...dad and I was dreaming about finding one of those and putting them in a early 70/72 3/4 ton suburban....

option B...maybe try to find a source of CTDs & tranny & do the same thing...again early Suburban or Chevy/Ford 1 ton crewcab!

So...thinking outside of the box, where is a good source of CTDs/Trannys? Would we be right that "some" of the CTDs etc would be fairly simply to wire/run? I was thinking maybe a source of ctds made for buses or something?

So...whatcha think/know? Not really much of a possiblity for me in the near future but Caver D is actively looking for a tow rig...let's see if we can tempt him to do evil things!

Sam
 
Every now and then, you'll find rolled truck on e-bay, or on the diesel boards...

To keep it simple, a '94-early '98 CTD with a 5-speed would be the easiest swap - no computers!! Just a few wires for grid heaters, fuel shutoff solenoid, and convert the alternator to think for itself..

You could also go earlier, to the late 80's, real early 90's and get a non-intercooled one.. not as powerful, but no intercooler to deal with, either...

Tim from Cary's family had a BEAUTIFUL 60's pickup with a late model gasser v-8/4l80E from a 3/4 ton truck.. it can be done, certainly.

Even the later computer controlled auto's (after '96) are OK to swap, if you grab the whole harness from the truck...

Thing is.. creature comforts, frame stiffness, etc... have come a LONG way since the 70's...
 
Sam, I've got an early 90s cummins sitting in the shop with approx 150k on it and a nv4500 with about the same mileage. They came out of two different trucks and you could get a deal on the pair. Now all you need is a 'burb :driver:
 
LOL! I found a '89 CTD 4x4 (D60/D70) local with the cab mashed flat (literally is level with the bed rails) for pretty cheap. Not sure I'd want to screw with swapping the drivetrain into a Ford/Chevy.... *BUT* wouldn't mind putting it back into a close year model 3/4-1 ton Dodge (should be magnitudes easier with little to no fab since everthing should line up?)... not sure I want to undertake a complete body swap either (crap, at the rate I'm going, might be freakin August before my Jeep is rolling again!)
 
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