ZOMBIE RAMCHARGER (it LIVES!!!)!!! pt.1

[The War Wagon]

Since some shiitebag TRIED to steal a wheel off of it in the lot (they found 2 lug nuts missing off the left front this morning - the thief either got spooked, or gave up. Since the temperature last night was 5, and the windchill -15, I hope he got frostbite, his fingers fell off, & THAT'S why he quit! ), they rolled it into the garage this morning. I've got locking lug nuts for the wheels, so we still have plenty o' nuts to go around. It's going to REMAIN locked in the garage from now on, until it's finished.

Nonetheless, it's my mechanic's day off, but he rolled in early this morning, to give it the cursory once-over, once they got it on the lift. He immediately called me at 8:15am. In a word it's, "not good."

FRAME is fine, but ALL the lines underneath it are shot - including the transmission lines. Not a problem, since I was wanting to install a transmission cooler anyways - it was going to NEED new lines. Driveline angles are good, but we probably need to re-do the rear shocks and how they're mounted. Since the radiator HAS to be pulled for some of the work we're wanting to do, looks like we'll go the new radiator route, too.

True duals are going to be a hootenanny to install, as there's an EGR box on the driver's side that needs to be relocated, so that has to be fabricated - hope there's room enough to make a crossover/H-pipe!

I'm meeting up with him again tomorrow morning and bringing a notebook, as we try and figure out what all needs to be done/replaced. If anyone has a recommendation for BEEFIER rotors for a Dana 44 axle, I'm all ears. Recommendations on a good master cylinder are ALSO appreciated.

Anyone know how difficult putting disc brakes on the rear of this thing would be? Does it help appreciably, especially running 35's/36's? Is it worth the cost?

He's THINKING it can be made road-worthy, and pass inspection, for around $4k, including parts & labor. I remain skeptical - even though he's going to do me some favors on the labor price especially. If I get it done for under $6k, I'll be amazed.

This is going to be a l-o-n-g-t-e-r-m project - if it's rolling before June, that TOO, will be amazing. More pictures and updates to follow in the meantime...

[The War Wagon]

MORE shop pics!






Lockout hubs are on!




New master cylinder, booster, drums, and brakes lines - incluidng the e-brake - are done!










Box o' fuel line tubing, from In-Line tube (stainless! ) - it's now installed.




Tank - with new pump/sender installed - old one laying beside it.




Tank skid. I took it home, scrubbed on it with a steel brush outside in the warm sun and 36 degree temperatures... for about a half-hour. It WASN'T going to be pretty or neat, but I figured scrubbing SOME rust off (about a pound's worth!) and covering it with some Krylon rustoleum, was better than just sticking it back up there rusty and flaking. :unsure:

Here's the inside - freshly/sorta scrubbed (next to my Jerry can, which I'm going to have painted to match the truck paint scheme! )




And here's the INSIDE, covered in one can's worth of FDE tan!



And yes, I DID paint it inside the craft room of the Sunday School building at my church - thanks for asking! The room has more heat than my garage!

I covered the other half in some sort of Krylon burnt orange Primer late this afternoon. Pics to follow when the fumes subside... :o


New transmission lines - CRAPPY pic...




New CAD system and radiator to be ordered this weekend... she's GETTIN' there...

[General Croc]

Looks great. I'm strangely fascinated by this thread. Although I do like those before/after home improvement shows too.
I think this will be one sharp looking zombie wagon real soon. There's certain years/styles of truck that look tough and this is one of them. I was always a big fan of the Power Wagons too.

[opie]

Looking good, keep up the hard work it will pay off!!

[The War Wagon]

Just to make you wait a bit longer , here's my rust-COLORED tank skid, back in place! Rust-colored PRIMER, ON a Ramcharger... why does it seem so fitting?




The brakes are done, the fuel lines are done, and like any good artist, my mechanic took some 'creative liberties' - adding chrome tips to the exhaust (and going with 2 1/4" pipe was the WAY to go!!! They're snaked all through there, with dual cats and dual glasspacks!!!). I was happy with plain pipe, but it adds a nice touch.








It's NOT my best camera, but it IS the one I can do video with! THAT will be important, in just a minute!

Now keep in mind, the oil was LAST changed right after I got it - in late '06. Lord only knows when the last time it got tuned up. Now we've done NOTHING under the hood so far. Other than change the fuel filter, the pump and the sender unit back in the tank, the engine is UN-touched, for 6+ years...

I THINK... I might've gotten LUCKY... or BLESSED...


Take a watch, and a listen. Chris, my mechanic on the underside so far, is in the video, as well as my oldest co-pilot.


http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc305...1e2fa3.mp4



Can't WAIT to hear what she sounds like after a thorough flushing, with new plugs, wires, coil, distributor, tune-up, coolers, K&N air filter, and assorted other goodies!

[The War Wagon]

Yes - underneath all those wires & my craptacular cellphone photography, IS a functioning 9,000lb Magnum winch.



Traded some Silver Bear .223 and a couple of AR mags for it.

[The War Wagon]

I FINALLY got to drive The War Wagon for the FIRST time today, EVER (when I inherited it, it wasn't running - it's been ROLLBACKED everywhere ever since!) - even though it was just around the parking lot at Monro, but - HOLY GUACAMOLE... WHAT have I gotten myself into?!?!?

For starters, even though the ENTIRE brake system is NEW, with those drum rears, it feels like MANUAL brakes, getting those BIG MEATS to stop! I can see WHY the Suburban Hydroboost and rear disc conversion is SO popular!!! I think I know where NEXT year's tax refund is going!!!

As for THIS year's refund, the transmission selector feels a bit stiff - no doubt due to the fact we haven't touched the transmission yet. And with 3.55 gears, it needs a fair amount of go-juice, to get 'er into motion. The B&M Transpak and ring & pinion swap will be GOOD investments, once I get it out of hock at Monro!

On the PLUS side though, Monor Muffler's latest wheel alignment rig, has updates for 4 wheel alignments that INCLUDE Dodge Ramchargers now! With the steering geometry figured out (that stupid shim in my front right leaf pack REMOVED!), it's perfectly aligned, and steering wheel is straight, too! It steers like a dream - it seems as if it steers TOO well, given it's size, but I'll take it! That, and the a/c is charged, and blows COLD!

Paid another $750 on the account today - I'm down to around $3200 & change left. Ordered a few more parts today as well, not the least of which was the Dana 44 front carrier. Oh - and Parts Geek has aftermarket grills for $73 shipped right now! I'll look into making it a "FARGO," while I Plastex the old one and fix it up for a spare!

[JeepGuy]

lokking good. i love ramchargers, a 89 was my first 4wd, thne got into jeeps. you may want to look into changing out axles if your re-gearing,

[The War Wagon]

lokking good. i love ramchargers, a 89 was my first 4wd, thne got into jeeps. you may want to look into changing out axles if your re-gearing,

Woulda been cool with Dana 60's (a best friend from hi skrool was in the USN, when he took his re-up bonus, & ordered his '90 brand new with the Dana 60 axles, 360, & a 4-spd. Black, with a tan cloth interior. Rode in it with him when it had less than 300 miles on it - you couldn't beat NEW car smell in a RAMCHARGER! ).

I'm running 36's, which is right at the limit of the Dana 44 axle. You can squeeze thick cut gears into the 44 case with a new carrier. I'm going with a Yukon carrier and ring & pinion up front - Auburn carrier/Nitro ring & pinion in the rear... I think... I just discovered G2 gears yesterday ). The 4.56 gearing, plus the B&M Transpak, will provide a LOT more mechanical braking to the 7,000lb RC. Since it will NOT be a daily driver, I'm not too worried about Pittsburgh traffic and hills, per se.

I've got a year 'til NEXT year's tax refund, to look into the rear disc brake & Suburban hydroboost conversions, so that gives me some time to research my options... or new axles.

[The War Wagon]

WHAT... have I gotten myself into?!?!

Well, the truck came home around noon. My oldest & my youngest wanted to ride in it, so we stopped and picked up some JB Weld, and put $40 of gas in it... so it has a quarter tankful now. Put the locking gas cap on it, after I got it home, too.

Here's a little of the experience, leaving Monro Muffler with it!

http://s212.photobucket.com/user/The_War...a.mp4.html

http://s212.photobucket.com/user/The_War...b.mp4.html

Ya' gotta click on those, for them to play in a new browser. I dropped the camera the second time, NOT because we were crashing, but Good LORD it DOES wander all over the road!!!

DUAL stabilizer and Borgeson steering shaft, here we come - El - PRONTO!!!!

It wanders BADLY, lumbers like a wounded Buffalo, and is slightly quieter than an artillery barrage... and that's how you discover what's REALLY going on with it!

I spent more time IN it today, than I have in the past 6 years. Replaced the rear liftgate pistons #actually, only one was bad, but I replaced them as a pair. Set the one still holding a charge aside for a spare#, and mostly just looked over the interior, cleaned out the center console, etc.

GREAT thing about that liftgate - it held the hatch up while I unbolted the old pistons!!!



The red shock boot makes a GREAT covering for that bolt (holds the high lift jack in place!), so when the gate swings around, it doesn't punch a hole in the lower rear quarter! Once the spare is on there, it won't be a problem. The full-size spare will be too big, to allow the gate to come around that far. I just stick it on there for times like NOW, when the gate's open, and I'm working out of the back.

That, and I'm PRETTY sure I discovered why the steering is so wobbly!



Looks like a new Borgeson steering gearbox, AND Borgeson steering shaft!