I can make that happen

WHOA!....although I would love to take credit for building "Bob's" truck....that's not the case....his is just one of many Dodges (although his is probably one of the more wicked looking and functional ones) in one version or another that support the course....thanks for the kudos Sam, but I would be remiss if I didn't give "Bob" all the credit for his creation....I am slowing putting my own support vehicle together....it may not have the visual impact of "Bob's", but it will get the job done....it just taking longer than anticipated....

Paul

I may be able to....let me see what I can do....you are looking for certain pics of interest I take it....let me get up with him....sometimes that is not too easy, but I have a source....lol....

Paul

I hear what yer sayin' Ken.  For me tho, after these last couple years of wheeling out here, my priorities for a trail truck have changed...but in this case they changed after the truck was built.  But, what I've learned and absorbed along the way is what drove the change, and I've no issue with selling the truck whole - I'd rather that than part it out.  What changed is I no longer need it to be a street truck - it's waaay more streetable than I want now, and I want it to be more trail-able .  Seeing for example Mike, Eddie, Greg, and Trent's trucks...simple, basic, but fully functional and hammerable...that's where I want to go now - something along those lines.  Not quite a truggy but a serious off-road truck.  Really, our '71 Demon and '68 Charger are the true never-sells, but for some reason Nacho isn't really one of 'em.  Nacho was fantastic 'practice', and I'll drive the wheels off it until I either build something else with it's best parts or sell it whole - Sam

fully agree - but by the time I upgrade the gears and axles I might as well do rocks...of course those have their own set of requirements.  Ahhh, any changes are a ways off regardless.  I'm pretty sure it'll evolve verse selling whole.

One thing you can take from all of our builds is that they are as light as possible while still being as strong as needed. In this sport weight breaks parts. For example a few years ago I was able to climb dump bump. The following year I added the cage and that couple of hundred pounds of tube was the tipping point of not being able to make the climb.

Another thing to seriously consider when running Rockwells is the top loader means you have to run more lift for the oil pan to clear the third member.

I agree with the light as possible build theory.

Sam when you do the hydro boost system are you going to be able to use the stock CTD power steering pump? With the power assist steering you are running I wonder about enough hydrolic oil pressure/volume for all 3 components.

I have the PSC high volume pump and at low RPMs I am slowed down a little in my turning due to the hydro assist.  Not bad, but it is noticable.  This is without the hydroboost brakes.....
My advice is don't steer quickly to avoid the obstacle at low RPM's while trying to brake as well, just plow it.   Stability is increased that way though. 

The hardtop/safari rack, front and rear bumper w/ 'jet pack' (spare tire rack) are for sale - neither 'fit' the future project but I'm certain will work perfect on someone's rig

Here's the add from the for sale thread -
Complete hardtop from 78 RC (from our project truck "Nacho"), with mega strong safari rack, complete with glass, hatch, and aluminum diamond plate deck, fully restored and painted 'eggshell' black (semi-flat) - please see links below

Hard top and rack -
reply #51 - http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php/topic,49434.50.html

#2405 - http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php/topic,49434.2400.html

#2384 - http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php/topic,49434.2350.html

Spare tire rack -
http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php/topic,66504.0.html

Whole thing complete - $750
Hard top alone - $300
Safari rack alone - $500
Rear bumper - $400
Spare tire rack - $350

Front bumper w/ winch $900 (brush guard not included)
#951 - http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php/topic,49434.950.html
#1007 - http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php/topic,49434.1000.html

well the quality is the best I could do and I think it's pretty good.  Lots of bodywork on the top to make it nice and straight, then full body prep, and professional primer and paint.  The rack was built overkill and I actually use it to hook to to lift the top off, plus you and your best pal can camp out on top with the cooler watching the race - literally.

The jet pak I'd sell separate but I'd also sell the bumper for $400.  Make it $700 for the rear bumper and jet pak together.  

well sam i have been following from the start, love what ya have done from the stroked bb to the cummins. i like the idea ya have now just hate to see nacho go. but i do understand its hard to have a show/street/mud/rock truck all in one. your plan is good,hell thats why i so many projects! cant wait to see what comes next. i still remember your demon from years ago on BBD. still waiting to see how the better half's charger comes out. seeing what ya do, will be amazing!  oh yeah, when will we see pics of the new homestead? 

yup - "bud" the big ugly Dodge it's gonna be.  I'm weird this way but I've always kinda had a weakness for labeling projects - I think it comes from my history with giving folks I've worked with call signs - I think the same applies to the machines I build.
And...I've come to appreciate things a bit more simple, so that's what I'm doing.  It'll be a little bigger, and little stronger, a lot simpler.....and a whole lot more fun .

And I have to say this...it's from reading about a lot of the trucks on this website that led me to this decision.  Simple, reliable, efficient machines.  Nacho was a lot of fun to build, and I ain't done building stuff, and Bud's gonna be so much more fun a ride while also being a whole lot less stressful...and I sure hope a whole hell of a lot less time to build!  

So, the search for the parts is on and the fun continues.  In the meantime we got a house to build, aaaand that's gonna be takin' a bunch of our time, so Nacho will get its workout and I wheel its nuts off until it's time to build Bud.  Hee hee - aint this fun??!!!

- Mad Max

It'd be great to sell it whole especially to someone in RCC, and I'd only really ask to more or less break even on parts and hardware - I know I'd never get my labor or the logistics back.  I'd be asking $18k for it.  If anyone is really interested send me a PM and we'll 'talk'.

Thanks BigRam - actually selling the body (with or without the interior) was my first choice, and I'd let the entire body go for $4k.  Interior (including the dash and console) I'd sell for $1k. 

You ought to at least list it on Ebay for 10 days with a 18,000 reserve.

Believe me sam, you get the gears turning in everyones heads. I read through the entire thread over the past month and it has inspired so many ideas for me to do my own truck. And all i have is a rusted out 2wd.
Just curious, is BUD gonna have as much fab work as Nacho?

LOL So in other words, we shouldn't expect to see 5 miles of wiring, 30 relays, 22 gauges, and a one-off airbag setup.
Gotcha. Well I cant wait.
Oh almost forgot, what about the 50 cal machine gun like on pineland bobs? Everyone needs one of those on the trail.

Leaf springs yes, but I'll likely keep the axles I got now and then upgrade everything to detroits and 4.56s down the road, maybe a new model Eaton up front vice a detroit but that's a ways off.  Certainly hydroboost.  But while rockwells are on the Christmas list, I'll likely open that can when/if I go up to 44s.

One thing I've noticed about leafs that I like is the trucks always seem to have a really good footprint when under big flex - the coil-overs...besides being pretty spendy...seem to allow a truck to lean one way or the other.  The TTC trucks with coil-overs have great flex but I feel they lost traction on the tires barely touching the ground.  Granted lockers make up for a lot of that but I like nice, simple leafs...especially after seeing Andy's progress

Gotcha.
Only asking because rockwells and leafs make for good spring wrap without something compensating.

I agree leafs and Dana axles make sense on the truck you are planning.

i always thought it would be interesting to graft a club cab on rc frame. would have to graft a hatch from a seccond gen rc to the back or something lol

Hmmm. You could just make one. Or two. Attatched to the hood. Serpentine belt driven mini-guns. Itd be one hell of an engine driven accessory.

  nothin more needs to be said. 

  - yeah that'd be a kewl rig for sure.  I really dig that one the guy did by taking a deuce, bobbing the back, removing one rear axle, and made a pickup out of it - it looked awesome!

So, I figure if I'm going to start fresh, I figure 38" tire minimum and 4.56 gears are about the normal starting point, even with diesel torque.  I'm not really sure I need to go to 44's, but I want to have the axles ready for them if I decide to go that route.   

With 38s and 4.56s, 60 mph would be right around 2400 rpm - no problem, and that's without overdrive, and that's what I'm wanting to avoid.  The new rig will have no intercooler, no overdrive, no extra stuff that it just doesn't need.  But I'd still like the truck to be able to at least get out of its own way, but for sure getting around town will be a breeze.  The nice thing about omitting the overdrive is the doubler will bolt up clean to the back of the 727 - eeeeexcellent.

The parts search continues and I think I've found a 4-door cab in good condition.  I may have even found a good frame.  The bed...well I'll either do the M101 gig or build a HD version of one - they're not very complex so making one with a real strong outer edge, like 3/16 wall 2" square tube, might be the best route.
Still...just searching for parts for now.  Nothing will happen for quite a while.

it'll all be on a '93 Cummins club cab long bed frame.  I measured my '93 Ram (with that same frame) and it appears to be within one inch of a short bed crewcab frame