Howdy folks  .  Well the build is 'on' - the project is a 'go'.  Here's some pics of the 78 RC 'Macho Nacho' build that I just started -  

There are several major modifications I made to this 1978 Ramcharger.  Factory stock it came with a 400/727/203 combo and save for a 3" body lift was essentially bone stock.  The truck went through three stages:  

Stage I was simply getting it reliably running, driving, and registered.  

Stage II was the first 3 years of it's metamorphosis:  1-ton running gear conversion with the gas engine, and the air bag suspension, the fully custom interior, and the body and paint work.

Stage III, its current and likely final stage, was a 7-month upgrade to a Cummins 6BT engine and driveline, a swap back to leaf springs, and adding the 203/205 doubler transfer case.

This has turned into a 4-year plus project, and to my surprise and delight it grew into a huge thread with a tremendous amount of great discussions and pictures from a huge line-up of great folks.  I went through and made a list of the major milestones throughout the build and have them listed here by page, along with the links.

Pg 1:  Teardown, rotisserie, media blasting, paint booth tech, 452 big block
Pg 2:  Safari rack, rust repair, crane, air bag decision (inflated pg 11, x4 pg 14) http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.50
Pg 3:  Exhaust, TSM rear disc brakes, rear bumper/hitch http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.100
Pg 4:  EFI plumbing, rear body fab and storage boxes, soft top, rocker sliders, seats http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.150
Pg 5:  Spare tire rack (Jet Pak), 1/4 doors, front bumper http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.200
Pg 6:  Tilt front clip http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.250
Pg 7-8:  Dash fab and initial wiring, console, shifter http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.300
Pg 9:  Subframe, front oil coolers http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.400
Pg 10:  Front 4-link fab http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.450  
Pg 11:  Rear 3-link fab, high-steer conversion, shocks, ram-assist, EFI http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.500
Pg 12:  Air tank, CB mount http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.550
Pg 13:  Electrical sub-station http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.600
Pg 14-15-16:  Body work, dash wiring installed, heater box restoration http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.650
Pg 17-18:  Paint   http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.800
Pg 19:  Paint supplies, LINE-X http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.900
Pg 20:  Steering mount reinforcement http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.950
Pg 21-22:  Engine mods and accessories http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1000
Pg 23:  Dash wiring harness http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1100
Pg 24-25:  452 big block - engine start! http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1150
Pg 26:  1st drive! http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1250
Pg 27:  1st trip - Moab 07   http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1300
Pg 28-30:  ...misc discussions... http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1350
Pg 31:  ...discussion about gears... http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1500
Pg 32:  ...discussion about tires... http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1550
Pg 33:  * Upgrade to Cummins Turbo Diesel * http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1600
Pg 34:  Leaf springs, donor truck, ORD doubler voodoo http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1650
Pg 35:  RC back apart, doubler voodoo, leaf spring voodoo http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1700
Pg 36:  ORD doubler http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1750
Pg 37:  6BT blasting, 203 voodoo, driveline assembly http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1800
Pg 38:  Cummins electrical voodoo http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1850
Pg 39:  Intercooler, cradle, 6BT downpipe http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1900
Pg 40:  6BT start!, batteries/charging issues http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.1950
Pg 41:  6BT thermostat voodoo http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.2000
Pg 42:  1st drive with diesel!, video, Mickey Thompson MTZ tires http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.2050
Pg 43:  Moab 08! http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php?topic=49434.2100
Pg 50:  Decision to sell body/interior, http://ramchargercentral.com/index.php/topic,49434.2400.html

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EDIT:  Sept 1, 2007 - Project Success.  Truck is on the road.  2 yrs, 8 months build time.  
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EDIT #2:  Mar, 2008 - Project apart again.  Suspension and weight issues drove decision to repower with Cummins 6BT diesel and remove air bags in lieu of leaf springs.
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EDIT #3:  Sep 14, 2008 - 6BT Repower and suspension swap complete, truck is driving again.  Conquered Moab again - three full days  
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EDIT #4:  Aug 12, 2009 - Realized I had built the truck to fancy, too much of a 'show' truck.  Found a good home for the body/interior (to an RCC member in Texas).  Gonna build a bigger badder beat-able bruiser!


* Original thread *
  
Got it pretty much torn apart and ready to go to blasting.  Here's a few initial pics - I'll try to post a few here and there as the project goes...
Eventually it's going to be painted a verson of dark red with the black hood and base and yellow stripe, very similar to the Macho package with a couple subtle changes as I wanted it to look.
...here is a pic of the ole beater all torn apart.
- Sam

Red X...

i don't believe you link directly form TDR.  you may have to host them elsewhere, then link them here.

Try using www.cardomain.com to post your pictures on and link them here  

too weird - I can see the pics - can anyone else?

okay - I think I got the links working.  Please someone tell me they can see these now...
Thanks for y'alls patience with my low-tech butt...

Sam it looks like your doing it right.  I bet she'll look nice all done.

..yeah I wasn't sure if it'd fold-up and collapse on me, but the strap was quick cheap insurance.  I also tied the legs of the rotisserie base together to make a solid 'loop'.  The jig is very overkill, but that let's me feel better when I'm inder the thing  
The nice thing about doing it frame-off is I can do all the chassis work without working around/under/over the tub.  I'm also doing a full roll cage and a tilt front clip - no better way to change spark plugs or do maintenance that with the front clip completely out of the way
- S

Oh ya Sam knows his stuff and does everything the right way. I think I've seen that truck thats towing stuff before to!! I kind of hated to sell that truck but I'm sure glad yall are using it

Jimbo

very cool man .....have u seen Mopar4x's build up ?  i hope yours turns out just as nice man ...Joe Cool did a hell of a rest too

Looks like a weiner to me Maybe I'll get to see it in person soon

Jimbo

man, i've got to get me a garage.

Man looking good I want to do my 79 rc next

Looks great! And it looks like a lot of work.

Your not messing around!!  It's looking good, cant wait to see it all done

here's some pics of the 'paint booth' I built today.  It's more like a set of 'drapes' made from 19'x29' reversible tarps, a bunch of ropes and pulleys, and you just drop 'em in hopes they keep the worst of the overspray off of all the other stuff in the shop.  Look just under the stadium lights and you can see the tarps rolled up, sort of.  
Hope it works.....
- S

now you see the left side...



...now you don't.  



the right side...



...covered up.



..and the frame ready to shoot tomorrow.

sounds cool, need some pics when it drys.

Results from painting - spraying real paint from a real gun is the only way to fly

POR-15 complete with epoxy primer going over top of it...



Epoxy primer on right front corner



finished frame in chassis black



...and here's my alternative to moving a rear diff around with your back muscles....this is the only way to work on a Dana 70 without killing yourself or getting a hernia - home-made diff stand....



...bolted to hub face...

 Keep on keeeping on man, lookks like its going to be a real killer!!! What color is it going to be?

Rear suspension in place, and a pic of a big beyotch of a rear axle.  Everything is eggshell black - it looks good, and all business -
Hey, the diff angle aims up a bit, but after looking through the tech threads they say to overfill the pumpkin, which I did by a pint - 4 qts of 75-90 and one bottle of hypoid additive - should be just right - thoughts?

6" Skyjacker leafs



D70 - big honkin' rear axle in place -



This is the diff angle - any issues?

i see nothing wrong so far ,cept' ya ain't done yet!

It looks great, You can't set your pinion angle without your transfercace in its final position, But your pinion angle and transfercase U joint flange should be within 1 dergree per Spicer, Dana and My drive shaft guy.
Looks like your lift springs came with a angled shim, They do this to make your effective drive shaft length shorter (so you can run a stock length shaft with your lift) this will cause a multitude of problems some of wich are vibration, U joint failure and worn slip joint splines.
Do yourself a favor and get rid of those shims and have a longer (correct) drive shaft built.
My pinion angle is out 1.5 degrees and it is working pretty well, But with the shims in it was out 7 degrees and had a hell of a vibration.

Glenn

Well, after a small delay I got me a big ole' 440 stuffed in the frame.  Neat how the shop gets bigger as I put more stuff on the frame......

So, it's a 1975 440 originally from a cop car, and it was bored .030 from the factory - I had to bore it another .030 to get the cylinders 'square'.  Here's the specs:
- Bored .060-over = 452 cid
- Keith Black quench pistons
- 1978 '452' open-chamber heads - total compression is ~ 9.5-1.  All new valvetrain including pushrods, used rockers
- Crank cut .010/.010
- Full balance - weight added to SFI flexplate so the TCI converter can stay neutral
- Summit double-roller chain
- Stock replacement psi and volume oil pump (no need for more)
- Crower TorqueBeast camshaft, 112 centerline - degreed in
- Performer Intake w/ heat crossover open
- Edelbrock 625 carb Thunder series
- M.P. valve covers w/ studs
- Schumacher Tri-Y headers

Just a big good solid engine - should be good for about 300 hp and 450 tq (at the crank) on pump gas at Colorado altitude, and I bet it gets over 12 mpg on the highway.

Tranny is a divorced BB 727 with an RV shift kit, B&M 4-qt deep pan, a Spicer U-bolt yoke, poly bushing, SFI flexplate, and a TCI 12" converter.

This combo aught to get the 'Nacho' down the road, and should be able to pull my 18' trailer with 4000lb car to the track with ease.  I'm leaning towards black sidepipes, but I'm also thinking about a 3" diesel single exhaust too.

Good shot of the Schumacher tri-y headers - Fit-like-a-glove.  Now that I know they fit I'm going to make a few modifications to the collectors, mainly a set of square nuts on the back side so I don't have to have two wrenches to remove the bolts, and then they're off to Jet Hot - can't decide on cast iron gray or black.  I'm thinking gray but I think black would look bitchin'.





note the B&M 4-qt pan and Autometer electric/mechanical speed sending unit - electric speeds w/ mechanical cruise control - best of both worlds.  What you can't see is the SFI-approved flexplate and TCI 12" converter - both leftovers from my last Power Wagon (RIP)



and a tighter fit on the d-side, but the starter'll come right out - yeah buddy.



T-case is next, and then driveshafts, gas tanks, etc etc etc etc......
- S

thanks for the update, i needed the fix. looks awesome