# 86' Power Ram 50 Project: Desert Hunter



## Acuta73

Kind of a long back-story on this one.

I've owned a 1986 Dodge Power Ram 50 since 1992, for many years it has just been my huntin' and haulin' rig, my wife had the family grocery-getter. Back around 2003, I re-built the engine from the ground up, twice, actually. First time around I managed to get an oil ring UNDER a compression ring while seating a piston. Do not ask me how, it still bugs me to this day. Needless to say, this did bad things to my #3 cylinder wall. Short-block rebuild take #2 involved a local engine shop. Here's where it kinda gets interesting. Unbeknownst to me, the old fella that owned the shop ONLY did SCCA race car engines...I dunno why in the hell he did mine, but he did. I can only assume he felt sorry for me. I found out about 2 years after he retired about the race bit. It explains a few things...

When I got my short back, I asked what all he had to do. He bored her .060-over (had to due to the cylinder scoring), dropped in flat-top 3-ring pistons, line bored it (including the stock balance shafts), balanced the crank, and pressure tested the core (new bearings should be a gimme, here). All for? $500. No joke, no lie. Part of the reason I just can't get myself to part with the old beast.

Well, about 5 years ago I had her up hunting Elk. We got some crazy weather. Days 1 and 2 were 70+ degrees, then it started snowing, by day 4 it was -2 and snowing HARD. We had to bug out a day early with a forecast of 4' in 24 hours. Dunno what happened, but the carb never was the same (water choke...hmmm...). Anyway, a couple weeks ago the old Mikuni started acting up again. Didn't feel like dealing with it myself (mid-80's Japanese carb/emissions...need a PHD in engineering to work on em), so I took it to a local. He said the choke-breaker was toast (no big surprise). I was fed up with rebuilding that carb (this would have been the 5th time) so I bought me a new toy:

*Weber 38 DGES (synchro)*
















Added a Carter P4070 fuel pump on a kill switch to keep it happy (no pictures, I just didn't think about it)

*I don't have a "before" pic of the engine compartment, but I can tell you, it's one HELL of a lot emptier, now!!*

















*You can see my DIY blanking plate for the old mechanical pump here:*








She goes into the shop tomorrow (11/15) for a final tuning and to fix a couple of "oops" of mine. I can set timing by ear 99% of the time, can't adjust a carb to save my life...

Well, fate pushed me into starting this earlier than I had wanted (had intended on starting early 2011 after my HTPC and my Ex's HTPC were done), I am going to be getting to hunt Pronghorn next August after a 13 year wait. I've intended to make this truck into a custom hunting/fishing rig for over a decade now. Well, that time has come.

*Well, what does this beast look like now?*








Ugly...but with a damned good engine (and rebuilt tranny/transfer)!

The Plan:

1. Flip the rear axle and crank the torsion bars up
2. New distributor and MSD ignition system (better fuel mileage and more pulling power) *Ignition Control* - *Coil* - *Wires* + Bosch Platinums
3. New dash and updated instrument cluster (to include Tach and phone mount for nav and MP3) (mod)
4. Sound system (of course)
5. Custom modular headache rack for my canoe and other toys (mod)
6. 3" body lift
7. Full Poly bushing kit
8. Bed seats for 2 (removable)*Seats* - *Mounts* - *Harness x2* + mounting frame (custom weld job)
9. Receiver hitch (for boat/utility trailer)
10. New bumpers
11. LED marker/brake/turn (mod)
12. deep cycle on isolator circuit (for off road lights and an inverter)
13. Ford Ranger HID headlights (mod)
14. Custom Grill (mod)
15. New windows and a sunroof (sunroof mod)
16. Bodywork (to fix some cancer and a large dent where a little girl backed into me)
17. Second fuel tank (provision already exists in frame. Just need a switch, tank, sending unit, and filler) (mod)
18. 30" or 31" Wildcat EXT (same tires it has now, only larger) and 2x spares
19. The tough part...paint job. I want this pattern: *Digital Desert Camo* (all exposed metal parts except wheels, grill, bumpers, and kick panels. I think there's a law somewhere that says old 4x4 are _REQUIRED_ to be painted camo)
20. *2 Jockey Boxes to replace the 1/4 panels on the bed:*








Passenger side box will house the deep cycle and inverter
21. Vanity plates to read: DUKTRUK (I'm a duck hunting fanatic)
22. Off-road and cargo area/backup light setup
23. Mirrors of some variety
24. Warn manual locking hubs
25. _POSSIBLY_ a winch, but I doubt it.
26. General mechanical work (brakes, full lube order, and a rear diff. input seal)
27. Possibly a 2-plate clutch (if I can find one)
28. Replace the existing 12 valve head with an 8 valve ported and polished (current head includes "jet" valves for emissions...an afterthought, if ever there was one)
29. Considering losing the mechanical fan and clutch for electric (radiator in this thing is bigger than most V6)

Project Completion: July 2011 (I hope...)

This will be a SLOWW work in progress, but the end product will be well worth it: A small, powerful pickup to get me where I need to go in the extreme back country, and still haul my boat to the marsh/river/bay for some feeshin/gunnin/crabbin. Pulling stumps and bouncing off trees will still be doable.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As I post this, the truck is in the shop for IR tuning of the carb and to fix my mentioned "oops" that I just didn't feel like re-doing myself. Also awaiting an answer from MSD about several inquiries, the ignition might be going in in the next week or 2.


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## GZ

Looks like you have one heck of a project here man. Too bad you live up north, I'd like to help you out on this one!


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## Acuta73

Out Left you mean? LOL

Extra hands are always helpful, I share your regret.


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## GZ

This reminds me of the big plans I had for my '56 V-Dub. Already had the 1776 stroked, cammed, bored, balanced and sumped motor running dual Dellorto carbs. Had the transaxle done up with a Gene Berg gear kit (5 speed conversion) and EMPI short-shift. She ran like a champ. Sold her right before my son was born and haven't done any performance wrenching since. I am looking for a '78 Rabbit, but I can't find one in decent condition for less than 5k. That is 5k I don't have to spend. 

Can't do anything about it now, but hey. Don't mean I don't like getting dirty anymore!

Now I have 2 threads of yours I am keeping an eye on... I say you should go with olive drab flat instead of digital camo... But she is your truck, not mine! 

I keep thinking body lift and I think of the way a V-Dub is bolted together... How much ground clearance is that 3" lift going to give you? I am so used to dropping cars to the floor I never give any thought to lifting them up. 

You remember the V-Dub from my one thread in Case Mod? Belongs to a bud of mine. '65 dropped 3" in the front with a 3" narrowed front beam. Dropped a few splines in the back as well. In the TSF Surgery thread I put up a pic of Minor Thread, his '55 Belvedere... I wish I had the money to get my hands on that big girl. Here is a link to the post. Maybe I should start a charity. "Get GZ his '55 Belvedere" all donations welcome! lol. 

I am going to quit hijacking your thread now and keep an eye from the distance. Once again, can't wait to see how she turns out. 

BTW, She looks a little different from the way I envisioned her from your description in your Superconductivity HTPC thread...


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## Acuta73

Well, just got it out of the shop.

Good news: carb is dialed in, though still wants to diesel a little at shutdown (I think the tech got a little idle speed happy, no worries)

Bad news: Found the issue with backfiring (didn't mention it before, thought it was just an adjustment issue). Turns out I have to replace my intake manifold gasket. They quoted me $450 to do it!  

Guess I know what I'm doing this weekend. :sigh:

Not sure on the final lift it will get, as far as actual ground clearance (it's already pretty decent, but...). I can tell you this much: it will be noticeable. lol

My first car was a 72' Super Beetle I bought for $100. Never did get to do anything fun with it, I joined the Army and sold it to a friend of the family. HE got it painted up, dropped, and all pretty.


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## GZ

Acuta73 said:


> My first car was a 72' Super Beetle I bought for $100. HE got it painted up, dropped, and all pretty.


We have something in common... My first car was a '72 Super Beetle! Canary yellow with the "Auto-Stick" transmission! $1500 is what I paid.

$450 for an intake manifold gasket? Are they on crack? I had to do an upper-cylindar job on my wifes '05 CRV (timing chain went and took the intake valves with it) I did the entire job, including all new OEM gaskets and the machine work on the head for less than 1K!

The job shouldn't be that bad. Good luck with it!


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## Acuta73

Got it done, and got the old beast on the Interstate today. [email protected]~15mpg. Less than I'd hoped, but should see improvement with an ignition upgrade. (I can't drive 55?)

Dieseling is no longer an issue, shuts down nice after I finally reach operating temp. Takes a while, though!

Still waiting on MSD tech response to my needs, but looks like a 6-AL, Blaster2, fat wires, and NGK Platinum plugs. Distributor and cap/rotor up in the air.

May try the choke breaker solenoid for the 38 if for no other reason than short trips.



My super beetle was red, had serious front-end issues, and is what I learned to drive a stick on. LOL

Yes, they are smoking crack on that quote...saw a piston from a Rio on display. Threw a timing belt and grenaded the valves. Looked more like someone dropped a quarter into the combustion chamber!!


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## GZ

Good work... Wish I could comment more right now, but my brain is mush... 16 hours of paperwork is enough to make anyone want to vomit.

Good luck with the MSD... Looking forward to progress.

Your Beetle's strut mounts were probably peeling away from the body... They should have just kept the torsion beam suspension up front...

I learned to drive manual on an 84 or 85 Civic. "Borrowed" it from my Aunt on a few occasions when she was too drunk to notice. lol.

Good night!


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## Acuta73

Fuel mileage just sucks, I need an ignition fast and MSD seems to only be interested in pushing on me the most expensive compatible unit they have. I'm willing to spend good money on their product, and they just want to "sell" me. Morons...

I found that dieseling goes away once I reach operating temps, bugger is, I only drive 3 miles to work. Engine really doesn't have a chance to fully warm up. I can either spend the $20ish on a choke breaker solenoid, or learn to just live with it.


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## Acuta73

Well, no pics at the moment, and I SAID this was gonna go slow...

Need a new head.. pulled my plugs today and had oil in the #1 and #4. This head has already been re-built once. Gonna upgrade to a non-jet valve flavor.

MSD Digital 6AL is mounted, just need to figure out a couple bumps in the wiring road and finish the harness.

750w Inverter is mounted behind the glove box, just need to finish routing the cables.

75amp Powermaster alternator is on-deck and patiently waiting its turn. Need to figure out how to get the regulator to play nice with the MSD, yet (more wiring issues...).

Ordered LED lighting all the way around. Should be here by the end of the week, install date unknown.

Un-fun stuff to come. Brakes, ball joints, bushings, tie rod ends. Ho-hum, but after that she gets a lift and some tires!


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## Acuta73

So where am I now?

The MSD box is long since installed, but not yet hooked up (see? lazy...)

Dizzy has been replaced with a new OEM

Water pump has been replaced along with the radiator hoses and thermostat

New cam is at Oregon Cam for a street/tow grind

The cylinder head was replaced with a NIB 8 valve light port and polish (I lost my photo program when I built my new machine, no purdy graphics anymore):









Still need to get a pic of the shiny new head on the block, thought I had one, seems I don't!

Going to pull the engine this summer for a re-paint and to clean/paint the engine compartment. On the "to do" list.


The ever-growing pile of suspension/brake parts for the IFS:












The "to do" list, ever growing and often changing:

Montero rear axle swap and 2"-3" lift (summer)

Install the new cam and hydro rollers soon as the cam gets back (2-4 weeks)

Finish the ignition install and get the new alternator in at the same time (still having issues figuring the regulator wiring)

New radio/speakers (radio died on the way to work this week...)

IFS rebuild (duh?)

Find a damned 2" or 3" body lift kit for this thing...then get it installed (would like to do it same time as the IFS, but not looking good)

Start cleaning up the surface rust/cancer on the body/frame and get some quotes for paint

New radiator

Second fuel tank

Interior (will likely wait til Fall for this)

Build my headache rack (summer)

Tear out the old dash and box with aluminum (Fall, possibly early next year)

Find/fab bumpers I like and get a receiver mounted 

Fab a new grille next week or week after, mesh is on the way from Minnesota

Mod for and install my HID kits I have here now, get my LED markers mounted

Get off my *** and put an anti-vibration mounting on my fuel pump before the buzzing drives me nuts


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## Acuta73

Found some Peterson resin-sealed markers. These are 4-chip SMD LED units. My old lenses and fixtures were just too FUBAR (google it) to deal with. They cover the OEM hole, just need to find a mounting base for them to fit the body lines and drill a couple holes.










I finally got my HID kits in. The projector housings are Bi-Xenon for high/low beam. The OEM H4 housings are (illegal) *super bright* high-beam/off road lights. Putting the reflector housings on a rocker switch to avoid large tickets....high beam will be effected by the projectors. (God help the sonofabitch that blinds me!!!)










2x Pilot H4x200mm reflector housings
2x 8000k Chinese metal/acrylic projectors with CCFL Angel Eyes and "Evil Eyes" daytime lamps (more to follow)
2x generic HID ballast
2x 8000k HID conversion kit for reflector housings
2x CCFL ballast (connects to parking circuit)
1x LED controller (connects to parking circuit)
1x Bi-Xenon relay harness w/high-low switching plug

To mount the projectors will require a fair bit of modding to the existing headlight holders. Will need to use my heat gun and some perspex or polycarb to create a sealed and adjustable unit, but I'm up to this minor challenge! The "Evil Eye" is stock red with the white CCFL "Angel Eye", my brother-in-law is a county cop, my Dad's best friend's son is also a county cop (different counties). I gave em both a call, red and blue forward-facing lights are a no-no for non-emergency/police vehicles. $250+ ticket here in Oregon. SO?? I have to replace the LED in the projectors with "ANY color except red or blue!!!", I went with a 4-chip SMLED unit in green. Should look cool enough and avoid tickets. They should be here by next weekend, along with the honeycomb modder's mesh for my new grille!

Tomorrow I get the electric fan installed. Woulda been today but I need some spacers/washers to blank the old fan hub on the water pump pully.


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## Midnight Tech

I see you have the "NAPA Know How"!
Can't wait to see more progress on this truck!


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## Acuta73

Midnight Tech said:


> I see you have the "NAPA Know How"!
> Can't wait to see more progress on this truck!


Hehe, Second Saturday sale for the win, to be sure. It helps that they are a few blocks away, too.


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## Acuta73

This was easy as pie...

Removed the old fan and clutch, used stainless 14mm M6 hex heads (1.00 pitch), stainless washers, and stainless lock washers to blank out the the pully:










Installed a Torqflow 14" reversible fan (puller):










Put the relay unit/adjustment pot next to the headlight relay:










...and finished the wiring with some split loom:











Got her fired up to operating temp and got the potentiometer adjusted. Damn fan cools insanely fast. If I wanted it to run all the time, I swear I could run ambient temp..

All in all? Probably the easiest mod I've ever done and now I can idle in 4-low across the desert without melting my engine!

Cost: $68 for the fan, $32 for the relay harness, $8 in stainless, and about an hour of my time.

The modders mesh and 3M Di-Noc Carbon fiber film I ordered from MNPCTech arrived. LOVE the film, mesh is for a custom grille. Also received 2x 4chip SMLED from Oznium for my "Evil Eyes" and 2x 28mm Festoon bulbs with 6 SMLED chips each (BRIGHT dome lamps...).


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## jargonbust

IT SHOWS POWER BUT NO FEEL AND LOOKS


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## Acuta73

jargonbust said:


> IT SHOWS POWER BUT NO FEEL AND LOOKS


All in good time! Need a stable operating platform before I can get into pretty stuff. Got a line on the body work, interior, dash, and paint. But I still have a pile of mechanics to be done, first.


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## Acuta73

Got sick to death of no tunes in my rig today. I get anal about any little odd sound, so I gotta cover it up. Stopped by Stereo King and bought a Kenwood HD head unit, a pair of Alpine coaxial 6" (gonna take em back tomorrow and get components), a pair of Alpine coaxial 6x9's, and a pair of 6x9 boxes. May consider a sub down the road, but I hate to lose what little room I have.


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## Acuta73

Stereo is installed. Certainly not the most important thing I've done to this beast, but probably makes me happier than 90% of the rest I've done.

Woulda had it done sooner but for a couple Dr. appts. (messed my ankle up kinda bad) and the need to beat the speaker holes in the door a shade wider (percussive maintenance FTW).

Definitely not going with a sub. Got enough bass to vibrate the mirrors into a blur. Bout all I can handle. Highs and mids are crystal clear.

Damn, it's nice to have music in the truck again!!


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## Acuta73

After work last week I went to Auto Battery & Electric (ABE) and picked up an Optima battery (red top) and a 105a alternator (stock was 42a and 25 years old!). The new stereo coupled with the engine fan kicking in were about enough to stall the truck.

All better now!

Trying to get ahold of my local carb Gods. They are usually back-logged, but now I can't even get a person on the phone. Hope like hell the economy didn't kill em off like so many others...

Poor truck needs a professional tune and probably different jets.


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## Acuta73

New battery:











New alternator:












Question:

If I were to change my mind about a sub woofer, would I NEED an amp? The head unit has hookups for it (model number in the pics above). Thinking about a Pioneer 10" shallow mount sub...


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## Acuta73

Well, for as good as the stereo is, I just had to gild the lily a bit. My high range hearing is just about gone thanks to years of gunning ducks, I really want a bit more bass response in my stereo to make up for it (mids are AWESOME, atm).

Well, I went to Stereo King locally to ask about one of the Pioneer shallow mount subs. They were out, but the guy pointed me at a Kicker 10" shallow mount and said it was a bit better but more spendy. He ended up cutting me a deal and charged me $10 more than the Pioneer (was gonna bail when he priced the Kicker). Well, $295 later I walked out with the sub, a Rockford Fosgate Amp, wiring, and some split loom.

Looks really good...better when I get it in, I think:









The dog, however, was not so impressed (she watches more TV than I do):









(No, I'm not white trash, just recently single. Ex took all the good furniture, I like toys better than furniture. Sue me.)

Drove down to Stereo King for some new toys and a fuel pressure regulator from Napa. On the way home, I blasted some 20-something kid to death with my stereo. He got pissed and rev'd for a race. I obliged him, his Honda was eating the dust of a 25 year old dirty primer gray 4x4...

Sometimes life is just good, and even us "geezers" get to smear some face occasionally! First chance I've had to be truly happy with my engine build. (I am in no way condoning loud rock n' roll, or driving fast. Both are inherently unsafe, right?)


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## SABL

Lookin' good so far!! 

Watch out with the ex.......sometimes they don't take everything when they first leave. Mine came back for an extra $30K 7yrs later on a technicality. 

I've backed way off on the toys....standard factory system in my E350 Club Wagon. You had to be in a special club to ride in it.

http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f154/what-does-everyone-drive-25462-19.html#post1615100

I don't spend enough time in any vehicle to make it worth upgrading the sound system. I also don't spend enough time in front of the TV.....


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## Acuta73

Thanks, SABL!

You don't drive em long enough, I drive em til the wheels fall off. Then I put on new wheels and start all over.

I've owned this rig for 19 years, now. = /

I think that "club" requires hand cuffs and leg shackles?


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## SABL

Yeps, the state of Ohio was the first owner of that van. I purchased it 7yrs ago for $1,100 at auction and it has served me well. I have done some suspension and brake replacement in the past year.....but with 247K miles it is to be expected....:grin:. Still purrs like a kitten.......


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## Acuta73

So, does everyone just hate my thread or....?


Got the wiring mostly done for the MSD, can't figure the signal wiring yet, though. Posted a thread about it with pics, not gonna rehash my stupidity.

Sub is about 80% in. Just need to hook up the pot adjustment and the speaker wire.

Amp fuse in, stuck on with "Tape of the Gawds" (google it):














Wall O' speakers, and not much room for anything else now....:











Ran outa light and answers, more tomorrow.


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