sluggish
Member
I'm just getting started on my 56 build so I'm sure to have alot of questions but here's a bit about my project.
Bought this truck from original owner's son 18 yrs ago when I lived in Calgary Alberta. All original except rear diff, and drove it until a few years ago when the clutch finally gave up. Was bad when I got it so it did well for me. truck kind of got put aside but in the last couple years, with a bit of life lessons involved, and a daughter who will be driving soon, it has come to the forefront and my daughter and I will be building it for her. So last year I decided it's time to do the clutch, ordered the parts and COVID hit. Well I figured I would have some time to kill with that going on so I tore into the truck a bit more. (You see where this is going?) Long story slightly shorter, the truck was completely disassembled, sandblasted and primed. While it is out getting that taken care of, I cleaned up the motor, got ready to put the clutch in and of course it is the wrong one. This cost me almost $1000 to get it to me after a long while searching and it's the wrong one. Place I bought it from swears it's correct and won't take it back since it has been so long since I bought it. Anyway, that was the catalyst i needed to make me decide I am going to do a motor swap rather than start the search all over again. Went from thinking about a 318, to an ecodiesel, to a 5.7 hemi, then to a v6 Charger engine, and back to an eco diesel, and finally settled on a 6.4 Hemi, which is now sitting in the garage. Slight hp increase from the old 230 flathead 6, though the flathead does still run like a top.
Anyway, question 1 is this. I am going to need to do some frame boxing with the added power and wondering if there is someone who makes the reinforcing plates to do that, or am I going to have to make my own. Based on the research I've done, it looks like I will have to make my own but figured I'd ask in the off chance that someone has been down this road.
Next question, has anyone done a swap like this, maybe a 5.7 hemi that I can lean on for some advice and pointers. Going to be a learning curve for me for sure, but if I can avoid a few pitfalls along the way, it would be a great help.
I've attached a pic of what I started with and will try to update as I go along.
Bought this truck from original owner's son 18 yrs ago when I lived in Calgary Alberta. All original except rear diff, and drove it until a few years ago when the clutch finally gave up. Was bad when I got it so it did well for me. truck kind of got put aside but in the last couple years, with a bit of life lessons involved, and a daughter who will be driving soon, it has come to the forefront and my daughter and I will be building it for her. So last year I decided it's time to do the clutch, ordered the parts and COVID hit. Well I figured I would have some time to kill with that going on so I tore into the truck a bit more. (You see where this is going?) Long story slightly shorter, the truck was completely disassembled, sandblasted and primed. While it is out getting that taken care of, I cleaned up the motor, got ready to put the clutch in and of course it is the wrong one. This cost me almost $1000 to get it to me after a long while searching and it's the wrong one. Place I bought it from swears it's correct and won't take it back since it has been so long since I bought it. Anyway, that was the catalyst i needed to make me decide I am going to do a motor swap rather than start the search all over again. Went from thinking about a 318, to an ecodiesel, to a 5.7 hemi, then to a v6 Charger engine, and back to an eco diesel, and finally settled on a 6.4 Hemi, which is now sitting in the garage. Slight hp increase from the old 230 flathead 6, though the flathead does still run like a top.
Anyway, question 1 is this. I am going to need to do some frame boxing with the added power and wondering if there is someone who makes the reinforcing plates to do that, or am I going to have to make my own. Based on the research I've done, it looks like I will have to make my own but figured I'd ask in the off chance that someone has been down this road.
Next question, has anyone done a swap like this, maybe a 5.7 hemi that I can lean on for some advice and pointers. Going to be a learning curve for me for sure, but if I can avoid a few pitfalls along the way, it would be a great help.
I've attached a pic of what I started with and will try to update as I go along.