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My 78 W150 club cab

38K views 167 replies 22 participants last post by  KurtfromLaQuinta 
#1 ·
Ok lets see if this works. This is my 78 Power Wagon I bought last year for $300 bucks. It came with a running 75 parts truck with a good running 360. He bought the 78 from a junkyard and it sat for over ten years. He said the 360 in the 78 had a rod out because the motor knocked loud when it ran. Come to find out it was just a broken flex plate. Just been slowly gettin the 78 road worthy to make it a daily driver. More to come.

Barry
 

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#2 ·
This is the parts truck i got with the 78. The box actaully folded in half when I lifted it off the frame. The guy I got it from used the truck for his tree service he did on the side. He beat the snot out of it but it just keep on tickin. The 360 ran good and strong. Like all 360s i have owned. More to come.

Barry
 

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#4 ·
Thanks Pete. I hate to say it but I had to get diff spokes for the front. I've went against everything you belive in and converted the axle to a 5x5.5 bolt pattern part time axle. I had a bad experience with my last full time axle bearings on a 77 I used to have so I change um over. And yes I kept them fully greased and sealed as I should have.
 

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#6 ·
This is the engine pulling that went on. The motor ended up being a good runner in the 78 so I placed it in dry storage till I find me a Ramcharger to put it in. The motor from the 75 got a little freshing up. New crank and rod bearings, oil pump and pick up, valve seals, 268 comp rv cam, new lifters, water pump, fuel pump, new 600 holley and factorty 4 barrel intake, headers and new dual exhaust with turbos and a very needed bath and paint. Cleaned up the 203 t-case and 727 tranny with new seals and filter. The engine bay was a mess after power washing cause original owner had it zbarted when it was new so the zbart over spray was everywhere. Had some rust free fender wheels to put in. Gave it a good coating of rust o leum black and slapped the 360 in. Purrs like a kitten now. More like a loin when you stomp on the right pedal.
 

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#7 ·
Ragman said:
Thanks Pete. I hate to say it but I had to get diff spokes for the front. I've went against everything you belive in and converted the axle to a 5x5.5 bolt pattern part time axle. I had a bad experience with my last full time axle bearings on a 77 I used to have so I change um over. And yes I kept them fully greased and sealed as I should have.
:)

If you're keeping the 203, Barry, the later CAD axle outers are a good option. ;D
 
#8 ·
I planned on using the 203 with just keepin the lockouts engaged at all times. I used the outers from a 82 RC D44 axle. Are you saying the CAD outers would be better?

Barry
 
#10 ·
Motor ran good when pulled so I just put new bearings, 268 comp cam, ect. I have listed above what I all did to motor. My plans for now with the truck is I'm redoing all the brakes, fuel system the wiring was shot in the truck so had to replace all that. Had all the wiring from another truck that was in good shape so I put that in. Need to find a good box for it cause the truck does have a darkside to it. That would be the passenger side of the box. It is really rusted out. Had the factory tool box in the bedside and all the road slop got caught above it and just starting rotting out the whole pass side. Cab is really solid. Only a few small holes in floor boards. Plans are also for a little suspesion lift. 4 inch is the most I wanna go with. Wanna use the truck like a truck is made for. Hauling the boat, scrap yard visits, trips to the dump, camping. Just gonna have fun with it and fix it as I go.

Barry
 
#11 ·
Ragman said:
I planned on using the 203 with just keepin the lockouts engaged at all times. I used the outers from a 82 RC D44 axle. Are you saying the CAD outers would be better?
The CAD outers would eliminate the locking hubs, which you don't need anyway, but retain the 5 x 5.5" wheel bolt pattern. ;D
 
#12 ·
Took it out on its maiden voyage Saturday. Drove it to gas station and around the neighborhood. First time it has really been driven other than to the exhaust shop since I started fixing it up a year and seven months ago. Felt good to actually drive it. Has a few bugs to work out but not bad. Need to fiqure out a fix for the trans kickdown since putting a four barrel on it. Dont wanna put to much work into that since I accuired a '74 W200 for parts with a NP435 and 205 t case that will be going in in the near future. 
 
#13 ·
Drove it to work the other day and the brake booster started making loud sucking noises when I press the pedal down so I'm assuming the booster is toast now. I believe its the original so prob have a cracked diaphram in it. Not sure how much more work I will get done on it until next spring. A long box ext. cab dont fit in my garage to well so it will sit outside all winter. Prob spend the winter cleaning up the 435/205 and going through the d44 and d60 thats going in it. Gotta find a disc brake set up for front d44 also.
 
#15 ·
I'm aware of the trans kickdown but I only live two blocks from my work so I wasnt to worried. I have only driven the truck like three times just around the neighborhood so I was hopeing I would'nt hurt the trans without a kickdown. It will prob be the last time until the 435/ 205 swap is done. It bums me out cause I have spent all this time and money gettin the truck all together and now I cant afford to put insurance on it right now. So it sits waiting patiently in the corner of the yard.
 
#16 ·
Don't get me started on insurance.  It's crazy that I have to pay more for two vehicles when I can only drive one at a time!  Oh well, someone has to pay for the cute gecko to be on the superbowl ads.  :mad:
 
#17 ·
We recently added our 16 yr old to our insurance so as alot of parents know that a 16 yr old male is terribly expensive to have insurance on.
 
#18 ·
Contrary to popular opinion they don't get cheaper after they move out, either! 

Did you use any parts from the W200 or are you gonna fix that one up?  Betcha the 16 year old wouldn't mind having an old 4x4...
 
#19 ·
This is how the 74 sits at the moment. It will not be fixed up. The frame is rotted through in spots and the cab is to far gone. I dont feel like doing any frame repair so off the left overs go to the scrap yard. Scrap is at $205 a ton here now so hopefully with what I already got laying around and the left overs I can make my money back. The running gear will live on in the club cab.
 

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#20 ·
Figured I better update since I have been wrenchin on the ol girl lately. We have had good weather so I decided to get some work done before the snow comes since I'm committed to workin in the driveway. Cleaned up the springs off the '74 I stripped down and installed them. In the pic I have the old ubolts on but they are just there for mock up. New ones will be installed. I think it sits to high in the rear but I might put some shorter spring blocks on I have lying around. Any thoughts?
 

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#21 ·
Nice club Ragman! Keep up the good work.
 
#22 ·
79Rammer said:
Nice club Ragman! Keep up the good work.
Thanks. I've seen the pics of your club cab and it's a sweet truck too. I wasnt really looking into getting a club cab when I was looking at buying another Power Wagon. I like the looks of a regular cab better myself but for $300 I could'nt pass it up. It has grown on me since owning it. It is the only one I've seen around the area and I like to be different.

Barry
 
#23 ·
Have not been doin a whole lot on the truck lately but did get my new seat and cover installed. Seat was outta the 74 W200 I parted out. The cover has been sittin new in the box in the basement for 15 yrs. Feels good to park my ass on a seat with all the foam and no busted springs. Jerry rigged a extension on my trans kickdown to work until I install the 4 speed. It seems to work good. Also started cleaning up the 205 and np435. Damn near need a jack hammer to get some of the crud off.
 

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#24 ·
Nice kickdown - and cheaper than a lockar! 

Betcha can't wait til spring.  What gear do you have in your axles?  Just wondering how that 435 will do in granny. 
 
#25 ·
Glad to hear from ya again. How's it feel to be back in Colorado?

Right now the 1/2 ton axles have 3.55s but I have the D44 and D60 outta the '74 I'm gonna put in. They have 4.10s in them.  Fiqured I better wait and install the 205 and 435 when I do the axle swap since I'm sure I will have rear drive shaft issues because I'm going from a married 203 to a divorced 205 and the D60 takes a shorter drive shaft. Will prob be spring before I start on that project. Funds are short this time of year and the axles will need all the brakes rebuilt. Wanna find a disc brake set up for the D44 but I will prob run the drums for the time being till I can find a disc brake set up. My only option will prob be from a Chevy D44. Have not seen many 8 lug Dodge D44s around here. There is a 70's 3/4 Chevy sitting right across the street from my work that just sits there with a disc brake D44. Maybe the guy will come outside one day and find it sitting up on blocks.  ;) lol! Picked up a nice set of used 265/75/16 A/T tires for $30 off craigslist the other day. Got my tires for the axle swap just gotta find 3 more stock 16x7 steel wheels for it.
 
#26 ·
Great to be back in CO - although it's colder here than in Omaha...that normally only happens in the summer!

I would love to have a 4 spd in Cleatus.  Looks like you are doing it right.  I drove front drums on a truck back in the day.  To tell you the truth, bump steer scared me more than those brakes.  Still, if you can go to Disc I would.  Nice score on the tires.  I gotta do something about my diesel wheels - they're on 16.5 wheels.  Let me know if you source any 16s for cheeeep.
 
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