engine swap

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:55 pm

Hey Ray,
Good to hear about your project! I would love to see some pics as your project progresses. If you need any parts that I have your welcome to them. I imagine your not going to be using much from the old truck. Now as far as the frames go all my trucks are 1 tons but my last 3/4 ton had a very similar frame to my newer trucks, they all have fully boxed frames. WAY heavier and stronger. I know that Dodge increased the frame strength when it started to get more power out of the Cummins engine. I have a couple of pretty high hp trucks and this truck that my son and I am building will be a moderately modded engine (in the 400-450hp/800-900 tq range) and I just don't see how the stock frame will hold up without being modified.
Are you going to go with coil front springs or leaf springs? Are you going to be turbo charging your 6bt and if ya are -are you going to be using an inter cooler?
Thanks,
Randy

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:24 am

I'd strongly advise going back to the 4bt. HAve you been on www.4btswaps.com ? Go give that a look, with a "P" pumped 4BT, running water injection, bigger injectors, and compound Borg Warner S200/S400 turbo combos, 500 HP is possible. It will be about the same cost as your 6 BT in the long run by the time you get done hacking everything else on the truck to make it fit.

a 6BT is 40" long and weighs between 1100 and 1300 lbs depending on how its dressed. you have MAYBE 35" to play with stock... A 4BT fits like a glove in an M. Google cabell garbees page and take a look at his 4BT swap, you'll see it fits nicely.

Me... I'm doing a twin turbo big Block with full time 4WD...

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 4:03 am

Hey guys,
Josh thanks for the input! Good info and probably a great idea! However were going to be using the 6bt. My son really wants to put the 6 in so that's what were going to do. We have plenty of time and a full fab shop so why not. It should be a great learning opportunity for both of us. (good or bad)
I have tried to teach him that when we start a job the 1st thing we need to do is figure out what we want at the end of the job and then figure out the best way to get there. Seldom the best way is the easiest I have been on the 4bt swap sites and have talked to PAUL in NY alot about his swaps and realize that the 4 fits in like a glove, but it just won't supply enough grunt for him.
I really appreciate all the input !!!
We'll keep ya posted in our progress.
Bulldog

CREEPING DEATH · Post by **CREEPING DEATH** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 9:19 pm

The 6BT won't fit without radical surgery - like moving the firewall back to the seat or mounting the radiator ahead of the grill. There just isn't enough room. It's been done, there's been pictures, and they weren't pretty. And then there's the matter of 1100 pounds of motor where there was once only 600-700.
The 4BT is capable of continuous 400+ HP in marine configuration and 600+ when modified properly. There was a video on YouTube - I can't find it now - of a mid-80s SWB C10 doing donuts and figure 8s with ease.

CD

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 5:27 am

Creeping Death,
Thanks for your input. I know it wont be an easy one but that's what makes it FUN... It will fit but like we have all said it will take some serious modifications. As far as the weight of the 6bt goes if you read all the posts you'll see that that isn't going to be a problem since we'll be going to a later much heavier duty suspension. This is not going to be a restored M37. It will be a heavily modded play toy.
I realize that the 4bt makes pretty good power and can be made to make alot of power but it just can't match the power and torque of it's bigger brother.
Again I appreciate your input.

Bulldog

By the way I added a few more pics in my gallery, We have just stared a new chassis in the shop. It's for a 1936 fiat. It will have a blown 351w stuffed into it. You want to talk about tight.

jbxx · Post by **jbxx** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 9:23 am

Is your gallery public so we can have a look?
Sounds like some wild stuff.
Post a URL.
J.B.

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 9:52 am

OOPs sorry...

Look in the pics section. My name is Randy Christman.

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 6:36 pm

Hey guys,
Well I have some updates...
We took a ride up to Ed Andersen's place and my son bought another M37.
It's in great shape and will coming apart soon.

Now for the other update...
We're not going to be using the frame from the M37 and we're not going to be using a late model frame...
We're going to build a frame from scratch. Yup we're gong to build a rectangular tube frame. If you look in my pic gallery you'll see a frame that is similar but the frame in the gallery is much smaller. I built it for a 80" wheel base 1936 Fiat.
Check them out and let me know what ya think.
By the way this means that I'll have even more parts left over so if ya need anything let me know.
see ya,
Bulldog

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:03 pm

well, this just got interesting real quick... lol

looked at the pics, looks like they are having a great time! any idea for the rest of the drivetrain? since now you're pretty much unlimited...

Bulldog · Post by **Bulldog** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:33 pm

Hey Josh,
Thanks for the interest! My son is really excited about the project. We have started laying out our plans and looks like a custom frame is the way to go. I have more pics but for SOME reason I can't put up anymore pics... I have been contacted buy a several people here that doesn't like the fact that I put none M37/military pics up... So I guess that's why I can't add anymore pics. To bad that my 14 yr old son can't share his exciting project with supposed grown up men/women... I guess he'll have to share his project with his Young buddies. It's unfortunate it he'll have twice the work in his project then most of the trucks on here do but wont be able to share it with people that he was looking up to.

Good luck guys,
I hope you can keep YOUR site just the way you like it.
Moderators please remove my info from YOUR site.
Randy Christman

bubba_got_you · Post by **bubba_got_you** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 4:55 am

Bulldog wrote:Hey Josh,
Thanks for the interest! My son is really excited about the project. We have started laying out our plans and looks like a custom frame is the way to go. I have more pics but for SOME reason I can't put up anymore pics... I have been contacted buy a several people here that doesn't like the fact that I put none M37/military pics up... So I guess that's why I can't add anymore pics. To bad that my 14 yr old son can't share his exciting project with supposed grown up men/women... I guess he'll have to share his project with his Young buddies. It's unfortunate it he'll have twice the work in his project then most of the trucks on here do but wont be able to share it with people that he was looking up to.

Good luck guys,
I hope you can keep YOUR site just the way you like it.
Moderators please remove my info from YOUR site.
Randy Christman

So that’s it…you are just going to wave the white flag and leave? I am by no means a stock m37 owner but I would never go as far from stock as you are but that doesn’t mean I have ANY right to tell you how you should do you project. Just because a couple ***holes don’t like what you are doing and feel they need to tell you about it doesn’t mean that the majority of people don’t want you here. I don’t like the way you are doing the m37 but it doesn’t mean I don’t want you here this sight is for m37 owners I red nothing stating that the truck had to be stock, and if the truck does have to be stock than most of the guys here would have to leave. Well that’s my opinion and I will have no support for a sight that forces people out because they don’t like there point of view.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:46 am

Randy,

There may be a cap on the number of images due to server size and space... I am not sure. I host all of mine from photobucket.com to get past that issue. They give you 1000 images per account. There are several people here that probably also dont like me swapping in a full time 4x4, twin turbo v8 drivetrain, but... to hell with em! Go get a photobucket accound and keep the project rollin. I for one would love to watch.

oldstuff · Post by **oldstuff** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 5:52 pm

Randy
I 'm using a 1990 3/4 ton frame and it's strictly a "C' channel frame. Starting in 94 (second gen) they went to boxing the frame as far back as the rear of the cab. That would really help resist twisting. With my 90 frame all stripped, including engine and tranny crossmembers I jacked up one front wheel 10" off the floor before the other front wheel came off the floor. you should have seen how much of that was taken up by frame twist!!
The Cummins 6bt is about 6 or 7' longer than the M37 engine compartment. You could probably get away with cutting into the firewall by that much, but i just chose a different route. Not necessarily easier.
I'm using stock 90 leaf springs front and back. 4x4
All Dodge 6bts had turbo, but the early ones, up to 91 1/2 did not have intercoolers. I won't use an intercooler, strictly for space reasons.
I found that a radiator from a 1975 360 Duster w/air, completely fills up the m37 radiator shell. It's 3 rows thick so It should come close to cooling the 5.9. I'll add oil coolers and such later if needed for cooling.
Now for pictures. I'm computer retarded. I really don't like working with them so I have'nt learned how to post pictures yet. Maybe soon.