DodgeTalk Forum banner

New to forum w/new to me 73 Utiline SB

66K views 209 replies 40 participants last post by  bkellam 
#1 ·
I recently purchased a 73 D100 Utiline short box w/318 ci V8. In looking at several Dodge/Mopar forums, this looks like 'the' place to be for information and help with the questions I'm sure I will have.

The body has seen some rough use but is relatively rust free in the usual areas of the cab. The purchase included two extra undamaged R&L front fenders, two extra undamaged R&L doors, lower front valance, and a few other parts.

This will be a project truck. My plans are to take it down to the frame, clean it, paint it, replace whatever needs to be replaced, etc. to make it straight. The previous owner lowered it 2 in. I expect to return it to it's original height. The previous owner also added headers, exhaust, Edelbrock intake and 4 bbl, as well as an NP535 5 spd manual transmission out of a Dakota. Immediately after I purchased it I put close to 550 miles on it to get it home. It runs and drives pretty well.

Here's a photo:
 

Attachments

See less See more
1
#2 ·
Welcome to the site, congrats on your new truck, looks like a good project. Post pic's as you go along to help many others that will also want to do the same to thier trucks
 
#7 ·
Welcome to DodgeTalk. I've found this site very useful and quite a few good members here as well!
 
#12 ·
73 Utiline project - update

I had received two straight salvage fenders and two straight salvage doors with the purchase and I have fitted them to make sure they would work OK. I found a straight tailgate and an almost straight right rear fender in the local salvage yard.

Currently I have the bed disassembled and removed down to the frame. The interior carpet and seat have been removed. The original bench seat had been removed by the previous owner. He installed seats that were out of a Dakota and modified them to fit this truck. My intent is to sell the Dakota seats and find an original bench seat.

Intend to remove the front end body work next.

Would anyone know the original color from the picture in my original post? Not sure if it might have been (DT6398) Bronze or something else. Truck was originally a U.S. Govt Motor Pool vehicle according to the very faded decal on the door.
 

Attachments

#13 ·
Man looks like mine when I started. I am doing a full restoration on mine too. Mine is also a step side but a 79. Just something about these trucks that i love. Cant wait to see more pictures of it in the future, Good luck and welcome to the board.
 

Attachments

#15 ·
Update

a photo update on my rebuild...Still in the process of taking it down to the frame.
 

Attachments

#17 ·
The driver's side has two small 'nickel' sized holes rotted through. The passenger side has two or three pin holes in the pan. Everwhere else looked really good and solid. The rockers have some dent damage that needs repair, but no indication of serious rust. Overall I think I made out not too bad.



Everything that can be removed from the cab, has been removed. Cab is ready to be lifted off the frame.
 

Attachments

#18 ·
Cab lift from frame

Lifting the cab off the frame. Even with everything removed from the cab there was still a tendency to be slightly nose heavy. Once free of the frame the cab balanced on the strongback in a nose down attitude.

By lifting each end of the stongback 3-4 inches at a time, this 60+ year old was able to fairly easily lift the cab to 37 plus inches off the ground (measured to bottom of rocker panel) and lower it back down after rolling the chassis out from under.

The lifting frame was constructed of KD 2x6 with as few knots as I could find. The top end of the uprights were C-Clamped to the 2x6 roof trusses just to keep them upright (no load on the trusses). Everything worked as I hoped it would! :rck:
 

Attachments

#19 ·
They say that "Necessity is the mother of Invention" and I believe that you have proven this. What an ingenious "Home Brew" way of lifting the cab off of the chassis. You are really progressing on your body off restoration and I am looking forward to seeing the finished product. It is a lot of work, but the bottom line is the fact that it is well worth it and you will have one heck of a truck when you are finished. Rock on :rck::rck:
 
#21 ·
Very ingenious setup, I tip my hat. I still have the 5' tall TGI sawhorses I used on my last cab pull.
 
#22 ·
Update

Engine, transmission, and driveline have been removed. Starting on teardown of front suspension & steering lingage. Intend to replace tie rod ends, ball joints, and shocks, as well as control arm bushings. Will also replace old coil springs that the PO had heated (to lower) with OEM coil springs. I expect this to bring the front end back to original height. The PO also cut and lengthened the rear leaf shackles (to lower) so they will be replaced with OEM shackles to bring the rear end back to original height. As things are removed they will be cleaned and painted. Before reassembly I intend to clean and paint the frame as well. Should be Spring by then.........:D
 

Attachments

#23 ·
FYI - Hate to repeat myself, but I replaced my front springs (one broken) with HD ones and regret it. Need to upgrade the to better shocks. Very bouncy. Grady
 
#25 · (Edited)
Wanda originally was a slant 6 so with a heavier 360 and the usual advice about upgrading springs (one was broken anyway) I used HD ones without much research. Wouldn't do it again but maybe with better shocks it will be OK.

Also, the 4 Monromatics that I put on a couple of years ago are vary soft. At one point I thought they were shot but found the new ones equally soft so I put mine back on. Other people on this forum have had unkind things to say about Monomatics.

I think the combo of stiffer springs (stiffer rebound) and a soft shocks (less dampening) contribute to a bouncy ride.

I have had good luck with KYB (in cars in the past) and Edelbrocks in my Suburban. A quick search of this forum turns up a couple of KYB recommendations. Looks like the same shocks were used from 72-93. Here are some ideas: Shocks

So I'm leaning to the KYB Gas A Just... might have buy them by the end of the month if that is a good price. Grady
 
#26 ·
I have had good luck with KYB (in cars in the past) and Edelbrocks in my Suburban. A quick search of this forum turns up a couple of KYB recommendations. Looks like the same shocks were used from 72-93. Here are some ideas: Shocks

So I'm leaning to the KYB Gas A Just... might have buy them by the end of the month if that is a good price. Grady

Currently Autozone has the KYB Gas-a-Just #KG5403 (front) for my 73 D100 at $73.99 ea. ($147.99 pr) and the #KG5413 (rear) for same vehicle at $75.99 ea. ($151.98 pr). That make a full set $299.96.

The link you mentioned to ShockWarehouse.Com has these on sale until August 30 with the full set at $163.22.......nearly $137 cheaper.......with free shipping. Pretty substantial savings IMO.
 
#27 ·
Update

I Nearly have the chassis completely stripped of everything that isn't permanently attached. Last items to come off are the front coil spring suspension components. I purchased a special socket ($32 from Autozone) to fit the threaded upper ball joints. The Lower ball joints are a press fit.

I fabricated a coil spring compressor and a ball joint breaker as well, from information that I found at this website http://dazed.home.bresnan.net/spring . His design was to fit an early Mustang but with a little tweaking I was able to easily modify his ideas to fit my vehicle. They worked very well. I realize some of these tools are available for rent at certain auto parts stores at no cost, but for a few dollars I preferred to make my own.
 

Attachments

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top