New Build (BB Dak)

Well, I was going to start gathering together parts for building a torque monster hemi for the PW, but I really don't want to deal with the tuning side of it, and I've had this BB 413 sitting around for some time, so I finally got the itch to put it in something. I know it won't make much horsepower (>200), but it should more than make up for that with torque (400+). Plus the vehicle I have chosen to put this in is just a touch on the light side! Might be a little interesting getting the headers to fit in the Dak but I'm up for the challenge.

Picked up this 87 Dak with no motor and trans for $250. It is very rust free, and is pretty darn straight. It looks like hell with the paintwork someone started on but should look pretty damn good when I get done with it.



413 when I brought it home. Cleaned it up a little now. If anyone knows a good location for BB parts I am in need of a oil dipstick tube, and a truck (rear sump) pan and oil pump tube.

Here are a few links that will help.

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/192wddakensw.html
http://www.bigblockdakota.com/gpage5.html
http://www.engine-swaps.com/Pages/Products.html

Thanks for the tips! I saw most of those sites, but I'm just going to wing it. I like being different!

Update (note, I only have weekends to work on this project):

Got the frame stripped down last weekend, motor and trans mounts made, started to clearance the oil pan, and started to work on re-routing the headers.

This weekend, finished clearancing the oil pan, and relocating the oil pickup, fixed the front cross member where somebody butchered it up, and got all the rest of the rust damage fixed on the frame. Beefed it up a little as I don't want this little truck twisting up from the BB! Also got the cab set back on but, didn't do much else.

Pics:

Cool! Post up some pictures of the mounts and other details.

Update:

Worked a couple more weekends on the truck.
Got my pipes, and collectors in to work on the headers, and spent most of last weekend getting them buttoned up. Was a lot of frustration trying to route them so they looked eye appealing and wouldn't cause me any clearance issues down the road. Drivers side didn't work out well as the front primary tube I had to run outbound of the others so it looks out of place. The passenger side though turned out awesome and looks like it was professionally done.




This weekend, worked on getting the master cylinder mounted. There was not enough clearance to fit the smallest booster I had (Ø8-1/2") so I converted it over to manual brakes. Not too sure how this is going to work out, but I'm a big guy so I can manage. If need be down the road I will convert it over to a hydro assist braking system (diesel system) if manual is not adequate enough. Made all new brake and fuel lines, remade the cab mounts due to some rust and started to get the body fully mounted again. Once I got the front clip on, looks like rad clearance is going to be tight, but I have a plan.




Few more weekends and she should be on the road!

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this is sick as hell

Originally Posted by fultonwrestler

this is sick as hell

Thanks! This has been a pretty fun, and inexpensive build to this point. I had the 413 running on the weekend with open headers and it sounds pretty freaking mean!! I didn't get much run time as I don't have a rad on it yet, and the clutch went out of the mini hi torque starter I had on it.

I think I have the rad figured out. The one from my old 97 Concorde should fit reasonable well with a little modding to the core support, and I would think it should provide enough cooling for now, but time will tell.

Truck is almost done!!! (besides body and paint)

Exhaust is finished. Ran 3" Magnaflow mufflers right off the headers and have a turn down right after the muffler. I'm eventually going to run side pipes out in front of the rear tires, but this is good enough for now. Sucker is almost too darn loud. Not going to be able to sneak around anywhere

Installed a Lokar kickdown cable, and a B&M megashifter. Was my first time with both of these products, and I can say I'm impressed. Using the Lokar cable was a heck of a lot simpler than trying to mess around and get clearance for a kickdown rod off the carb, and the megashifter was the same deal. Also looks pretty cool in the truck.

Also go the rad in. Used a rad from my 97 Concorde. Had to modify the core support a good deal, but it fits. Not sure yet if it will adaquately cool the truck but it should. Running both the stock electric fans from the Concorde.

Lastly got most of the exterior back together. Had quite a bit of wiring to do to get lights back on the truck, but it's almost done. Just need to inner fenders put in (need to find a set first) and touch up a bit or wiring for water temp, egt, and the neutral safety switch and back up light switch. Should also get an oil pressure gauge to get rid of my pop bottle catch can.

Pics of progress (not much to see)
rad mocked in place

Clearance (yeah right) to electric fans




Trans cooler:

upper rad hose built:

B&M shifter:

Outside of truck:



Also showed my PowerWagon some love and painted the lower rockers:

Short crappy vid of the first real fire up. Nothing was tuned/set up correctly so it wouldn't idle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvZpi...ature=youtu.be

Nice build man. What did you do for the mounts?

Also, what did you do to the frame to "beef it up"? Couldn't see anything in the pics.

Originally Posted by DakotaRT1993

Nice build man. What did you do for the mounts?

Originally Posted by DakotaRT1993

Also, what did you do to the frame to "beef it up"? Couldn't see anything in the pics.

+1 to both of those.

What did you use for the radiator and electric fans?

Originally Posted by DakotaRT1993

Nice build man. What did you do for the mounts?

For the mounts I just mocked the motor into place and hand fabbed the motor mounts from 11Ga (1/8") sheet, and welded them directly to the frame rails. This is the same method I used on the 51 Fargo I built on a 90 Dak chassis with a 360 and it worked slick on it. For the trans mounts just used the factory cross member and build a aux mount to meet up with the trans mount. I saw how other BB swaps use cantilever mounts off the original mounts and I didn't like that. I believe my method is much cleaner and it's also only a fraction of the cost of buying the conversion mounts.

Originally Posted by DakotaRT1993

Also, what did you do to the frame to "beef it up"? Couldn't see anything in the pics.

Sorry didn't really take any pics of what I did to the frame, and I didn't go as far as I wanted to yet. Basically I just extended the boxed section of the frame farther along the rear end of it, and I double plated the front motor cross member (with 3/16" plate) to reduce flex from the heavy BB

**edit**
Just noticed that none of the pics posted show anything I did to the frame. I did all the frame work after getting the motor mocked up and it looks like I didn't take any pics.

Originally Posted by dodgef25

+1 to both of those.

What did you use for the radiator and electric fans?

For the rad and fans, it is all the factory cooling system out of my '97 Chrysler Concorde. It was the first really nice car I ever owned and since I've moved onto building trucks I've kept it around to steal parts off of(really keeping it to find a project to put the 3.5 motor in, as it is a very stout little V6. First trans I killed in it, I drove 40 minutes home in 1st gear at 6000rpm). Hardest part was adapting the lower hose from 2-1/2" on the 413 to 1-1/4" on the rad. Had the truck running last week and so far it seems to be keeping the BB cool.

I haven't updated this build in quite a while, but she is almost done. I haven't had a lot of time to work on the truck, but I got it to the point it can go for safety. Got the body all back together, got the 413 running a whole lot better (got rid of the rebuilt Holley), and lowered the rear ~4". I've had the truck for a couple trips down my sideroad, and it will flat out go!! This weekend I gave it a quick paint job just to get it all one colour and protect it from more surface rust. Not my first choice on colour but I had it on hand so didn't cost my anything. Body is also far from complete or straight.

Will post a driving vid once it's on the road legally.

Pics:

Pre drop and paint: