James’ 1974 W200 build

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My 76 W200 had a 440 with 4.10 gears it got 4 mpg, regardless if loaded or empty.
My last 78 W150 with a 360 4-speed got 14.5 mpg all day long, I did put the kit in the transfer case on that one.

These trucks are just shoving air, with the brick front ends.
I had a 75 440 loaded, Full time 4wd Ramcharger. It got about 8mpg. While I repainted the exterior, and converted all the trim to a '78, I hated the short bed handling, and ride, and I sold it before I fixed that and the gas mileage. She was a "looker", but I got tired of the project.
 
I bought and did a little fixing on this 74 two wheel drive 3/4 ton 440 auto and sold it a little under two years ago...
Guy just called me a couple of hours ago and asked if I wanted it back...
It had a camper on it must of its life so the floorboards and bed still had Factory paint...
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Unfortunately I want a 4×4 club cab...
 
I did a disc brake conversion on the Drum brake Dana 44. I used Chevy parts off a 10 bolt front end. it’s all about the same stuff

also hurt that 360 couple weeks ago like I said in the crank breakers thread..dropped a valve. Lead foot Lenny. LOL
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P
 
I did a disc brake conversion on the Drum brake Dana 44. I used Chevy parts off a 10 bolt front end. it’s all about the same stuff

also hurt that 360 couple weeks ago like I said in the crank breakers thread..dropped a valve. Lead foot Lenny. LOL
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Do you have a parts list for your disc brake conversion?
 
I did a disc brake conversion on the Drum brake Dana 44. I used Chevy parts off a 10 bolt front end. it’s all about the same stuff

also hurt that 360 couple weeks ago like I said in the crank breakers thread..dropped a valve. Lead foot Lenny. LOL
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dropped a valve? that's kinda unusual. extreme over-revving?
 
dropped a valve? that's kinda unusual. extreme over-revving?
That’s exactly what happened.... Extreme over-revving. Sure sounded good open header. LOL...Man I’m sure a thrasher behind a manual trans. Can’t keep my foot out of it. I have a rebuilt 360 with SpeedMaster heads ready to go in.
 
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Do you have a parts list for your disc brake conversion?
You will need to find a Chevy Dana 44 or 10 bolt. They are the same. I think ‘73-‘87 are the years. Must be a 3/4 ton 8 lug truck. I found a complete axle for 80 bucks. K-that is unusually cheap. The rotors and pads I got at Summit, 110 to my door for those. I spent 250 at RockAuto for inner/outer wheel bearings, wheel seals, axle u-joints, and upper/lower ball joints. I had to buy 16 new wheel studs because the ones that came off the donor axle were too rusty. $50 at Orielly Auto Parts. The calipers were reman units I got at CarQuest, those were $50. I also had to buy new warn hubs, the ones off my donor axle were missing. I opted for Warn Premiums, at Summit those are $127. Roughly $670 total all parts including the donor axle.

You probably don’t have to go to the extreme like I did, most likely your wheel studs would be okay, the old rotors could be turned, mine were shot. You don’t need warn premiums, you could save $50 by going with the mile markers. So there is a couple hundred savings right there.

from the Chevy axle you will need everything from the stub shafts out. Use the existing dodge knuckles, the Chevy knuckles have a bigger hole for the tie rod ends which doesn’t work with the dodge’s steering link.

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I bought and did a little fixing on this 74 two wheel drive 3/4 ton 440 auto and sold it a little under two years ago...
Guy just called me a couple of hours ago and asked if I wanted it back...
It had a camper on it must of its life so the floorboards and bed still had Factory paint...
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Unfortunately I want a 4×4 club cab...
Jpar, that is a nice 2 wheeler. I want one as well. Long bed of course, never liked short bed anything.
 
You will need to find a Chevy Dana 44 or 10 bolt. They are the same. I think ‘73-‘87 are the years. Must be a 3/4 ton 8 lug truck. I found a complete axle for 80 bucks. K-that is unusually cheap. The rotors and pads I got at Summit, 110 to my door for those. I spent 250 at RockAuto for inner/outer wheel bearings, wheel seals, axle u-joints, and upper/lower ball joints. I had to buy 16 new wheel studs because the ones that came off the donor axle were too rusty. $50 at Orielly Auto Parts. The calipers were reman units I got at CarQuest, those were $50. I also had to buy new warn hubs, the ones off my donor axle were missing. I opted for Warn Premiums, at Summit those are $127. Roughly $670 total all parts including the donor axle.

You probably don’t have to go to the extreme like I did, most likely your wheel studs would be okay, the old rotors could be turned, mine were shot. You don’t need warn premiums, you could save $50 by going with the mile markers. So there is a couple hundred savings right there.

from the Chevy axle you will need everything from the stub shafts out. Use the existing dodge knuckles, the Chevy knuckles have a bigger hole for the tie rod ends which doesn’t work with the dodge’s steering link.

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A buddy did that, and he loves it.
 
Jpar, that is a nice 2 wheeler. I want one as well. Long bed of course, never liked short bed anything.
short beds "look" a little sportier, but I think they ride a little choppier, especially leaf sprung rear ends. Also, I want a truck I can haul plywood or studs and be able to close the tailgate.
 
short beds "look" a little sportier, but I think they ride a little choppier, especially leaf sprung rear ends. Also, I want a truck I can haul plywood or studs and be able to close the tailgate.
exactly why I want a longbed!! put a piece of lumber in there and shut the gate!! guys buy these brand new 25 and 3500's with a short bed, I just friggin shake my head when I see 'em.
 
I found me a Dana 70 rear out of a ‘92 Diesel D250 I’m gonna swap in place of the rear 60. I’ll rebuild it and update with pics
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I bought and did a little fixing on this 74 two wheel drive 3/4 ton 440 auto and sold it a little under two years ago...
Guy just called me a couple of hours ago and asked if I wanted it back...
It had a camper on it must of its life so the floorboards and bed still had Factory paint...
View attachment 1715686937
Unfortunately I want a 4×4 club cab...

I have my Dad's 78 4X4 club cab he bought new.
 
Oh boy here comes the anti blockers. Lol
I had a stacked set on my old Ramcharger, you should have seen the damage a set of 44" tires can do to 1/4 panels when the blocks kick out.
 
Well I got the rear end all done. It had 3.54 gears cuz it came out of a diesel.
So I went with a new set of 4.10’s and decided on a Detroit Locker, and upgraded to chromoly 35 spline axle shafts and 1410 pinion yoke. New brakes and drums, and made the brake lines outa stainless. That oughta hold up to my 4 speed thrashing I tend to do. Man it’s a heavy sonofagun.

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Well I got the rear end all done. It had 3.54 gears cuz it came out of a diesel.
So I went with a new set of 4.10’s and decided on a Detroit Locker, and upgraded to chromoly 35 spline axle shafts and 1410 pinion yoke. New brakes and drums, and made the brake lines outa stainless. That oughta hold up to my 4 speed thrashing I tend to do. Man it’s a heavy sonofagun.

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Give me a couple of days, I think I have a line on something...
 
I have a 73 W200 that my dad bought new. I've had it since 1986. I did the Chevy disc conversion back in the early 90's. Man what a big difference that made in stopping.
 
I have a 73 W200 that my dad bought new. I've had it since 1986. I did the Chevy disc conversion back in the early 90's. Man what a big difference that made in stopping.

I was lookin at a disc brake kit but then I wouldn’t have a parking brake. And the Cadillac Eldorado calipers that have a built in parking brake I’ve read doesn’t hold a 3/4 ton truck too well, I have a manual transmission so a parking brake is a must. Then I was lookin at a transfer case mounted Parking brake but those are just more than what I wanna get into.

So I did more research and people really like putting wheel cylinders from a Chevy 3500. I guess they have a bigger bore, they say it was a huge improvement so that’s what I did.
 
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