1st Gen Crew Cab Engine

Which engine choice would you go with?

  • 1st Gen Cummins

    Votes: 52 36.9%

  • 383

    Votes: 8 5.7%

  • 440

    Votes: 41 29.1%

  • Era correct 360

    Votes: 12 8.5%

  • Newer 360

    Votes: 9 6.4%

  • 5.7 Hemi

    Votes: 20 14.2%
  • Total voters
    141
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RTom

RTom

Depressingly A-Bodyless..
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So, I'm in the beginning stages of building my 1st Gen Dodge Crew Cab Long Bed rig. I don't have a whole lot of money to play with (just had our first baby) and am trying to keep costs down as much as possible. It also won't be a daily driver, but will still be driven frequently. I had figured on dropping in a 1st Gen Cummins into it but am not 100% sure yet.

The power and mileage are huge benefits with the Cummins but the sound (I'm not looking for a loud truck) and the initial cost of the swap and big detractors.

Other options I thought about have been going with a 383 or 440 (possible adding fuel injection), a 1st gen era 360 (be the easiest swap), a later 360 or even a hemi.
 
Thanks for the votes guys! Any input on why you chose one over the other would be helpful too :toothy8:
 
Are you goin to be towing with it at all?
I would say cummins or 6.1 Hemi and a 5 or 6 speed behind it and tall gears like 4.10s in the rear
 
This is going to be a truck first, right? For that you're going to need beaucoup torque and gearing to move whatever you hook up to. That's why I voted for the 383. Hooked to a granny gear 4 speed with 4.10 gears you could tow the Queen Mary in first gear. The 383 should be a little cheaper to buy/rebuild than a 440 and give you better mileage to boot.
 
I have 2 trucks with gen 1 cummins engines in them. I get 20 mpg with my 1992 2x4 with 3.55 gears and the A518 auto trans. Best Dodge truck I have ever owned! This thing pulled a 30,000# concrete form truck with no trouble that had contaminated fuel. I highly doubt I will ever own another gas engine pickup. There is very little maintenance to do on this engine.
 
I have a 2 gen cummins now, but have had small & big block Dodge trucks in the past, the cummins will out pull & out drag the gasser & get better mpg doing it, & is almost maintenance free. no brainer
 
Once you go black you'll never go back. I have 4 cummins a gen 1, Gen 2, and two Common rails. I had some pretty radical gas trucks even with Dyers blowers. I won't ever own another gas truck they are usless to me for what I use a truck for.

The major question is do you have the whole Diesel truck or just the motor. You need the Truck. There is a lot more to a Diesel truck then just the motor. And you will need those parts.

I have two 05 common rail trucks. both Mercedes Six speeds. The 3500 short bed single is unbelievable. It has a programer ,exhaust and Fass lifter pump. Its like driving a 69 4spd. R/T. The mercedes trans shifts like a car so you can pull gears. And the power is chest planting. I just sent my son to Texas to drive another 05 home. 05 and 06 Reverse over and down to the left those are my favorate.

I just sold a cummins build wish I would have kept it. I started with a 87 gas truck blown small block. Here are some picks.
 

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I voted for the Cummins. Power, fuel efficiency, reliability, and longevity. What more could you possibly ask for?
 
My vote was for the 383 short stroke engine if it was mine, gears and gas...
I won't go into the cost to maintain a diesel and the cost to repair a pump
Plus memike don't know chit about them... Thus the 383 witch I have seen in many
old wreckers and bus'es for low end power and MPG... Mother MoPar did this back
in the day.
 
If intial cost is the biggest factor then buy a Motor Home 440. I voted Cummins before I saw your write up. After reading that and seeing how you wont be using your truck as a daily driver the 440 would be the most economical way to go. You can buy a 40, or 50,000 mile 440 for $450 to $500 give or a take a couple hundred. A couple gaskets and a enigine enamel spray bomb and your ready for a 100,000 miles. Plenty of torque when you need it for towing,hauling.
 
Thanks for all the input so far guys. I will be using the truck to tow (want to get a camper once I graduate school), as a up in the mountain rig and hauling around the family.

Part of the reason the 360/383/440 option are appealing is because I've worked on them before and I wouldn't have any problems fixing any issues. I've never owned a diesel before so that would present a whole new learning curve in and of itself.
 
Currently the truck doesn't have an engine or transmission but the frame is 4WD.
 
Ok then, what was the truck originally equipped with? Gas or diesel, small block or big block, auto or stick? Also, what year is the truck you're building?
 
cascius said:
Ok then, what was the truck originally equipped with? Gas or diesel, small block or big block, auto or stick? Also, what year is the truck you're building?
Click to expand...

The frame is an 85 crew cab long bed 360 auto. The body (at least the cab) is an 81.
 
RTom said:
Currently the truck doesn't have an engine or transmission but the frame is 4WD.
Click to expand...

RTom said:
The frame is an 85 crew cab long bed 360 auto. The body (at least the cab) is an 81.
Click to expand...


Just curious here, Dodge never made a 1970's or 1980's Crew Cab 4X4 long bed. The only way you could get a Crew Cab long bed was in a 2X4. Is this a conversion?

I didn't vote, I have 4 Crew Cabs, 3 are 4X4's. Also have an 01 Extended Cab Diesel. Lots and lots of work to put in a heavy Cummins. I love the Cummins and great mileage. Hovever, on a budget I vote for the 440, unless of course you run into a good deal on a Cummins and transmission cheap.
 
Go Cummins! I have an '03 common rail and wouldn't go back to a gas powered pickup for anything! I want an early 12V, they actually get better mileage than my present truck and I'm in the high teens and it's stock.
 
If you arent going to tow frequently or drive lots of miles I would go gas. Depending on gearing in it now or if you plan on changing it too as to big block or small block

It will cost a lot more upfront for a cummins

My 95 2500 extended cab 4x4 with 8 ' bed and 143,000 mile Cummins, auto trans is a great over the road vehicle, 19-20 mpg just truck, 10-15 depending on trailer, load & speed

Looking to possibly replace it later this year. I'm not like the other truck owners, unless you have a need for the diesel don't think the other factors justify the cost. Spent $116 in fuel yesterday yeah it is sitting in barn full, but next time I get it out will be 1/2 gone by the time it gets back to the barn. $4.00 was the most I paid for fuel on recent trip to Florida, $3.75 I think was cheapest

I just don't tow enough to justify the cost.

If I can get the damn automatic trans fixed so it doesn't cycle the converter I might keep it a few more years.

For built cost a good 360 would be the way to go

For fuel economy a diesel

For power without the changeover trouble a big block, the bigger the better

As someone stated an old motor home, you can sometimes pick them up cheap, strip the drivetrain and build truck on the cheap most class a coaches will have big block. The old Champion we had was a 413
 
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