LT's Wild RamCharger

LT is new to the board, He just joined up. He is from my hometown of Los Alamos NM and we both wheel up here in Utah alot. He is a wild guy. He has been into wheeling along time. He has owned several built to the hilt CHevys, and a few Dodges. Right now he has a 87 Dodge Ramcharger which he calls his beater. The motor is a 360 bored over 0.3. He got real happy with the Sawsall and cut tons of the body off, including the roof, and front and fenders. He has a roll cage that is under fab right now. He now has a dana 60 going in for the front and a Corp 14 for the rear. He has Hydr. steering and a bunch of other stuff. He has new tires, 42 Irocs and beadlock rims.

I let him tell you about it. Here are his pictures:

 

[LT.]

Small update. I just finished ordering the correct headers and reducers for the Beater. The reducers are already at Casper Customs shop and the headers should be there next week, I hope. I am leaving here for Utah on May 6th and should be pulling in early in the morning on the 7th. Casper Customs has agreed to pick it up and take it the rest of the way to the shop. Thanks Corey! I am hoping that with the headers installed that the front suspension can still fit. I will need the headers for the new motor when it goes in this winter. Here is the description of them. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DTE-114YS-C/

LT.

 

[broncomitch]

what a wast of money...

 

[LT.]

what a wast of money...

We will see. The new motor is going to have to have them to get all the potential out of it. It would seem foolish to spend all the money building the motor to get the most out of it and then choke the life out of it by using manifolds. Worst case I will just return the headers and reducers if Corey can't make them work with a new suspension.

LT.

 

[mbryson]

what a wast of money...

????

 

[broncomitch]

We will see. The new motor is going to have to have them to get all the potential out of it. It would seem foolish to spend all the money building the motor to get the most out of it and then choke the life out of it by using manifolds. Worst case I will just return the headers and reducers if Corey can't make them work with a new suspension.

LT.

well ya,headers would be ideal.
my motor is bogged down cus my pipes are only 2.5''

but 700 bucks for a set...thats hard to swallow...bet it only cost them $200 or so to make a set.

I would have got a set of hookers or headman's.

you going to be in a hurry to get back home when ya get heir? maybe we all could go out to dinner, and you will get to see my pile. maybe ill let ya drive it!

 

[LT.]

well ya,headers would be ideal.
my motor is bogged down cus my pipes are only 2.5''

but 700 bucks for a set...thats hard to swallow...bet it only cost them $200 or so to make a set.

I would have got a set of hookers or headman's.

you going to be in a hurry to get back home when ya get heir? maybe we all could go out to dinner, and you will get to see my pile. maybe ill let ya drive it!

2 1/2" pipes should be more than enough for your 351. As a rule of thumb Fords and Chevy's usually like some back pressure on their motors. Need some proof? Check out the muscle cars from the day. Even the rowdy 454 in the 70's Chevelles were only 2 1/2" and was not mandrel bent. Where as a cuda' would run a 3" exhaust. I think your Bronco would benefit from a set of shorty headers. There really is not a whole lot of room left after a V-8 under the hood.

Problem with the hooker or hedman's is that the collector flange is only 5/16 or even 1/4". The tubes are also 1 3/4 primaries and use 18 or 16 gauge. What will happen is the collector will warp and crack causing leaks. Nothing sounds worse than leaking headers. Add to that they make full tube headers that build tons of hp but, will take away torque. Doug Thorley headers are 3/8 flange, 14 gauge (if I remember correctly), 1 5/8" primaries and use the tri-y set up. This promotes torque over horsepower because it help with the scavenging of the other tubes. The firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. Problem is in between 8 and 4 and 5 and 7. They fire right after each other on the same side. Some help is needed to get the exhaust gasses out of the cylinders. That is what the tri-y helps. Yes, they are very spendy but, you get what you pay for, usually.

I don't really know what the schedule is going to be. The real reason I am going is for your brother and his family.

LT.

 

[broncomitch]

2 1/2" pipes should be more than enough for your 351. As a rule of thumb Fords and Chevy's usually like some back pressure on their motors. Need some proof? Check out the muscle cars from the day. Even the rowdy 454 in the 70's Chevelles were only 2 1/2" and was not mandrel bent. Where as a cuda' would run a 3" exhaust. I think your Bronco would benefit from a set of shorty headers. There really is not a whole lot of room left after a V-8 under the hood.

Problem with the hooker or hedman's is that the collector flange is only 5/16 or even 1/4". The tubes are also 1 3/4 primaries and use 18 or 16 gauge. What will happen is the collector will warp and crack causing leaks. Nothing sounds worse than leaking headers. Add to that they make full tube headers that build tons of hp but, will take away torque. Doug Thorley headers are 3/8 flange, 14 gauge (if I remember correctly), 1 5/8" primaries and use the tri-y set up. This promotes torque over horsepower because it help with the scavenging of the other tubes. The firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. Problem is in between 8 and 4 and 5 and 7. They fire right after each other on the same side. Some help is needed to get the exhaust gasses out of the cylinders. That is what the tri-y helps. Yes, they are very spendy but, you get what you pay for, usually.

I don't really know what the schedule is going to be. The real reason I am going is for your brother and his family.

LT.

ya, but sadly its not. but its not a stock motor. i got a lot of compression,when i had just the mainafolds on it it would rev right up and have TONS of power, even when i put the duel flows on it, it cut it back a bit...but the 2 into1 setup i got is to restrictive.
not to long ago i fixed my leaks and now its like my 302 again when im from a stop. when im going and hit the gas it will take off...but still not like it use to.

not saying there garbage,i know drag racers love em. just will suck if ya dump so much money into the beater that ya could have built your buggy.
but as long as uncle sam is paying ya good, who cares! :greg:

 

[LT.]

I want to build a buggy so very bad. I even found the shape that I really like and I am sure that I could do it if I would dedicate the time and money to it. Here it is. http://www.wideopendesign.com/rigimages/projectubkon/ubkon.html I like the way the buggy is sitting. Low roof line, high belly pan, long enough and wide enough. I would use all my parts that I have now but, I don't want an off road only rig. It needs to be street able enough to drive it to and from the trials. I really don't want to change up my camping and trailer arrangement again. I have told the wife if this frame gives me one more problem, and I don't care what the problem is, I am going to take the vin# off of the beater and build a buggy.

LT.

 

[broncomitch]

pretty much all ya need is turn signals,lights,and the tires covered.

i even hurd of people have a ustom buggy as there DD.

 

[LT.]

Here in New Mexico I don't need the tires covered or even a windshield to make it street legal. But, where we go four wheeling is a different story.

LT.

 

[LT.]

Small update. I just sold both of my Dodge 440's that I had collected for this build. I really don't think that Casper Customs is going to have the real estate to get the suspension in and the big block. I have always been a little crazy when it comes to engines so I figure it is time for another one. This one will only be a small 408 stroker but, I am thinking it will still be well into the 400 hp range. I am really trying to keep the hp down and get the torque up over what a stock 12 valve Cummins puts out (over 460 lb ft). I have been playing with my desktop dyno trying to figure out a potent combo. Anyone ever messed with a Mopar storker and have any ideas?

LT.

 

[moab 4x4]

Small update. I just sold both of my Dodge 440's that I had collected for this build. I really don't think that Casper Customs is going to have the real estate to get the suspension in and the big block. I have always been a little crazy when it comes to engines so I figure it is time for another one. This one will only be a small 408 stroker but, I am thinking it will still be well into the 400 hp range. I am really trying to keep the hp down and get the torque up over what a stock 12 valve Cummins puts out (over 460 lb ft). I have been playing with my desktop dyno trying to figure out a potent combo. Anyone ever messed with a Mopar storker and have any ideas?

LT.

I found a cool book on line called "How to build Big-INCH Mopar small blocks" by Jim Szilagyi.I used a hand full of his info to build my 410 stroker I put it in a 85 4 door short bed 1ton it ran like a striped ape.I used it to pull my ram and it did that awesome. Here is a link for the book. www.amazon.com/Build-Big-Inch-Mopar-Small-Blocks/dp/193249457X

 

[LT.]

I found a cool book on line called "How to build Big-INCH Mopar small blocks" by Jim Szilagyi.I used a hand full of his info to build my 410 stroker I put it in a 85 4 door short bed 1ton it ran like a striped ape.I used it to pull my ram and it did that awesome. Here is a link for the book. www.amazon.com/Build-Big-Inch-Mopar-Small-Blocks/dp/193249457X

Thank you. I am going to purchase the book next. Seems like a small price to pay for an education.

LT.

 

[DALTON]

I'm one of the brothers that helped weld on your ram at bfe, i have a 408 stroker in the red ram you saw at camp. C&T in orem built it and its the best thing I've done about 400hp 450 torque. I can send you the build sheet on the motor. Keep perfect the ram don't build a buggy MOPAR baby!!!!!!

 

[ChestonScout]

Robs Ramcharger has been sitting on a trailer at my house for a couple days. Its on its way to Idaho this weekend.


Ive gotten TONS of compliments on it from neighbors and friends.........NICE RAMCHARGER......they say..





Never said anything about the Scout =( I think its his bling wheels

 

[turbosniper1]

Robs Ramcharger has been sitting on a trailer at my house for a couple days. Its on its way to Idaho this weekend.

Ive gotten TONS of compliments on it from neighbors and friends.........NICE RAMCHARGER......they say..

Never said anything about the Scout =( I think its his bling wheels

It could be the bling of those nice fancy Spyder lock wheels, or it could be that nice straight body that is on there!!! People are probably thinking to themselves, "Self... I have never seen an old Ramcharger that looks THIS good before... much less one that is actually used for what appears to be going out onto the extreme trails of the rockcrawling world!!!! That is one Uber-Sweet ride!!" That is what I would be thinking to myself if I drove by there and and didn't know who's ride it was. But then again, if I saw an RC sitting there like that... I would just bring the truck to a stop and take a much closer look so I could crawl under it and really inspect the rig and make my final judgement!!!
I do have to agree with the ultra Mopar fanatics, (like me, or Stan, or Dalton, just to name a few), that you should leave the body on there and not go tube buggy. I know that there are many benefits of going with the Tube buggy set up, such as ease of repair in the event of a roll or flop, or even just having the extreme ease of mounting anything you want anywhere on the chassis. But on the flip side of the argument, I would have to say that the argument is very strong for keeping the body. Sure there is a downfall about catching it on rocks and trees and other protruding structures that might want to reach out and say hi while wheeling down the trail. That would be the only downfall is that if you have a nice straight body that even if you don't try consciously, your subconsciously you will be thinking about keeping that body straight!!! I mean take my truck for an example. It is a '97 Dodge Ram 1500 and had a nearly perfect body when I got it, and then the first trip out I got some hellacious pinstripes added to it from driving through Kane Creek Trail in Moab in my full size truck just at the time of the year when the trail seemed to be the most narrow and suited for old CJ model Jeeps and quads!!! Oh well, they buffed out!!! Then came the brand new Billings Canyon trail just outside of my home town of Grand Junction, CO and I was going to be the first full size to go through it to help rescue a broken and flopped over jeep stuck halfway up the trail. I came out of that day with a large dent on my passenger side rear bedside right above the wheel-well. The trail was originally built for Jeeps and not for fullsize vehicles, so it was almost like I was breaking new trail with every turn and drive over a rock.....
Well needless to say, this is the result of that dent on the bedside:




So I took 37" out of my tailgate!! Needless to say, since then I have not hit anything!! It has come in handy on many trails though!!!

So what you should do LT, is you should drop off your Bronco and trailer here with me after Cory is done with it. That way I could do the body work we had talked about. You remember, the body work that included, dovetailing the rear end, doving the front, lowering the hood slope and dropping the grill for a much better approach visibility. Then it will still look like a RamCharger, just be modified to be extremely capable offroad with the kick-a$$ parts, and the hi-visibility body shape!!!
Just an idea for you sir!
Talk to you soon brother!
- Matt

 

[LT.]

I'm one of the brothers that helped weld on your ram at bfe, i have a 408 stroker in the red ram you saw at camp. C&T in orem built it and its the best thing I've done about 400hp 450 torque. I can send you the build sheet on the motor. Keep perfect the ram don't build a buggy MOPAR baby!!!!!!

Thank you so much for all your help!! If it was not for y'all, Corey, Randy, and Cheston I would still be there wanting to burn it to the ground. Thanks a million again!

LT.

 

[LT.]

Thanks for all the complements y'all! The truck is in Idaho now and should be getting a good look at by the folks at Casper Customs. First things first, the steering will be full hydraulic, then the exhaust will be re-done, next is the front suspension that will be re-worked. After that I don't know what will happen. There are a few things like the front winch not locking in place, dove tails, rest of the cage, and the like. First we just need to get it drivable again. Then from there we will take a look at what else needs to be done.

LT.

 

[LT.]

Okay, the Beater is home now. I do have a few little things to do to it before I take any trails. First, I have three exhaust leaks that will need to be fixed. Second, I am going to re-do the spark plug wires to re-route them away from the headers. Third, I need to re-do one of the hydraulic lines as they were into the motor and got a hole rubbed into it. Forth, maybe it is just me but, the front axle does not look quite centered under the truck. And last but not least, it needs to go to the shop for an alignment. I think that is it.

LT.

 

[turbosniper1]

Alright LT... Time for some pics!!!! I really would like to see some pictures of the new front 4-link!! I'm talkin pics from under the Beater, looking forward, maybe some close up side shots and even a pic of looking straight under the Beater from the front.. I would really like to see how the new links are designed and mounted to both the frame and axle.. PLEASE?!?!? then bring on the flex shots brother!!! Let's see her stretch her legs and really see what she is cabable of?!? I don't care if we are talking RTI or forklift, or even once you get the kinks worked out & take her for a test spin!!!
Can't wait to see the new legs & her new found super powers!!!!! Lol!!
Keep up the good work brother!!!
-- Matt