My grandpa bought this 1993 Ram D150 brand new back in the day, I distinctly remember the day he bought it he brought it over to my folks place and my dad and I checking it out. I knew he was buying a pickup but I figured he would get a more grandpa esque styled unit and when he pulled up in this shiny red truck I was pretty excited for how sharp it was.
I have tons of memories of him and I riding in it all over the place back before I could drive and then me driving after I could as he got older and less comfortable on the highway on long trips.
After he passed 10 years ago we put it away in the shed down at the farm while we processed losing him.
Naturally time and lack of use took its toll and it went from being very reliable to refusing to start due to lack of fuel.
Fall of 2019 I decided to pull it out and get it back on the road, a new fuel pump and it was running again. Unfortunately it seemed to have picked up a pretty healthy miss and the transmission was now holding onto 2nd gear for too long. I drove it about 50 miles but fall was upon us and I wanted to get it tucked back away before snow started flying so I put it right back in its spot.
It did seem that the more I drove it the better it was running and shifting so that was encouraging.
Of course 2020 was a dumpster fire and I didn't get back down there to get it back out.
This last weekend I did some real serious thinking as it is time to either put things down there to use or sell them. I decided that I am going to get this thing out, clean it up and put it back in service as a light chore runner and hardware store hauler.
So last night after work my dad and I snagged a new battery and plunked it in it and I'll be damned if it didn't fire right up.
I drove it the 40 miles back to town and by the time I got it here it was running smooth as silk and shifting good as new.
Here it is with about 16 months of dust on it.
My current plan is to clean it up and do some minor updating while still keeping some of grandpa's touches- I'm going to remove the mudflaps, worn out tool box and cargo cover, but keep the Arizona skyline rear window sunblocker and seat cover. Probably going to add a 3/5 drop and some 20" torque thrusts.
Eventually I may put a cam and heads to the 318 that's in it. It's a Magnum motor so it runs ok as it is. Not a rocket but far better than a TBI 350 of the day. It does feel like maybe it could use some gears but I want to pull the codes and see what it has in it.
I also need to have a few of the bumps and bruises taken out of the body as he got a little cozy with the garage a couple times as his eyesight got pretty bad the last few years.
Once I get it that far I may havery some tint thrown on the windows and do a little updating to the stereo system.
Anyways, I always suck at making build threads before I'm halfway done with a project so I figured I'd get one going before I start this one.
Eventually I want to end up looking about like this truck here:
I'll do my best to keep this updated on our progress.
I have tons of memories of him and I riding in it all over the place back before I could drive and then me driving after I could as he got older and less comfortable on the highway on long trips.
After he passed 10 years ago we put it away in the shed down at the farm while we processed losing him.
Naturally time and lack of use took its toll and it went from being very reliable to refusing to start due to lack of fuel.
Fall of 2019 I decided to pull it out and get it back on the road, a new fuel pump and it was running again. Unfortunately it seemed to have picked up a pretty healthy miss and the transmission was now holding onto 2nd gear for too long. I drove it about 50 miles but fall was upon us and I wanted to get it tucked back away before snow started flying so I put it right back in its spot.
It did seem that the more I drove it the better it was running and shifting so that was encouraging.
Of course 2020 was a dumpster fire and I didn't get back down there to get it back out.
This last weekend I did some real serious thinking as it is time to either put things down there to use or sell them. I decided that I am going to get this thing out, clean it up and put it back in service as a light chore runner and hardware store hauler.
So last night after work my dad and I snagged a new battery and plunked it in it and I'll be damned if it didn't fire right up.
I drove it the 40 miles back to town and by the time I got it here it was running smooth as silk and shifting good as new.
Here it is with about 16 months of dust on it.
My current plan is to clean it up and do some minor updating while still keeping some of grandpa's touches- I'm going to remove the mudflaps, worn out tool box and cargo cover, but keep the Arizona skyline rear window sunblocker and seat cover. Probably going to add a 3/5 drop and some 20" torque thrusts.
Eventually I may put a cam and heads to the 318 that's in it. It's a Magnum motor so it runs ok as it is. Not a rocket but far better than a TBI 350 of the day. It does feel like maybe it could use some gears but I want to pull the codes and see what it has in it.
I also need to have a few of the bumps and bruises taken out of the body as he got a little cozy with the garage a couple times as his eyesight got pretty bad the last few years.
Once I get it that far I may havery some tint thrown on the windows and do a little updating to the stereo system.
Anyways, I always suck at making build threads before I'm halfway done with a project so I figured I'd get one going before I start this one.
Eventually I want to end up looking about like this truck here:
I'll do my best to keep this updated on our progress.