Yes, I do have a factory manual...bought it on eBay for a hefty $70, but it's something I gotta have. I just read Dan's method and sounds rather easy...I'll have to look into doing that someday soon. THanks!

So as you know, I bought new "cheapo" Equus gauges for the truck. I just bought cheap ones for now so I can get rid of the idiot lights and get some fresh gauges in to clean up the interior a bit. I'll get some nicer ones down the road...maybe Classic Instruments or Autometer. Anyways, I spent Friday working on a template for a new instrument panel that I am to make out of 22 gauge steel paneling. I will get it prepped so there's no rusting, then I'm going to buy some 3M vinyl decal sheeting of their "brushed metal" and get a darker gray color and overlay the panel with that. Should look pretty slick!
I also went through many different gauge placement ideas and a friend of mine suggested "2 small gauges, 2 big gauges, and 2 small gauges again". Well I drew it out and I really liked the design so I made the final template, cut out the holes for the gauges, and installed them and I am SOOOO excited to get the panel made and install these gauges!

At work, cutting out the template:


Cut out the holes and test-fitted...fits like a glove!


Installed the gauges in the cardboard template...I LOVE IT!

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-Brodie

1977 Dodge D100 stepside, slant six/3 on the tree
2002 Chrysler 300M Special (daily driver)

Looks good!

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65 Dart station wagon slant 6 - now under construction
47 Dodge Custom 4 Door sedan
87 D100 Short Bed slant 6

Retired USAF 1966-1986
Retired US Postal Service 2004-2014

Thank you!
Today I am going to look at a '72 Dodge W200 after work. Its pretty rough, but it has a good running 318, working 4wd and power steering/brakes. Basically im buying it for the grille, power brakes and power steering, and anything else I can find useful for my green truck. After that, I'm gonna part it out and make some money back. The truck is only $500 and I might be able to get it for $400. We'll see how it goes.

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-Brodie



1977 Dodge D100 stepside, slant six/3 on the tree

2002 Chrysler 300M Special (daily driver)

I have a guy delivering me a 225 slant six out of a '69 Valiant. I'm buying it for $250 with 84K miles on it. I looked up the specs on slant six from different years, and mine is rated at 105 hp and 180 tq, the '69 is rated at 145 hp and 215 tq. I plan to bring the head to a machine shop and deck it to bump up the compression, then add my "Super Six" 2bbl intake I bought and never installed, get a set of Dutra Duals, and a possible mild cam. Should be a fun lil truck to drive after that! Here's the pics of the engine he sent me (he's delivering it next Friday):

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-Brodie



1977 Dodge D100 stepside, slant six/3 on the tree

2002 Chrysler 300M Special (daily driver)

A 69 engine hp/tq ratings would be gross

A 77 engine's ratings are net


Change of ratings took place in 72


So the engines are basically the same........

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Ah, I see. Well I still need a spare engine. Lol

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-Brodie



1977 Dodge D100 stepside, slant six/3 on the tree

2002 Chrysler 300M Special (daily driver)

The 77 motor has a slightly better stock cam. In a truck you can do quite well with the 77 cam and an increase in compression ratio. I say swap cams while you are in there. Be sure to either put the lifters back on their original lobes or get new lifters.

Would it be worth getting an aftermarket cam for it or not really? I do plan on decking the head, Super Six 2bbl intake, Dual Dutras/2.25 pipe with cat delete and upgrade my ignition with a Pertronix Ignitor II and Pertronix Flame Thrower coil. I just dont know what a good street cam would be for my truck. I don't wanna go too crazy.

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-Brodie



1977 Dodge D100 stepside, slant six/3 on the tree

2002 Chrysler 300M Special (daily driver)

Nice truck, great work!



You should never bother about that, unless you are restoring to absolutely original condition, for example the cars/trucks made in different south american plants used GM gearboxes and rear axles. The quality of the piece, and the way it fill it's function, is what matters! The seats look good and comfy. I love snooping around in a wrecker yard, other solutions can be an eye-opener, and may give you some interesting ideas!

I would suggest using a standard 4-pin GM hei ignition module and a stock Ford or GM e-core coil for your truck, that will be an improvement. The Petronics stuff won't give you more power, and you get to spend your money on some other cool addition. If you are going with big stereo and other powerhungry gadgets, upgrade your charging system and add a good fuseblock to protect it.

For camshafts, take a look in the engine section's FAQ. Also make some creative queries, our search function is quite good. I would suggest one of the Erson RV10 or RV15 cams of Doc's design, they are relatively mild mannered, while giving good power and lots of torque.

Keep posting pics!

Olaf

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Aspenized

Thanks for the info, Ill have to look up the cams and see which would be best for my application.

Well yesterday we started the suspension overhaul and didn't get as far as I'd hoped we would, but at least it's a start. Got the rear shocks off and the rear brakes are out. We didn't get very far because the pass. side front leaf spring mounting bolt wouldn't come out, so I had to cut it out with a sawzall, and lemme tell you...WHAT A BITCH! I went through like 4-5 blades to cut the damn thing out! The driver's side came out, but we are gonna wait till we can get a nice torch and heat up the rear ones. Since we were at a stand-still, my friend Jamie started on tearing down his Audi A4 (timing belt went out). Next weekend hopefully we will be much further along.

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-Brodie



1977 Dodge D100 stepside, slant six/3 on the tree

2002 Chrysler 300M Special (daily driver)

Well yesterday was a good day for the truck! The "new" slant six was delivered to my house and unloaded with no problems. I did, however, try and put it on my engine stand I just bought, and it's just wayyyyyyy too heavy (especially with all of the manifolds and head still on it...yeah, I found a few threads about the slants and engine stands LoL), so today my goal is to remove the manifolds from the head, try it again, and if it's still too heavy, remove the head. It's kind of pointless IMO to have an engine stand and not be able to have the engine in it's entirety on the stand, but whatever.



Also finally took the Super Six manifold and carb out of the trunk of my car (it came with the pictured below, plus another exhaust manifold, new gaskets and the correct air cleaner) so I figured I'd take some pictures of it.




Also went over to Jamie's place to work on the suspension overhaul a little bit. Got the rear end out of the truck (finally) and disassembled the rest of the hardware off of it.




I found a part that would be very helpful to the axle flip...new OEM rear spring mounting seat:


I also need to find a pair of u-bolt plates that will work with the original shock mounting piece...I'll have to get a few measurements and make a few calls.

Other than that, and buying all-new rear brakes (minus the drums...I'm getting those turned), that's all the update I have for now. Stay tuned folks!

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-Brodie



1977 Dodge D100 stepside, slant six/3 on the tree

2002 Chrysler 300M Special (daily driver)

Today I decided to douse the "new" 225 slanty with Simple Green and clean it up a bit. It didn't come out too clean because the pass. side is caked with grease, so I'll have to find a better way to clean it...probably will have to wait till next Spring. I also found that the exhaust manifold is cracked...I'm kinda hoping it's in a spot that I can just make a clean cut and make a "rear Dutra" manifold out of it, since I'm planning on buying a front Dutra manifold.

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-Brodie



1977 Dodge D100 stepside, slant six/3 on the tree

2002 Chrysler 300M Special (daily driver)

slantin_77:



Oven cleaner (caustic), followed with a vinegar rinse will take off baked on grease and most rattle can paint.

Truck looks real nice.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Thank you sir!

Lastnight we put a pretty good-sized dent in the process of lowering the truck. Finally found someone to come out to the garage and do some welding on the axle and shock plates, as well as fill in some holes on the frame where the rear of the leaf mounts (we burned through them with the torch). We should have the rear axle back in the truck next weekend and start tearing apart the front suspension. Can't wait! I hope the snow can though...cuz I don't want to drive it home with those Sumitomo summer tires...

Anyways, on to the latest pictures of the progress!





We also changed the diff fluid lastnight and it was pretty nasty looking, so that's done and over with. Now I need to get some new u-bolts and the shackle bushings...I think that's all I need at the moment. Stay tuned!

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-Brodie



1977 Dodge D100 stepside, slant six/3 on the tree

2002 Chrysler 300M Special (daily driver)

If your rear is a 3 inch tube, you can get U bolts froma dakota at a wrecking yard. I couldnt get one for my Barracuda with an 8 3/4, so went there and got 2 for like $5. You might need new long ones, depending how low you are going though.Just my 2 cents
Andrew/Kidd

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Wife's: 64 Valiant
My: 70 Road Runner, 67 Barracuda, AND the 62 Valiant drag car!!