Posted by Alex J [172.70.130.207] on Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at 08:11:05 :
In Reply to: Re: engine swaps posted by Todd Miller [172.70.214.201] on Friday, August 26, 2022 at 23:30:57 :
I've been perpetually tinkering with a repower / restomod truck for the past decade now (mixed in with other hobbies and life events) but I ended up settling on an ISB170 transmission and an Allison 1000, which at the time was a rare drivetrain. Some of the ISB170s are available with 5 speed manuals behind them too, and actually any decent SAE3 transmission can be made to work if you can find the correct clutch parts. In retrospect I wish I had gone with the Fuller 6 speed but I was building a truck my wife (now ex-wife) could drive too as we were going to take it on camping adventures towing her small airstream camper.
Well, I'm not quite done with the truck, but done with that marriage. The others are correct that when you start changing the engine, the other parts tend to need upgrading too. The real challenge for fairness of the trucks is the keeping of aesthetics. I've taken a lot of time to build a lot of custom components to keep the original aesthetics of the truck, all the way down to a custom steering column, custom axle housings, etc. The truck makes 205 hp and 520 ft lbs of torque, 4.57 gears and 39" Michelin XMLs, it rolls down the road great. Divorced NP205 T-case, hydroboosted disc brakes all 4 corners, power steering, 4 link front, and custom Alcan leafs in the rear.
Anyways, I've got about $35k in hard parts tied up in the truck, plus my time. Its a hobby and I enjoy building things. I also only worked on the truck one weekend a month for a few years and none at all for about 3 years during my divorce.