rear power windows august 2005

The front power window conversions were easy since dodge did power windows on the pickup/ramchargers from 81-93, but the rear was an experiment. Originally I did not have motors, but just the window mechanisms so that's all I had to work with. The previous owners lack of mainance on the truck caused the window channels in the rear to rust away to nothing so I had to fabricate some from scratch along with the window channels. Once I got a motor for the power windows it was one of the earlier model motors that almost the diameter of a beer can. That was too thick and the channel would hit the motor on the way down and keep the window from coming down. I then upgraded to later, 88+ model, power window motors. That was better, but the widow channel would still hit the motor and bind. So I then cut 1/4" out of the mechanism to move the motor closer to the door. That helped, but not enough. So the last resort was to cut out the recess in the door panels and replace it with flat panels to bring the motor outward about 3/8" more. Once I did that I was able to get the windows to go up and down without binding.

Sept 2005

Once I got all the old rust out I was able to fabricate new patch panels to replace the rust. I had to cut some of the besides out as well to get back to clean steel so I had to fabricate a panel to replace the cut out sections.

Bed work June 2005

The bed was pretty rotten so I had to start completely over by cutting out all the cacerous rust and replacing it with clean patch panels.

interior work

Once I had the all the rust cut out and new patch panels welded in I primed the whole floor, sealed it with body sealer, and then coated it with herculiner.

interior rust may 2005

When I eventually gutted the interior I was able to see the extent of the amount of rust and neglect this truck had.

gas tank crossmember june 2005

Since I had to custom build the brackets that are holding the gas tank in I had to build the one that ran across the middle to support the tank. Instead of just using a flat bar and having it bend or bow in the middle I ran 1/2" round bar down the sides to reinforce it and give it some strength. Then when I came down the side I changed it up to make it a little different. It also gives me a place to tie down tarps and other stuff.

front gas tank may 2005

Since I wanted to build this truck for long hauls across texas I decided I needed another tank for those extended trips. I had a second ramcharger gas tank that I had gotten for free so I figured I'de make it work some how.