newbie with a D200

[78D200]

Hey guys and gals! I'm new to this forum but not new to dodge trucks. I have owned a 92, 00, and 01 dakota and I recently bought a 78 D200. I'm all set with info on the dakotas but I need some help/info on the D200.

For starters its a 1978 D200 with a 318 2 barrel, Torqueflite 727, and FFD60 rear axle. The motor is a reman longblock (only 5,000 miles on it but the paperwork says it was installed back in 01) with eveything new (including radiator and alt. Its manual steering BTW) minus the dizzy and carb. The PO mentioned that the motor got an RV cam in it during the reman process (think thats true? it doesn't feel it when I drive it). Someone installed dual exhaust that runs down the outside of the frame rails, other than that it is all stock. I'm going to be using this truck as a daily driver and tow rig for my 74 J10. I wanted to upgrade a few items on it and make ita a little more reliable, but wasn't exactly sure what to get.

First off, I went through the whole truck and replaced a few items that it needed, nothing major. I then started looking around for performance upgrades and that where I got a little lost. I am thinking about getting an "orange box", MSD coil w/ballast resistor, and a new cap,rotor, 8MM wires and plugs. Next up is a Weiand Action+Plus intake, Hollay 4160 carb, Holley fuel pump, March performance pulleys, TCI Pro Super rebuild kit w/shift kit (I have a friend that is going to be rebuilding the tranny for me), TCI deep aluminum tranny pan, external cooler mounted infront of the radiator and converting the exhuast back to having a Y-pipe and a 3 way cat and flowmaster muffler. I would like to have some more back pressure for low end power, thats the reason for the switch back to a Y-pipe. I am planning on leaving the exhaust manifolds since they are in great shape and will be better for towing than a set of long tube headers. I am not looking into pulling the motor out to do anything internal, AKA cam, I would just like to "bolt on" some things to give it some extra "get up and go" yet have it be reliable.

What do you guys think? Is there anything else that I should be looking into or that I have left out? Also what is the operating the RPM range of a 318? I've built up a few motors before (AMC 360, Chrsyler 383 BB) but this is the first motor that I'm "building" that I will need to use everyday.

[78D200]

Here are some pics of it. I'll add more pics as I perform upgrades.

[78D200]

Well Heather and I replaced the cap, rotors and wires with a new set along with installed a MSD blaster 2 coil pack and ballast resistor and orange box. WHAT A DIFFERANCE! It started right up, idled smoothly, and ran pissa! The exhaust will be getting done tomorrow after work and I will make sure to take pics.

[78D200]

Well I had a little wrench-a-thon yesterday. Ended up replacing the headlight switch, horn, washer pump, some lights and fuses, and the whole true dual exhaust with a stock Y-pipe, 2.25" pipe, 3 way cat, and Flowmaster 50 series SUV muffler. Now when the truck takes off it doesn't stumble and hesitate, it just goes like a bat out of hell. The top end speed took a little hit do to the back pressure but I'm more happy that it's not stumbling. Here are some pics like I promised.

http://s149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ping1974/D200/

[78D200]

Well the new tires came in yesterday. I got them from Vulcantire.com. They are the 8.75-16.5 Trailcat LT tire. tire link These tires are pretty skinny. I can't even think how skinny the stock 8-16.5 tires would have looked.

Yesterday I took the tires that were on the truck and used a wire cut wheel and air craft finsh striper on the wheels. Got most of the paint off. This weekend I'm going to get them sand blasted and prime and paint them a satin black. I'm just not sure what color to do the hub caps in.

Anyone have any ideas? (I'll see about getting some updated pics.)

[78D200]

Well I've got the wheels and hub caps sand blasted, primed and painted satin black. I'll be getting the tires mounted and balanced tomorrow and getting them back on the truck. A set of lower control arms came in the other day. The uppers should be in either monday or wednesday.

I've also replaced the window regulator in the driver's side door. Turned out there were two spots where the teeth were ground down to almost nothing. What a pain in the back side to replace.

Also placed and order in and getting a set of hooker headersand 2.5" true duel exhaust. I can't really stand the y-pipe and 50 series muffler with being so quiet.

Hopefully next weekend I'll have the exhaust work done and back on the road.

[78D200]

I sand blasted, primed and painted the wheels and hub caps a satin black and mounted a set of 8.75-16.5LT Wildcat H/T tires. I think the all black looks sharp.

Hopefully I'll have enough time this weekend to get the Hooker headers, Hooker duel exhaust and Summit Racing turbo mufflers on.



I realize how bad the grill looks after seeing this picture. I think I might have an idea for painting it where it'll looks pretty good.

[mopar528dakota]

Did you rebuild the motor if not I would bore it 30 overs or 40 overs and or stroke it to get some more power

[78D200]

This truck is going to be my daily driver, not a street/strip truck, probably come next year so I don't want to go crazy with it. It has a reman long block in it with only 5K on it so I have no plans on tearing inside the motor anytime soon. With what I will be adding on, it will be enough to tow my wheeling rig and still get "decent/ok" gas mileage.

If I do pull the motor out to install a cam, a 360 will be going back in as all the parts are interchangable.

[78D200]

So its been a little while. I removed the exhaust that I had installed about a month ago and installed a set of Hooker Comp headers and Hooker header back exhaust kit. Ended up breaking a bolt in the drover's side head so while that is out getting removed at the machine shop, I went out and got a little treat for the motor. Holley 4160, electric choke, 600 CFM carb, Weiand Action +Plus intake, Mopar Performance air cleaner and valve covers, and a carpet kit for the inside. I'll be treating the rear axle to a brand new Power Trak locker and some Royal Purple fluids.

Once that is all said and done, an MSD dizzy and computer will be installed along with a custom wooden bed, 32 gallon fuel cell and a hand fabricated instrument cluster. After that, I'll see about pulling the tranny and rebuilding it with a TCI reabuild kit and throw in a shift kit and TCI 1200 RPM stall convertor. At some point I have to install the new front control arms, coils and shocks that I have sitting on my tool box and get an alignment done.

She is coming along nicely.

[78D200]

I was finally able to get the intake, carb, valve covers and new starter in (we've been getting a lot of rain here lately). Its not completely done yet. hopefully in the next week or so it will be. I still need to find a spot or the MSD computer and wire that in.

Here is what the motor looks like right now.

[78D200]

so its been a month and a half since my last up date and we have had rain for more than 75% of the time that I have available to work on the D200. I was able to get the MSD 5900 box installed and wired and I started on installing the speakers inside the cab. I got everything else taken care of in the engine bay andwent to add coolant only to have the motor piss it back out of the intake gasket. So it looks like I'll be taking the intake back off and resealing everything.

[ef8340]

nice lookin daily driver 78d200

[78D200]

well its not my daily driver yet. once i can get everything worked out and no problems, I can focus on selling my dakota and have only 2 trucks instead of three.

[78D200]

I ended up getting a brand new trailer hitch for it yesterday for $100. Hopefully I'll get that bolted on today and start to work on the motor.

[dietz_diggler]

I'm new here, thought I'd tell you how much I like your truck. Your doing alot of good work too. Keep with the updates if you dont mind, I'd like to keep up with it, I'm working on 77 utiline myself. Nice to meet you by the way.
Dietz

[78D200]

Welcome to the forum Dietz! I'll be keeping the thread as up to date as I can. I've got a J10 that I'm also building plus buying a house so it might be some time before the next update, but it will come.