‘73 D200 convert to W200
 

Hello all,

This is my second attempt at posting a thread. The first one was I created a cool story to tell about the life of this neat ‘73 dodge d200 with a perkins 6 and somehow the system tossed the whole thing 😡

oh well…

Anyway, I wanted to know if anyone can help with converting a d200 to a w200. I believe it is possible to do this with a doner chassis. My cell is 519 369 1003 for text any time!

thanks in advance for any advice or help locating parts etc.

Dave

When did you post the first thread?

I have had that happen before.... Something about timing out, i guess....
Sounds like your on the rite track if you get the doner truck you need with all the parts...

Keep us posted.... Cheers

I’ve done it with a half ton.
you need to get the DOT involved when you change the frame because the VIN number goes with the frame. Being from Iowa they added an IA to the front of the original vin number and stamped the frame with the new number. If you don’t do this you can be in a heap of trouble and lose your truck.

just before this one but somehow something timed out I think!

I hope to use the same frame. I understand that its a bolt together thing.

I doubt it is a bolt in, for one thing the cross member under the engine is riveted to the frame not bolted.

As I understand it, the crossmember must be removed. Rivets cut.

Hmmmm… come to think of it, have a full hard copy parts list for 1973 model year dodge trucks. I wonder if there are clues in there.

Look between the frame rail part numbers and see if they are the same, I have my doubts. It seems like I looked into it when I was doing mine.

I dont see any issues with swapping 4X4 parts out of a donor truck into your what use to be 2X2.... Unless like Iowan said, your Provence / State has issues with you driving it on the street up there in Canada?
But I will say that making the swap will take a good skill level... Hope you konker your task.... :)

I’m a long time mechanic machinist welder etc. I have a hoist in a heated shop. More tools and resources than anybody else I know! Been banging on junk for more decades than I care to admit… I figure Im good to go with that part. The trick is coming up with the plan and the stuff. I don’t expect any issues with the dot in ontario. Im not about to go stirring that pot though!

Awesome, Perfect dude for the job... :)
Cant wait to see the progress on your project..
Cheers

Yes I would like to see what your up to on this also, so bring on the photos when you get to work!

First is the research and the plan. Then find the doner chassis for parts. I would like disk brakes.

Can anyone out there confirm that the ‘75 w200 was the first year for disc brakes?

i learned this a long time ago: if youre going to make a long, in depth post, do it in google docs or ms word or something first, then paste it into the forum. that way, your work is still there! :)

That did suck! I sat there for a couple hours writing the story about my old friend Carl of Denver CO. He hated the 360 and swapped the perkins in with a super t10 4 speed back when the truck was new. I have a pic he took then while he was dropping it in. How he was a flight engineer in ww2 on b17s. He passed long ago now. Smart guy. My Henderson 4 motorcycle engine guru and friend. He was an old guy with bone cancer in his hip. He couldn’t push in the clutch but hated the automatic enough to get rid of it too. He came up with a second power steering box to have a “power clutch” among many other interesting add ons. Its a really neat swap he did. I went to Denver with my friend and bought the truck and drove it home in 2009. Im getting sad seeing it sinking into the ground. I had trouble with the motor after I turned up the pump and then a tornado went through here causing some damage. So my anger grows at modern unfixable modern junk trucks like my f150. Hmm 🤔 build a good truck out of the d200 and switch to a w200 while Im at it.

I think that would be awesome.... And a great tribute too your long lost friend .... And you know you will have to have a picture of him in the truck !!!! :)

The only pic I have of him is in front of a freshly restored henderson kj motor. In the same frame is the truck with the perkins officially in the truck.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/moparfo...9e0a2745b.jpeg

:thumbsup:... Thanks for sharing.... :)

The truck was new then. 3 decades later, I took off that no longer new beat up licence plate to mail back to him when I got home. Under the licence plate was a hand written wax pencil mark. I think it was A-17. It is still there under my licence plate. I think it was some kind of reference number for the packing slip when the new truck got delivered to the dealership.