Well I figured I might as well start one of these project threads and maybe get some advice, input questions etc I used to sell the rams new when the wild lookin at the time 1994 Ram came out and ever since drivin a V10 truck I thought a magnum V10 into a 1/2 ton would be a blast. So thats where the thought got into my head. I had a V8 RCSB 2wd 5speed Dakota that I played with for a few years, got it runnin a low 13's at 101 mph and got the itch to trade it off for a big caddy to just cruise in. Fast forward 10 years and after my move from Md to Sw Fla I started gathering parts to do the V10 swap. My first plan was to gather all the parts needed and I had that about 95% done when I found a same year 3/4 ton V10 truck, so I just bought that for a grand. The plan is to basically swap drivetrains and wind up with a fun truck to play with on the street or at the drag strip and have a decent daily driver/tow rig for the boats.

My 1996 Ram sport already has a 4/5 drop and sits about how a sport truck should sit. The plan is to install some cal-trac bars in the rear with a lock right locker unit and eventually some 3.91 or 4.10 gears. That way I can run some taller stickies with some decent sidewall, but I'll see how it runs with the 3.55's in it at first. Not going to do much to the body other then a roll pan and some new factory paint after the mechanical work is all done. I like the stock but subtlety different look. The V10's don't sound mean like a V8, more like a angry 6 cyl lol so I plan on tossin some v6 badges on the doors to really screw with peoples heads at stop lights The first motor will be nothing more then a mildly cammed stocker with borla headers, borla exhaust, SCT tuned pcm, K&N or home made CAI, elec fans, smog pump delete (knocked 16 lbs off and got back some parasitic hp loss) and a few other minor tweaks here and there. Still even with the stock and sad 8.4-1 compression, the motor should be a solid 400hp/500+ ft lb tq. There will probably be a 100-150 shot thrown on top of that eventually too.

I'm shootin for 12's on the motor and will have about $3000 wrapped up in the swap when done. heres a few pics of the sport and the 3/4 ton donor truck.









The spare bottom end for when I build up a more serious motor


custom 6 pack upper intake setup, 488 6 pack does have a cool ring to it. not sure how it works, just thought it was cool lookin.

Here's a couple vids of a lil red express with magnum V10 power, gives me a little insperation when I get lazy




Well hope someone else besides me finds this interestin

 

Sounds like a plan. I know that in Mexico you could get the 1/2 tons with a V10 during those years.

 

Why is that all the cool chit is anywhere but here

 

Treehuggers and Democrats.

 

treehuggers yes.. demo's no! tired of hearing all demo's drive prius's. lmao! cause i sure *** hell dont. lol.

 

Oh man don't pollute my post with nasty words like dems and libs lol

I wouldn't even want to take on a hemi in a 2nd gen swap, be a fabrication nightmare and a electrical headache to figure out. I have thought of a srt10/auto trans combo in a 97-04 RCSB 2wd Dakota. I work at a salvage yard and have already sourced a motor,trans,pcm,harness for $5500, but not sure i want another self induced headache at this point in time.

 

Looks like a cool swap, the SRT10 swap would be even crazier.

 

Some of the goody pile. Borla headers and exhaust, mopar perf cam and lifters, taylor 9mm wires, super truck style rear spoiler


as mild as this cam is, it makes over 40hp and 45 ft lbs of tq over the stocker. I think if I change the centerline from 114 to 112 it adds another 20 to those figures, but I think that raises the peak rpm and I'd need new springs, rather just go cheap as possible on this first motor and save the money for the second build up of the spare motor. Then again who knows what will go through my head when the time comes, might just splurge a little on the first motor

 

that should be a cool project. man it seems like a few years ago i found(on the internet) a dakota, like a 2000 or something, with a viper powertrain shoe horned into it. that was badass, and has been inspiring...

 

I had a pic of a Dakota with a viper motor, let me see if I can find it. Also had a pic of a ex-cab 94 or so Dakota with a magnum V10 in it, but it looked horrible and the motor was all stock I believe. If I ever go thev10/dakota route, it would only be with a viper V10. I also know a guy doin a awd Durango with a built and boosted SRT10 motor. I sold him the short block we had from a fire damaged SRT10 viper. That thing should be SICK!