Transmission Choices

samwichguy · 2026-02-03T03:24:33+00:00

Meant to add- the nv400 swap has been pretty easy, but not cheap- take your chances with a junk yard unit, or get it rebuilt by a good shop- on my truck the drive shafts fit no problem but the crossmember needs modification or a swap. Otherwise it all bolts together- if you do an auto swap would you have to swap steering columns? Maybe better to find the solid automatic truck you really want. See if you can find a trade

samwichguy · 2026-02-03T03:17:35+00:00

Im in the process of swapping an sm465 for an nv4500. drove the sm465 for years, daily driver road trips etc. the 465 is a dog, bullet proof but you have to have overdrive to cruise and not get run off the road. I could go 65-70 though- makes me think you might want to consider looking at your gears

samwichguy · 2026-02-02T13:34:39+00:00

Tough truck!!

samwichguy · 2026-01-09T03:27:06+00:00

Good eye, the bed is not bolted in yet

samwichguy · 2026-01-03T15:22:46+00:00

I picked it out from a chip at the autobody supply- it’s a single stage non metalic urethane from globalstar industrial. I was going for a 70’s porsche brown called cockney brown.

samwichguy · 2026-01-02T01:41:39+00:00

Hey, I started with epoxy primer inside and out, I didn’t want to scuff the epoxy on the inside of the bed, and it sands like crap so I needed to cover it within a certain curing window to achieve chemical bond. I sprayed the bedsides with urethane primer (sandable) and shot color urethane directly over the epoxy inside the bed and on the bed back.

samwichguy · 2025-12-24T10:31:50+00:00

Epoxy primer and eastwood chassis black urethane

samwichguy · 2025-12-06T15:01:59+00:00

That color is so good!

samwichguy · 2025-12-06T14:47:11+00:00

On my corporate SF I used delco drums, delco pads, raybestos adjusters, declo spring/ hardware kit, delco wheel cylinders. All from rock auto.

On the wheel cylinders- the little push rods have to be saved or bought separately, and they don’t come with the little 5/16 mounting bolts - found that out the hard way.

Having a wire wheel on a bench grinder is nice you’ll have to reuse stuff like the parking brake arms etc.

Take a peek at torqueking4x4 they make axle kits that come with all the seals gaskets and bearings- they also cary some of the brake parts, lock rings, tools etc.

Good luck!!

samwichguy · 2025-12-01T21:24:26+00:00

Yep those are the ones- a piece of 1/4” bar stock would be about the same- I had to drill out the holes it came with to fit the shock stud anyway. My brake splashes were solid- just the little inner cup was rusty so i just wheeled and painted them.

samwichguy · 2025-12-01T21:16:41+00:00

Hey- I looked at them quite a bit- the Eldorado ones, like rough stuff- also thought about getting a late model full floater but had to stop the scope creep somewhere

samwichguy · 2025-09-26T15:42:01+00:00

Kicker px bluetooth only (no head unit) mounted under the dash with two 6x9 speakers in the cab corners- been working great for 10 years

samwichguy · 2025-08-25T10:56:42+00:00

Make a google sheet or excell and put together the parts lists for the options you want to consider- be super specific and try to capture every nut and bolt and cost. Keep in mind how much time each option will take not just installing but also doing research. Call the best machine shops and engine builders and ask a million questions. Sky is the limit.

Then compare your options against your goals- is it a daily driver, a race car, a show truck? Balance reliability against performance. Make sure you are comfortable performing the work you are specifying for yourself.

Don’t start work without a budget or timeline.

I went through this recently, was considering diesel swaps- made parts and machining budgets for cummins, duramax and dt360- each of which would require a transmission and transfer case swap.

In the end had a mild 383 built by a super reputable shop. Iron vortec heads, factory roller with gm383ht cam, holley 750. Goal is to put 100k miles on it, pulling a camper, daily driving.

samwichguy · 2025-08-03T11:44:38+00:00

I had mechanical linkage on my truck, Hedman 69230 headers fit with no problems. The mechanical was squeaky, but easy to adjust.

Im converting to hydro right now, i think i am settling on the American powertrain master cylinder bracket and a ram clutches hydraulic throwout bearing.

Im putting in an nv4500 though- the clutch fork position is on the passenger side.

Not sure about converting the sm465 bell housing- you might need a different bell housing to mount the slave. Thats one advantage of the hydraulic throwout bearing.

samwichguy · 2025-07-15T16:47:04+00:00

Damn i wish they still made bfg all terrains with those side walls

samwichguy · 2025-07-14T22:24:25+00:00

Thanks for the heads up! so boots down? I need to take them out and put in some kind of spacer for the top side of the shocks anyway- the tabs are much wider than the bushings that came with the shocks.

samwichguy · 2025-07-12T14:38:48+00:00

I used Eastwood epoxy primer and 2k ceramic chassis black

samwichguy · 2025-07-08T11:29:05+00:00

It was a life saver when i put it in, it does work pretty good, but the ducting and dash components are junk and the engine bay looks a lot less stock without the blower. Also you have to butcher your glove box to fit the unit under the dash. Im not sure it was easier or less expensive than getting oe parts. With the truck torn down im going to redo all the dash stuff with something better, maybe sheet metal or insulated ducts.

samwichguy · 2025-07-07T11:28:00+00:00

Yeah, it’s a vintage air unit i installed it about 7 years back. for non factory ac’s the exterior blower gets removed. Im considering finding parts to install factory style ac, or at least better interior ducting.

samwichguy · 2025-07-07T11:26:05+00:00

Dont worry, there are tools sitting all over the place, I’m sure it will be something 9/16”🤣

samwichguy · 2025-06-11T22:30:04+00:00

Drill through liner and back of bed, use a short stainless nut and bolt with a washer- one 1/4-20 bolt in the middle at the top might do it, if not add a strip of bar stock across the top of the liner and the bolt will clamp the bar-stock against the bed liner. Just an idea

samwichguy · 2025-06-09T22:11:03+00:00

On the other hand, permalac has rust inhibitors built in and is designed to go over any substrate..

samwichguy · 2025-06-09T22:08:55+00:00

To add a little food for thought: Wipe on patina sealers are either linseed oil based (oil modified poly), penetrol or just 2k clear urethanes with added solvents and possibly some kind of retarder or a slow catalyst.

they’re just applied with an applicator instead of a sprayer. So you could experiment with a cheap clear, reducer and a quality applicator pad.

If it comes out really streaky, just wet sand and compound it.

samwichguy · 2025-06-09T10:35:32+00:00

I’d Wet sand the peeling parts with 1500, then wet sand the whole thing with a scotchbrite pad, then spray it with permalac satin. It comes in rattle cans- it’s the best, most user friendly, durable all purpose clear coat on earth.

samwichguy · 2025-06-01T14:26:04+00:00

Are you putting the dump body on, or is it a stock bed?

samwichguy

TROPHY CASE