Magnum swap, any suggestions?

[88ram50]

I have an 88 Ram 50 (rwd extended cab). My dad purchased it new and I drove it a few years before it died. The truck has been mothballed nearly a decade in a barn. It was always slow so I want to do something fun with it.

I have the opportunity to get a complete Magnum 318 along with a 518 trans out of a 96 Ram for a decent price. I have a Dana 44 out of a Jeep XJ with upgraded shafts, LSD and discs that I believe would be perfect for this truck.

I've been searching the net and can't find much direct information on doing a swap of this nature. Based off eyeballing I think I can get the engine in there with a slim fan and a radiator pushed forward a bit. I know it would require custom mounts, cross-member, drive shaft and exhaust. I got a hookup for that kind of work from an old muscle car guy. He can hack together anything.

Will the frame hold up or should it be boxed? What needs to be done to the front suspension? Will the engine (rear sump) clear the steering and front cross-member? Will it all clear the firewall? I plan on running the Dana 44 on the stock leafs to start then going with a 4 link after the bugs are worked out. If it doesn't clear the hood then it looks like I have no choice past doing a shaker hood (witch I might do anyways). What I am looking for is any information that I can get. I've scoured Google and can't find much info at all other than a few pictures. Thanks to anyone that can provide me with anything. I'm armchair debating this at the moment. Too bad this site wasn't around back in the late 90s, I would have been all over it.

[TotallyBalistic]

the oil pan wont clear the steering but with alittle will power and some knowledge you can get past that. the ram 50 frames are already boxed in from front to back. as for the front suspension the v8's usually kill the springs so you might have to find a shop that does custom springs and just have some coils built to suit. the easier v8 swap for these trucks is the ford small blocks because of the front sump oil pan. good luck and give us some pictures

[88ram50]

Thanks for the reply. I was shooting the shit at Jegs and found out that the old LA style center sump pan, pickup and dipstick tube works with the Magnum. I think I am going to go forward with this project even though its probably going to take a year or two. Now I have to go pull the engine, yipee. I don't have any digital pics, the truck is in too sad of a state to take any at this point. The chassis, body and glass are all in good shape though it will need new paint and interior.

[TotallyBalistic]

glad to hear youre going forward with it..keep us updated on the progress

[capev86]

seeing as they put mitsubishi engines in traditional chrysler products, it is refreshing to see a bad boy dodge v8 in a mitsubishi, especially since it is already badged as a dodge. i'd love to put my spare dodge 2.5 in my 87 ram 50 but that would be more work than putting a 4g64 in place of the 2.0 astron. an expo engine would bolt right up to the stock 5spd, but a 2.5 swap would require a 94-95 dakota bell housing, supra or dodge ax15 trans, custom chassis mounts and driveshaft as well as rigging up a 2.5 mpi standalone injection system to run mpi instead of tbi. maybe some day.....