You know how you start to feel like you know someone a little bit cause you watch them on tv so much.  Well that’s kinda how I feel about Chip Foose and Chris Jacobs.  I watch overhaulin, rides, poweblock tv and any other custom car show on tv.  And I kinda feel like I know their taste, and what they’d think about certain projects.  Well that’s what scares me.

So why do I care what Chris Jacobs will think?  Well he’s a Mopar guy.  And Mopar guys really just want respect from other Mopar guys. I’d like to consider myself a Mopar guy.  I remember being about 5 years old, and my dad saying the car we should restore together would be an old 1969 Road Runner.  So I’ve always had a thing for the Mopars.  My first car was a 1989 Dodge Ramcharger, and it’s that car that Doan bought me that I’m working on customizing that I’m worried about what Chris Jacobs might think.

So here’s the deal.  Mopars (dodge) vehicles are known for having very hard to find parts, and pretty much no aftermarket parts.  What does this mean?  Well it means working on an older Dodge Ramcharger is pretty much impossible.  Even finding people to work on it can be a problem.  I went to Austin Speed Shop, but they only work on cars from 1963 and older.  I went to Killer Rides, but they didn’t know what to do with the truck either.  The only shop that’s had an idea for the Ramcharger is Hot Rod Jim’s who wants to put a whole Corvette rolling chassis under the truck. And here is where the “Chris may hate me” thing comes in. The only thing anyone can think of to make my truck the way I want it is to make it a frankenstein and put a ton of Chevrolet parts under the truck. Which a lot of Mopar people may want to shoot me out back for doing.

So there in lies my problem. They make so many aftermarket parts for Chevrolets.  Seriously I could just run to the store right now, and buy every part I need for my truck.  The only problem then is that it wont just fit cause it’s not made for dodge.  So even though I can buy a ton of parts, I’d still need someone to customize all the parts to fit on my truck. Which is why Hot Rod Jim’s idea of just replacing the whole chassis with a corvette one would make bolting all those easy to find chevrolet parts that much easier.

So I don’t know what to do.  Maybe you guys have some ideas.  Or maybe you know of a shop that could do the work for me.  Hell maybe you know Chris Jacobs and you can ask him if he’ll hate me if I frankenstein my truck. Here are all the things wrong with my truck and what the ultimate goal for it is.

So here’s what we’re starting with:

And this is what I’d like it to resemble (not exactly just “the look”)

But it’s not just about the look.  I want it to look like a 1989 Ramcharger but to drive like a 2009 Ramcharger (if that existed).  So a whole new front and rear suspension, engine, transmission, rear end, wheels, tires.  Basically all the modern parts just squashed into an older truck. I know it’s all about having a plan and not just buying a bunch of parts, so here’s what I’ve come up with.

Front Suspension – From Scott’s Hot Rods

Rear Suspension – Ride Tech

Intro Wheels

But even though these parts look like they’ll do the job.  They still aren’t mopar parts.  And I will still need a shop to customize all this so it fits in my truck.  So it’s a plan, but it may not be the best one.

I’m open to suggestions on the engine and transmission.  The goal for that is to have enough power to pull a trailer and a boat, but to still get the best MPG’s as possible.  Cause I want to drive this truck everyday.

So anyway…that’s my rant about my truck project.  It’s almost been a year since Doan bought me the truck, and I haven’t done anything with it yet. Mainly due to the lack of a plan.  So unless you guys have some suggestions or unless Chris Jacobs will want to kill me for doing the above.  I think I’m gonna go with the suspension above.  Then from there go to the body work.

Sorry Chris.