Skwerly's '78 Ramcharger 440: Slow Build

[Skwerly]

Update: http://ramchargercentral.com/projects/skwerly%27s-%2778-ramcharger-440-slow-build/msg1866812/#msg1866812

I got to a junkyard that had a '78 truck with ALL the parts I needed.

I scored a door, for one, and not just any door; this thing is like General Lee orange with a large Indian head on it. Oh, too cool. Now i'm calling my rig the indian. It's going to stick. You betcha.

I also scored a headlights switch (didn't need, may need later—I'm like that), a full dash gauge cluster and housing, a radiator fan shroud, two HUGE towing mirror frames, a glove compartment door and actual plastic compartment, and a whole lotta other odds and ends.

Ecology wins. They were much nicer there than at the PAP yards and they even let me have a couple items free. The donor truck was a work truck with a utility bed and it had a neat steel mountable first aid kit and the rear had cool reflectors. When I showed each of those to the lady she just waved her hand. Take 'em, she said.

Nice!

 

[GrimmJeeper]

holy freaking pic size batman

 

[Skwerly]

I know, I may remove... I forgot to change the picture sizing on the camera after shooting an RTF show.

 

[Skwerly]

First, an update on the looks:



Now, my CB install:

CB install post 1/2014


So after some major deliberation on where to mount my CB (one of the smaller units would’ve been no prob, but I wanted to go with the OG great big CB, so options became limited), I decided the middle of the floor, tucked up under things, would be the best.

But then, how to mount it so that I can see/hear and it’s sturdy? I got the gears going and after a little while, voila! I was going to ace hardware.

Here are the beginnings of my erector set like mounts:



My thoughts were to connect the L-brackets with the straight pieces via a bolt/nut so that I could have virtually infinite mounting options and positions. I like options.

Here is the spot intended for the large, archaic CB radio:



the radio in question (and yes, that’s a $3 price tag on it--gotta love estate sales!):



My first mounting idea, before I realized it wouldn’t work. I loved the angle, but with the coax cable hooked in the CB tilted at a major angle and all sorts of problems ensued. It was back to the thinking/drawing board.



So I came up with spider mounts:



NOW I had literally infinite mounting positions, and although it was a lot of parts and it looks kinda funky, it’s going to work well.

Here it is mocked up:



aaaaaaaand, a couple of the final install sans wiring (it got dark, as always...):

 

[Paul Airhart]

I like the way it looks, nice job.

 

[Skwerly]

Thanks, man!

 

[JohnX]

Round the edges on the brackets where they stick out. And put in some cupholders!!! Lol

 

[Skwerly]

Cupholders are on the way--got a line on an original Ramcharger console.

 

[Nimrod]

Is that a roll of quarters in the ashtray? Or is the Ramcharger just happy to see you?

 

[Skwerly]

Haha, it is!

I bought something at a gas station and they asked me if I minded quarters for change and held up the roll. I shrugged and took 'em; never know when ten bucks’ worth of change will come in handy lol.

 

[David_Bricker]

never know when ten bucks’ worth of change will come in handy lol.

Tipping really skanky strippers?

David Bricker / SYR

 

[Vanimal]

reminds me of Johnny 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUQMvlH39XA

 

[Skwerly]

ROFL, oh, you guys.

 

[LittleBill]

I miss my Ram Charger. When I got transferred to Pendleton from Lejeune, I had to sell it. 78 custom with 35s and 383. Awesome mud truck.

 

[Skwerly]

Nice. I love the first gens. And big blocks.

 

[Redxj5150]

Holy crap! what kind of AC compressor does that thing have? Looks like you could run a paint gun and air up all 4 tires at the same time.

 

[Skwerly]

Haha, the Mopar stuff is biiiig.

 

[jeeperjohn]

Holy crap! what kind of AC compressor does that thing have? Looks like you could run a paint gun and air up all 4 tires at the same time.

I was thinking the same thing. You could air up a whole group in like 5 mins.

 

[Skwerly]

Haha, definitely!

 

[jeeperjohn]

Nothing like a beastly, fire breathing, solid steel chunk of all American testosterone laden win to drive around.