57 Power Wagon

[workgoats]

Well, I decided to buy an axle instead of getting the old Ford Dana 60 from Ernest that has been laying in fields for a couple of decades.  Problem is that it had a one ton Dodge van attached to it.  It didn't turn out to be what I expected or the ration I thought the VIN indicated but the price was right.  $161.63 for the van from the prison system, engine and misc stuff in the back and no tranny.  As soon as I get the paperwork it will go across the scales and I will come out ahead.

Axle turns out to be a Dana 60 with 4.10 gears and the springs will be easy to adapt to the '57 frame.  Guess I will have to come up with some 4.10 gears to go in the HD Dana 44 in the front.  Any body need any parts off of this?

[workgoats]

So here's a question.  The vehicle providing the engine for my son's Jeep was a Charger cop car.  It came with a Mercedes 5 speed automatic transmission.  It's a real short transmission with a flange on the back.  It came off of a 5.7 Hemi.  What would happen if I used that transmission and the divorced transfer case that came in the truck.

Is it strong enough for medium duty truck work?  Would the gear ratios make me wish I used another transmission?

[ProjectPW]

So here's a question.  The vehicle providing the engine for my son's Jeep was a Charger cop car.  It came with a Mercedes 5 speed automatic transmission.  It's a real short transmission with a flange on the back.  It came off of a 5.7 Hemi.  What would happen if I used that transmission and the divorced transfer case that came in the truck.

Is it strong enough for medium duty truck work?  Would the gear ratios make me wish I used another transmission?

I think the electronics would make it nearly impossible to make it function. As far as strength they are pretty tough transmissions in the SRT cars. I believe the model designation is NAG-1. It may be possible to use a factory pcm to control it, or maybe an aftermarket transmission controller is available

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/transmissions/NAG1-WA580.html

[ProjectPW]

here you  stand alone Nag1 controller:

http://soundgermanautomotive.com/pcs/

another forum stated that cost was around 1200$

[ProjectPW]

here is another Nag1 controller option:

http://www.hotwireauto.com/?page=sales-nag1

Those guys have a whole mess of awesome stuff!!

[Aaron S]

Jeez Ron, why didn't you ask me about that axle? Its a Chrysler corporate 8.75 full floater, if I remember correctly. I have another one under a dually 58 parts truck. They are kind of an odd bird. They came with 4.1:1 or 4.89:1 gears.

The 9.65 you referenced is used in flat fender Power Wagons and military trucks only (3/4 ton WC's and M37's, the earlier 1/2 ton WC's are a little bit different). And only ever came with 4.89:1 or 5.89:1 gears.

You should be ok bolting an LA engine to the NP420, but you will probably need a different bellhousing. The bellhousing in the truck is the same bolt pattern as an LA, and will bolt up, but the indexing of the crank flange and flywheel will be different, so your clutch won't work. The 315 poly you have is the tall deck Dodge hemi block, and while that flywheel and bellhousing will fit any early hemi engine (because for some reason those are the only things they all have in common) the A and LA stuff is just different enough to be a pain. A 60's era hydraulic truck bellhousing is probably the ticket, at that time they were still using the NP420, as well as the NP435 and the NP540 and shared a common bellhousing throughout. Some of them even fit small block, big block, and slant 6.

[workgoats]

I really liked the axle in the Dodge Van but it has the differential off center too far.  Anyone need a van axle?

End result is that I have a complete 10.5, 14 bolt Cheby axle and half of another one.  I guess that will be the way I go on the rear axle due to lack of cost...  I think I can pull the gears out of the one in pieces and end up with the same gears in front and back.  Probably higher ratio than I want but it will allow me to get it running sooner.