YAK - Yet another Kraut

[kingcrunch]

Hi there,

my name's Alex.
I am located in the Ruhr-Area in Germany and i adore first gen Dodge RAM trucks.

When i learned about Rob Philips red C10 i was hooked.
The thought of building (and ultimately driving) a fast, dead nuts reliable "race"-truck to bite into a Porsche's Ueberholprestige (german for a vehicles looks in the rear view mirror, that makes people take the right lane instead of crowding the leftmost lane to let them pass) ;)
Actually my ego is way more stable than that.

I like driving fast (and beeing safe while doing so), i like trucks, i like building stuff (more than anything).
These three features fall together almost naturally and i want to apply them to an unsuspecting late 80s Dodge D150 shortbed truck.



Unfortunately Germany has a very strict and tight catalog of technical regulations and laws that will make designing and building this vehicle a complex task.

Which is why i am here. A few days ago i stumbled across Mark Boveys 71 GMC and this vehicle is very close to what i want to build (a little better creature comforts and higher top speed).
To me it seems a sensible decision to join this board and discuss and share my ideas.
I am very well aware that i am on uncharted territory with that particular truck and it will take a while to get it done right.

I also like to bite off very big pieces but on the other hand i grow with every project i start.


Thanks for your time.
Alex

[Aficionado]

Welcome, Alex!

[Motorcitydak]

Welcome! Love your idea, I share your thoughts on those trucks since I grew up around a few of them. Never had one but always wanted one. Good thing is that they are very simple, easy to modify and maintain. They engine bay is nothing less than massive and literally any combination that you could want will fit under there.

Are those trucks easy to come by in your area? and what are you thinking for power and modifications? I would think a new front and rear suspension with a much lower stance and a modern drivetrain would be just about all that is required to make it a very unique force to be reckoned with!

[72BBSwinger]

Welcome. I would build a tube frame with whatever good handling suspension design you have available that can be serviced and maintained. Lots of road race cars in your neck of the woods so find out what those guys use and graft it to the truck. I think Chrysler 300's are pretty popular in Europe so I would steal and engine out of one of those.

[813Demon340]

Welcome!

[andrewb70]

Welcome Alex!

Andrew

[kingcrunch]

Thanks!
I started a thread in the truck section:

https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...wable-the-D170

Currently i am knee-deep in the restoration my '85 W250 which means that the fast truck is in its conceptual phase right now... nothing really happening, just bench racing and contemplating.