1984 Rampage Rebuild - Project R'age

[54inches]

Yeah, but his has that rear seat and all kinds of BS on it to, right?

[30 PSI SHADOW]

mine weighed 2400 without me at SDAC. T3 powered,no AC or heater core.

[54inches]

Thanks bud!

I want this thread to be more than just MY build thread!

[Vigo]

The neon srt-4 wheels can be had pretty cheaply, sometimes $200 a set. Watch your local craigslist, and give Cindy at FWDPerformance a call, she may have some sitting around waiting to be sold, and she's close.


As an example, the 2.5 turbo motor in my aries is a completely stock longblock from an 89 turbo van i bought for $400. The motor has over 250k miles on it. I modified the harness to work in my aries, which involved soldering and moving some pins on connectors, but was not terribly hard.

I also run the larger garrett turbo thats stock on some of these cars rather than the smaller mitsu which came on the minivan.

I have larger injectors ( equivalent to +20% over stock t2 injectors.. they are 400cc) that i found in a junkyard. Large injectors can be found in the junkyard if you get lucky.

Anyway, with a nice intercooler setup (a stock EVO9 intercooler) and a really shitty 2.25" exhaust, my motor made 212 whp ant 320 lb ft at the wheels at a peak boost of 17psi, peak power before 4k rpm. My tiny exhaust was killing it. My aries weighs more than a rampage, but the only time ive run it down the drag strip it trapped 98mph in a heat index over 100 degrees.

So basically.. you can take a stockish motor and make your little truck go pretty damn fast with it. A setup like mine in your truck on slicks with a decent exhaust on a good day might run 13.0@102 or something like that, and i have WAY less than $1000 in my entire drivetrain.

[2.216VTurbo]

I thought someone weighed one in at 2800 lbs? I might be completely wrong but I thought Alan's rampage was quite heavy

Alan's rampage is 28XX pounds because he has *added* lots of things that are heavier than stock. And actually the reat seats are fairly light, prolly 30lbs but these things are heavy and all add up:

568 trans (when last weighed, the new 523 will weigh less) Posi is heavy tho
TIII motor (compared to a carbed motor)
HVAC/controls/gauges/harness etc from the conversion
Spray in bedliner prolly 25-35 lbs
Class III trailer hitch, easily 70 lbs
11.25" brakes all the way around/5 lug spindles
Rear swaybar-that's a solid chunk o metal
Airbags with brackets 35 lbs
3" S exhaust-double than stock 1 7/8ths?
Tilt steering
ReinforceD K frame and beefy front core support
40lbs of dynamat(ish) stuff

I'm sure there's more heavyweight items that I can't think of right now. The single hedlight SC front end/turbo bulge hood/side skirts will be 60-75 MORE lbs

[jaysshelby]

Thanks bud!

I want this thread to be more than just MY build thread!

I started the Rampage/Scamp thread in the lounge.

[54inches]

The neon srt-4 wheels can be had pretty cheaply, sometimes $200 a set. Watch your local craigslist, and give Cindy at FWDPerformance a call, she may have some sitting around waiting to be sold, and she's close.

As an example, the 2.5 turbo motor in my aries is a completely stock longblock from an 89 turbo van i bought for $400. The motor has over 250k miles on it. I modified the harness to work in my aries, which involved soldering and moving some pins on connectors, but was not terribly hard.

I also run the larger garrett turbo thats stock on some of these cars rather than the smaller mitsu which came on the minivan.

I have larger injectors ( equivalent to +20% over stock t2 injectors.. they are 400cc) that i found in a junkyard. Large injectors can be found in the junkyard if you get lucky.

Anyway, with a nice intercooler setup (a stock EVO9 intercooler) and a really shitty 2.25" exhaust, my motor made 212 whp ant 320 lb ft at the wheels at a peak boost of 17psi, peak power before 4k rpm. My tiny exhaust was killing it. My aries weighs more than a rampage, but the only time ive run it down the drag strip it trapped 98mph in a heat index over 100 degrees.

So basically.. you can take a stockish motor and make your little truck go pretty damn fast with it. A setup like mine in your truck on slicks with a decent exhaust on a good day might run 13.0@102 or something like that, and i have WAY less than $1000 in my entire drivetrain.

See you are making me get the itch. I really did not want to make this a barn burner, as I am a V8 man, but we will see!

Alan's rampage is 28XX pounds because he has *added* lots of things that are heavier than stock. And actually the reat seats are fairly light, prolly 30lbs but these things are heavy and all add up:

568 trans (when last weighed, the new 523 will weigh less) Posi is heavy tho
TIII motor (compared to a carbed motor)
HVAC/controls/gauges/harness etc from the conversion
Spray in bedliner prolly 25-35 lbs
Class III trailer hitch, easily 70 lbs
11.25" brakes all the way around/5 lug spindles
Rear swaybar-that's a solid chunk o metal
Airbags with brackets 35 lbs
3" S exhaust-double than stock 1 7/8ths?
Tilt steering
ReinforceD K frame and beefy front core support
40lbs of dynamat(ish) stuff

I'm sure there's more heavyweight items that I can't think of right now. The single hedlight SC front end/turbo bulge hood/side skirts will be 60-75 MORE lbs

DAMN! Well, whatever I do, I won't add any of the above!!!!

[Vigo]

I really did not want to make this a barn burner, as I am a V8 man, but we will see!

Make this one be your cheap turbo project, cut your teeth, learn the ropes, and THEN turbo some V8s!!

[54inches]

I do want to Twin my bbc 454 in my Suburban.

Might do it.

Got a hold of the guy today and we are on for saturday.

[Vigo]

I have the front 5-lug setup off, ready to go, along with some wheels and tires and such if you're in a hurry. Ill have the rear 5-lug stuff off i would say before Dec 13.

[54inches]

Thanks bud! I will check with my buddy to see when he is going to be up there. Not enough room in his SUV for the wheels and tires, but I am sure there is at lest enough room for the front stuff. If you get the back stuff off, I bet he could make room for it!

Here comes the update for the weekend!

[54inches]

There she sits!

Back-up lights work!

Not bad.

Lining her up to drive her up, yep we drove it up!

Not bad here either!

Loaded up and ready to head out!

Now at home 30 minutes later. You can see the Suburban in the Background. Yep, it's a convertible!

Ok, the not so good:

Ewwwwww.

Driver's side Ewwwww.


Well, that's about it.

It ran pretty good, but it needs some brake work. I am thinking about just picking up a new master cylinder and flushing the fluid and checking all of the lines. It has brand new front lines and he may not have bled it well enough.

It is idling high, but I see a few vacuum lines that probably need replacing and/or hooking up!

I am also thinking about replacing the mechanical fuel pump with an electric one. I have never seen a mess of fuel lines. WTF was Dodge thinking? I am thinking about mounting the FP on the firewall right where the lines come from the tank and then I can connect right to a nice filter on the firewall and then into the carb. ALOT less lineage to heat up where it runs next to the block and over the valve cover.

Leads me to this question: What psi do these little carbs need? Anyone know?

I also got a turbo dash out of another car with the turbo guage, an auto shifter/console, a set of tailights, two AC cotrols and another headlight switch.

I also got some brackets and a piece of linkage as well.

Anyone need any dash pieces from the turbo dash?

[Vigo]

Looks like a fun one.. Hope you're planning to try and fix that rust... would be a shame to lose ANOTHER one of these rare beasts to that witch.

New master cylinder = NEW, right? Please dont buy rebuilt. I cant give free stuff to dead people! My record for rebuilt MC failure so far is 400 feet down the road. Luckily noone was there.

[54inches]

NEW means NEW brother. Hopefully American made too.

The rust is my first project.

I opened the tailgate and found my second project.

The mounting point of the driver's side tailgate was rusted through at one time and someone reattached by welding, but not very nice looking, so I am going to have to REfix it.

Then I am going to gut the interior and possibly just throw away the seat and def the carpet.

[54inches]

Well, not all surprises are good.

I went out for a couple hours to check on the R'age and clean it out a bit.

First I cleaned out the bed and disassembled the dash that was out of the turbo car, so if anyone needs that gauge or any parts just let me know. I plan on taking pictures here next week.

Well, I pulled off the tailgate and could not believe how ridiculous the Dodge engineers are. The area under the tailgate is the worst design I have ever seen, unless they were TRYING to make that area rust.

Anyways the tailgate does not fit right, so I need to pull off the taillight bucket, (one is in pieces, JOHN MESSICH, I need that bucket) to get in and see if there is any bad damage, so I can straighten it out and then weld up that one are of abuse.

I pulled the crate of parts out of the front seat and found some fairly nice taillights. YEAH!

I also found some armrests and some other odds and ends.

Now, the lower trim piece on the outside of the back window fell off in my hands and about 12 little plastic pieces did so at the same time. These are the clips that hold ON that trim panel. DRATS!

So, looking at the top of the rear window, there are two areas that are open to the elements and it's letting water in.

Having issues with pics right now, but will be up soon.

Anyways, it is the top corner of each side of the window and there is just a small gap between the glass and weatherstrip. Yeah!

Now, I start working on the roof rust and it is WAY worse that I originally thought. I am going to have to strip the interior anyways, so whatever, it is all coming out and I am going to have to break out the welder sooner than thought.

The tires are holding air though, so that is good!

[JohnnyIroc]

paypal or money order?

[jaysshelby]

I have rear sections of the roof with the gutters if interested. that way you can atleast splice then in and not have to try to make them from scratch.
I also have alot of NOS clips and such for the Rampage/Scamps. shoot me a pm if you like.

[54inches]

paypal or money order?

Paypal is my friend. PM your address and I will have money sent your way.

I have rear sections of the roof with the gutters if interested. that way you can atleast splice then in and not have to try to make them from scratch.
I also have alot of NOS clips and such for the Rampage/Scamps. shoot me a pm if you like.

That would be FN awesome brother. To the rescue!!!!

That really helps as before it was just a remove rust, kill rust, weld a little and dynaglass the rest till my heart was content.

Now, some of my fab skills are need, so room sections would be great.

I think I am going to shave the drip rails anyways, but at least I have options now.

Will do on the PM! Thanks brother!

[Vigo]

I think I am going to shave the drip rails anyways,

wait you mean you dont want it to rust again in exactly the same way??? .... good plan

I can cut up some sheetmetal off that shadow i got if you need anything it has. Im sure some forms would be similar.

[54inches]

EXACTLY!

I roll my window up when it rains anyways!


Anyways, I am not sure if the room lines are the same. I really need them to be the same.


BTW, You got any nice seats?

I need to check with Cindy over at FWD as I think she has some; I'll be up there sometime this week, who knows.