To fit the dodge engine the previous owner had to move the steering column over towards the drivers side. The firewall had to be cut to move the column over. The steering box is now mounted on the outboard side of the frame. Looks solid with a strong bracket. I’m not sure if the steering arm is modified to accommodate this. The wheel well had to be cut to accommodate this move. There’s still a big cutout there that doesn’t look tidy. The shifter fits through the floor perfectly, no mods or moves in the cover plate required there. This engine choice makes for a very difficult spark plug change. Some of them require gymnastics to change, kind of annoying. Another problem is the throttle linkage. The original linkage wouldn’t clear the dodge engine. A new hole was cut in the firewall for the current linkage. It is not well done and not solid and something I will need to repair. The motor mounts were probably taken from the donor dodge, they do not look homemade. They are attached to the frame rail. No interference with the engine crossmember. The transmission mount looks modified, might just be a big piece of hard rubber. The truck does have a Chevy radiator which means the bottom port is not in the right place and requires an adapter. This could cause an issue if I mount a power steering pump in the usual spot. Overall, it’s a combo that complicates a lot of things in its current form but it is such a cool truck I don’t care.
Last edited by 546500; 01/19/2026 7:49 PM.
