1983 Dodge Ram W300 – Buck Taylor
Family Engine Swap – 1993 Dodge Ram W300
Buck Taylor’s 1983 Dodge Ram W300
Buck purchased this 1983 Dodge Ram W300 in September of 2015. The crew cab began its life as a gas powered, four speed transmission truck. Buck had been looking for a while for a clean Dodge crew cab short bed to build into a Cummins conversion. He wasn’t having the best of luck and broadened his search to other crew cab diesel trucks. After an extensive search it appeared that he had found the right truck and went to meet the seller in Durango, CO.
After 11 hours of driving, Buck could tell from across the parking lot that the truck was not in the condition that had been represented in the ad. Buck, his son and a buddy made a positive situation out of it by comparing opinions with the very young and inexperienced seller and started to look for trucks along their return path home.
They found an old body style Ford Crew with a Cummins conversion in Pie Town, New Mexico that was roughly on the way home. With cash in hand, Buck looked over the title to the Ford (that’s how close he was to buy it), but something didn’t feel completely right and he passed. 18 hours later, Buck and his crew arrived back home without a new purchase.
At 11 pm as Buck climbed into bed tired and disappointed, he opened his phone to browse the local ads and there it was. Posted 12 minutes ago, his potential short bed crew cab Dodge was only 25 minutes from his house.
Buck called, got out of bed and paid the seller for it right then and there. It is a well-cared for 360 cubic inch gas engine tied to a 4 speed manual transmission 4 wheel drive truck. Buck brought his new truck home the next day.
Buck’s 1983 Dodge Ram W300 has spent all of its life in Tucson. The previous owner worked for the City of Tucson and used the truck as his daily driver.
Now that Buck had found the truck he had spent so long searching for it was time for some modifications. The largest of which was a complete Cummins 12 valve swap. Not only did Buck and his son swap out the 360 engine, but they also took out the 4 speed manual transmission. The Cummins 12V came already mated to an automatic transmission which was also installed.
After the engine swap, came a full interior refresh featuring a 2006 Dodge Ram leather interior. Then came the rear disc brakes, full sound proofing and a stereo system install with a backup camera. The modifications were topped off with LED lighting and replacing everything with a new part that could be replaced. Buck and his son did the full engine conversion and all of the work themselves.
They use the truck to haul their toy trailer to the best riding spots and to get them into the woods and back out again. The truck has been on numerous hunting trips. A javelin hunting trip with the whole family stands out for Buck as being a favorite trip in the truck.
Shortbed crew cab trucks are few and far between. Buck’s truck is in exceptional shape. They left the underside of the hood unpainted because it still has all of the build sheet stickers, paint pen marks and is original to the truck. There are few trucks with as great classic lines as these Dodge crew cabs.
“I couldn’t have done it without him, very proud of him. The two younger boys pitched in where they could as well. It is a special project for us.”
-Buck Taylor
