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My Ram Upgrade Is Complete!!!

8K views 89 replies 34 participants last post by  winterjeeper95 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
As some of you remember, a couple of months ago I posted up my list of mods planned for my Ram. They included:

1. Paint (mine was bad and had been vandalized)

2. A lift

3. A larger motor

4. Wheels and tires

A few other accessories were on the list. Actually, quite a few items were on that list..you should see the spreadsheet! I spent hours and days doing the parts sourcing, research, sending emails, calling suppliers and doing the "anal"ysis to finalize the plan.

Well, I'm proud to say the Ram has now been upgraded. I kinda kept all the info and progress under lock and key until I got done so I could spring it all on ya at one time. ;)

Anyway, I started with this:



$18,000 later and countless hours of work, I ended up with this:



That's my 2007, 1500 4X4 MegaCab with the HEMI, rear dvd, 4" lift, 18's, 6 disk mp3 compatible head unit, and a bunch more other options.

Okay, Okay...so you are wondering, "WTF?!?!?"... read on...

The 1999 truck was a fine truck. It was just down on power, needed paint, wasn't lifted, ugly stock wheels, not a lot of room in the cab for the two grandsons in the back seat, limited audio capability, no real amenities.

But, my plan considered all that. The only thing I couldn't accomplish with my mod plan was more room in the cab. Have you ever taken a long road trip with two young boys kicking the back of your seat for hours on end???

The one thing I could not reconcile or rationalize was how much I was about to put into the 1999, an 11 year old truck, just to get what I wanted. I was looking at 5 figures to mod the truck to where I wanted it. The economic analysis said this was NOT a good idea.

So when this opportunity came up, I worked out a deal with the local Dodge Garage to purchase this one. I did it on the phone and by email, so as not to be drug into the dealership offices and have them beat on me for hours and hours. :)

I'll admit I strung them along, nibbled at their price, made up a long list of things that they had to address (some of which was actually true! :LOL:), did my research, got some help from RamTech here (Thanks, Randy!!!), resisted their efforts to come back down to the dealership to talk and strung them out for a few days. During the offer and counter offer phase I picked at them, told the sales manager during one session to stop lying to me, whittled down the price, whittled down my list of things they owed me and waited them out. Randy knows I've been looking at this truck and started dealing last Sunday.

This morning, while I was just getting ready to attend an agency meeting down here in Roseburg (it's about 4 hours driving time South of where I live and where I will be until tomorrow nite) the sales manager called and, with a sigh, accepted my offer including the items I expected them to address, fix or replace. They still made money...they just didn't get a whole month of profit off one sale and outta my pocket!

I turn over the 1999 and pick this one up on Saturday.

That should give them time to take care of their list of things to do. If they aren't done, they get to keep it until they are! I'm such a ornery bastid sometimes...

Yup, it's got a HEMI :)



Ya know what's really sick about me??? I already have a mod list rattling around in my head for this one :doh:
 
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#62 ·
Patience, bro! LOL

I'm sourcing parts and doing the research. I've emailed a couple of suppliers through their websites on some dimensions on flares to insure I get the size I need to extend out to the additional rubber sticking out the sides.

I've bookmarked some sites for HID's, mud guards, grilles and sundry other parts.

Like the deal, I will take my time to do this right. :)
 
#63 ·
There ya go...do it once and do it right.

Years ago, when I worked for MCI Worldcom, we had a saying "We do her nice cause we do her twice"....see how that turned out
 
#64 ·
You thinking about swapping the grille out on it, too?

- Cajun :pepper:
 
#67 ·
I like that, thats what Ive been looking for for mine as well. I wonder if I can just take out the little chrome bars and put in black inserts like that?
 
#68 ·
On my truck, and I suspect yours as well, the 4 grille panels are removable and you put in the new sections. The info I found on their website shows you have to drill some small holes to mount each panel.

I'm wondering if the mounting tabs on this grille won't line up with the holes already there for the stock panels.
 
#78 ·
Those are Ultra wheels. They don't make that exact pattern anymore but those are packed up and sitting on my back patio, looking for a buyer! I had a different wheel in mind so I swapped them out.

Tire was an LT325/60RX18 Cooper Discoverer STT. They sucked.
 
#85 ·
The 2010's are nice. I like the change in the body style! I am doing a bit of shopping for a new truck for my little sister who's worn out so many Phords with the heavy hauling she and her hubby do and checked out a couple of Rams today. I have not been able convince them to drop those POS trucks (never ending trans problems with the last one, blew up the diff center section on the prior one, had some frame problems with the one prior to that) and get serious about getting a real truck.

I think they'd like the space of the MegaCab and how the Cummins pulls. I'll just keep working on them.
 
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