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97 C3500HD 454 4l80 to 5.9L 6 Speed allison conversion

tanman_2006

Just a farm kid...
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Seiling, Oklahoma
Ok, the TCM quit on my '13 LML, the radiator cracked, it has a fuel leak, the AC quit, and .....

So once I find a tcm, and get it straightened out I'm parting ways and want a crew cab 6.5 and a c3500HD for hauling duties. I don't fully buy into the the 5.9 Cummins being the only way to tow BUT I did buy a 95 12 Valve Cab and chassis 2wd with a rough cab and toasted tranny for 1200 and it crawled on the trailer so I have that and a 2wd 6 speed allison so.... I found a really clean c3500HD 454 for 2,000 with 70k on the engine and trans with papers.

Obviously engine mounts, inner cooler, custom torque converter, trans adapter, drive shaft, pedal/tps, and all of the accessories.

I'm not looking to do this over night I can drive the 454 for awhile since it is running strong. I want to piece together the mother of all light duty hauling rigs and do it right.

What are your thoughts?
 
Why Light Duty? Maybe it's time to look for a good used Medium Duty as they tend to be cheaper than pickups. Commercial insurance is another story that the farm class may help with? Maybe it would be a better tool for the hauling job than a pickup or 454 HD.

With the low price of natural gas why not convert the 454 HD to that?
 
I was looking for a 8.1l Kodiak 07+ with 6 speed allison when I saw the cummins truck for a steal and already having the allison didn't hurt. I was thinking 8.3L Cummins when the 8.1L shelled out.

I don't want a 454 on my 200 mile one way trips hauling cattle. I also don't have a big enough trailer to justify a Kodiak yet. I had been hiring out in the lml for a little extra cash but this winter showed the lml wasn't up for the task, it's only been a load a week and not far but it's getting closer to time to be pulling cattle off pasture and I'm always busy that time of year.
 
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