The '68 Cummins 4bt Brick Build

big a · Aug 10, 2012

Well, so begins another build!

Everyone seems to have such cool names for their builds, so I had to come up with something! I was reading a thread about fuel mileage and one guy refered to the EB as a "brick rolling down the highway, so don't expect to get good fuel mileage!" Hence the name, "The Brick!"

I'm swapping out the V8 for a 4 cylinder diesel!

I sold my boat in early April

and my wife and I drove from Fort Worth, TX to Las Cruces, NM and back in a day and half to pick up this beauty!

I am doing a complete resto mod on this thing with the end goal being a reliable daily driver.

1968 Bronco
Cummins 4bt diesel
NV4500
NP241 DLD w/ SYE

Here she sits at White Sands National Monument and then in my garage sitting next to her new power plant!

big a · Aug 10, 2012

Here she sits after disassembly with the typical EB rust! %)

Not to mention the floor boards and rockers!

But other than that, she's solid everywhere else!

I cut out the core support because I'm going to make a custom one to accommodate an intercooler.

big a · Aug 10, 2012

Motor Mounts...

There seems to be a million different ways to do this. Here's mine.

The passenger side mount is a passenger mount from a '99 Cummins 24 Valve and the drivers side mount is a passenger mount from a '96 Cummins 12 Valve (mid mount, used to clear the starter).

I also offset the motor 1" towards the passenger side similar to the stock V8.

I drew it all up in cad and had the mounts cut at a local machine shop. I used some scrap L3x3x3/8" angle from work. Overkill, but free!!!

I used the angle to reinforce the passenger side notch as well as to strengthen the area after removing the previous mounts.

I am nearly new to welding, so my welds aren't the prettiest, but they have good penetration!

I still have some fitting and welding to do on them, but this will give you an idea of what I'm doing.

broncosbybart · Aug 10, 2012

Thanks for posting those pics. Helpful to those of us who haven't started our stuff yet... Don't think I've seen it done like this before. Looks good to me!

big a · Aug 10, 2012

Well, like we were talking earlier about gear ratios, there seems to be lots of opinions about motor mounts. I got my tranny and some other parts from a '99 Dodge 3500. I grabbed the motor mounts from the guy also. I didn't want to drop a ton of money on liquid filled mounts. Also, I have a dodge cummins and I figured that they were designed for the 6bt so they should work similarly on the 4bt. They'll take up a lot of vibration, so I figured I'd do mine like this.

I would've liked to sink the motor in the frame more, but I am using the A/C off of a dodge cummins also. It sits on the lower right side of the motor, so the lower I sink the motor in the frame, the deeper the notch has to be to accommodate the compressor.

I love the fact of interchangeability of parts between the 4bt, the 12v and 24v cummins! The a/c brkt is from an '01, and the thermostat housing is from a '96. I also got the alternator brkt from the '96. Once I'm done, I just have to pick a yr between '94 & '02 for most parts! Also, I got the grid heater from a '99 and the intake horn from a '93.

If you have questions, just ask away! I don't know much, but I've learned a little! LOL!

TwoDalesDad · Aug 10, 2012

The only part that I see wrong with this transplant is the basic one......brands....Alot of times rejection is so great that...well...you hide your head in shame..rather than admitt the..mist.....LOL....if all goes well I may follow in th our tracks...

big a · Aug 10, 2012

I understand what you mean. It took me a while to come to the point of marrying different mfrs together in a Ford. You could pretty much use ford parts like a zf tranny and stuff, but ultimately I want parts for this motor that I'm confident will work with it. The diesel NV4500 was used with the cummins motor for yrs and can handle the vibration and torque. Same with the transfer case. Then, many dodge diesel parts bolt to this motor. This definitely won't be a purist's build. I realize a lot of folks will cringe, but this seems like a good set-up for a cummins swap. I would never do this on a classic restoration, but this definitely isn't a classic resto.

ET · Aug 10, 2012

Good build. Looks like your making lots of progress.

Eugene

jlewan001 · Aug 10, 2012

Hey! Glad to see some pictures on here! Looking good so far! I take it you are not having to do a frame off restoration too? That is part of what killed me on the time factor. Mine was wayyy rusted out and it was double the work.... But this is Wisconsin, the land of snow and salt dumped roads.

I can't wait to see what you come up with for an intercooler!

big a · Aug 10, 2012

ET said:
Good build. Looks like your making lots of progress.

Eugene

Thanks! Slower than it looks. Took me a few months to gather everything. Then, I have zero fabrication experience. So I'm learning as I go.

big a · Aug 10, 2012

jlewan001 said:
Hey! Glad to see some pictures on here! Looking good so far! I take it you are not having to do a frame off restoration too? That is part of what killed me on the time factor. Mine was wayyy rusted out and it was double the work.... But this is Wisconsin, the land of snow and salt dumped roads.

I can't wait to see what you come up with for an intercooler!

Well, I searched for a bit to find one not too rusty. I found this n the desert n New Mexico. The PO had already put a d44 up front and did a disk brake conversion. I do have to replace the floor boards, kick panels, cowling, inner and outer fenders, inner and outer rockers, and a couple patches under the cowling. Plus, I want to do some custom work to the gas caps.

I'm gonna put a painless harness in it, a/c, hydroboost, and...

I'm gonna rebuild the motor and tranny. If I'm done in a year and a half it'll be just short of a miracle!

I'm learning as I go! I just can't wait for it to cool off down here!!!

dieselbronco · Aug 11, 2012

TwoDalesDad said:
The only part that I see wrong with this transplant is the basic one......brands....Alot of times rejection is so great that...well...you hide your head in shame..rather than admitt the..mist.....LOL....if all goes well I may follow in th our tracks...

When i did my swap, i looked at the parts as being from other vernder that dodge happened to use (new venture, cummins) and not an actual dodge part

I sleep better that way

big a · Aug 11, 2012

dieselbronco said:
When i did my swap, i looked at the parts as being from other vernder that dodge happened to use (new prosses, cummins) and not an actual dodge part
I sleep better that way

Hahahaha! Ive looked at it that way too my friend!!! I hate dodges, but love the cummins motor!

Dbteak · Aug 11, 2012

big a said:
Hahahaha! Ive looked at it that way too my friend!!! I hate dodges, but love the cummins motor!

I am also a Ford man. This is my 2nd bronco. I have a 70 mustang fastback and have owned a 72 hi-boy. I went on a hunting trip with and we had a 7.3 and we almost didn't get it started because of the glow plugs were acting up. Then took a trip with a friend of mine who had a 96 12 valve and he starts it without going through the warm up cycle at 15 degrees and it starts right up and I was sold on the Cummins motor. I have a 97 12 valve and have no issues with the motor and the truck still has no rattles and drives strait.

Doug

Dbteak · Aug 11, 2012

big a said:
Well, like we were talking earlier about gear ratios, there seems to be lots of opinions about motor mounts. I got my tranny and some other parts from a '99 Dodge 3500. I grabbed the motor mounts from the guy also. I didn't want to drop a ton of money on liquid filled mounts. Also, I have a dodge cummins and I figured that they were designed for the 6bt so they should work similarly on the 4bt. They'll take up a lot of vibration, so I figured I'd do mine like this.

I would've liked to sink the motor in the frame more, but I am using the A/C off of a dodge cummins also. It sits on the lower right side of the motor, so the lower I sink the motor in the frame, the deeper the notch has to be to accommodate the compressor.

I love the fact of interchangeability of parts between the 4bt, the 12v and 24v cummins! The a/c brkt is from an '01, and the thermostat housing is from a '96. I also got the alternator brkt from the '96. Once I'm done, I just have to pick a yr between '94 & '02 for most parts! Also, I got the grid heater from a '99 and the intake horn from a '93.

If you have questions, just ask away! I don't know much, but I've learned a little! LOL![/QUOTe

If you are using all Dodge why are you cutting the frame. My Dodge starter is on the driver side up high. The build looks good and it's coming along.

Doug

big a · Aug 11, 2012

[/QUOTe
If you are using all Dodge why are you cutting the frame. My Dodge starter is on the driver side up high. The build looks good and it's coming along."

I had to notch it in order to offset the motor 1" towards the passenger side because of the mounts I chose. I could have done without it, but I didn't like the way the motor sat at an angle. Also, I won't need an angle brkt for the hydroboost/mc.

Also, I'm gonna have to notch the frame up near the crossmember to accommodate the dodge a/c compressor.

Dbteak · Aug 12, 2012

big a said:
I'm gonna put a painless harness in it, a/c, hydroboost, and...

I used a painless harness and looking back I wish I would have used a cheaper harness. I cut alot of out because of what the motor needs to run you get rid of alot of wire. My alternator is a 1-wire and I used relays to run most of the under hood stuff and with the Dakota gauges I have a pile of wire and light sockets. Something to think about.

Doug

Hozr · Aug 12, 2012

Awesome work, pleae keep the pics/ideas coming!! BT is on my list for the next build

big a · Aug 13, 2012

Dbteak said:
I used a painless harness and looking back I wish I would have used a cheaper harness. I cut alot of out because of what the motor needs to run you get rid of alot of wire. My alternator is a 1-wire and I used relays to run most of the under hood stuff and with the Dakota gauges I have a pile of wire and light sockets. Something to think about.

Doug

Thanks alot for pointing that out! How many circuits did you end up using? The only reason I was going with the painless harness was for the extra circuits supplied, which as you point out, may not be needed.

I figured I was gonna be using a lot of relays as well. I liked how you used the relay box from an explorer.

Andy

big a · Aug 13, 2012

Hozr said:
Awesome work, pleae keep the pics/ideas coming!! BT is on my list for the next build

Will do! I've got a wedding to go to this coming wknd, so I plan on having the motor mounts completly burned in by the following wknd! I'll take a bunch of pics and post the finished work!

I'll prolly also put in an order for replacement panels this wk, so they'll be here once I'm done with the motor mounts.

This is my first restoration and I'm having fun! But, I'll dang sure be glad for fall when my garage isn't a 100 degrees by noon everyday!

Andy

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