I can’t wait to sit down with my papaw and show him this video. He bought a brand new loaded 1989 2wd 5 speed dually, it was the first Cummins that our local dealer sold and the first Cummins in our county here in Kentucky. He was finally able to pick it up in October after our dealer had looked for a few months to track one down. We still have the truck til this day
@@bryanphipps9131 the od rolls over every 100k. Papaw used it to basically hotshot back in the day hauling cattle and equipment for people and some local tractor dealers. He has sworn that it has rolled over 6 times. The engine has never had a wrench turned on it. It’s had 2 clutches and a different rear stump put in the rear end
I was a Chrysler dealer tech, starting my career in 1969. When the first gen trucks were coming out I was the first to get sent to school for the diesel in the fall of 1988. By that time in my career I was the go to school guy at the dealership. I also got sent to school when the intercooled engine came out in 1991. Our dealership was considered a small dealer so we didn't see as many trucks as some of some of the bigger dealers. Between the time the Cummins engine came out and the time I retired in 2003 I never seen a engine failure at our dealer. In the early days of the diesel I was also the transmission tech and as such was kept busy with the A604 - 42TE transmission in the front wheel drive vehicles. So I shared my diesel knowledge with other guys in the shop. I was at school in Detroit when the T300 truck was introduced at the Detroit auto show in 1993. The dodge booth was the busiest in the whole show. Those trucks were on allocation for the first 2 years of production. You had to sell one to get another one and for 1994 and 1995 there were times when we didn't have any on our lot. When I ordered my 1995 it counted as part of our allocation. The salesmen didn't like it when my truck was the only one at the dealership when I took delivery. If they wanted to show a customer a truck they had to come and ask me for permission to show my truck. They further didn't like it when I stipulated that if they made a sale from showing my truck I got a $200 spif.
As a Cummins employee, it’s good to see this and confirm many rumors that I’ve heard over the years. Thanks for sharing. We have 2 of these first gen’s. Both located in Columbus IN. One at the plant CMEP and the other one is at Cummins headquarters in down town Columbus which It’s open to the public to see.
@w350crewcab5 we have more than just two. There's a boatload of information behind the scenes that isn't included in this expose'. But they say, 'History is written by the victors'. Well, there's a whole group behind what's presented in magazines. And those of us who have been part of the B series Dodge program number more than the '5' mentioned in this account. I have worked with Butch as well as Rob, the other OCU technician who wrenched on D001, as well as Mel Eubank and Gerry Burton, two more OCU techs who wrenched D002. Fun Fact: I own the original 360 LA V8 gas engine we removed from D002 in the Pilot Center at S.E.D.C. Glynn Graham bought it in the excess and obsolete auction and warmed it up with Direct Connection cam, lifters, intake and headers. Years later, I restored the '72 Challenger that Glynn sold to a co-worker at M.E.T.C. [the NEW name of S.E.D.C.-- formerly: Small Engine Development Center,,, which Cummins changed to Midrange Engine Technical Center], I can tell you the whole group of guys who built those first 9 trucks. I have photos of it all happening. I was a lucky kid to know all these guys and to serve as one of their executive board members from 2003-2006. I am in my 33rd year there now, and many of those guys have retired and passed. But Pokey and Tommy [the men who restored D001 after I protested it's scheduled destruction, are still kicking and mischievous! We now have a new Pilot Center down close to the Midrange Engine Plant off of I-65. You met several of us at the Hangar, when Cummins celebrated the finished restoration of D001. Glad you are doing your part to keep those guys memories alive. Just remember, there's a whole crew that built the first 9. Not just 5.
You left out who Dodge hired to research and development , A huge advantage in Dodge's need of a diesel truck , To get a major lead in sales , Who was the master diesel MAN ? GALE Banks !!!! How do you of all people not even mention this ? Not one mention of Gale ????
Sir: Allow me to thank you for your incredibly historic monologue. I had NO idea of how all this fit together. I have a 97 Club Cab that I bought new in Canada, where I live, & I have over one MILLION miles on the truck & it is still going strong. The injectors (215 hp), delivery valves, lift pump, starter, are all factory units. I am on the 2nd alternator, the second block heater (leakage) the second water pump (leakage) & the second AFC bell crank ( I wore the ball stud that the accelerator cable attaches to , so that the cable would fall off the stud. Just short of a million miles, The clutch release bearing collapsed so that the clutch could not be disengaged. When the clutch was pulled apart, I still had about 20 % friction material left !. The pilot bearing was ready to fall apart , so I replaced the clutch in its entirety, to even include the ball stud. I had the 5th gear problem fixed, & other than replacement of the heater core & evaporator & the stupid plastic "doors" in the HVAC, nothing in the cabin has needed replacement. Wait ! I lie ! I twice replaced the light switch because Chrysler was too cheap to use a headlight relay ! After the second replacement I opened the wiring & installed a 60 amp, sealed, Potter Brumfield relay for the headlights, & the new switch carries only 120 ma. for the coil in the relay. My truck is now 27 years old , & still fires up on the first roll of the starter . I am 84, & you could not sell me ANY of the " High Pressure Common Rail " junk that is currently available. At my age I will never buy another truck, but I have no doubt my 97 will outlast me. When I bought my truck ($45,000 Canadian) I dropped by to visit an uncle of mine. He pulled a plug of tobacco from his bib overalls, cut a chew from the plug with his pen knife, stuck the plug in his mouth & walked slowly around the truck, looking intently at it. He turned his head & spit on the ground, looked at me & said ..."WELL, you bought HALF a truck.....You bought an ENGINE ! " Thank you for the historical elucidation Sir . Cheers! Brian Hind
Hey Brian, GR8 post, My 1st Cummins,90 D3500 5 speed duelly, 2 wheel drive, Used. Then. 97 4x4 2 tone D3500. Then ordered a new St. Louis made D3500 6 speed manual, loaded,white 4 door. Now 2016 D3500 6.7 Aisan A/T 4x4 Mega. Love Ram 💯👍😎
Great stuff. We have been a TDR Dodge Cummins family for 3 generations. Still have all 7 trucks in the family, even grandma drives a 1999 Dodge Cummins Sport 4x4 with a six inch lift that puts down over 711 RWHP using compounds, straight piped, and a Dana posi-rear end for Idaho snow. 👊
Man your red & white crew cab is stunning! Hands down 1 of the most beautiful 1st gen Cummins. ❤ Great work on this video. You are filled with great info on these Dodge trucks.
Thank you for this awesome walk back through time! It would be safe to say that I was one of the early "supporters" of the Cummins Dodge Trucks. I recall seeing the first '89s at the National Western Stock Show (I think it was the Official Truck of the show). I think I read every article and watched every review I could find back in those days. I remember one of my good friends grandpa bought an '89 W350 with the 5Spd for his ranch in New Mexico. That truck certainly pushed the limit of the rated capacity on a regular basis! I was lucky enough to buy my first new Cummins Dodge in the summer of 1992. It was a W250 LE 5 Speed! Probably the best truck I have ever owned! Since then, I have owned a '95 2500 Cummins, '03 2500 Cummins and currently my '14 Cummins HO / Aisin SRW. I sure wish I had my '92 still! Thanks for the great video.
These old girls seem to hold a place in your heart that never gets filled again dont they? Something about these 1st gens..... doesnt matter how many new ones you have, these old 1st gens just hold that place of their own.
Absolutely. They really were cutting edge in terms of pickup capability. Without the Cummins Engine in the Dodge, we would not be where we are today in terms of power and capability. @@w350crewcab5
Still drive my 93 W250 Cummins nearly every day. Though its going in for restore this spring. Ive owned it since 96 and its the best truck ive ever owned.
Awesome video Robert! You are a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the history of these trucks and I appreciate you taking the time to pass on the history you've learned for those in the 1st gen world and to new enthusiasts. Cheers!
Absolutely outstanding video. Makes me regret not buying that first gen 4x4 diesel I came across a few years ago. I do love the smooth ride of my 2019 Ram 1500, but every time I see a 3/4 ton diesel, I’m envious.
You think the ride is smooth because you haven’t got into limp mode yet. Just had to fix one that the electric steering rack locked up - for the 2nd time at 80k. And had to fix another where the plastic fender liner worked into the abs wiring- damage ONE wire and disabled 4wd in the middle of a snow storm. If you so much as have a cam position sensor fault- Your limp mode limits to 20mph Enjoy
@@fastinradfordable In my defense, if I had gotten a first gen, I wouldn't want to drive it in the winter because I wouldn't want a classic to rust out. And the whole reason I have a truck is because of winter. I ride a motorcycle the rest of the year. I do worry about the plethora of electronic glitches you mention.
Great work on this Dodge / Cummins documentary! Purchase new, I owned one of the first 10k 1989 2WD - D-250's. It was a real stump puller, an animal towing my 24' equipment trailer up mountain grades for work! As my business grew, I needed an additional truck, stepping up to a 97, 3500 club cab dually with the last of the 12V engines. The 89 went to a custom shop in St. Cloud Mn. to be converted to a "Crew Cab" with a complete interior from a wrecked 89 RamCharger. Now I could easily travel with my crew, tow a second tool trailer, while getting 4 men to the job site on time, every day, ready to tackle the day's work. I sent photos of this conversion to Tom Gale, who in his reply letter, gave me a "pat on the back" when he reviewed my finished product. He also stated that Dodge would probably not build a crew cab since Ford / Chevy owned the market with less than 10K crew cabs sold between them per year. Little did he know at the time, the market would turn around in a few years and the crew cab would become the norm. The 89 was written up in the TDR magazine the year of its conversion. When I closed my business, I sold it with 350K on the clock to an enthusiast who was going to convert it to 4WD. The 97 was retired with 250K in 2008. Today, 2024, it's still pulling for a local landscaping company. I'm thrilled to have been involved from the beginning in the marriage between Dodge and Cummins. This marriage kept me in business for more than 19 years.
Parents ordered one in October of 1991. Took delivery in February 1992: D250 12V Long Bed LE 5spd Manual 3.55 Posi. My dad was looking at a new 91 in a parking lot and the owner told my dad to wait, as of 92 they were coming out with a turbo diesel... with the newer look. My grandfather had a 91 or 92 non-turbo F250, and it was a dog. My parents Cummins ran circles around his. They had it for almost 32 years being a manual, and working in farming jumping on and off tractors their knees said no at the age of 65. As the odometer quit at 128k back in 2002, based on the log book my dad kept it had around 290k miles. Still could bark the 2-3 shift. Took up every inch of their 2 car garage... including the 2ft where youd stand for the washer/dryer. lol Nothing beat a 141" wb rig
I started following you when you were building your w-350 crew. After reading your posts, I picked up a ‘93 d250, then a 93 w250 Getrag, then a’92 d350 auto with a gear vendor overdrive (3.73 axle) and now 2 early square body ‘85 w350 Crewcabs which now have 1st gen Cummins, one with a nv4500 and the other with a 46rh. Your experience fueled my collection and I’m very happy that I read your posts…. Thank you!!
Thank you for this great video. I learned alot I hadn't known before. I started my sales career with Chrysler in 1993 so I was there for the transition years. It was truly a blessing for me to have been with them during this momentous time in Dodge & Cummins' history. The reason I started with Chrysler was my passion for their '70's muscle cars. So thanks again for a job very well done. 👍
Excellent video in detail. Thanks so much for doing this. I own and built my 89 W350 Truck, Cummings 727 3spd 4:10 gears 35 / 12.50 inch Mickey Thompson MTZ 4x4 from scratch frame up 👆. I love these trucks even as a gas truck as mine once was. I'm 6ft tall and it's the only truck in its Era that has leg room and head room without the assistance of tilt wheel, this is a big deal for me as I like to not feel closterphobic as I do in a low ceiling F-150 or my 82-C10 with no leg room. I'm a 47 yr old mechanic/Tree guy in new england this truck never lets me down plowing snow or hauling dirt in 90 deg heat. I like the durable, and compatible door hinges R/L that don't sag out unlike the other 2 brands mentioned, just simple to maintain and upkeep all around period..These trucks are simple and compatible 72 /93 awesomeness 👍 the only flaw for me is that I wish more of them had A/C lol.. Thanks for reading this, I appreciate your video very much. Spot on correct my friend.
Excellent stuff. I had no idea Dodge and diesels went back that far. A half-ton diesel crew cab in the 70s? I never would have thought such a product had ever existed until the last 10-12 years. That would be a hell of a holy grail unicorn at a car show.
Most dont realize they existed! So few were made. And that copper tubing was a home made diff cooler Cummins engineering made to help keep the diff cool during heavy testing!
One thing I want to clarify here ... the 350 GM gas to diesel conversions were based on the Oldsmobile design, not the Chevrolet design. Keep in mind that back then each division had its own engine design, although around that time things started to consolidate. Buick, Olds, Pontiac and Chevrolet each had a '350 V8' and nothing on them was interchangeable.
I knew this because I worked at a shop that serviced and repaired a couple of them in the early years. But what I never knew is why it was built from the olds engine. Did they already have that in development for car use? That's what I always assumed.
I wanted to thank you for this video story of the start of Cummins with Dodge. I remember the forums like TDR and DTR on the rallies for these trucks and engines like you had in the photos. I have been on the forums since the late 90s and had trucks from 89, 93, 97 and now 2008 all CTDs. Thanks again for taking a trip through the history of the early generations with your inside knowledge.
Don’t know how to share this with others. But Dave Sparks at HeavyDSparks needs to watch this video. Also met a gentleman in Bradenton FL at a Circle K in 2022 who had a 1989 holy grail first gen The Truck looked like it came off the end of the assembly line He stated that no restoration had been done!! I also was on the launch team at STLAP North in 1994/1995 couldn’t build them fast enough Wow !!
If you’re still trying to figure out how to send someone a video such as this one … I think I can help…I went through the same thing a while back and you won’t believe how easy it is … so what you want to do is look below the video as your watching it or it is in place to be watched… I always do my sending while I’m watching it …find the little rounded box that says share and click on that (on my phone a bunch of stuff comes up …you’ll want text messages or messenger ) pick one of those and it will go into that … you will then have to put the person’s name that your sending it to in the required place … type in their name or possibly you might need their E Mail address?.. …and it don’t hurt to have a little good luck too
What a great documentary! Thanks for doing this. I had a early’91 1st. gen and after 13yrs moved up to a ‘04 3rd. gen. I put over 300k miles on both trucks but sadly the 3rd. gen dropped a valve which destroyed the engine.
Thanks Just a fantastic tutorial. ! I am a retired CPDJ tech. I work those years you educated Us on . We were a small town dealer so it took what seemed forever To receive the First cummins To our customer
You were blessed to have been able to be a part of that amazing era! They did take so long to get to dealers. And they sure didn't last long on the dealer lots when they did arrive!
@@w350crewcab5 one of my dearest friends ordered a '94 after seeing the top secret T-300 we had at the Tech Center and it took 8 months for it to show up and the dealer gave him 2k discount for letting the dealership keep it in the showroom for a couple weeks after it arrived in Madison Indiana. Good Times.
I have a 2001 quad cab dually 4x4 6-speed special order from the factory and my 2007 is a crew cab dually 4x4 automatic my son has a 2002 quad cab dually 4x4 automatic My older brother has a 2003 crew cab dually 6-speed 4x4 and a 91 single cab two-wheel drive automatic a 1962 W300 4-speed 4x4 / 1946 power wagon and a 1942 Dodge 1/2 ton and a Dodge weapons carrier both military my dads 2003 crew cab dually 2-wheel drive six-speed and a 1969 D100 318 with a 4 speed with an original 32,436 miles on the clock And my younger brother 2001 long wheelbase cab and chassis 6-speed sporting over 500,000 miles and a 2011 crew cab dually 4 x 4 6 speed needless to say we are a big Dodge family sporting lots of goats on the farm and I have to say without any hesitation that is the best most informative Dodge Cummins video I have ever watched my hat's off to sir thank you for your time and research
Excellent video thank you!!!! My buddy Rick gardner was on the team that went to Cummins in 1985. He passed 2 years ago. As a kid in 1994 I remember when the 2nd gens came out, the styling was revolutionary. For several years dodge was the truck to buy and on everyone's mind.
Our dad Joe B. has always talked about this truck, definitely his proudest professional moment when they fired it up the first time. Thanks for putting this together he was thrilled when someone sent him this video.
As a Chevy guy , i thoughly enjoyed your presentation. Great information , i have always considered the Dodge Cummins the top of the food chain. I owned a 86 Dodge with a 360 back in the day , and it was a good truck , i was in WV at the time and the frame had rusted through where the leaf spring hanger was on drivers side. Still was a good truck. Best video ive seen in a while.👍👍
Thanks for taking the time to watch as well as the kind words! I honestly didnt think anyone would watch this! Sounds about right for the 86.... they all liked to rot there!
Man, i didn't now this was a 40 minute video, the way you told the story kept me on my feet. Nice to finally see a small bit of history with cummins and dodge
First gen Dodge/Cummins biggest problem was with the frame. Strictly highway use they were fine but any daily heavy offroad or rough unimproved roads with the weight of the Cummins tended to overstress the open C shaped style frame rail to the point of developing cracks. The second gen solved this with a redesigned chassis that had boxed frame rails that were a lot more capable of dealing with engine weight stress.
727 was the most reliable transmission around,thing is the people with problems NEVER adjusted the bands! 30,000 miles you change the trans fluid and adjust the bands,simple procedure to adjust them it took seconds! I bough nearly 30 plus Dodge trucks over the years with so-called dead transmissions all I did was adjust the bands and change the fluid and they were fine..Trans shops would stick you for a full rebuild no doubt easy money! I drove 4 of those trucks 20,000 to 40,000 miles after I adjusted them they worked fine..usually my 727 experience was in 60's and 70's cars some had over 670 torque my 70 Charger has that torque now,60,000 miles no issues! *I am not saying the 727 never failed or it only needed to be serviced as per recommendations
"And if you don't know, now you know . . ." Thank you for the history and insight on this fascinating chapter of Dodge trucks. Owned and loved a '91.5 D250.
The Olds 350 diesel, though sharing a design and displacement with the gas engine, there is nothing else that is the same. The Olds 350 diesel was a completely different engine from the gas counterpart
Hi Katie - Thanks for the feedback. I will admit, I am not an expert in the GM diesels. I was always under the impression that the Olds diesels had used the same tooling for the blocks as the gas variants as that is what caused all the head bolt failures. It was the same bolt pattern as the gas engines. Also recalled something about a gas like fuel system without even a water separator. But maybe I got caught in the "public opinion" of these engines and should have dug into it a bit more before I spoke. Thanks for helping educate. I stand corrected.
What a great presentation and a thorough history. My brother uses Dodge trucks exclusively in his water well business because of the Cummins diesel being so reliable and powerful . He's in Michigan
This video was a well explained, and informational presentation!!my first Dodge/Cummins was a 1991 1/2, so it came with the Intercooler and the overdrive on the back of the Transmission. It was a great truck, and I could get 25 MPG on the highway! My next Dodge/Cummins was a 1994 with all the available accessories, and I sold the truck after 10 years and then purchased a 2010, again with all the accessories! I became a member of the TDR Group the Robert Patton started in 1993, and never looked back, as that TDR GROUP was the best in everything, and is still going strong! Having been a member of the TDR GROUP, I learned may things that this video pointed out!
I really enjoyed your video on the history of the Cummins and Dodge story. I was an original engineering team member on the Ford Power Stroke interfacing with the International group. Many fond memories bringing that powertrain to production.
Regardless of Ford or Dodge, you guys of that era got to play a cool part in the emerging market of the diesel pickup. I am sure you have many stories as well!
Our ‘94 Cummins 2500 4x4 (bought new) is with my BIL. ~275,000 miles strong with more power and a built 47RH. My 2001.5 Cummins 2500 4x4 NV5600 Quadcab longbed is approaching 411,000 miles. Gen 3 14” brakes, Gen 4 T-style tierod and various other engine and suspension mods. My last truck as the “recycling” continues. We also have a ‘92 W250 longbed 5.9 gasser with 66,000 miles in another state that we’ve owned since ‘97. Thanks for the background info. Subscribed.
Fascinating video. I grew up traveling the USA showing horses. I spent my early childhood in a 1984 diesel 6.2L suburban, and the latter childhood in a 1992 Ram Cummins. The Cummins made a joke of the ‘burb. I have a 2018 Cummins now.
Thank you for making this video! I was a Chrysler tech at B & H Motors a dealership in San Francisco, and we did the new car show held at the Moscone Convention Center. I remember the transport truck dropping off the 1989 new car lines so we could prep the vehicles for the show and there was a Dodge D250 with the Cummins. All the techs gathered around the truck it was awesome! Today I still own my '93 Dodge Cummins that I bought new.
As someone who owned a 1991 Ran D250 with the Cummins in it at 16 years old, this video means so much to me!! Man, this is great historical backstory to know. Such great memories with that truck!!
Wow, thanks for this video! It is the most practical, detailed history I've ever seen on the 1st gen's. It also answers a lot of questions (as well as creating more). For example, I was taken for $7000.00 by a shop that first had a weeks-long delay in getting a new differential for my 1990 D250, just to finally find out that the diff didn't fit into my limited-time manufacture Spicer Dana 70 pumpkin. Then they basically just ordered-up an entirely newer re-manufactured Dana 70 rear end, simply bolting it to the driveshaft and STILL charging me $7000.00. I could have ordered that up myself, and had my regular mechanics simply bolt that on! At least if my current A727 transmission ever goes out, I'll know what to do there: Simply upgrade to the newer A518 four-speed w/overdrive, if it will bolt-in. Also, when I bought my truck in 2010, it was actually equipped with a Banks 2.5 in. intercooler! Wouldn't mind finding a 1991.5 grill to put on mine. The grill on my truck was chopped-up, in order to make room for the intercooler.
Eww. That sucks. Thats a expensive way to repair a diff. Parts are very available for a 70 so it wouldnt have been hard to even buy a used one and rebuild it... sounds like they just wanted the money. And yes. A 518 will bolt up but you 727 truck doesnt have any controls for a 518 so you would need to manually control OD engagement.
@@w350crewcab5 Wow, thanks for the info! In the case of the A518, how would I control the OD? Electronically? I saw this one kid on YT who knows his 1st Gens do a conversion from 727 to A518, and he used some LCD display module thingy, where he could set minimum OD shift, etc.
I bought a 93 D350 Club Cab Dually 5.9 5 speed 2WD as a 21 year old kid. White with a gray interior.I put injectors and a turbo on it. I am 44 years My old man bought a brand new 1993 D250 2WD brand new here in Alington. Silver with a gray interior. Awesome truck Thank you for your video.
I have an 1983 350 with a 360 V8 Gas and Automatic 2WD, 4 door, I parked it a few years ago, but I'm thinking of getting a Cummins in it. I really love the way the truck trails down the road, straight like an arrow. Loved the video and wow what a story. Cummins in line 6 are the Shnit!
Great video! I had an 89 W250 with the A727. Bought it used or I would have gotten the stick. Top speed was inadequate and the accelerator pedal was stiff. No lockup converter had lots of slippage. I had the truck a long time but finally bought my friend's 3rd gen 5.9 and sold my 89. I needed a 4-door and the 89 sold soon as the ad came out.
You've done a wonderful job presenting this truth of the Dodge/Stellantis/Ram trucks! Funny thing I've worked a 1989 Dodge W2500 which my dad owned. I replaced the rear main seal, the starter and the water pump on that beast at 235,000 miles and only had 1 other thing to repair, the Gear Vendors output shaft seal!!! That truck lasted for over 425,000 miles before being traded in on a new truck last year a 2021 Ram 2500 with an auto trans...❤
Excellent and informative. I have hired a local custom builder to install a 4BT Cummins with a NV4500 5 speed, into my 1950 Dodge 1 ton pickup, about 3/4 finished.
Im not an enthusiast, but i love lisyening to the history of vehicles. I think this reaches more than just those dedicated to this truck or brand. Very well put together. Thank you.
I knew that the sales of the D/W were terrible prior to the introduction of the Cummins Turbodiesel, but I didn’t realize that by introducing the 12 valve to the D/W series that the Dodge full sized truck line was effectively saved. My dad bought a new Club Cab Dakota (the first year it was offered) in 1990 when I was 7 and I still remember going with him to the dealership for the negotiations and the pickup (no pun intended) of that particular truck (which I loved and which was a great truck, it had nearly 400k miles when he traded it during cash for clunkers 😢) At any rate, I’d love to be able to go back into my seven year old self and look around that Dodge lot and see all of the other vehicles as they were brand-new, particularly the Dakotas and Rams, and even the Ram 50 rebadged so-called “captive imports.” Thank you for this excellent comprehensive history on the first gen Cummins Ram pickups, they’re still my favorite generation of Cummins Rams and I’d love to have one one day.
My brother had a 2nd gen dually he got with plans of getting a 5th wheel trailer rv after retiring from the ARMY. He never did get the rv, but did put around 250,000 miles on the clock and after 11 years of ownership, sold it for $8,500 10 minutes after putting the ad up. It was a killer truck in silver, with extended cab, aftermarket injectors, intake, helper airbags and was very well maintained. The current owner stopped by recently and was just as happy with it as the day he bought it. These really are special trucks and have a cult-like following due to some having over a million miles on the OEM engine without a rebuild or even a major overhaul.
We still have the 1990 dodge dodge cummins 5 speed wheel drive. My father bought new. It showed up in November of 1989 and is still going. On the original motor and transmission at 877,000 miles.
Bought a new 91 LE 5 Spd, 4x4 fully loaded. 28mpg emptty and 19mpg heavy towing through Idaho into BC and Alberta. Amazingly tough workhorse wether 100f or 40 below it ran flawlessly for years.
Nice video - interesting details on the Dodge Cummins relationship. One note, the GM 5.7 Oldsmobile diesel referenced in the video was not a gas engine converted to a diesel. It was a true diesel that shared its architecture with gas engine tooling. The only thing that engine had in common with a gas engine was its cubic inch displacement. At the time, GM was the only American car manufacturer that attempted its own in house diesel design. Unfortunately, by the time the issues with the Olds diesel were worked out, the engine’s reputation lead to it no longer being offered after 1985. In the early ’80’s, GM developed the 6.2 in house with Detroit Diesel. Ford brought International Harvester/Navistar on board for their diesels. However, the Dodge/Cummins diesel of 1989 was the advent of the high torque, high horsepower diesel engines we have in today’s pickup trucks.
Yeah, about 10 others mentioned that as well. As I said to them all, I stand corrected. My specialty isnt Olds diesels. Sadly the video is uploaded and cant change that now!
1990 B block, with 727 transmission, only problem was replacing intermediate clutch bands every 55-60 thousand miles. Traded it in for 2001 HO 24 valve, with NV5600 6 speed. Great information and history that I didn't know. I attended turbo diesel rallies held at Hell, MI (Chealsey proving grounds) which was Dodge way of doing pre production information release .
Enjoyed the video. I was just in mexico and these D-series trucks and Ramchargers are everywhere. You never really see them no more in the states. Chrysler De Mexico continued to build the club cab even when it was discontinued in the states.
Im new to the diesel world, always said I would own a Cummins one day even though I dont need one, fell into a '19 2500 Bighorn and it is pretty darn nice compared to the '00 2500 with the 360 gas I had previous. These trucks have come a long long way and will continue to do so. "Cummins saved Dodge" you stated. Love that statement, makes me happy when I look in my driveway. "Dodge saved Cummins" Love that statement as well, as there are 2x Cummins "QSK-60" 60.2L V16 generator sets that keep a major part of the hospital I work at functioning and warm when the utility is out...
Great video. I grew up in a rural Wisconsin and with my Dad having a tractor business. Massey Ferguson tractors used mostly Perkins diesel engines. IN the 60's, we were also a Cummins Engine dealer. I have rebuilt many dozens of both brands of these engines, having learned mechanics as a youth, growing up in the industry. Many years later we took on the Kubota tractor line and in the following 5+ years pretty much never had to do significant repairs to any Kubota engine. In the last few years I have seen that Cummins developed a diesel series of engine that could be transplanted into the ever popular Jeep Wrangler series as a replacement for factory gas engines. I do not know what has become of that potential offering.
Excellent work Team! Nice job this is a very good complete documentary on the development of. Good thing you did it. God Bless you and your Team! ❤️🖖🏼🇺🇸
I bought a 2002 2500 Dodge Cummins 4WD new in Feb. with the 6 speed manual trans. Its been by far the best truck and most reliable truck ive ever owned ! I tow a camper i tow a car hauler i haul firewood with in other words not only is it a daily driver but i use it also ! 331745 miles and never had any major issues with engine 5.9 Cummins is in my opinion a very strong engine! ! The only issue i had was the lift pump which i deleted after factory warranty ran out put the Fast Fuel pump on it no more troubles there ! I have tuned it 5 stage Edge comp box stacked with the Smarty box Cold Air intake plus 4 inch open exhaust all the way from turbo to tail pipe ! Ive enjoyed this video and am now a subscriber to your channel ! If i could afford it i would put bigger injectors and bigger turbo 100 horse injectors an up one sixe on the turbo ! But thats not in my price range as my wife has a lot of health issues !
What a trip down memory lane. My mom had a dark green with tan interior bravada, i think it was a 93 or 94 but cant remember. As you showed off the features on the interior i remembered like it was yesterday.
I remember taking a 2nd generation Dodge Cummins for a test drive from a dealer when they first came out. It was a manual transmission. The clutch was so easy to operate and the transmission shifted like butta. Very nice experience.
Certainly was a time period with a pile of engine changes in the world of diesel engines. I worked at Cummins a couple of times between 75 & 78, then KW 1980-2021. ATAAC first appeared in late 86 on Cat, then DDA got into it with the 60series in 88, finally Cummins got into it somwehere around 89 with the N14. Lot of people went thru a big learning curve with cold weather and diesel fuel back in the day on the various diesel pickups that came out, and we got into the B &C series engines, and the Cat 3116/3126 in various stuff as well.
Yes, especially when you have "dumb" general public that dont understand diesels, using them. Different if you're a farmer or a equipment guy. You understand. But for the guy that bought a V8 all his life.... big engineering hurdles to make it user friendly.
Finally, thank you for accurately, laying out how everything came to be as far as Cummins and Chrysler are concerned! Unfortunately, the generation after ours got inundated with so many incorrect ““ Facts! I will be starting on my 93 W-2 55 speed survivor soon definitely will be reaching out! Excellent video!
Robert! So good to finally see the fruits of your decades long labor of love come to fruition! Absolutely love the video, and of course subscribed! My only regret is that my '92 black crew cab that we traded notes over (via the TDR back in the day) while we were both building, was sadly destroyed by a DUI driver. It did save my life however, and is survived by its little brother, my 1988 6BT Ramcharger my daughter and I built together. I greatly look forward to an opportunity to finally meet you! I live in Washington now, so maybe will be a bit easier to make happen. Keep in touch brother!!
I ordered my custom ordered 1990 W-250 "badged" in August 1990. I received the truck in February 1991. Over 33 years later, the truck has 930,000 miles and today, I can drive this truck coast to coast with zero problems. During the 90s, I owned a hotshot company and ran nothing but Dodge Cummins D and W 250/350 and 2500/3500 trucks. Never had any problems with the trucks and when I sold the company in 2001, over half my fleet, 17 trucks, had over 800,000 miles and the trucks were still running strong. Today, not only do I still own my 1990 Dodge diesel, I own 2 Dakotas that have performed excellently with 277,000 on my 1996 and 85,000 on my 2001 both with 3.9 magnum engines. My family has always been a Dodge family ever since my grandfather bought his first Dodge pickup in 1938 and my oldest son is the forth generation of Dodge truck owners
I can’t wait to sit down with my papaw and show him this video. He bought a brand new loaded 1989 2wd 5 speed dually, it was the first Cummins that our local dealer sold and the first Cummins in our county here in Kentucky. He was finally able to pick it up in October after our dealer had looked for a few months to track one down. We still have the truck til this day
What part of Kentucky?
That's amazing!! I love the families that still have their original 89s.
How many miles and repairs done over the years?
@@12yearssober Fleming county. Northeastern part of the state
@@bryanphipps9131 the od rolls over every 100k. Papaw used it to basically hotshot back in the day hauling cattle and equipment for people and some local tractor dealers. He has sworn that it has rolled over 6 times. The engine has never had a wrench turned on it. It’s had 2 clutches and a different rear stump put in the rear end
I was a Chrysler dealer tech, starting my career in 1969. When the first gen trucks were coming out I was the first to get sent to school for the diesel in the fall of 1988. By that time in my career I was the go to school guy at the dealership. I also got sent to school when the intercooled engine came out in 1991. Our dealership was considered a small dealer so we didn't see as many trucks as some of some of the bigger dealers. Between the time the Cummins engine came out and the time I retired in 2003 I never seen a engine failure at our dealer. In the early days of the diesel I was also the transmission tech and as such was kept busy with the A604 - 42TE transmission in the front wheel drive vehicles. So I shared my diesel knowledge with other guys in the shop. I was at school in Detroit when the T300 truck was introduced at the Detroit auto show in 1993. The dodge booth was the busiest in the whole show. Those trucks were on allocation for the first 2 years of production. You had to sell one to get another one and for 1994 and 1995 there were times when we didn't have any on our lot. When I ordered my 1995 it counted as part of our allocation. The salesmen didn't like it when my truck was the only one at the dealership when I took delivery. If they wanted to show a customer a truck they had to come and ask me for permission to show my truck. They further didn't like it when I stipulated that if they made a sale from showing my truck I got a $200 spif.
Oh my.... yeah I would imagine you weren't popular with the sales guys! hahaha
Fantastic story. Yup, sounds like dealership life LOL. I didn't last in dealer politics
Fun times
Nothing like making the sales dept cry, just a bit more than usual at least. That was great thinking on your part, well done.
As a Cummins employee, it’s good to see this and confirm many rumors that I’ve heard over the years. Thanks for sharing. We have 2 of these first gen’s. Both located in Columbus IN. One at the plant CMEP and the other one is at Cummins headquarters in down town Columbus which It’s open to the public to see.
Glad I could clear up some rumors! And yes the blue one mounted to the wall! Still cant believe they did that! lol
@@w350crewcab5 yes! That’s where it’s at. It was done after the remodel in 2020.
They had mounted it a week before I was at HQ and when I walked in and saw it on the wall I almost fell over! @@booster8497
@w350crewcab5 we have more than just two. There's a boatload of information behind the scenes that isn't included in this expose'. But they say, 'History is written by the victors'.
Well, there's a whole group behind what's presented in magazines. And those of us who have been part of the B series Dodge program number more than the '5' mentioned in this account. I have worked with Butch as well as Rob, the other OCU technician who wrenched on D001, as well as Mel Eubank and Gerry Burton, two more OCU techs who wrenched D002. Fun Fact: I own the original 360 LA V8 gas engine we removed from D002 in the Pilot Center at S.E.D.C. Glynn Graham bought it in the excess and obsolete auction and warmed it up with Direct Connection cam, lifters, intake and headers. Years later, I restored the '72 Challenger that Glynn sold to a co-worker at M.E.T.C. [the NEW name of S.E.D.C.-- formerly: Small Engine Development Center,,, which Cummins changed to Midrange Engine Technical Center], I can tell you the whole group of guys who built those first 9 trucks. I have photos of it all happening.
I was a lucky kid to know all these guys and to serve as one of their executive board members from 2003-2006. I am in my 33rd year there now, and many of those guys have retired and passed.
But Pokey and Tommy [the men who restored D001 after I protested it's scheduled destruction, are still kicking and mischievous!
We now have a new Pilot Center down close to the Midrange Engine Plant off of I-65.
You met several of us at the Hangar, when Cummins celebrated the finished restoration of D001.
Glad you are doing your part to keep those guys memories alive. Just remember, there's a whole crew that built the first 9. Not just 5.
You left out who Dodge hired to research and development , A huge advantage in Dodge's need of a diesel truck , To get a major lead in sales , Who was the master diesel MAN ?
GALE Banks !!!!
How do you of all people not even mention this ?
Not one mention of Gale ????
Man oh man I’m so glad I get to listen to you for a full 40min instead of 1 min. happy to see you pursuing TH-cam and letting us know even more!!
Yeah....IG leaves some to be desired when you have so much to babble about! lol
Thank you for your passion and for taking the time to preserve and share this Cummins history with all of us!
Thanks for taking the time to watch!
waiting for your updates too 😁. I learned a lot about 3rd gen from your videos. I bought a 3rd gen because of your videos.
Sir: Allow me to thank you for your incredibly historic monologue. I had NO idea of how all this fit together. I have a 97 Club Cab that I bought new in Canada, where I live, & I have over one MILLION miles on the truck & it is still going strong. The injectors (215 hp), delivery valves, lift pump, starter,
are all factory units. I am on the 2nd alternator, the second block heater (leakage) the second water pump (leakage) & the second AFC bell crank ( I wore the ball stud that the accelerator cable attaches to , so that the cable would fall off the stud. Just short of a million miles, The clutch release bearing
collapsed so that the clutch could not be disengaged. When the clutch was pulled apart, I still had about 20 % friction material left !. The pilot bearing was ready to fall apart , so I replaced the clutch in its entirety, to even include the ball stud. I had the 5th gear problem fixed, & other than replacement of the heater core & evaporator & the stupid plastic "doors" in the HVAC, nothing in the cabin has needed replacement. Wait ! I lie ! I twice replaced the light switch because Chrysler was too cheap to use a headlight relay ! After the second replacement I opened the wiring & installed a 60 amp, sealed, Potter Brumfield relay for the headlights, & the new switch carries only 120 ma. for the coil in the relay. My truck is now 27 years old , & still fires up on the first roll of the starter . I am 84, & you could not sell me ANY of the " High Pressure Common Rail " junk that is currently available.
At my age I will never buy another truck, but I have no doubt my 97 will outlast me. When I bought my truck ($45,000 Canadian) I dropped by to visit an uncle of mine. He pulled a plug of tobacco from his bib overalls, cut a chew from the plug with his pen knife, stuck the plug in his mouth & walked slowly around the truck, looking intently at it. He turned his head & spit on the ground, looked at me & said ..."WELL, you bought HALF a truck.....You bought an ENGINE ! " Thank you for the historical elucidation Sir . Cheers! Brian Hind
Thanks for the story Brian! I agree. Your truck will still be going for a long time. If looked after, these trucks go for a VERY long time!
Hey Brian, GR8 post,
My 1st Cummins,90 D3500
5 speed duelly, 2 wheel drive,
Used. Then. 97 4x4 2 tone D3500.
Then ordered a new St. Louis made
D3500 6 speed manual, loaded,white
4 door. Now 2016 D3500 6.7 Aisan A/T
4x4 Mega. Love Ram 💯👍😎
Great story Brian thanks for sharing it. Half a truck, that's great!
Great stuff. We have been a TDR Dodge Cummins family for 3 generations. Still have all 7 trucks in the family, even grandma drives a 1999 Dodge Cummins Sport 4x4 with a six inch lift that puts down over 711 RWHP using compounds, straight piped, and a Dana posi-rear end for Idaho snow. 👊
Go grandma!!!!
Man your red & white crew cab is stunning! Hands down 1 of the most beautiful 1st gen Cummins. ❤ Great work on this video. You are filled with great info on these Dodge trucks.
Thanks. That truck was a childhood dream and took 13 years to build. But it was worth the effort!
Thank you for this awesome walk back through time! It would be safe to say that I was one of the early "supporters" of the Cummins Dodge Trucks. I recall seeing the first '89s at the National Western Stock Show (I think it was the Official Truck of the show). I think I read every article and watched every review I could find back in those days. I remember one of my good friends grandpa bought an '89 W350 with the 5Spd for his ranch in New Mexico. That truck certainly pushed the limit of the rated capacity on a regular basis! I was lucky enough to buy my first new Cummins Dodge in the summer of 1992. It was a W250 LE 5 Speed! Probably the best truck I have ever owned! Since then, I have owned a '95 2500 Cummins, '03 2500 Cummins and currently my '14 Cummins HO / Aisin SRW. I sure wish I had my '92 still! Thanks for the great video.
These old girls seem to hold a place in your heart that never gets filled again dont they? Something about these 1st gens..... doesnt matter how many new ones you have, these old 1st gens just hold that place of their own.
Absolutely. They really were cutting edge in terms of pickup capability. Without the Cummins Engine in the Dodge, we would not be where we are today in terms of power and capability. @@w350crewcab5
31:49
The way he pronounces "radiator" - I heard that a lot in Southern Pennsylvania, especially in Pittsburgh.
Wow Great detailed history. Thanks for making it and sharing this Amazing history of our beloved trucks. 👍👍👍
Thanks for taking the time to watch it! No point in making the video if no one were to watch it!
I agree 100%@@w350crewcab5
Thanks for the telling the story!
Still drive my 93 W250 Cummins nearly every day. Though its going in for restore this spring. Ive owned it since 96 and its the best truck ive ever owned.
I agree. Dont let it get away John.
Thanks for putting this all together in one story!
I will admit it took waaaay longer than anticipated to pull this together into one story!
Awesome video Robert! You are a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the history of these trucks and I appreciate you taking the time to pass on the history you've learned for those in the 1st gen world and to new enthusiasts. Cheers!
Thanks for the encouragement to start a channel and make this video!
Outstanding video.
Thank you, and NICE WORK!
Thanks for watching!
Absolutely outstanding video. Makes me regret not buying that first gen 4x4 diesel I came across a few years ago. I do love the smooth ride of my 2019 Ram 1500, but every time I see a 3/4 ton diesel, I’m envious.
You think the ride is smooth because you haven’t got into limp mode yet.
Just had to fix one that the electric steering rack locked up - for the 2nd time at 80k.
And had to fix another where the plastic fender liner worked into the abs wiring- damage ONE wire and disabled 4wd in the middle of a snow storm.
If you so much as have a cam position sensor fault-
Your limp mode limits to 20mph
Enjoy
Yes.... the ride is a lot smoother in your truck than a 1st gen let me tell you! :D
@@fastinradfordable In my defense, if I had gotten a first gen, I wouldn't want to drive it in the winter because I wouldn't want a classic to rust out. And the whole reason I have a truck is because of winter. I ride a motorcycle the rest of the year. I do worry about the plethora of electronic glitches you mention.
Awesome, my family has worked in Cummins plants for the last 30 years and counting starting at CDC in 91!
That's amazing!! Thank you to your family for making all of our engines!
Great documentary video really enjoyed it. Thank you ! Top notch fella who makes great parts!!
Thanks for taking the time to watch!
Great work on this Dodge / Cummins documentary!
Purchase new, I owned one of the first 10k 1989 2WD - D-250's. It was a real stump puller, an animal towing my 24' equipment trailer up mountain grades for work! As my business grew, I needed an additional truck, stepping up to a 97, 3500 club cab dually with the last of the 12V engines.
The 89 went to a custom shop in St. Cloud Mn. to be converted to a "Crew Cab" with a complete interior from a wrecked 89 RamCharger. Now I could easily travel with my crew, tow a second tool trailer, while getting 4 men to the job site on time, every day, ready to tackle the day's work.
I sent photos of this conversion to Tom Gale, who in his reply letter, gave me a "pat on the back" when he reviewed my finished product. He also stated that Dodge would probably not build a crew cab since Ford / Chevy owned the market with less than 10K crew cabs sold between them per year. Little did he know at the time, the market would turn around in a few years and the crew cab would become the norm.
The 89 was written up in the TDR magazine the year of its conversion. When I closed my business, I sold it with 350K on the clock to an enthusiast who was going to convert it to 4WD.
The 97 was retired with 250K in 2008. Today, 2024, it's still pulling for a local landscaping company.
I'm thrilled to have been involved from the beginning in the marriage between Dodge and Cummins. This marriage kept me in business for more than 19 years.
Cool story on Tom Gale! Also what issue was the TDR feature? I have to look back. I have them all since day 1.
Parents ordered one in October of 1991. Took delivery in February 1992: D250 12V Long Bed LE 5spd Manual 3.55 Posi. My dad was looking at a new 91 in a parking lot and the owner told my dad to wait, as of 92 they were coming out with a turbo diesel... with the newer look. My grandfather had a 91 or 92 non-turbo F250, and it was a dog. My parents Cummins ran circles around his. They had it for almost 32 years being a manual, and working in farming jumping on and off tractors their knees said no at the age of 65. As the odometer quit at 128k back in 2002, based on the log book my dad kept it had around 290k miles. Still could bark the 2-3 shift. Took up every inch of their 2 car garage... including the 2ft where youd stand for the washer/dryer. lol Nothing beat a 141" wb rig
Love the families that had these trucks when new. 1st gen before 1st Gen was cool
I started following you when you were building your w-350 crew. After reading your posts, I picked up a ‘93 d250, then a 93 w250 Getrag, then a’92 d350 auto with a gear vendor overdrive (3.73 axle) and now 2 early square body ‘85 w350 Crewcabs which now have 1st gen Cummins, one with a nv4500 and the other with a 46rh. Your experience fueled my collection and I’m very happy that I read your posts…. Thank you!!
Awesome video ,Thank you for sharing . I am a original owner of 91.5- W 250.
I must admit, I am a huge fan of original owner trucks. You helped create this legacy.
Thank you, the truck has been a good friend, it has a CPL number of 1351, no tach wiring.@@w350crewcab5
Thank you for this great video. I learned alot I hadn't known before. I started my sales career with Chrysler in 1993 so I was there for the transition years. It was truly a blessing for me to have been with them during this momentous time in Dodge & Cummins' history. The reason I started with Chrysler was my passion for their '70's muscle cars. So thanks again for a job very well done. 👍
Excellent video in detail. Thanks so much for doing this. I own and built my 89 W350 Truck, Cummings 727 3spd 4:10 gears 35 / 12.50 inch Mickey Thompson MTZ 4x4 from scratch frame up 👆. I love these trucks even as a gas truck as mine once was. I'm 6ft tall and it's the only truck in its Era that has leg room and head room without the assistance of tilt wheel, this is a big deal for me as I like to not feel closterphobic as I do in a low ceiling F-150 or my 82-C10 with no leg room. I'm a 47 yr old mechanic/Tree guy in new england this truck never lets me down plowing snow or hauling dirt in 90 deg heat. I like the durable, and compatible door hinges R/L that don't sag out unlike the other 2 brands mentioned, just simple to maintain and upkeep all around period..These trucks are simple and compatible 72 /93 awesomeness 👍 the only flaw for me is that I wish more of them had A/C lol.. Thanks for reading this, I appreciate your video very much. Spot on correct my friend.
Thank YOU for taking the time to watch it. Without people like you there was no point in my making the video!
Excellent stuff. I had no idea Dodge and diesels went back that far. A half-ton diesel crew cab in the 70s? I never would have thought such a product had ever existed until the last 10-12 years. That would be a hell of a holy grail unicorn at a car show.
What was that orange coil thing on the rear diff? A makeshift heat sink?
Most dont realize they existed! So few were made. And that copper tubing was a home made diff cooler Cummins engineering made to help keep the diff cool during heavy testing!
One thing I want to clarify here ... the 350 GM gas to diesel conversions were based on the Oldsmobile design, not the Chevrolet design. Keep in mind that back then each division had its own engine design, although around that time things started to consolidate. Buick, Olds, Pontiac and Chevrolet each had a '350 V8' and nothing on them was interchangeable.
Yes, someone else mentioned that as well. I stand corrected. My specialty isnt the GM diesels. I apologize for the error.
That's not completely true
@@IanCole-uj6ut What isn't completely true?
I knew this because I worked at a shop that serviced and repaired a couple of them in the early years. But what I never knew is why it was built from the olds engine. Did they already have that in development for car use? That's what I always assumed.
Did they run olds engines in chevy pickups?
I wanted to thank you for this video story of the start of Cummins with Dodge. I remember the forums like TDR and DTR on the rallies for these trucks and engines like you had in the photos. I have been on the forums since the late 90s and had trucks from 89, 93, 97 and now 2008 all CTDs. Thanks again for taking a trip through the history of the early generations with your inside knowledge.
Nice to hear from another "long timer"
Don’t know how to share this with others. But Dave Sparks at
HeavyDSparks needs to watch this video.
Also met a gentleman in Bradenton FL at a Circle K in 2022 who had a 1989 holy grail first gen The Truck looked like it came off the end of the assembly line
He stated that no restoration had been done!! I also was on the launch team at STLAP North in 1994/1995 couldn’t build them fast enough
Wow !!
That would have been a cool sight to see back at STLAP!
If you’re still trying to figure out how to send someone a video such as this one … I think I can help…I went through the same thing a while back and you won’t believe how easy it is …
so what you want to do is look below the video as your watching it or it is in place to be watched… I always do my sending while I’m watching it …find the little rounded box that says share and click on that (on my phone a bunch of stuff comes up …you’ll want text messages or messenger ) pick one of those and it will go into that … you will then have to put the person’s name that your sending it to in the required place … type in their name or possibly you might need their E Mail address?.. …and it don’t hurt to have a little good luck too
What a great documentary! Thanks for doing this. I had a early’91 1st. gen and after 13yrs moved up to a ‘04 3rd. gen. I put over 300k miles on both trucks but sadly the 3rd. gen dropped a valve which destroyed the engine.
Thanks for taking the time to watch! And ouch! That is never good!
Thanks
Just a fantastic tutorial. !
I am a retired
CPDJ tech.
I work those years you educated
Us on .
We were a small town dealer so it took what seemed forever
To receive the
First cummins
To our customer
You were blessed to have been able to be a part of that amazing era! They did take so long to get to dealers. And they sure didn't last long on the dealer lots when they did arrive!
@@w350crewcab5 one of my dearest friends ordered a '94 after seeing the top secret T-300 we had at the Tech Center and it took 8 months for it to show up and the dealer gave him 2k discount for letting the dealership keep it in the showroom for a couple weeks after it arrived in Madison Indiana. Good Times.
I have a 2001 quad cab dually 4x4 6-speed special order from the factory and my 2007 is a crew cab dually 4x4 automatic my son has a 2002 quad cab dually 4x4 automatic
My older brother has a 2003 crew cab dually 6-speed 4x4 and a 91 single cab two-wheel drive automatic a 1962 W300 4-speed 4x4 / 1946 power wagon and a 1942 Dodge 1/2 ton and a Dodge weapons carrier both military my dads 2003 crew cab dually 2-wheel drive six-speed and a 1969 D100 318 with a 4 speed with an original 32,436 miles on the clock
And my younger brother
2001 long wheelbase cab and chassis 6-speed sporting over 500,000 miles and a 2011 crew cab dually 4 x 4 6 speed needless to say we are a big Dodge family sporting lots of goats on the farm and I have to say without any hesitation that is the best most informative Dodge Cummins video I have ever watched my hat's off to sir thank you for your time and research
Glad you enjoyed! And love families that look like a truck show when they all get together! lol
Excellent video thank you!!!! My buddy Rick gardner was on the team that went to Cummins in 1985. He passed 2 years ago.
As a kid in 1994 I remember when the 2nd gens came out, the styling was revolutionary. For several years dodge was the truck to buy and on everyone's mind.
RIP Rick.... its sad we are losing most of the people that were involved with this. Makes me sad.
That Cummins plant in Rocky Mount is no joke. Went there in high school with my diesel mechanics class back in the 09/10 school year.
Green with envy here! That must have been an epic tour!
@@w350crewcab5 😅 Don't really remember. We're talking about something that was 14 years ago when I was a senior.
hahahahahaha @@SOU6900
Cummins forever 🇺🇸👍💪🏻
Cummins FTW
@@w350crewcab5 👍👍🇺🇸
🤦🤦
Our dad Joe B. has always talked about this truck, definitely his proudest professional moment when they fired it up the first time. Thanks for putting this together he was thrilled when someone sent him this video.
Thanks for taking the time to watch and glad you enjoyed!
As a Chevy guy , i thoughly enjoyed your presentation. Great information , i have always considered the Dodge Cummins the top of the food chain. I owned a 86 Dodge with a 360 back in the day , and it was a good truck , i was in WV at the time and the frame had rusted through where the leaf spring hanger was on drivers side. Still was a good truck. Best video ive seen in a while.👍👍
Thanks for taking the time to watch as well as the kind words! I honestly didnt think anyone would watch this! Sounds about right for the 86.... they all liked to rot there!
I’ve had a 96 an 02 and currently have a 2001 and have loved them all thanks for the information
They are good trucks in that era!
@@w350crewcab5 my brother lives in the UP he has an 18’ 160,000 miles had to do a turbo and egr and DPF . Crazy
He did well. My fathers was replaced under warranty at 38,000 on his 18..... just beyond stupid. @@throttlewatch4614
I daily drive a '92 D250 with the Getrag.
Hells yes!
Man, i didn't now this was a 40 minute video, the way you told the story kept me on my feet. Nice to finally see a small bit of history with cummins and dodge
Well played sir well played 👍👍👍👍
Thanks Josh!
First gen Dodge/Cummins biggest problem was with the frame. Strictly highway use they were fine but any daily heavy offroad or rough unimproved roads with the weight of the Cummins tended to overstress the open C shaped style frame rail to the point of developing cracks. The second gen solved this with a redesigned chassis that had boxed frame rails that were a lot more capable of dealing with engine weight stress.
727 was the most reliable transmission around,thing is the people with problems NEVER adjusted the bands! 30,000 miles you change the trans fluid and adjust the bands,simple procedure to adjust them it took seconds!
I bough nearly 30 plus Dodge trucks over the years with so-called dead transmissions all I did was adjust the bands and change the fluid and they were fine..Trans shops would stick you for a full rebuild no doubt easy money! I drove 4 of those trucks 20,000 to 40,000 miles after I adjusted them they worked fine..usually my 727 experience was in 60's and 70's cars some had over 670 torque my 70 Charger has that torque now,60,000 miles no issues!
*I am not saying the 727 never failed or it only needed to be serviced as per recommendations
10000%. People blame the tranny when they were actually the issue with lack of maintenance.
"And if you don't know, now you know . . ."
Thank you for the history and insight on this fascinating chapter of Dodge trucks.
Owned and loved a '91.5 D250.
Had one of these things years ago , the Cummins made it to a million kilometers for the people who owned it after me .
My 98 jetta tdi has a million kilometers on it.
Still my daily
Cold started at -20f last month
What an interesting, well researched and presented history of this amazing story. Thank you, I enjoyed it very much.
The Olds 350 diesel, though sharing a design and displacement with the gas engine, there is nothing else that is the same. The Olds 350 diesel was a completely different engine from the gas counterpart
Hi Katie - Thanks for the feedback. I will admit, I am not an expert in the GM diesels. I was always under the impression that the Olds diesels had used the same tooling for the blocks as the gas variants as that is what caused all the head bolt failures. It was the same bolt pattern as the gas engines. Also recalled something about a gas like fuel system without even a water separator. But maybe I got caught in the "public opinion" of these engines and should have dug into it a bit more before I spoke. Thanks for helping educate. I stand corrected.
@@w350crewcab5there’s nothing wrong with gas/diesels sharing blocks.
The vw1.9 tdi was built on the same block as a gasoline
What a great presentation and a thorough history. My brother uses Dodge trucks exclusively in his water well business because of the Cummins diesel being so reliable and powerful . He's in Michigan
Had one with a Mitsubishi you better leave a hour early to go 30 minutes away!
Hahahahaha. Truth.
This video was a well explained, and informational presentation!!my first Dodge/Cummins was a 1991 1/2, so it came with the Intercooler and the overdrive on the back of the Transmission. It was a great truck, and I could get 25 MPG on the highway!
My next Dodge/Cummins was a 1994 with all the available accessories, and I sold the truck after 10 years and then purchased a 2010, again with all the accessories!
I became a member of the TDR Group the Robert Patton started in 1993, and never looked back, as that TDR GROUP was the best in everything, and is still going strong! Having been a member of the TDR GROUP, I learned may things that this video pointed out!
Great insite, and I love the the tie ins with your picture with the actual people involved
I really enjoyed your video on the history of the Cummins and Dodge story. I was an original engineering team member on the Ford Power Stroke interfacing with the International group. Many fond memories bringing that powertrain to production.
Regardless of Ford or Dodge, you guys of that era got to play a cool part in the emerging market of the diesel pickup. I am sure you have many stories as well!
Our ‘94 Cummins 2500 4x4 (bought new) is with my BIL. ~275,000 miles strong with more power and a built 47RH.
My 2001.5 Cummins 2500 4x4 NV5600 Quadcab longbed is approaching 411,000 miles. Gen 3 14” brakes, Gen 4 T-style tierod and various other engine and suspension mods. My last truck as the “recycling” continues.
We also have a ‘92 W250 longbed 5.9 gasser with 66,000 miles in another state that we’ve owned since ‘97.
Thanks for the background info. Subscribed.
Nice to see other Cummins diehards! :)
Fascinating video. I grew up traveling the USA showing horses. I spent my early childhood in a 1984 diesel 6.2L suburban, and the latter childhood in a 1992 Ram Cummins. The Cummins made a joke of the ‘burb. I have a 2018 Cummins now.
Yes, they sure made all the other brands look like jokes lol
Thank you for making this video! I was a Chrysler tech at B & H Motors a dealership in San Francisco, and we did the new car show held at the Moscone Convention Center. I remember the transport truck dropping off the 1989 new car lines so we could prep the vehicles for the show and there was a Dodge D250 with the Cummins. All the techs gathered around the truck it was awesome! Today I still own my '93 Dodge Cummins that I bought new.
Thats fantastic! Love those who still are original owners. That is something special.
As someone who owned a 1991 Ran D250 with the Cummins in it at 16 years old, this video means so much to me!! Man, this is great historical backstory to know. Such great memories with that truck!!
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for taking the time to watch!
Thank you for your commitment to the trucks we love, I have '93' and a'97'
Wow, thanks for this video! It is the most practical, detailed history I've ever seen on the 1st gen's. It also answers a lot of questions (as well as creating more).
For example, I was taken for $7000.00 by a shop that first had a weeks-long delay in getting a new differential for my 1990 D250, just to finally find out that the diff didn't fit into my limited-time manufacture Spicer Dana 70 pumpkin. Then they basically just ordered-up an entirely newer re-manufactured Dana 70 rear end, simply bolting it to the driveshaft and STILL charging me $7000.00. I could have ordered that up myself, and had my regular mechanics simply bolt that on!
At least if my current A727 transmission ever goes out, I'll know what to do there: Simply upgrade to the newer A518 four-speed w/overdrive, if it will bolt-in.
Also, when I bought my truck in 2010, it was actually equipped with a Banks 2.5 in. intercooler! Wouldn't mind finding a 1991.5 grill to put on mine. The grill on my truck was chopped-up, in order to make room for the intercooler.
Eww. That sucks. Thats a expensive way to repair a diff. Parts are very available for a 70 so it wouldnt have been hard to even buy a used one and rebuild it... sounds like they just wanted the money. And yes. A 518 will bolt up but you 727 truck doesnt have any controls for a 518 so you would need to manually control OD engagement.
@@w350crewcab5 Wow, thanks for the info!
In the case of the A518, how would I control the OD? Electronically? I saw this one kid on YT who knows his 1st Gens do a conversion from 727 to A518, and he used some LCD display module thingy, where he could set minimum OD shift, etc.
@@erwin643 All the trans needs is a 12V signal. Put a toggle switch on the dash, flick it, and bam you're in OD. Thats it.
@@w350crewcab5 OMG bless you, All Knowledgeable One of the 1st Gen!
Been helping people with these trucks for two decades. Happy to keep doing so. Happy wrenching!@@erwin643
I bought a 93 D350 Club Cab Dually 5.9 5 speed 2WD as a 21 year old kid. White with a gray interior.I put injectors and a turbo on it. I am 44 years My old man bought a brand new 1993 D250 2WD brand new here in Alington. Silver with a gray interior. Awesome truck Thank you for your video.
Your old man was so lucky! Few got to do that!
Loved the story. Thank You for taking the time to put this all together.
I have an 1983 350 with a 360 V8 Gas and Automatic 2WD, 4 door, I parked it a few years ago, but I'm thinking of getting a Cummins in it. I really love the way the truck trails down the road, straight like an arrow. Loved the video and wow what a story. Cummins in line 6 are the Shnit!
Great video! I had an 89 W250 with the A727. Bought it used or I would have gotten the stick. Top speed was inadequate and the accelerator pedal was stiff. No lockup converter had lots of slippage. I had the truck a long time but finally bought my friend's 3rd gen 5.9 and sold my 89. I needed a 4-door and the 89 sold soon as the ad came out.
Yes, the 727 trucks left a LOT to be desired. I have owned several. They are slow and steady. But the 3rd gen is a way better highway truck! lol
You've done a wonderful job presenting this truth of the Dodge/Stellantis/Ram trucks! Funny thing I've worked a 1989 Dodge W2500 which my dad owned. I replaced the rear main seal, the starter and the water pump on that beast at 235,000 miles and only had 1 other thing to repair, the Gear Vendors output shaft seal!!! That truck lasted for over 425,000 miles before being traded in on a new truck last year a 2021 Ram 2500 with an auto trans...❤
Excellent and informative.
I have hired a local custom builder to install a 4BT Cummins with a NV4500 5 speed, into my 1950 Dodge 1 ton pickup, about 3/4 finished.
Thats fantastic!
Im not an enthusiast, but i love lisyening to the history of vehicles. I think this reaches more than just those dedicated to this truck or brand. Very well put together. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed!
Awesome video man I really appreciate your time putting this together. RIP Troy and Larry.
Glad you enjoyed!
I knew that the sales of the D/W were terrible prior to the introduction of the Cummins Turbodiesel, but I didn’t realize that by introducing the 12 valve to the D/W series that the Dodge full sized truck line was effectively saved. My dad bought a new Club Cab Dakota (the first year it was offered) in 1990 when I was 7 and I still remember going with him to the dealership for the negotiations and the pickup (no pun intended) of that particular truck (which I loved and which was a great truck, it had nearly 400k miles when he traded it during cash for clunkers 😢) At any rate, I’d love to be able to go back into my seven year old self and look around that Dodge lot and see all of the other vehicles as they were brand-new, particularly the Dakotas and Rams, and even the Ram 50 rebadged so-called “captive imports.” Thank you for this excellent comprehensive history on the first gen Cummins Ram pickups, they’re still my favorite generation of Cummins Rams and I’d love to have one one day.
Yes. It literally was a sales disaster prior to the engine addition. And you should get one. These trucks are truly a lot of fun!
Well Done !!! Great Coverage!!!! i will review this for years to come!!!
Awesome video. Very impressive story having almost been shut out of the truck
market to the amazing success for many years
Almost hard to believe sometimes how close the end actually was!
This was a very good posting! You did an amazing job on it! Thank you
Thanks for the kind words. I sorta thought I butchered it! lol
What a story. Thanks for putting this all together.
Thanks for watching! No point in making it if no one watches!
My brother had a 2nd gen dually he got with plans of getting a 5th wheel trailer rv after retiring from the ARMY. He never did get the rv, but did put around 250,000 miles on the clock and after 11 years of ownership, sold it for $8,500 10 minutes after putting the ad up. It was a killer truck in silver, with extended cab, aftermarket injectors, intake, helper airbags and was very well maintained. The current owner stopped by recently and was just as happy with it as the day he bought it.
These really are special trucks and have a cult-like following due to some having over a million miles on the OEM engine without a rebuild or even a major overhaul.
Yeah clean trucks sell amazingly quick!
Well done my grandpa had one of these trucks and loved them ever since my first ride in one thanks for the video 👍
They were great trucks!
We still have the 1990 dodge dodge cummins 5 speed wheel drive. My father bought new. It showed up in November of 1989 and is still going. On the original motor and transmission at 877,000 miles.
Love hearing from original owner families. They always hold a special spot in my heart. You guys helped create this legend.
2/14/24 5am
This video popped up on my recommended feed after watching UTG. I figured I’d check it out.
That was a very informative video. Great work.
Glad you enjoyed! Happy to hear the efforts were enjoyed.
Bought a new 91 LE 5 Spd, 4x4 fully loaded. 28mpg emptty and 19mpg heavy towing through Idaho into BC and Alberta. Amazingly tough workhorse wether 100f or 40 below it ran flawlessly for years.
Those were real trucks.
Wonderful video. Thanks for taking the time to teach us and share your passion!
Thanks for taking the time to watch! No need for me to babble if no one wants to hear it! And I thought I hid the passion pretty well. Guess not lol
Nice video - interesting details on the Dodge Cummins relationship.
One note, the GM 5.7 Oldsmobile diesel referenced in the video was not a gas engine converted to a diesel. It was a true diesel that shared its architecture with gas engine tooling.
The only thing that engine had in common with a gas engine was its cubic inch displacement.
At the time, GM was the only American car manufacturer that attempted its own in house diesel design. Unfortunately, by the time the issues with the Olds diesel were worked out, the engine’s reputation lead to it no longer being offered after 1985.
In the early ’80’s, GM developed the 6.2 in house with Detroit Diesel. Ford brought International Harvester/Navistar on board for their diesels. However, the Dodge/Cummins diesel of 1989 was the advent of the high torque, high horsepower diesel engines we have in today’s pickup trucks.
Yeah, about 10 others mentioned that as well. As I said to them all, I stand corrected. My specialty isnt Olds diesels. Sadly the video is uploaded and cant change that now!
1990 B block, with 727 transmission, only problem was replacing intermediate clutch bands every 55-60 thousand miles. Traded it in for 2001 HO 24 valve, with NV5600 6 speed. Great information and history that I didn't know. I attended turbo diesel rallies held at Hell, MI (Chealsey proving grounds) which was Dodge way of doing pre production information release .
Those were the early rallies! Very different era thats for sure. Wish we could do that again!
Not a diesel engine guy but awesome video. Helps me understand the draw to the Cummins engine. They truly are legendary
Glad you enjoyed the look into the "other engine" side!
Enjoyed the video. I was just in mexico and these D-series trucks and Ramchargers are everywhere. You never really see them no more in the states. Chrysler De Mexico continued to build the club cab even when it was discontinued in the states.
Yes, Mexico got a LOT of them. And all sorts of things we never got in the US. Even 1995 1st gen Ramchargers.
Im new to the diesel world, always said I would own a Cummins one day even though I dont need one, fell into a '19 2500 Bighorn and it is pretty darn nice compared to the '00 2500 with the 360 gas I had previous. These trucks have come a long long way and will continue to do so.
"Cummins saved Dodge" you stated. Love that statement, makes me happy when I look in my driveway.
"Dodge saved Cummins" Love that statement as well, as there are 2x Cummins "QSK-60" 60.2L V16 generator sets that keep a major part of the hospital I work at functioning and warm when the utility is out...
Yeah that would be a big difference from a 360! The trucks very much are evolving.
I really enjoyed this, thanks for putting this out there for us to watch.
Great video. I grew up in a rural Wisconsin and with my Dad having a tractor business. Massey Ferguson tractors used mostly Perkins diesel engines. IN the 60's, we were also a Cummins Engine dealer. I have rebuilt many dozens of both brands of these engines, having learned mechanics as a youth, growing up in the industry. Many years later we took on the Kubota tractor line and in the following 5+ years pretty much never had to do significant repairs to any Kubota engine. In the last few years I have seen that Cummins developed a diesel series of engine that could be transplanted into the ever popular Jeep Wrangler series as a replacement for factory gas engines. I do not know what has become of that potential offering.
Excellent work Team! Nice job this is a very good complete documentary on the development of. Good thing you did it. God Bless you and your Team! ❤️🖖🏼🇺🇸
Wow, great historical lesson
Great video. I drive an 05 3500 dually (5.9, G56 6 speed).
As much as I love my rig, that white and red truck you have has me drooling man. Beautiful.
Hahaha. Thanks. She turned out OK after 13 years of work!
I bought a 2002 2500 Dodge Cummins 4WD new in Feb. with the 6 speed manual trans. Its been by far the best truck and most reliable truck ive ever owned ! I tow a camper i tow a car hauler i haul firewood with in other words not only is it a daily driver but i use it also ! 331745 miles and never had any major issues with engine 5.9 Cummins is in my opinion a very strong engine! ! The only issue i had was the lift pump which i deleted after factory warranty ran out put the Fast Fuel pump on it no more troubles there ! I have tuned it 5 stage Edge comp box stacked with the Smarty box Cold Air intake plus 4 inch open exhaust all the way from turbo to tail pipe ! Ive enjoyed this video and am now a subscriber to your channel ! If i could afford it i would put bigger injectors and bigger turbo 100 horse injectors an up one sixe on the turbo ! But thats not in my price range as my wife has a lot of health issues !
Great comprehensive history and share .
I enjoyed the video. I now own two (2) 1st Gen. Long Island, The Bahamas
What a trip down memory lane. My mom had a dark green with tan interior bravada, i think it was a 93 or 94 but cant remember. As you showed off the features on the interior i remembered like it was yesterday.
Glad you got some good flash backs!
I remember taking a 2nd generation Dodge Cummins for a test drive from a dealer when they first came out. It was a manual transmission. The clutch was so easy to operate and the transmission shifted like butta. Very nice experience.
Treasure that memory! Sadly it likely will never be repeated!
Certainly was a time period with a pile of engine changes in the world of diesel engines. I worked at Cummins a couple of times between 75 & 78, then KW 1980-2021. ATAAC first appeared in late 86 on Cat, then DDA got into it with the 60series in 88, finally Cummins got into it somwehere around 89 with the N14. Lot of people went thru a big learning curve with cold weather and diesel fuel back in the day on the various diesel pickups that came out, and we got into the B &C series engines, and the Cat 3116/3126 in various stuff as well.
Yes, especially when you have "dumb" general public that dont understand diesels, using them. Different if you're a farmer or a equipment guy. You understand. But for the guy that bought a V8 all his life.... big engineering hurdles to make it user friendly.
My dad was an diesel lover long before it became trendy . Hes has owned one of each at one time or another
Thats fantastic! Diesel before diesel was cool!
Finally, thank you for accurately, laying out how everything came to be as far as Cummins and Chrysler are concerned! Unfortunately, the generation after ours got inundated with so many incorrect ““ Facts! I will be starting on my 93 W-2 55 speed survivor soon definitely will be reaching out! Excellent video!
Excellent stuff. Very good info & interesting.
Glad you enjoyed!
That was an amazing documentary, great work
Glad you enjoyed!
Robert! So good to finally see the fruits of your decades long labor of love come to fruition! Absolutely love the video, and of course subscribed! My only regret is that my '92 black crew cab that we traded notes over (via the TDR back in the day) while we were both building, was sadly destroyed by a DUI driver. It did save my life however, and is survived by its little brother, my 1988 6BT Ramcharger my daughter and I built together. I greatly look forward to an opportunity to finally meet you! I live in Washington now, so maybe will be a bit easier to make happen. Keep in touch brother!!
I ordered my custom ordered 1990 W-250 "badged" in August 1990. I received the truck in February 1991. Over 33 years later, the truck has 930,000 miles and today, I can drive this truck coast to coast with zero problems.
During the 90s, I owned a hotshot company and ran nothing but Dodge Cummins D and W 250/350 and 2500/3500 trucks. Never had any problems with the trucks and when I sold the company in 2001, over half my fleet, 17 trucks, had over 800,000 miles and the trucks were still running strong.
Today, not only do I still own my 1990 Dodge diesel, I own 2 Dakotas that have performed excellently with 277,000 on my 1996 and 85,000 on my 2001 both with 3.9 magnum engines.
My family has always been a Dodge family ever since my grandfather bought his first Dodge pickup in 1938 and my oldest son is the forth generation of Dodge truck owners
Amazing vidieo thank you for sharing the story of how the dodge cumins came to be.