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My Ram Upgrade Is Complete!!!

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

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

2. A lift

3. A larger motor

4. Wheels and tires

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

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

Anyway, I started with this:



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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yup, it's got a HEMI :)



Ya know what's really sick about me??? I already have a mod list rattling around in my head for this one :doh:
 
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#5 ·
I love that gray color too!!! Wow!!!! This is so cool!!! Now you will have to change your sig pic......:smileup:


It is funny, when I first looked at this thread I was thinking damn, you did a great job photoshopping your truck into this modded out one!! Almost had me.......:D
 
#9 ·
LOL...thanks, Tom. It wasn't so much that I wasn't up to modding that 1999, it just didn't make a lot of sense money-wise. Too bad because I was looking forward to the project, as were a few of my buds here in the local area.

I'll have mods to do to this one as stated above.

The bedliner is gone...had the dealer pull it and they should have the spray in bedliner done by the time I get back home.

I'll pick it up Saturday morning.
 
#12 ·
I have been looking for another rig myself, looking for a true camper puller, and keep my red one for my city truck. Now you are really giving me the itch, thanks lol. But seriously, that thing is beautiful
 
#20 ·
LOL...so why do you have a blue truck if black is faster?

HELL YEAH! That's how you upgrade!!
Not exactly how I envisioned the upgrade project to go but, hey, sometimes you end up at a different destination!

Thaty is a sweet ride Michael, I know you'll enjoy modding this one as much as you would've the '99. Those tires are absolutely wicked.
Thanks, man! Looking forward to some trips off road to some of those fave fishing spots!
 
#30 ·
Awsome lookin truck. Congrats.............couldnt have happened to a nicer person. Love the whole look and set up. Sweet, man.:smileup:
 
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