With a manual transmission, Kim's dragstrip times aren't all that quick, but the truck did make an impressive 277 smoke-free horsepower on a chassis dyno. |
What do you mean there wasn't a Cummins option in 1977 GMC trucks? Kim's installation of the '97 turbodiesel looks better than factory. Heck, it even has the original Dodge fan shroud! |
In addition to being used as a construction vehicle, Kim Miner participated in the Tough Truck Challenge, an event put on by J&H Performance in Redding, California. Kim pulled the sled strong to about the 215 foot mark, then his stock transfer case shaft gave up. Since then, he has added a beefed-up shaft and South Bend 3250 Double Disc clutch. |
Kim Miner's 1977 GMC K3500 has had a long life. Purchased in 1992 from its second owner, Kim used it as a work truck almost immediately. In '95, he figured that if he was going to drive something daily, it might as well be nice, so a complete frame-off restoration was performed. At the time, diesel performance wasn't mainstream, so he did what everyone else did at that time: He stuck in a 350 Chevy gas motor with a mild cam, intake, and carburetor. However, the GMC tipped the scales at a hefty 7,500 pounds, so the 350 didn't provide as much "go" as was hoped. In fact, Kim found himself having to shift down from Fifth gear into Fourth every time he hit a hill, otherwise the mild small block would start to lug. To make matters worse, he was getting about 10 mpg while driving and a miserable 6 mpg when towing. Clearly, a solution had to be found.
Almost immediately, Kim knew what it was: a Cummins diesel. He knew they produced more than enough torque to move the truck, and climbing hills was more important to Kim than blasting down the highway. In 2001, the swap was made after he acquired a 215hp 12-valve engine out of a '97 Dodge. Kim said that although the swap wasn't that straightforward, it wasn't too hard either. He started by using the stock Dodge frame mounts, which made things easier, but required notching the GMC's frame as well as its crossmember.
Next, a 2-inch body lift was added to clear the big Cummins. The front radiator core support is custom and uses all Dodge parts. The radiator, hoses, and even the fan shroud are all off of a donor truck, and they work to keep temperatures under control during heavy-duty towing. The NV4500 5-speed transmission then sends power back to a 3.73 geared GM 14-bolt with an Eaton Posi and an open-differential Dana 60 up front.