This 1995 Dodge Ram 2500 came to Texas Vintage Trucks as a truck that needed more than a single repair. Over the course of the project, we worked through the systems that make an older truck actually usable, from the engine and fuel system to the transmission, drivetrain, cooling system, exhaust, brakes, suspension, and wheels.

The goal was not simply to replace whatever part happened to be failing at the time. The truck needed a stronger mechanical foundation, so the work was approached as a complete package.

That meant addressing worn engine components, rebuilding the transmission with performance upgrades, correcting transmission cooling and routing issues, servicing the rear differential, rebuilding the rear brakes, upgrading the exhaust, and finishing the truck with a new wheel setup.

What We Did

Reworked the engine and cooling system

Replaced the engine water pump

Replaced front engine mounts

Addressed engine fuel and ignition components

Installed a Holley Sniper 2 EFI system

Installed a Holley HyperSpark ignition system

Replaced the crankshaft position sensor

Replaced the engine oil pan and gasket

Reworked the throttle and return-spring setup

Rebuilt the 47RE automatic transmission

Installed a RevMax high-performance rebuild kit

Installed Alto Red Eagle clutches

Installed a 3,000 RPM stall torque converter

Installed a TransGo shift kit

Installed a new transmission gasket and seal kit

Serviced the transmission with BG full-synthetic ATF

Replaced leaking factory transmission cooler lines

Fabricated custom AN transmission cooler lines

Reworked the transmission/flywheel installation

Installed Dodge Ram 5.2/5.9L shorty headers

Built a true dual exhaust system

Added glass packs and 4-inch chrome tips

Serviced the rear differential

Installed fresh 75W-140 gear oil

Added limited-slip additive

Replaced rear axle seals

Rebuilt the rear brakes

Replaced rear brake shoes, hardware, and wheel cylinders

Replaced three stripped front wheel studs

Addressed missing lug hardware

Completed the wheel/tire portion of the build

Added the new wheel package to finish the truck's stance and appearance

The project also included supporting work to the A/C system and electrical components, including a replacement condenser after metal debris was found in the system.

Building the Engine Around a Better Fuel & Ignition System

The engine received attention well beyond basic maintenance.

The project included components for the fuel and ignition systems, including a Holley HyperSpark kit, crankshaft position sensor, throttle hardware, return spring, air-cleaner mounting hardware, crankcase breather components, and a fuel tank cap.

A Holley Sniper 2 EFI system was also included in the project.

That gave the truck a much more modern approach to fuel delivery and engine management while still retaining the character of the older Dodge.

The engine work also included an oil pan and gasket, along with supporting ignition components such as NGK V-Power spark plugs, OmniSpark plug wires, a Blue Streak distributor cap and rotor, and a Gates thermostat and gasket.

Cooling System & Engine Support

Cooling and engine support components are easy to overlook when focusing on performance parts, but they are critical on an older truck.

The engine work included a Murray temperature-control water pump, along with belt-drive components and replacement engine mounts. The front-left and front-right engine mounts were specifically listed in the parts for the project.

The A/C system also required attention. The condenser had accumulated enough metal debris that it could not simply be flushed and reused, so it was replaced and the remaining components were flushed.

A 47RE Transmission Built for the Truck

One of the biggest parts of the project was the transmission.

The 47RE automatic transmission was removed and overhauled rather than simply serviced. The rebuild included a RevMax 47RE high-performance rebuild kit with Alto Red Eagle clutches, a TransGo shift kit, a Transtec gasket and seal kit, and a 3,000 RPM stall torque converter.

The transmission rebuild included:

RevMax 47RE high-performance rebuild kit

Alto Red Eagle clutches

TransGo shift kit

Transtec gasket/seal kit

3,000 RPM stall torque converter

BG full-synthetic ATF

This combination was intended to make the transmission more than just functional. The internal components, converter, hydraulic controls, and fluid were all addressed as part of the same transmission build.

Fixing the Transmission Cooling System

The transmission work also uncovered a problem with the factory cooler-line arrangement.

The original transmission cooler lines were leaking, and the factory routing did not provide adequate clearance around the exhaust. Rather than reinstalling the same problematic setup, the project called for custom AN cooler lines.

The new plumbing used Fragola fittings and hose to create a safer routing path around the exhaust.

This is the kind of detail that matters on a custom truck. A rebuilt transmission is only as good as the systems supporting it.

Drivetrain & Rear Differential

The drivetrain work continued behind the transmission.

The rear differential was serviced with BG UltraGuard HD 75W-140 gear oil and BG limited-slip additive. At the same time, both rear axle seals were replaced.

Servicing the differential while addressing the axle seals gave the rear drivetrain a fresh baseline rather than leaving old fluid and worn seals behind after the transmission work.

Rear Brake & Wheel-End Work

The rear axle work also included a complete rear brake service.

The rear brake shoes, hardware, and wheel cylinders were replaced, while the axle seals were addressed at the same time.

The wheel-end work continued later in the project when three stripped front wheel studs were replaced. The replacement studs were Dorman Autograde components installed on the driver-front side.

That may sound like a small part of the overall build, but wheel hardware is one of those areas where there is no reason to compromise.

Headers & True Dual Exhaust

The engine also received an exhaust upgrade.

The project included FlowTech Dodge Ram 5.2/5.9L shorty headers, followed by a true dual exhaust system.

The exhaust was built with:

Headers

3-inch pipes

Glass packs

4-inch chrome tips

Dual exhaust exiting ahead of the rear tires

The installation included six hours of header labor, with the custom exhaust piping handled separately.

The exhaust routing also had to be considered when designing the transmission cooler lines. The two systems couldn't simply be treated as separate projects.

Finishing the Truck With the Wheel & Tire Setup

The Wheels/Tires portion of the project was approved March 1, 2024. While that particular RO does not contain labor, the wheel-end work documented elsewhere in the project shows that the wheels were part of a much larger mechanical build rather than an isolated cosmetic change.

The truck also required attention to its lug hardware, including replacement of stripped front wheel studs and replacement of missing lug hardware.

The final wheel setup helps tie the entire project together. After addressing the engine, transmission, drivetrain, exhaust, brakes, and supporting systems, the truck could finally be finished with the stance and appearance that fit the rest of the build.

More Than Just a Wheel & Tire Job

What started as a Wheels/Tires line item turned into something much bigger.

This 1995 Dodge Ram 2500 received attention across nearly every major mechanical system:

Engine.

Fuel.

Ignition.

Cooling.

Transmission.

Transmission cooling.

Drivetrain.

Differential.

Axles.

Brakes.

Exhaust.

Wheel ends.

Wheels.

That's what makes this project worth documenting.

The finished truck isn't the result of one big modification. It's the result of going through the systems one at a time and making sure the parts work together.

The Texas Vintage Trucks Approach

Older trucks don't always need to be completely reinvented.

Sometimes they need to be properly rebuilt, thoughtfully upgraded, and finished correctly.

That's what we focused on with this 1995 Dodge Ram 2500.

From the 47RE transmission rebuild and custom cooler lines to the fuel and ignition upgrades, rear differential service, brake work, headers, exhaust, and wheel setup, the project was about creating a truck that could actually be driven and enjoyed.

Build the mechanical foundation first. Then worry about everything else.

Texas Vintage Trucks — New Braunfels, Texas.