Cummins in 1500 4x4?

[tractorman]

Hello there. I'm looking for information to help me swap in a 6BT into my '97 Ram 1500... Pretty silly swap right? I keep getting told I'm nuts and just go buy a 2500 with a diesel... Well, I don't want or need a 2500 truck. Besides, my 1500 is enough truck for me, it's just under powered, with poor Mpg (360).. but it's in nice shape and it's paid for.... the engine is a little tired though. I mainly do a light towing (8000lbs max) and lots of highway driving(40,000/year). So here's my questions for you.

1. What engine series should I look for to fit my '97? The old 12 valve or the 24 valve? What about the next generation in the '03s?

2. How much should I expect to pay for a used engine? Would I be better off buying a rebuilt one?

3. Where should I look to buy? I was hoping to find a wrecked 2500 that I could buy for the engine, transmission and misc parts, but they seem to go for a lot of money ($6-$10 grandrepairables).

4. What other parts would I need besides the radiator, tranny and transfer-case from the donor truck?

5. How much does the engine weigh? Is there a website that gives the engine's dimensions?



Thanks in advance,

Tractorman

P.S. I'm in MN. I restore pickups and old tractors for a hobby, so this swap doesn't seem like it would be that hard.