im not sure if i shared this truck with you guys or not. while cruising CL for parts i came across this truck. he was willing to part it out but i thought it looked too nice to part it so i bought the whole thing for 1500 bucks. it wasn't running at the time and that was just fine with me. its pretty rust free for where i live so the price wasn't really crazy. and it also has a dana 60 up front which pretty much made the price a steal for around here. that was his asking price, i didnt even try to haggle with him since i knew what i was getting, i dont really like to do that if the guys asking price is fair.

anyway, the truck has a 300 and the guy said " it just started smoking one day" not very much help but oh well. he had already pulled the head off the motor and when i looked i didn't see any visible damage. i checked the heads for cracks or bad valve seats but didnt see any. so i took a gamble and bought a head gasket and a valve cover gasket and put it back together. well she started up but something obviously very wrong. the tail pipe looked like a garden hose with the amount of water coming out of the tail pipe. so i took it back apart and saw what i missed the first time. a GIANT crack in #5. im not sure how the hell i missed it the first time other then its on the front of the cyl so when you are looking at it fromt he front of the truck you dont see it.

so i hoped on CL and found a motor over in NJ who turned out to be a member here. i saw the motor run then we ripped it out the truck. i was going to put new seals in this motor but when we tore it down it was clear i wasnt putting this motor in my truck with out a full rebuild. it had a few rod bearings that were loose, which i couldnt hear knocking when it was running but they were there. i started pricing out my options and by the time i got everything machined and all the parts i would need the price tag quickly climbed. i found on ebay a reman motor for a grand which seemed like a really good deal considering id be damn close to that by the time i rebuilt the other one and got it all together so i bought it. it showed up friday.

anyway, enough heres the pics of the truck

hauled her home with the 350



sitting in the yard a month or so before i got to her


as she is now





i picked up a set of used 33s for 200 bucks to put on it since the ones on it now are about bald


pulled the motor


big *** crack


new motor waiting

 

Helluva score for $1,500 especially with the D60 up front.

 

thats what i thought.

i forgot to mention this will be my part time driver, hauler, tower. the bronco needs some work so she will appreciate a break lol.

the truck also has

d60 front and rear
300 (duh)
i think its a 435, havent looked that close
205

should be pretty bullet proof once the new engine is in.

 

Is there any rust on it? It looks like it has been painted, did they do a good job?

 

the drivers side door corner has some rust, the drivers side body mount is also rotted and there is a few spots on the bed and also the hood. over all not really bad.

 

so ive been away for a few weeks and got back last sunday. i finally got the 300 off the pallet and all dressed up. ive been waiting for parts so i haven't been able to get it between the frame rails until now!

to start off i cleaned everything and painted it. the block was already painted gray when i got it so i didnt see any reason to paint it again. painted the rest of the stuff with ford blue and cast iron. i painted the 4bbl intake too and the EFI manifolds are getting ceramic coated.

anyway heres the pics

new clutch and fly wheel and the offy


dressed up waiting for a lift




hanging out


new clutch installed


cleaned the engine bay up some before i set it in. didnt get too crazy just got rid of alot of the heavy greese and oil build up


between the rails!





i hope to get it fired up tomorrow with any luck. i dont have an exhaust yet other then the manifolds but if i can fire it up ill be stoked!

 

Lookin good, wish the body on mine looked as good.

 

Man I'm just green with envious rage right now haha. I was looking for a 60 for the front of my truck and foound one out of a 78 for 1300. You scored one heck of a deal! That thing is sweet! Thanks for sharing the build!

 

Man thinking you aught to put some brass freeze plugs in her while you still can get to all of them.

Gotta say though you stole that rig!!!!!! and it looks like it will be a beast of a puller/wheeler

 

Trade ya a couple of beds for that.

 

why brass over whats in there?

haha then id have to buy more dents to put them on.

 

Brass will last forever, those steel ones will give you trouble IMO if that truck is not used alot and the water sits unmoved in the block along with not having the proper anti freeze and water mix.
The rebuild companies wont spend the extra coin on brass ones.
Just speaking from past experiences.

 

Thats a nice score! You dont know how bad i want a dana 60 front in my truck......

 

So what exactly is your point. You know you will.

 

i think they are actually aluminum.ill have to check tomorrow


im looking for another too for my highboy

shhh dont tempt me