Well I have been thinking a lot on how I'd like this truck to turnout and would like to get some input on things I'm forgetting or if you guys have some good ideas to make it better. This is what I've came up with so far.

Exterior paint - 2007 Ford Edge Carbon Metallic


Interior - Medium Flint Super Duty Seats ( Light Grey)


Floor - Rhino or Line-X lining then maybe light grey or black carpet over top.

Drivetrain:
DT, ZF6, and then a divorced NP205 that I picked up.

7.3 intercooler and rad out of the truck I picked up for the ZF.

Looking at doing the 05+ super duty axle and suspension swap.

3.54 or 3.73 gears and 35"-37" tires.

Other than some engine mods once it's in and running that the basic idea for now. Hoping to keep the budget around 15k to get everything done, but time will tell.

Oh and on a side note I ran across another DT for a good price so the Highboy might still get done once I hear back from the seller.
Thanks Mike.

 

I like that color! I think that ZF6 should make you happier driving than the MDT you were looking at. I am running the 37" Goodyear humvee tires on my highboy and I love 'em! You can get a set, practically new for less than $500 and with the load rating they have, you wouldn't have to worry about tires squatting or anything from the extra weight of the DT. I really like those seats from the Super Duty, but I was wondering how they mount? Is there much adapting involved? Thanks for this build thread, I think you'll have a really nice truck when it's all over. As for the gears, try running a rpm calculator, like this one: http://www.crawlpedia.com/rpm_gear_calculator.htm

 

Thanks Goliath, the ZF6 should really help out with fitting the combo and the shifting will just be a plus. I drive redi-mix trucks when i'm not at school so a medium duty trans wouldn't be a problem either. Mounting the seats i'm going to copy chasetruck's mounts, but will look nowhere close to as nice as his turned out. Link to his write up https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...t-install.html . I like the military takeoffs too, but if I get the newer superduty axles to swap I'm don't think I'll be able to run wheels smaller than 17" so could have problems there.
I really like the dark grey paint, but I also really like the dark ink blue paint they came with too. That might come down to the painter and what I'm feeling that day haha.
Oh and here is a gear calculator that I really like to use. Gear Ratio Calculator
It already has transmissions and transfer cases loaded into it so you can see what rpm and mph you'll be running in each gear.

Here is the dark ink blue paint that I was talking about.

 

Sometimes I wish I had a medium duty trans in mine so I wouldn't have to bother with the clutch.

On the seats, I hope you're not tall. I've sat in Chasetruck754's truck and the way those seats jive with the floor puts them up rather high. I'm 6' even and my head was closer to the roof than I liked. He's a fair bit shorter than me, though.

 

Dang, that might be an issue then. I'm around 6'2". The PO gave me the old seats out of his SD that I'm not going to use anyway so I guess i'll have to play around with the mounts and see what happens. Or what would your thoughts be on running a second SD rear bench as the front seat?
I know what you mean about not having to use the clutch. I get into a bad habit of driving cars and trucks without the clutch when getting out of the trucks, and I guess it's not good for the synchros from what I've heard.

 

Since you already have the seat, I would set it in and play with it to see what you could figure out. If you're thinking about a rear Superduty bench, then I would just go with something from the nineties that bolts right in and save the effort. Mine is from a '93 and has a fold down arm rest and removable cup holder just like the rear one in my wife's '02. However, mine has the electric over air lumbar support too. Much appreciated by my messed up back. (Side note - I know its cool to ride with the air seat all the way on the floor when styling and profiling in the big trucks but consider what it does to your back after a few hundred thousand miles, especially in mixers. Trucker wisdom for the day.)

I get lazy and shift my ZF without the clutch all the time. As long as it doesn't grind its not hurting anything, but it's not as easy to do as with a non synchro trans.

 

subscribing, cause this is sweet!

 

Finally got some parts, but really not anything substantial has got done. I really need to stop jumping around on projects, get focused, and get something done before going back to school

The adapter plate from Stauffer Diesel. Showed up the day before Christmas which was nice.






Got the clutch, flywheel, and starter all pulled. That flywheel was one heavy piece of steel.







Put some studs I found in the shop in to see how the adapter and flywheel housing compared.















Bolted up and on.









Pulled the stupidly big and heavy pully/balancer. Planning on replacing with an ag unit to save a bit of room.






That's about it for now. I would've bolted up the trans and got the mounts figured out, but the last few days haven't broke freezing and the trans is way to dirty for my liking. In other news I ended up buying a cummins parts truck for another project, so if I can come up with another DT I'm toying with pulling the two apart for a real comparison between the two. Thanks Mike

 

Awesome build! subscribing!

 

Haven't had a chance to work on the swap for awhile, but here are some pics of where the engine should sit in the frame. I have to build a new cross member and figure out how to do my driver side front engine mount because the steering box is right where the mount needs to go.

How I cut the cross member for trial fits


First test fit

























Plate I plan on building the front mounts off of the engine



Seeing if building a box around the steering box would work






That's it for now. Let me know what you think. Thanks Mike

 

Your mention of the steering box made me curious as to what you plan to use for a power steering pump. The reason I ask is because the pump from a medium duty truck that engine would have originally been in most likely will not have a relief valve in it like the ones on light duty trucks do. On the medium duty trucks of relief is usually in the box.

 

I'm planning on using the truck pump that came on the engine. I know one of the other swap treads I've read they had the pump rebuilt somewhere and set it up with a remote resavore. They ran their steering and brakes with it and didn't seam to have any problems.

 

love this, really want to swap a dt360 in my 92 once my idi goes. cant wait to see this one finished

 

do you have a pic of the flexplate?

 

I'm glad to see all this progress, looking great. I like how you went with the Stauffer adapter too, what's your take on it? Is it worth the $$$$?