Hi guys,

I'm looking at a local '74 F600 for hauling stone, sand, fill.

It has a 361, with a 5 speed trans and 2 speed rear.

I'm confident I can fix pretty much anything on the truck if it breaks... I've had a few similar year pickups with similar motors, parts, and done my share of repair... however the only thing that is scaring me a little in the 2 speed rear.

The truck at the farm I used to work has a 2 speed rear so I'm pretty comfortable with driving it however I'm concerned that it will be a issue/ expensive repair if it decides to break. I'm assuming it's electric activated (vs. air on a big truck)... I'm hoping it's not old enough to be level activated (did they make them?) I haven't driven the truck yet, but the owner says everything is 100%.

So I guess my main questions are,
-Are these something that require a lot of attention/ maintenance/ repairs on an old truck with an unknown amount of miles (odo says 36,000, but that could be 136, 236, etc...) Or is it more something that either works good or is broke?

-And how hard are they to work on? I can live with not being able to (or not wanting to) fix it myself but I don't want to spend $5,000 repairing it either...


Also, will I have any trouble getting parts for this truck? The last old tuck I had was an '85 and it was as simple as going to "advance auto" and picking up whatever I needed. They had all the regular parts in stock and could order everything else.

Thanks in advance,
Austin

 

The 2 speed Eaton rear end in my 1958 F600 uses an electric motor to shift. It is fairly inexpensive to replace- maybe $100.

 

Your '74 will be electric. Does it shift correctly now? Just make sure.

Brakes will be a bigger worry, and things like drums are very hard to find.

I would also make sure that 5er shifts and stays in gear on accel and decel in all gears.

Your 361 is an FT motor, and as such has several things different about it vs. a PU FE motor. Most of which you will see just looking at it. Make sure you get FT stuff when you go for parts. Points and condenser are the same, but plugs might be different.

If you post the VIN and the info from the data/warranty plate on the drivers door, a little more info can be had.

We also had a '58 F600, and I can tell you the '74 is bit more truck and a good one at that.

 

Thanks for the replies...

I don't have the vin, but will hopefully be going to check it out tomorrow night...

He says it shifts "perfect" but I will take it for a nice long test drive and run it through the gears a few times.

He apparently just put an electronic ignition on it and had it tuned and the carb rebuilt by a shop (after he couldn't get it running right) so he says it runs like a new truck, we'll see...

The brakes concern me though, a truck I can't get parts for is no good for a work vehicle and it'll will spend some time hauling heavy loads so brakes are something that will need some attention on a regular basis. I think I'm gonna call the auto parts store tomorrow and see what they can and can't get as far as brakes go. will it have drum all around or just in the back? I can imagine they are fun to work on...

Thanks again,
Austin

 

I have had good luck with Napa for heavy truck parts.

 

Just called advance auto and all the pads and shoes are in stock and all the rotors and drums are orderable and arrive within a few days... so that shouldn't be a problems.

 

Just a word of warning. The biggest thing showing on Advanced Auto's web site is an F350. Your truck is all drum brakes, so why would they talk rotors and pads?

NAPA will have some stuff, but those big-**** cast iron drums are what I've see cause concern here.

 

Napa or Joblot.com in NY

 

Hmmm... didn't realize it was all drum, but I guess that makes sense, probably didn't even have disk back then.

They obviously didn't have the right truck in the computer then... I'll try napa tomorrow. It's gonna get inspected before I commit to it so I have have them take a good look at the drums when the take the wheels off.

Austin

 

There were disc brakes on cars and light trucks, mediums were decades away.

On the other side of things, I can never remember my dad replacing a drum even though he fooled with the brakes quite a bit due to leaking wheel cylinders. Farm trucks that sit a lot in Washington probably need to have their brakes bled every month.....

 

The big thing with your two speed is to check oil in it, alot of people do not realize there is a check plug to check the oil level in the shift motor. I have had more trouble with the wiring on those old trucks then anything. I have had where the wiring under the dash rubs thru and shorts out. Brakes seem to be the most work on these trucks. Advanced does have some parts for the f600 but you have to know the right guy that can use books and not just look in a computer, I have had better luck with napa on my parts or watch ebay for new old stock. Good luck with the truck!

 

So while I'm asking questions, what kind of fuel mileage can I expect to get out of this truck? Assuming it's tuned correctly. Am I unrealistic hoping for 8-10 while empty?

Austin

 

I would think 6 when empty would be all you'll get. Maybe 8 if you drive slow, low rpm.

 

I have a 330 medium duty engine with a 2bbl carb, unloaded I get about 10-12 mpg driving at 50 mph and with 6 to 7 ton i average around 7 mpg

 

My dad got 4 mpg out of his 292 4v one time, something about a missing check ball in the carb and the secondaries in all the time....only about 52 years ago, iirc.....