Just picked up the organ donor this week. 93 F250 7.3IDI 4x4 5spd. Mine has a 460 now so I'm thinking the changeover shouldn't be too bad, will also be able to get rid of the divorced tcase and the super short rear driveshaft.

 

oh yea! cant wait to see progress

 

Before I forget, does anyone have a super solid long bed they want to trade for a super solid short bed, must be in NW IND.

 

Really nice truck pic.

 

Once again I quote Bob Seeger and the Silver Bullet Band . "way up firm and high".......

 

Firm and high I agree. I've been working to drop it down a bit, but I did get a killer deal on some 255/85s so it's back up about 5/8". Also have a good set of factory dual type wheels from the F350, so I think they will get used along w the rear axle. I liked the look on your truck Gary. Hope they look as good w the smooth side bed.

 

Other things out of the way. A question for those who know, is it easier to remove the whole front end or just the grille etc.? Seems I heard some discussion about it before.

 

Inner and out fenders with the radiator support as a group is the way I like to do it. Two radiator support to frame bolts, then about ten bolts for the fenders to the cab.

 

Yes, remove the front clip as a whole. I find removing the bumper first helps. I took my clip on and off a couple of times during my diesel swap. Never sieze on the bolts and it gets easier each time! I have thought many times I should have set my '59 cab and bed on my '92 in my sig. The cab to axle dimension is 60" on both. Now I have to insure, license and maintain BOTH trucks! Oh well, I have a backup F350.

 

Thanks guys, I hope to get started tomorrow. I did get the rear from the f350 in, it bolted right up and the initial pinion angle looks good. I was hoping to use the offset dual wheels from the same truck, in a SRW configuration, but they'll need a minimum 2 and possibly 3" spacer to fit under the smooth side bed, also would need to use standard Ford dually adapters on the front Dana 44. Not sure how the forces produced by the offset of the adapter are counteracted by the wheel offset, but the Dana 44 looks kind of lightweight, makes me a bit uncomfortable, anyone have any thoughts on that?

 

[QUOTE I have thought many times I should have set my '59 cab and bed on my '92 in my sig. [/QUOTE]

That crossed my mind as well, in fact all the options can drive you crazy, but for one thing I thought the front axle would be too wide. Another plan was to cut the back half of the 350 frame off, graft it on to the 59 and make it into a long bed again. That craziness has passed.

Gary, I saw in your signature you had headers and glass paks on your 7.3, how does that sound?

 

You are using a standard width rear axle. meaning with dual type offset wheels, the space between wheels is too narrow for the bed(flareside or styleside). With standard single type wheels, it's just right and with offset dual wheels is the right axle for a one ton cab and chassis. The only way to use offset wheels as singles on a regular pickup bed is to do what I did. Use a dually pickup rear axle and skip the outer duals. This is a much wider rear axle, so with the offset wheels it's just right for the pickup's fenders. The original owner of my truck, who still lives here on Orcas Island had the headers built and installed at Stan's Headers which I think is in Kent or Auburn Wa. I don't think headers on diesels caught on, maybe because of turbos showing up. It is pretty loud with dual exhausts behind the rear wheel on passenger side. The headers have held up remarkably well. The truck has 113,000 on it now. Pretty hard miles from years of heavy construction and logging here in Western Washington. I had the steering column in pieces on my kitchen table last week, all fixed now. Always something. Good luck on your cool truck project. I will be following this one for sure. Keep up the photos!!!

 

GB, I only attempted that once and found those weird bolts at the top of the fender through the cowl to be particularly troublesome. How do you best deal with them? As a matter of fact the 60 I dismantled proved to be a pita, those captive nuts spun out in places I couldn't get to and they are near impossible to hold with the vice grips due to the cage on them.

 

Rear axle and wheels came from a 93 DRW F350, is started out as a cab/chassis, possibly the axle is narrower than a dually pickup.

 

Front clip is loose, but not giving up. Found the nuts at about the middle of the jamb, is there a hidden bolt near the top?