Well, I got about 40k out of the 7.3 swapped into my 69 F250. It had 180k on it going in, so about 220k now. It's been making lifter-related noises for a couple years now, has been mostly sitting for the last year, but I had to run it into town last weekend. It was a little noisier than usual, but after running out first-third from a light it quieted down and ran better than it has in a while. Until the next light, when it started popping out the intake and smoking black smoke pretty heavily even at idle. The lifter noise was back and then some, so I figured a rocker came off. Nope, they're all good. It's internal, probably a blown head gasket. It did get hot once the last time I drove it, I got stuck in traffic and people here seem to take it as a personal offense when you try to go for the shoulder. It touched 230, but didn't boil over and after it cooled I went on my way. The timing has also been drifting around a bit, it'll surge and be noisier or quieter depending on whatever the pump wants to do.
So, the great truck rebuild is underway. The starting point is an 85 F250 extended cab longbed frame. Originally a 6.9 four speed truck, it has a 3.08 rear end, with some pretty beefy springs. The frame is about twice as tall as my 69's frame, plus I will do an x-brace underneath which should eliminate all the twisting and flex I get now.
Finalized plan is to rebuild my 7.3, maybe rebuild the ZF, and put them on that frame. Modify as needed to mount a 68-72 cab and bed on that frame, then graft on the back half of a 75-79 Supercab to fill the remaining space. I'll have to reskin that back half to match the bump contours, but overall the cab profiles are very similar.
The end result should truly be one of a kind.

 

Pics Jared, you know better!

 

FRANKENTRUCK!!!

 

Oh yeah! I'm in!

 

Truck I started with:

I'm trying to track down a 68-72 F100 or F250 for a decent body. There are a few around here but money is tight right now. I have a car almost complete to send down the road which should bring a tidy profit, that should open up my new body options.
Possibly next weekend I will pull the front clip and heads off my truck so I can investigate the carnage.

 

Got the old engine and trans off the frame finally, it's about ready to go:

I am planning on pulling the front clip on my 69 in the next week or so, then the heads off that engine so the carnage can be seen.
This chassis has a 3.07 10.25" rear end, does anyone have a 3.55 they want to trade for it?

 

Today's fun:


A whole lot of work to find- Nothing. The HGs were fine, pistons all move with the crank, heads are great. It does have seven collapsed lifters, and the #7 intake lifter is broken internally, the lash adjuster is locked in the up position so that is my loss of compression, noise, and excess smoke right there. Instead of firing it was blowing the fuel back into the intake and burning it in the other cylinders making black smoke at idle. The seven lifters I could push down and hit the bottom of the lash adjuster without any resistance. This thing was very noisy and now I have a real reason why.
I still don't see an absolute cause of the oil puking, but it was coming from the CDR grommet area and dumping down the drain at the back of the valley pan. The CDR baffle is clean, though, so I don't know where the oil is actually coming from.

So, now I have a shopping list-
Head gaskets
Lifters
Cam?
Injection pump
and I'm sure there will be more.
Does R&D have a payment plan?

 

Too bad the new gaskets are not prooven, it would be perfect time to upgrade them.However they are pricey compared to the stock ones. Or if u are experienced mechanic and u know how to deal with steel gaskets and want to be guiney pig, talk to Justin, I can have another set made and mailed. I think they would be there in 3 weeks, which is long but...

Just saying. I remember u were one of the few that reflected to my posts when I was a newbie here, I do not forget these things

 

Thanks Jan, unfortunately I don't think I can get this block to steel gasket level cleanliness. I don't have the funds availability to fully rebuild just yet so I am limited to hand tools to clean the deck surface, I am going to check the heads at work tomorrow and clean them (you should see how much a Volvo 240 squats with a pair of heads in the back). I don't think they need to be milled so a steel gasket probably won't seal well on them either.
Next engine build I'll go full build, probably even cut and coat the pistons as well. Time will tell.
For now I'll just get a turbo cam and do other groundwork for putting on a turbo.

 

Contact Justin what he thinks about it, I can manage it over here, but ask him, I am just a suplier, he is the seller. However they are not real life tested yet.

 

Well I ordered the Fel Pro set today, I need to get this back together. My concern right now with the new gaskets is getting a good seal, I just can't reliable achieve a 1.2-1.6ra finish without actual millwork.
This may be a development angle for the gaskets as well, I know Cometic makes MLS head gaskets that have a very thin rubber coating on them to seal on less than perfect surfaces. Perhaps your contact there can add a feature like that?
Hopefully the tests go well for Justin, and on the next build I can put in a set.

 

I got the donor cab and bed today. The guy I got it from wants the front clip put on his other truck, so I'll need to come up with one, but this cab and bed are in far better shape than my old one.

I am going to pick up the chassis and scrap out the remains of my old truck next week, I'll have to use that front clip for now but no big deal.

 

Jered, where in Oregon? I have a 3.55 and a 4.10 axle id trade, the 3.08 can go in the 88, has a C6 anyway. You have a C6 in the 69?

We have a 69 F-350 C&C for a service truck that i would love to swap a 6.9/7.3 in. The 352 is pretty tired, even with only having, i want to say 38,000 miles.

 

I am in the La Grande area, and between this and another project I have a glut of axles. I would love to find a home for this 3.08 axle, this build is getting a 3.55 D70 that is currently under my van, which is getting something else to be announced later.
I am trying to send this whole 71 chassis down the road, it has a 2bbl 360 and c6. My 69 had a ZF, which will go in this truck. I need to rig up a different clutch master, though. The vans used one that was mounted vertically in the floor which is the route I may take. I just need a new clutch pedal.

 

Thats not so far away, Im on the other side of Jordan Valley. When i fabbed up my hydraulic setup, i had the 89 clutch "shaft" machined to fit in the 79 pedal housing. Little more to it than that, but i cant remember. Really ended up not being that complicated and works well, other than the machinist cut the shaft too small.