i'm on duty in iraq i have had little time/money to work on my truck in the last few years any help or suggestions you might have would be apprecitated. i have been stuck here in baghdad since april of 2003 and will be here till aug 2004. plenty of time to plan and rethink my project tell me what you think.

i own a 78 f250 it has a 400, np435/205 out to a 60 rear and 44 front. i am not sure of the front if it is a hd or not. i plan on doing a frame off reto-mod on the truck i need to redo the bed sides they are tore up from some guy side swiping me and the wheel wells are rusted i want to strip and powder coat the frame/differentials. i plan on installing arb lockers front and rearwith 4.11 gears. i would like to swap in a windsor punched to 409 with a nv4500backed by either a atlas II 3.8 or rebuild the 205(cheaper). i will have the body completely redone. the floorboards are pretty much gone but the body mounts are alright. rewire the entire truck with a pailess harness. i will have the inside of the bed rhino lined along with the cab interior only up to where the foor boards meet the firewall. would it be wise to rhino line the bottom of the bed and cab too, they use alot of salt and deicer back home? i am looking for a lift kit or parts to give it a lift in order to eliminate the rear lift blocks to prevent axle wrap an still get a smooth comfortable ride with a 4-6" lift. i would like to run at least 36's i know that would be easy.

has any one done this much and if so do you have any advice? i am a mechanic in the military so most of this will be done at home. any help or advice would be appreciated on this. this is going to be my first major project. i promise to have pics before and after.

by the way i love this site and i just found a new favorite website Broncograveyard!

thanks

SGT. adam conter

 

to help get rid of the rear blocks, you could do a shackle flip which you can either flip what you have or get heavy stuff from an aftermarket dealer. I just finished swapping the cab on my truck and it was pretty straight forward. as far as your drivetrain, if your planning on running bigger tires or much horsepower or if your agressive, you should swap out for a dana 60 front as well.....it will cost you some money but it looks like money isn't too much of a problem and it will be worth it in the end. the only other thing i can suggest is to have plenty of patience, alot of beer, and have fun with the thing


john

 

Thank you Sarge, and all the troopsfor makin' the world a saferplace!!
I'm sure you'll find just about anything you need by checking out all the great posts,OK, OK, so not all of em are great LOL on this site.
Man, I spend hours checkin out this site, and have gleaned tons of good info !
Any way, good luck on your project , and remember, we're all pullin for ya !!

 

I second that. Without the BRAVE men and women like yourself, we might not be able to sit here on our fancy computers in our peaceful neighborhoods and read up on our gas guzzling trucks!!
I personally pray for you all every day that your job will be successful and that you will make it back safely. I have had family members over there and I know how hot and miserable it can be.
Keep up the good work and we will try to help you any way that we can.
Jimmy

 

thanks for doing what your doin over there and i saw this on a new 04 for ex cab 4 door painted on the side it says on a big old american flag, "if you cant stand behind our troops get in front of em" man that just says it all. be safe, take care and we are proud of all you guys!

 

Hey, stay safe and get back soon.
I got back in Oct 03 and am going back next month, so I will be doing a lot of mental truck building over the next year as well!!!
Sounds like a nice truck, you might consider keeping the 400 and building it with the badger 9-1 pistons and a good valvetrain, exhaust 4V, etc.
Your windsor stroker uses a 400 crank and will have smaller valves anyway!

Take it easy-

 

Hey Brother, I just got back myself, Navy EOD with the Marines down south, keep your head on a swivel, wave with one hand, and keep your other at the ready. Now no-one has really gotten back to your original questions.... There are spring applications for what you want to do, but I do think you will have to dig deep for an anti-axle wrap bar. Best bet since your spending the money is to fabricate one. Grab some spring steel, polyeuerthane bushings and some MIG welding, your golden. Now for the motor, I have to ask.. why the windsor?? I'm keeping the 351m, converting it to aboiut a 406, and will pull almost 500 lbs-ft of torque. (Check out the 335 series forum) Anyways, this site is great, keeps your mind off some things on the homefront, as well as where your at. Sometimes it doesnt hurt to daydream, just not on watch! Take it easy, or sleazy...whatever you can get-- BU2 (SW/DV) Hardball USN

 

Hey adam.... you should me build your 400... currently working on a 400/410 making 375 horse, and 500 ft lbs. It'll eat any wheezers lunch...

 

Matts, shoot me your buildup, I'm curious.._Hardball.

 

TRW forged custom flattops... 9.8:1 comp, they even have a little dish in them too... Comp Cams, DEH 275 cam, Cloyes true roller timing set...

Weiand 8010, Demon 950

 

Matts,
Nice results on that buildup; I may try to do something similar, but the 9.8:1 is too much for the water they call gas in this state....
Hardball,
Greetings fellow diver and welcome back. I am a USMC diver, although I went to USN dive school at Coronado in 88 before we got our own USMC combat dive school- did open circuit at the course and did LAR-V closed circuit at the unit-in house training package. Have worked with Navy EOD in the past as well; are you guys doing dryland stuff or clearing the waterways?
Later,

4byford

 

All dry stuff while I was there, Still doing dry stuff.... Its an EOD playground over there. We have our boys running sites for the Army too. The soldiers we had setting up our security perimeter were getting whacked here and there, so we are trying to get out of working with them. The USMC combat diver school is now next door to EOD diver, in the specialized diver division in Panama city... Although your pin was changed recently, we still get the stupid scuba doo.....Doesnt justify our 300' rebreather quals. Anyways, take it easy bro.

 

hey bro i don't what branch your in im a former marine so keep your head hi and your powder dry good luck over there and with your project i'm restoring a 78 f100 2wd swb
Semper Fi

 

Hey Dude,
I spent a year in Mosul, got back Jan 04. I know what you are going through. You all are in my thoughts every day because there isn't a day go by that I don't think about what's going on over there. Stay safe and think straight. Next month, BABY!! You can do it.
SSG White, Ft. Rucker, AL

 

Conter,
It sounds like you've got a huge resto on your hands.
Concentrate on one thing at a time, (i.e. body, then electrical, then powertrain). Don't get distracted. Focus on one problem at a time. These old trucks aren't worth that much on resale and if you get caught with it pulled apart you could loose it for pennies. I know, those are the trucks I buy.
I am a former vet of the 82nd Airborne (83-87). I know that you can be put in bad situation for no good reason.
Be careful,
KingFisher