For the longest time, I always though it would be so cool to take something like a '48-56 Ford COE (or just the regular cab style of the heavy trucks) and turn it into a car hauler like a lot of people do, with a modern 1-ton or bigger frame, except I would put a diesel in it (like a cummins or a powerstroke). It seems like everybody that builds one of those things puts a big block in it. Do people shy away from diesels in those things because they tend to be cost-prohibitive?(although really, some of those trucks look like they've spend $50K+ on them)

 

I'm building a 53 F-800 tandem, with a CAT.

 

Wow ... I like your collection of trucks. I really like your project with the T-800 .. cant wait to see the finished product.

 

Well, kind of the same train of thought. I think a late 40's early 50's Chev 5 window is one of the coolest looking old trucks.

I'd like to find one in good shape and turn it into a 4x4 with a Cummins or Cat, Allison tranny and Gear Vendor OD. Lots of work but it'd sure be fun. It'd look great pulling my 5th wheel too.

 

Thanks boostedfour, the collection is still trying to grow. I don't think the T-800's going to be a crew cab any more though. I was given a peterbilt sleeper from a retired trucker friend of mine, and I think that's the route I'm going to go. It will be a lot easier and a lot faster to get it finished than going the crew cab route. I am going to pull the bunk out of the sleeper though, and put a bench seat in its place. Also, the fire truck might be falling through. My wife screwed up our finances two weeks ago, and now I'm $500 behind schedule. If any one wants to assist with a small investment, I can pay them back, or list them as joint owner of the fire truck (hint hint).

 

When the 534 finally said no-mo in our old Ht-950 tandem, we swapped in a 3208 n/a from a local junkyard.

 

3208, is the replacement to the 1160 that is sitting in my 53. I've heard they have their problems, but i've also heard that as long as you don't lug the motor, they'll run for decades. I found that the one I have is actually a CAT reman. crate motor. Yeah for me, best $1000 I ever spent for a donor truck...

 

Yeah i know what you mean about the 3208 getting a lot of bad hype. But i believe that it was pretty well the first ones that they had problems with. We've had the cat in several pieces of equipment over the years and they've seemed to be a pretty hardy motor.

 

The dump truck I bought was sitting un used for almost a year. The owner of the excavation company had his mechanic go start and run it for me. We went over to it, he flipped the battery cut off switch, and hit the key. It rolled over about a dozen times (no glow plugs and the intake preheater was not funtcioning) and fired right up. I can't think of any one being able to boast that about any other motors out there. I was hooked on the CAT right then and there for my choice of diesel power.

 

Used to be that buying a heavy truck, anything with a Cat motor brought a premium. Don't know if it is still that way or not, but the reason was that the Cat was more desireable for it's power and reliability.

 

THe Cat 3208 Diesels will last a long time, but regular recommended maintenance should not be neglected.

 

Years of shop and personal experience with 3208s, they run long and hard but when they give up it is usually bottom end and out comes a rod through the side.(Have one sitting in my former service truck that did just that)

 

It doesn't have to be a COE!


The 55 F-600 in my gallery is going to get a Cummins 6BT with mechanical injection and a 47RH/A-618 auto trans with OD.

It will be coupled to a 2 speed rear axle. (either one I find locally or one in particular in eastern OR if I can ever figure a way to get down there and get it!)

 

There's a guy down here in Prineville that does diesel conversions. He has a 67-72 style F-250 crewcab longbed 4x that has a late 90's Pstroke in it with matching drive train components. He does conversions for just about anything out of his shop.

 

This is of course NOT CHEEP!

Whenever you say diesel you have to put $$$ everywhere you go!