This evening the wife & I were headed down the main drag in town. At the only stop light in town I was stopped when a pre 1973 F250 4x4 was crossing on the green. There was something that perked my head it was a diesel, no power stroke that I knew, so I followed it out to where it turned into a ranch. I pulled up and said, I heard that diesel can I see what you are running. Well, he said, sure. Well, I stepped back to my early days as a mechanic when he opened the hood. I couldn't believe my eyes. What I was looking at was a completely restored 1967 Ford F250 4x4 powered by a real diesel with a 4 speed, gear vendor, with a splitter. In front was a TURBO 3-53 Detroit Diesel. Why this takes me back to my early days as a mechanic. I worked for Mentzer Detroit Diesel in Reno Nv. They were the first Detroit Diesel Distributor to install diesels in pickup trucks. 4-53s & 3-53s both natural & turbo models. Fords were the trucks that were the best for these conversions because in the 60s-70s Ford had the least repairs of any truck on the market. They were also the heaviest duty of any truck on the market. Today, Ford isn't even close to the superior status they had up until about 1979. The cost if I remember right to get the Detroit installed was about $1000/cylinder for the new engine, & about $3000 labor. A lot of money in the early 70s. But Mentzer was booked for several years doing these conversions.
Anyway, the truck has over 600,000 miles. It has been completely restored in the last couple of years. It was a real treat to see it. The guy that owns it also worked for Mentzer. A TRUE PIECE OF HISTORY.
Craig

 

and let me guess you didn't have your camera handy?

 

Next time I see him I'll ask him if I can take a couple of pictures. I'll tell him the guys on the Ford Forum would like to see his truck.

Craig