Varqanir's "The Blue Beast" - 1985 Ford F-350

Description:

It's taken a little while to get up to speed with the Beast, just because she had a few electrical problems I needed to find and fix. Engine and drivetrain are in great shape; suspension, steering, brakes, and clutch are all really solid. Very happy with the Beast.

Engine/Drivetrain Modifications:

Not really modifications, but I replaced the starter, alternator and battery cables. I had also replaced the starter switch and glow plug relay, thinking they were bad, but they weren't, so now I have new spares!

Suspension Modifications:

Wheels/Tires Modifications:

Pacific Duallies stainless steel simulators.

Interior/Exterior Modifications:

Removed those crappy black plastic things next to my feet that hide the steering column, the levers, the fuse box, and all the wiring. I want all that stuff accessible.

Future Modifications:

I got the Beast in order to turn it into a bad-ass go-anywhere house on wheels. Here's all I have in store for it.

• Multi-Fuel Conversion
Before I got the Beast I was giving serious consideration to an old military surplus M35 "deuce and a half." Not only because they're awesome, but because the LD-465 engine will run on practically any liquid hydrocarbon: diesel, fuel oil, kerosene, jet fuel, motor oil, gear oil, vegetable oil, hell, even gasoline in a pinch. I doubt I can duplicate this with my old Navistar 6.9L, but I can come pretty damn close.

I want to put in another fuel tank, probably of the rear-mounted 38-gallon variety. Into this tank will go a mix of strained and filtered vegetable oil, motor oil, gear oil and transmission fluid, maybe some kerosene to keep the viscosity high. I'll install a heater in this tank, either electrical or a coolant heat exchanger.

The deuce has three fuel filters, but I'll see if I can get away with two: the stock 6.9L filter, plus a fuel filter/water separator from a 7.3L truck, mounted where the leaky old water separator used to go. I'll also install a pair of fuel switching valves, so I can start and warm up on diesel, switch to the 38-gallon secondary tank, then back to diesel to flush the system before shutting down. Later on I'll modify the glow plug system and injectors, replace all the rubber gaskets, seals and fuel lines with synthetics, maybe install a higher-capacity Stanadyne fuel pump, and run a 50-50 biodiesel diesel/motor oil mix in the 19-gallon primary tank.

• Four-Wheel-Drive Conversion
The one thing I don't like about the Beast is its rear-wheel drive. Well, that and its wimpy twin I-beam front suspension. So I am scavenging for a nice beefy Dana 60 solid front axle, a NP205 transfer case, front leaf springs, and all the other sundry parts for a conversion.

• Interior Makeover
I really like what Ozstang65 has done with the interior of his F100. I'm going to remake the instrument cluster and dash, with stainless steel gauges on black leather, with a tachometer, another fuel gauge for the secondary tank, maybe a fuel filter temp gauge and fuel pressure gauge. I'm also putting in a pushbutton glow plug system, and maybe even a pushbutton ignition system. I'll put in new interior lighting throughout the cab, both on the ceiling, the floors, the glove compartment and the dash. Currently none of these areas are lighted to my satisfaction.

The bench seats will be replaced with bucket seats. I'd love to find some leather captain chairs out of a Bronco or an Econoline, but we'll see what we can find. That should give me more room for a tool box and a rifle rack behind the seats.

• Exterior
I will install skid plates to protect the differentials and fuel tanks, and will replace the front bumper and grill with a heavy steel bumper and brush guard, including heavy wire mesh to protect the quartz-halogen headlights. I'd like to install a winch as well, but I'll have to take that up with my wallet.

• Camper