Well, I guess I'd better put it up there. As many of you know, I have my 53-55 Ford F-750. The Cat motor took a crap on me, and I've been unsure what to do about it. I had picked up a Cummins 5.9L to put in it, but ended up selling the motor, because my plans had changed, and I became unsure. Well, it's now time to get back to the drawing board, and I have a plan to move forward. A guy over in Salem has an '84 F-800. He got it for the bed, and hydraulic workings, and is parting the rest. Well, the good.....complete running driving donor drive train, 13 speed fuller, diesel power plant, 2 speed rear diff., air over hydraulics brake set up. The bad, the body is crap (actually a good for me), so it goes away, and my 53-55 parts go on it. The other bad, the power plant is a Detroit 8.2L. I know everyone hates the 8.2, but the price is right, and it's not intended to be a load hauler. It's a turbo motor, and the price is $650, with a free and clear title. I just can't pass that up. I'll be able to repower my '53-5 Big Job, and finally finish the project I started a long time ago. The next thing, my dads '55 F-750 is hopefully gonna get here in March. That's gonna be another good project. I also have a guy wanting me to take a rough '53 F-750 dump truck off his hands, and I got my eyes on a '53 F-600. So many things, not enough time, or space. What the heck is an old Ford bigger truck guy to do?

 

Dont waste your time with that 8.2L.

You should be able to find a 6v71 or 53 for less than $650, with a tranny even.

If you're going to go through the trouble of an engine conversion might as well be a worth while power plant.

If you want Ive got an older Ford (cat) V636 engine and a 16 speed spicer trans..
or
If you've got room I've got a cummins nt335 that id sell for $650 with a 5 speed tranny behind it.

Im up near Seattle if you want to come look at some other options...

Either way good luck with the project.

 

I'm all about options. The Cat in the 53-55 is an 1160. It died. I found rust inside it, and it's just not worth trying to rebuild it. All I want to do is get my Big Job driving again. I'd be interested in either a Caterpillar, or a Cummins, but I want a turbo motor. The 1160 was NA. The 5 speed in it right now is with a bad 1st gear. Basically, my truck started as a '74 LNT 8000, and a '53 F-750. They mated, and reproduced a truck that Ford should have, a long time ago. The suspension from the LNT is worn beyond repair (I have a Peterbilt 3.73 axle on air to go under it, and a matching front leaf spring axle/suspension too). It's currently a tandem axle, but I don't care if it stays that way. I altered the fire wall in the flawless original cab for use with an air brake system, and want to stay air brakes, and air suspension. I'd prefer more than a 5 speed, and could then part ways with the 5x4 that's in it. I'd prefer a turbo diesel. How much lnger than the 1160/3208 is that Cummins, and what kind of condition are either of them in?

 

Hy Joe sometimes we all need some time off. I knew yould come back. OK
I have been into asphalt paving for sometime now helping out a friend.
Sometimes I use my F900 & sometimes I drive his which is a 1995
Kenworth T400 I think usually hauling 15T of mix. It has a six speed
Eaton with a single speed rear end. It has 6cyl Cummins you may know
more than me about that (I like my 391s) Now my first look= my 391 is
bigger than this Cummins the only Cummins I know about is them giant
NH 855s. anyways this thing cruises pulls does anything I want it to do
Im the one that hauls the paver & bobcat/trailer and thats heavy. So
what kind of Cummins is that+ it has turbo. This is real small will fit in
these Fords with room to spare. Like 60mph 1850rpms awsome fuel
mileage. Im just not up to this new stuff like my phone still in here
1940 rotory phone. I get a kick on calls that say press * now I aint
got stars on my phone &dont want them either. So check it out. sam

 

The cat is a NA. 3208's aren't much better than the 8.2L anyway..

The cummins is a turbo engine, but its long. NT335 is a 855 c.i. direct injected inline 6 cyl turbo diesel engine.. Small cam follower's. Has a Mack 5 speed trans behind it right now.

You would definitely be doing some firewall modifications with this engine.

Be cool to find a 3408 cat. They're pretty hard to find though, especially on a budget..

The old 2 stroke detroits are gonna be the easiest to fit ,and the cheapest. They are good engines, just noisy.

Find a TA or a TTA and they're very powerful too!

The NA's are kinda dogs.. But reliable.

 

With the cab configuration your probly gonna be stuck with a V series engine.if you looking at older engines the Cummins VT555,VT504 and VT378 come to mind.
The IH IDI 7.3 would be leaps and bounds over a 6V53

 

Yeah, why not.. If its just for fun a 7.3L would be great.. Probably even do a little work with it if you wanted to.. Good economy, easy to find, easy to work on... Seems like a pretty good idea. Definitely fit.

Does any one know if Cummins made a 4 cylinder version of the 855 series engines?

That would be a great engine for these old trucks..

 

Well, I figured out what I would like to do, idealistically. I want the Cummins, but the 5 speed isn't enough gear changing. I have one F-750, with another on the way. I also have access to a third. I have a Peterbilt suspension to go under any of the chassis. Here is what I am going to do. I am going to get the F-800 with the Detroit. I will build that, and sell it. Then, I will build the one for me, which will be on the Peterbilt suspension, and the Cummins, assuming you will still have it in a couple months (the approximate time for me to assemble a truck, and get it listed). My truck, I will enlarge the firewall, and run the bigger motor, but, I want to revisit the crew cab idea from a few years ago. That is the ideal set up.

 

The crewcab 53 would be awesome! I would be very interested in seeing how that is done. And how it turns out.

Cummins should be here, unless something changes... Which isnt likely since the economy is so slow.

Sounds like you've got just about as much going on at your shop as I have at mine..
Nice and busy.

 

Yeah, if you can call it a shop. 2 car garage, with a driveway. Everyone asks why the big trucks, since I don't have a place for them. I laugh, and just let them know it's a Ford Truck thing. I got your e-mail, and will get in touch soon. I always wanted to go the route of a Cummins powered, 10+ gears tandem axle, on air, and wither go the custom crew cab, or 60" flat top sleeper. I had a good start, but only had a 48" coffin sleeper, and that just didn't do it for me. The LNT-8000 that provided my trucks current drive train was priced right, but condensation, and then a blown head gasket took its toll on the little 1160 Cat. I learned more screwing with this truck project, then I did during my college courses. I learned a lot of body work skills building air planes at a local sport plane manufacturer (until they shut down), and then the '63 Falcon project I did last year. I am confident, now, that I could tackle a crew cab build, and it would turn out ok. My problem, though not really a problem, is that I love my old Ford trucks, but refuse to take on anything that I won't be able to share with my kids. A regular cab truck just don't fit three kiddos too good. I can say, that at least they all got to ride in, and play with the '54 before it took a crap on me. I think I would really be ok with going Cummins, or Cat big 6-cylinder powered, mated to a nice Eaton/Fuller 10+ transmission behind it. A single axle would be easier, since I already have one, and I got a guy in the Seattle area too that has a donor '56 cab (rough enough to not feel guilty cutting it) to go behind the 53-55 cab. This project will get under way. I'll get that F-800, and when the F-750 comes up from Nevada, I will use its less perfect body to build the F-800 for sale, and keep my perfect cab for future use. I'll take another less perfect cab for building the crew cab.

 

Crew cab will not be hard, just takes patience, lots of time, a big work area and money. Be prepared to find and fix rust as you go. I am extending a cab on a brand x for a customer right now, and am learning a lot, and changing plan of attack as I go, finding easier ways of doing things as I go. Have been working on it off and on for about 8 months, and have a couple months to go. Just be glad you can do it on your own, as hiring a shop to do it is expensive!!!!