I need to know what engine to put in that baby to pull a horse trailer.

I have access to Pipes U Pull It. I will change the trans to go with the engine and rear end.

Please advise.

 

You should look around the wrecking yard to see if there is an early 70's F250 as a donor. Some had 390 engines which I have seen dropped into F2 pickups. Fitting the exhaust system in is a challenge. If you're after the entire package, those trucks had Dana 60 rear ends which are also a bolt-in deal on an F2. The good part about that would be that you'd be able to keep the 8 lug wheels. Grab the drive shaft while you're at it. That should tow a horse trailer pretty well (how much do those weigh???)

Dan

 

I will have a one horse trailer so shouldn't weigh all that much and the horse is a regular horse. My draft passed away 2 years ago. So just a regular horse and trailer. Not too terrible a load to pull.

 

To make it easier:






Very cool truck.

 

Thank you, but it will be a lot of work. I am 57 and female so wish me luck.

 

How fast do you want to tow your horse trailer? The stock drive line will very happily tow a light horse trailer at a cruising speed of 45 m.p.h. Swapping just the rear end can get you cruising at 60-65 m.p.h. For what you want to do, I'd get a heavy duty three speed transmission so I had synchronized shifting and I'd get a 3.54 ratio Dana 60 from a mid 60s F-250. If you want trailer brakes I'd switch to 12V. Everything else I'd leave stock.

 

I think a 289 or a 302 should work fine for a single horse trailer. And still get a little gas milage without the trailer. You may want to think about adding disk front brake conversion for stopping power, a recent V8 HP is a lot more then a flathead motor amd city driving today isn't the same as 60 years ago.

 

Yes I will add disk brakes to the front. I want to make this as safe as possible so my 3 1/2 year old grandson can ride with me.

 

But I need to do this as inexpensively as possible.

 

Why do you need disk brakes? Have you tried the stock brakes (in good shape)? Drum brakes are self actuating, unlike disks, so they don't take near as much peddle pressure. If you go disk, you also need to install a power booster and proportioning valve. Are you up to that level of re-engineering?

 

the brake peddle is on the floor no brakes at this point

 

That has nothing to do with the drum breaks and their inability to stop. You should fix 'em and try them out first before you really give yourself such a large task!

Good luck.

 

Well if this heat in Texas will go away I will get right on that.

 

Drum brakes are good.... And can be very good... If your going to put a V8 in to this old of a truck, and travel in a city, I would look into disk brakes.

 

IMO, towing a horse trailer with a horse in it at 65 with an F-1 would not be a good idea, with stock brakes or discs. There would be at least 2500 lbs behind you, with a short wheelbase truck, and a load that can move around, or get off-balance on a sudden maneuver. Any kind of a "live" load, I would want a full-floating axle (F-2 or larger) and longer wheelbase, and for sure trailer brakes. I've seen a couple of modern pickups (like F-250's) with horse trailers get into ugly accidents at lower speeds when things get "interesting" in traffic. The horse usually loses, too. Just my opinion, but I would err on the side of safety, you're not hauling potatoes.