So im going to luck at a local truck this time, but before i give you guys the info im gonna tell you about what i need to see if this truck will fit the bill. Im 6'5" tall and pretty heft. I have had alot of trouble fitting in vehicles i barley fit in a dodge 2500 extended cab(my knees hit the steering column.) Its been really hard to find something i fit in.

So im going to look at a 1985 f250 dually 6.9l ext cab. my question is will i fit nicely in it or will i have to squeeze in? guy only wants 1900 for it so im thinking of putting money into it if it needs it. im going to look at it tomorrow. also i am doing some wood work with a buddy how much can a beast like this tow safely at its age? I know gas mileage will be bad but i can handle that. i also know these engines are stupid easy to work on. but with a dually of its age what should i be looking for as a buyer?

thanks guys!

 

My extended cab F150 has the original bench seat (cab interior is identical to F250s) and with the bench moved all the way back, my feet cannot even reach the pedals - although you have nearly a foot over my height...... The passenger side foot well is a bit cramped but the driver's side is plenty wide and deep. The seating position in these older trucks tends to be fairly reclined, which allows the occupant to be relatively spread out inside the cab and also preserves headroom. Newer trucks tend to put a more upright seatings positions in them.

The truck you are looking at may be a conversion of some sort since I'm aware of extended cab being available back then with dual rear wheels. I *think* centurion was converting them even back that far using hub spacer adapters.

Before starting the truck, pop the hood and check the oil AND remove the oil filler cap. Oil on the dipstick is a good excuse, but aside from oil level, what you are looking for is any vapour escaping from the crank case (easier to see through the filler cap). This is a dead give away that the truck was started prior to your arrival and could indicate he is hiding a hard start issue from you.

The truck should fire on all 8 holes within the first full turn and NOT sputter at all once running. If you see a can of starter fluid in the truck or the owner mentions that stuff, I would walk away right then and there.

Look for the numbers "85" cast on the outside part of the cylinder head. This will tell you that its a late model 1985 model engine. This is the better version of engine that isn't prone to crack at the block heater.

Mileage will probably be up to 16 MPG on a good day if you have 3.55 gears and manual transmission. With auto and 4.10 gears, top speed will be limited to 65-70 (depending on tire size) and mileage may be as poor as 9 MPG. Mine was that bad, and I didn't even have dual rear wheels.

 

yup, it ain't a factory F-250 if it is a dually, because the F-250 was only offered with single rear wheels. the dually was a F-350

 

If you got a manual and 3.55's you can get upwards of 18 if you drive it careful and its turbocharged and your not mashing on the go pedal like i do ! Other than that, my dad is 6'3" and weighs 240 lbs, and he can comfortably drive my F-250, better than his 2009 Ranger. So I think you will be fine. Like David said these cabs are fairly reclined so we can spread out with room to spare. I am a little guy lol, so I need to move the seat fairly far forward (5'9"-10" weight 170 lbs depending on what bar I walk out of ).

 

im a 6 foot 6 230 pound farm boy from ohio, and i fit in my 88 reg cab. the only problem i see you haveing is that youll have to look out the top half of the of the windshield.

 

So fellas, went to look at the truck today. let me start by saying ITS CLEAN. frame looks like it could almost be a replacement, body mounts look amazing. very little rust, some on the rocker panel and rear door. the truck is a 1985 ford f350 xl 6.9l 265k miles 2wd dually crew cab. the front and back seat where replace the dash is shot. all gauges work, even the tanks are good. all it needs is a vacuum pump, shocks, front tries, and alignment and a really good cleaning. guy wants 1900 for it. so with all the work, plus a good tune up from a good diesel shop and a mesh cargo tail gate. i should only spend 2300-2800 bucks getting this beast in tip top shape. it also may need a steering box. hell of a catch for being a local truck! ill be sure to post some pictures for you boys later this week!

 

Getting harder to find good grewcabs with the slant nose front. That would be a good deal up here but value varies by region.

 

just keep in mind,there are some con's to an '85 today.
for example,the engine has high failure prone rocker arms.they were updated in '87.
they can be easily replaced.
the older style glow plug system was basically just a timer,which also was prone to failure and often did so in the "on" position.a manual switch will cure this though (probably already done years ago anyway.)

one of the largest cons,is of course the lack of overdrive.
direct gearing + today's fuel prices just don't mix.
not a biggie if you don't plan to drive it much,and or just drive 45-50 mph max.
then there's the failure prone water separator (probably bypassed years ago now too.)
but you should consider adding a combo fuel/separator or devoted separator back into the system,as most guys simply removed the leak problem,but forgot about what the device was for and left one out all together.

for 3k.i do feel like you could get more today.just my opinion.

 

well its my first truck, and i was looking for something i could beat on a lil and fix up some. yea i figured its gonna hurt at the pump, but finally moneys not a huge issue right now

 

im seeing a whole lot more truck (4wd's with overdrive trans.take a quick look.) being sold in Jersey much cheaper just on craigslist alone.
im just saying,you may want to look around.
you'll not find it much fun come winter,trying to get around in that 2wd dually.
SRW will get get better fuel economy than dually too.
don't say i didn't warn ya lol.

 

I have removed 2 of my wheels on my dually. People just look laugh and ask me where they are...LOL Seriously increased my mileage. I just did it for stihs and giggles. But I like the increased mileage. I got almost 2 mpg. So I am diggin it w/2 on the ground for now. LOL