Well I finally settled on a 7th gen for my next truck. 86 F250HD Supercab 4x4. I finally got to see it today and it's a little rougher than I hoped for but it's not that bad. Mainly it's got that chalky look that you get when things sit outside.

Both wheel wells on the bed are rotted and it's got dents by the tail lights where his wife jack-knifed a trailer trying to turn around... Got both sides... Then his 10yr old son took over and got it turned around... Apparently the son drives the lawn mower around with a yard trailer. I'm going to just do both bed sides. I hope the quality of the LMC panels is ok... I had one of their tailgates and it was trash.

The cab corners are shot, but that's to be expected and it needs a drivers fender. The floors look good overall but the seam by the toe boards looks questionable. Good thing I know how to do bodywork.

The trans was rebuilt with new hard parts. It's got an NP208 case, 10.25 full float axle and a D50 front. Brakes, bearings and U-joints were done recently too.

It's a Lariet XLT and is loaded. He took the a/c compressor and condenser off though, so I'll have to get them. Also the radio is missing. The rest of the interior is dirty but complete.

The engine however has a bad rod knock. It's a 351 and I have a good running one out of my 90 Bronco so I'm not worried much about that.

Should be a good project. First will be to get it running, then I'm going to do the body work. After that I'll probably tackle the interior then do a D60 SAS swap. After that who knows...

It has 4.10's in it which will suck with gas. I'm thinking of putting 35's on it so 4.10's will work fine but if I find a 3.54 D60 I may change the rear to 3.55's. Also it's an open rear so I could add a locker at that point.

Now I just have to figure out how to get it home...

 

David - Sounds like a real "project". Lots of things to keep you busy. While you are at it why not keep the 4.10's and install a ZF5? Your overall ratio in 5th would be 3.12 and that would be great on gas running light.

 

Maybe...

My first thought was running 33's, so I'll assume that. My options are:

C6/4.10's. Gas mileage will suck.
C6/4.10's with 35's. Getting tall for a working truck. Also mileage will suck.
C6/3.55's. I want to swap a D60, so I could get a 3.55 one. I also want a locker/LS for the rear... I know how to setup gears myself so it's just parts.
E4OD/4.10's. Now we're getting somewhere. I get to keep up with traffic without killing the bank paying for gas. I have an E4OD but I need a controller. But I'm worried about the cost of rebuilding the E4OD and being reliant on computers...
ZF5/4.10's. See above without worrying about computers. I worry that I'm getting too old and lazy and will hate shifting gears. My DD's a Mustang with a 5spd and I don't even notice that I'm shifting... So maybe I'm worrying for nothing...

In the end I think I'm leaning to the ZF. From what I've seen I can get good money for the E4OD. It drives and shifts fine, no slippage or anything. The only reason I mention getting it rebuilt is that I don't know the history and it's out of the truck right now.

My vision for this truck is a bit old school, hard nosed, knuckle dragging simple, simple, stone cold reliable do anything work truck. That right there kills the idea of the E4OD. Although I'd LOVE to play with the Bahman controller...

I really wish I could get a set of Hurricane wheels in a size other than 16.5... Turbine's with some 12-16.5LT Ground Hawg tires would just complete the look I'm going for... I just fear that the next time I need tires people will look at me like I'm crazy when I ask for 16.5's...

 

The 4.10's and a ZF's .76:1 5th are a good combo in my estimation, especially if you are going to tow or run big tires. My 3.50's are high enough that I doubt I can tow in 5th, but can easily tow in 4th. You might be able to tow light trailers in 5th with the 4.10's, and then you could drop to 4th and tow anything.

Yeah, I know you want it stone cold reliable. And, as previously said, IMO programming is not that reliable. So, to me it should be a manual to meet your stated goal. Besides, how can the truck be "old school, hard nosed, knuckle dragging simple" with an auto? And, if this basically 65 year-old can do it why can't you?

 

No.

They will merely say, "Get out your checkbook!"

 

I spent many years driving a manual as my DD and the one and only time I ever thought briefly about having an auto was when I got stuck in stop and go traffic coming back from NYC. That was in my 93 Cobra with a King Cobra clutch (stiffer than stock).

I could go 4mph in first without bucking. Problem was we were going 3mph... Every time I left enough space in front someone pulled in, so I had to stay on the bumper of the car in front of me. I'll bet I worked that clutch 10k times that day. By the time I got home I was shifting without the clutch and rolling through stop signs AND red lights. I could not hold the clutch down, my leg would just violently start shaking uncontrollably. I didn't walk right for 2 or 3 days after that.

And after that, for maybe a minute I thought about having an auto...

More I think about it the more I think it has to be a manual.

I mean come on... Real trucks have 3 pedals... Right?

 

And it's adding up quick...

Priced the sheet metal that I know I need... I'm at about 1,100 without shipping...

Looks like I'll be into the truck for about 4k or so after I swap the motor and fix all the rust with a cheapie paint job.

Not too bad but I know it's only the start...

But hey, it will be a running, rust free, freshly painted truck... Hard to find those in this area for that price. Impossible to find a 7th Gen truck like that here...