So heres the situation. My flareside lately has become my tow rig, which is completely absurd considering its a 5.0 AOD. It does not like hills at all with 7-8k behind it. SOOOO heres where i come asking this interesting question.

I want a powerstroke, you wont be able to convince me otherwise, after owning multiple newer deezels, a powerstroke is going to happen soon.

What would you do?


Option A. Buy a powerstroke, find flareside bed, drop a 83-86 front clip on it, with said flareside bed, have a "new old truck"

Option B. Buy said powerstroke, yard out motor trans etc. drop in my flareside. Have a "old new truck"


Option A Pros and Cons -

Cons
A newer truck would have to be cut down, ive never seen a short box PSD before, probably wont be able to buy one, cutting torch will fix that and some welding time.
Flareside beds are TOUGH to find in decent shape, i can build one, but thats a lot of $$$.
my flareside is just about too nice to modify.

Pros. Newer truck would be turnkey tow rig. bed and front clip swap can wait until i find the parts/have time to swap over stuff. Also, i could go with 4wd and then id have a nice winter rig.
old school PSD would be awesome

Option B Pros and cons
Cons. wrench time, lots of it.
Electrical nightmare, but doable with a full donor rig.
1/2 ton frame
still 2wd (i aint playing that game)
flareside is almost too nice to hack up

Pros, only thing ill have to chop up is a driveline and some motor/trans mounts i think. make a few things fit here and there, shouldn't be too bad
my truck is pretty cool and i get a lot of compliments on it, would be even cooler with a PSD under the hood.
still ride like a 1/2 ton (awesome)



what do you guys think? feel free to add things ive missed to my pro/con list. and why you would or why you would not do option a/b

 

I have two rigs.

The 82 is my daily driver.

The 2000 7.3 PSD(that I bought new) is the tow bitch and alternate driver. I would never own a 6.0/6.4. Maybe on the 6.7 after they get the bugs worked out.

Both mine are longbeds. I see shortbeds as a waste.

There are plenty of people that have cut a longbed PSD Superduty and dropped on a shortbed. I don't understand it other than looks.


I say keep your truck as is and find a PSD tow rig.

 

Check this out for a shortbed PSD

 

I've seen a few threads on here where guys are converting their old trucks to a PSD, it certainly can be done but seems pretty complicated.

If it were me, I'd find a truck that has the engine / drivetrain in it I want, and then make it look how I wanted. Seems easier to modify the appearance then the performance

That 5.0 is definately NOT a tow-worthy engine, as you've found out.

 

If you are going to do the conversion, why not a more durable engine?

Since you seem to be sold on the Powerstroke, I'd find a 96/97 F350 short bed (they do exist, but hard to find now) since it comes with the D60 front and retrofit the older front clip. Only issue you will run into here is the doors are slightly different on the later bodys, the lower crease is removed so it doesn't look completely stock. You will also have to make sure to grab the cowl, as they are different. I did a later front clip on a 90 and it took some slight modification to bolt holes etc to get everything right.

Dropping the PS into the older body will be ton of work, unless you like that kind of thing I'd change the body rather than the engine, not to mention you will get all the upgraded frame/suspension bits if you use the later chassis.

 

I am converting my 86 6.9 to a PSD. BUT have a COMPLETE 95 F350 parts truck. I will be reusing the 86....
body
Frame
HOPEFULLY interior

I will be using the 95 ....
Engine
5 speed
t-case
axles
wiring
HOPEFULLY not the interior

 

Found this on ebay: Ford : F-150 Ford : F-150 | eBay

You looking to do something like this?

 

Wow. What a crappy job on the lift kit. The angled rear blocks not even flat on the spring perches. Also the 9" needs a lot of help to withstand even marginal use with the torque of a PSD. I see twisted framerails and broken drivelines in that F150s future.

 

That was the first thing I noticed where those blocks. Agree w/ using Longbeds vs Shortbeds for towing anyway.

 

PSD = Piece of %$@^ diesel? Just pickin', I know it means power stroke.

If I were you, I'd look into dropping in a 5.9 liter Cummins 12 valve inline-6 turbo diesel.

The Cummins diesels are just absolute monsters. If I recall correctly, up around F600 + sized trucks, Ford doesn't even put their own diesels in them, they use Cummins. I think this was on the older trucks though and not the new ones.

Either way, you're looking at a metric ^$@^ ton of work to set a diesel into a 5.0/AOD truck.

The best thing you could do for yourself is to buy a newer model truck with a turbo-diesel (turbo is the way to go in my opinion) and just keep your flareside 302 the way she is.

You will almost have to butcher up the whole truck to do a diesel conversion. The only thing original on it would be the body, and by the time you're done, that would more or less be a shell.

 

My PSD puts out over 750ftlbs torque at the rear tires(I have dyno sheets) with my minimal mods. An F150 frame and chassis will not withstand the torque twist.

You would be way better off buying another truck (mid 90's PSD with the turbo). Like this one.

 

Oh, I'm not doubting for a minute that the PSD can put out some monstrous torque numbers. For what they were intended for though, the 5.9 12v Cummins is an outstanding motor. They run forever too (though a PSD can do the same if maintained). Even though I like Fords, I'm a fan of the Cummins.

Let's just face it, diesel motors in general have high longevity, high torque, and high fuel mileage. They're more or less the perfect truck motor, and in doing truck things, can outdo pretty much any gasoline engine ever put in a truck. Diesels, properly set up, make outstanding drag racing motors too. And sled pulling, and tractor pulling, and train pulling, and... and... and...

I just can't stand that rattle of a diesel though. The newer ones are way quieter.

 

When I bought mine new, I had also looked at the Dodge. I decided I liked my Ford truck better than just the Cummins in the Dodge.

The Ford F650/F750s have the Cummins/Allison and use the same cab/dash. Some were even 4x4. If I could find a wrecked 2000 or so F650, everything is there for the swap.

 

im talking about a stock power stroke, im not going to even put a cold air intake on it.

100% bone stock, reliable, long lasting truck.

They way it will be driven, i honda civic unibody would hold up to the power stroke.

 

also, i like the cummins motors, ive had 2 in fact, but this time around i want an OLD power stroke.