Just bought a 66 F250 Camper Special. Pick it up tomorrow. It is the guy I bought it from's daily driver and it is just really a beautiful, straight and rust free surviver. I'm very excited. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.
But I do have a few questions. Right now it has a V8 and automatic trans. Did the 66 come with a 390, 352 or 351 V8? Is it a C6 or Cruise O Matic transmission? Runs well but the tranny leaks a bit, but I'm thinking about swapping the engine out for a 300 I-6. Mostly because of gas mileage. I drive a lot and am even considering driving the truck from Sacramento to Miami so even a small increase in fuel economy will have a savings. Right now the PO claims to get about 6-7mpg regardless of highway or street. It does have a loaded slide in camper on the back that I'll remove and I expect to get better milage not hauling that around (I also expect, it'll need new shocks as well, if anyone wants to chime in on those as well) But I guess my main question is regarding the engine/tranny swap. Should I and can I swap to the inline six? Can I keep the currant transmission if I do the swap? Any other suggestions?

Thanks ya'll,

Joel

 

First, Welcome to FTE!

Truck should get 12-13 empty if in proper tune. I currently have 3 65-66 F250's. Great trucks. I have one I split the driving with my other daily driver a 7.3L Diesel, My daughter drives another to work, 3rd one I am dropping a late model 3.5L Eco in it so I can get some great mileage. Hoping this truck will replace my 7.3L. plan on driving it everywhere.

If you need I have all you need for a 1966 300 that I took out of my 66 F100 that I am installing a 427 Side Oiler in.

Only V-8 avail in 1965-66 was the 352 2v, Cruise O Matic, 4spd manual or 3spd column. A few had the 3spd overdrive units

Camper Special F250's came with a 4:10 gear so a 3:54 would be better choice or if you have the funds a gear vendors overdrive.

Post some pics of that truck!

 

Joel, the only v8 was 352, if auto C-O-M. Tune it, add Petronix ign. for a little better mpgs, but these ol rolling brickbats aint gonna get but so good. You need a little gas sipping car for the trip.



John

 

Thanks for the info guys. I get to pick up my truck in the morning. I'm very excited.

What kinda mileage does the 250 get with the 300 online six set up? What kind of improvement would an electric ignition make?

And Boss9F100, how much would you sell that 300 set up for, if I decide to go that way? Also, I checked out your eco build thread, that's awesome. How hard would it be it you were simply going for an engine replacement rather then trying to keep all of the bells and whistles of the modern truck?

Also could someone explain to me the advantages and disadvantages of different rear gear ratios? Like what are the advantages of 3:54 vs 4:10 and vise a versa?

Thanks again,
Joel

 

Joel, dat Boss is a super tuner, most 250s that I am aware of don't get close to 12-13 mpgs. 8-9 more likely.

The rears in the 250 aren't as swappable as the half ton F100 9in. The 250 is a heavy duty work truck that rides like a covered wagon.

You will not make your money back in gas savings, after the expense of buying the engine & the cost of swap.


Just pick up you truck and drive it til next summer then start thinking of what to spend more money on.



John

 

Hello Joel welcome to the FTE, Part of your question can be answered by posting the warranty plate information thats located on the the drivers door. If the fourth digit on the VIN was a Y it came with the 352. Transmission code G would be the Cruiseomatic (COM).

 

Hey Joel!

My 66 F250 Camper Special has the 352 in it with Edelbrock heads, a Holley 4 barrel and electronic ignition. I drove it from Seattle to Austin last summer, with a canopy and the bed completely filled to the top of the canopy with cases of beer and wine, boxes of books, various tools, some furniture and just about all the clothes I own (I was moving). I averaged around 11 mpg throughout the trip, though there were a couple stretches where I got 12. If you want to do better than that, buy an F-100! Enjoy your truck! - Pat

 

Hey Jon, thanks for the info. I'm really just trying to get an idea of what I'm dealing with. While I'm no super tuner, I have done some ambitious engine swaps (which has surprised me considering I don't know much about the actual mechanics of anything) but I have put a vtec engine in a accura legend and a corvette ls1 in a Volvo. Also put an electronic forklift motor in a geo metro (that didn't work so well) but hell, I did it. I also build motorcycles and make a bit of side money tuning cafe racers. Really this surprises even me asi still couldn't tell you what the different gear ratios mean. Although ifi thought about it like a motorcycle and what the front and rear sprockets do to power, performance, and fuel economy I could probably figure it out....

Well, I'm walking out the dolt to pick it up now.

Joel

 

Complete engine pan to valve cover including air cleaner, auto trans flex plate and a full set of NOS valves. 300.00 It was a complete good running engine when I pulled it out for swap.

80k miles on engine. I did tear it down to look and cleaned everything up.
It had never been apart, 1966 dates on bearings etc

I was planning on rebuilding it and restoring entire engine to look as it left factory but that is so far out with all I have going on right now if someone needs it I could use the storage space.

As far as gear ratio from the 4:10 to 3:54 a approx diff would be

4:10 gear @ 3000 rpm would be 67 mph

3.54 gear @ 3000 rpm would be 79 mph

Should be pretty close did not figure it out exact.

The 3.54 is just a better all around gear especially if you want to run 70mph down the freeway.

My truck has 4.10 my friends is 3.54 and the diff is HUGE diff especially over 50mph.

 

Just picked it up, took a bit I've an hour to drive it home. Got to get ready for work now. definitely going to need some work. Don't have time to list off the things that it might need. But it should be a fun and quick project nonetheless. I'll have lots of questions for you guys but in the meantime can anyone direct me to hey how to tune the carburetor?

Thanks,
Joel

 

Have a couple minutes before work so a quick list of issues.

From a stop, in drive, pressing the gas at all makes out stall out. You have to let it start rolling a little bit and then very very slowly give it gas. Like a millimeter at a time. Once you feel the transmission engage you can give it all the gas you want.

Ignition switch is a bit iffy. After stalling a half dozen times, I thought I killed the battery or the starter. Turn the key and nothing. Lights come on, gauges jump but starter doesn't even pretend to do anything. Wait a minute and it starts up.

Starts and idles low, guy bought a new carb, bolted it on and didn't touch it. No tuning at all. Guessing this might be the issue with the truck pulling from a stop.

Ok, gotta get working now...

Joel

 

<a href="http://s984.beta.photobucket.com/user/wrenchrust/media/IMAG0636.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae323/wrenchrust/IMAG0636.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket Android App"/></a>

Here she is. Can't wait to get that camper off of her. Any suggestions?

 

nice truck!!
looks like saddle tank, mine had rustin them

 

<a href=http://s984.photobucket.com/albums/ae323/wrenchrust/?action=view&current=IMAG0637.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae323/wrenchrust/IMAG0637.jpg border=0 alt=></a>

 

<a href=http://s984.photobucket.com/albums/ae323/wrenchrust/?action=view&current=IMAG0639.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i984.photobucket.com/albums/ae323/wrenchrust/IMAG0639.jpg border=0 alt=></a>

The new carb