Hello all,

I have been very excited to finally get my hands on a particular truck and being out in the middle of a desert can be a little difficult at times. That being said, the truck I did end up with was a junker, but still runs very well, it's just everything else about it. I'm looking at doing a bumper to bumper overhaul, but have no idea how much it will cost, even to ball park it. I'm not looking for anything fancy (except a Rhino lining paint job).

Currently it is a 1986 F250 4x4 6.9L IDI w/unknown turbo kit 3spd auto and 39,000 miles with unknown full rotations. Everything else pretty much needs to be replaced. A two part question, one if money were no object and two what would be more practical in doing to this vehicle? As much as I enjoy going off road I do not see this vehicle doing much and when I do, it will be on the lighter side, also hoping to make it more fuel efficient than what I've been reading on the forums, hoping for at least 18 if not more. Thank you in advance for the input and any other suggest that you might have.

 

For cosmetics use standard practice with patch panels or getting a donor truck with better panels that you need.

I would not tear it into a thousand pieces to restore it. Too many times doing it that way will bog the whole thing down and it never gets completed. I would do little things while driving it. When you drive it on a regular basis, you will find out quickly what needs attention first.

As far as your fuel mileage goal, you can possibly get there, but you will need a overdrive transmission, the one you have will not get you 18mpg. I have a 7.3 with no turbo, and with the same tranny you have I got 12 mpg. When I swapped in a zf 5 speed, changing nothing else I now get 15mpg. I have a 4 inch lift with 35 inch tires. If I got rid of that I might get 16 or 17 mpg. Your turbo may give you that extra 1 mpg if you drive with a egg under your foot. I also have 4.10's, and I haul stuff. If you live where it's flat and never plan to haul anything heavy, you might get 18mpg if you have 3.55's which were an option on these type trucks.

 

For cosmetics use standard practice with patch panels or getting a donor truck with better panels that you need.

I would not tear it into a thousand pieces to restore it. Too many times doing it that way will bog the whole thing down and it never gets completed. I would do little things while driving it. When you drive it on a regular basis, you will find out quickly what needs attention first.

As far as your fuel mileage goal, you can possibly get there, but you will need a overdrive transmission, the one you have will not get you 18mpg. I have a 7.3 with no turbo, and with the same tranny you have I got 12 mpg. When I swapped in a zf 5 speed, changing nothing else I now get 15mpg. I have a 4 inch lift with 35 inch tires. If I got rid of that I might get 16 or 17 mpg. Your turbo may give you that extra 1 mpg if you drive with a egg under your foot. I also have 4.10's, and I haul stuff. If you live where it's flat and never plan to haul anything heavy, you might get 18mpg if you have 3.55's which were an option on these type trucks.