How many people have done one in these trucks? I see an occasional Idi floating around, not many diesels in these body styles though.
Personally I'd love to put a built 4bt in one. I feel like the 4bt being louder and noisier would fit these old trucks better then a newer cummins, and I feel like the newer powerstrokes and duramax would be a big chore to swap in.

I say this because I have a 96 7.3 powerstroke and my 85 f250 has the legendary i6 with almost no exhaust and a very low idle seems almost tractor like until you step on it and it really roars

I want a play toy and a diesel in one lol enough of me though!

 

The idi's came stock from the factory starting around 1983 and continued to early 1994 before the powerstroke was introduced mid-year 94. The 94 and maybe some late 93's had turbos from the factory.

I believe the 4bt would be more suited to a f150. If you get a bread van with a Ford chassis and a 4bt, the 4bt in those is supposed to bolt right in to a f150 that had a 300 six. I have heard the front frame rails are the same on those Ford bread vans as a 80-up pickup, and the 4bt's were "repower" engines that came with conversion motor mounts and a bellhousing adapter to make it fit the small Ford 300 six bellhousing. The repower replaced the 300 in the bread van.

For the f250's and 350's, most people swap in the 6bt which is commonly known as the engine Chrysler put in their Dodge trucks. They typically do this swap for the ability to make more power, and the 6bt has more potential to be easily "turned up" compared to the idi. If you stay with the early versions, you can stay away from all the electronics and wires. The only problem with this swap is finding a suitable tranny. You can keep your Ford tranny, but you need an expensive adapter. You can swap in the Dodge tranny, but it comes with it's own can of worms.

 

Thanks all the information! I did not know that.
As far as the 6bt, or newer cummins, people that own them think they are worth their weight in gold so 98% of the time they are crazy expensive.
An early diesel without much wiring? That's an idea I like! My 85 barely has wires once I get rid of that feedback carb.
I had an old 61 4x4 with the 292y and she only had wires to run power to the lights. Never had a issue except rust and them damnned points Miss it