ok, i swapped a 6.9 into my highboy when i was 17(2013) im now 19 and Enlisted in the USMC and i have a lot of down time so im putting together parts for when i get home to finish my resto-mod. so i have a few questions about what guys are runnin for various things.

specs are as follows:

truck; 1973 Ford F250 Highboy 4x4
engine; 1986 6.9 N/A IDI (pulled from a school bus with 90,000 on the clock)
front axle; Dana 44
rear axle; Full floater Sterling 10.25 DRW (pulled from a 1996 E-450 and converted to SRW)
trans; T-18 (original trans to the truck with a bell housing to swap to the 6.9 pattern)
transfercase; stock
ratios front/rear; 4.10/3.73 (yes i know theyre different im working on that)

what are you guys runnin 4in lift kits because the 6.9 is about 400 lbs heavier and my front end sags and why buy stock springs when you can buy somethin a little cooler but im just thinking that its still gonna sit crooked because those springs are rated for a certain weight and the IDI is so much heavier. also with my rear end being different i have that to think about in the area of different u bolts because my current ones are 14.5 inches long (because of the highboy lift block)

What cabs do i have the option of swapping onto my frame as far as years, mine is like swiss cheese being from the great white north its seen a few winters and a little more than a dash of salt.

i want the rear ratio to stay, any suggestions on a company to go with changing gears in the front end?

i want to swap the trans but i also want to retain the stock transfer case what should i look for (c6?, e4od?) what should i be looking at? and what steering colums should i look at as far as years to swap into it or what are my options

any input, suggestions, ideas, knowledge, are much appreciated.

Thanks! Quinten.

 

Do not believe the miles shown on the odometer, as it reads to 99999.9 then returns to ZERO!

 

All the '73-'79 cabs are interchangeable across model years (though there are different sizes - regular, super, or crew cabs); not sure about mounting point similarities with other generations, but with a little fabrication, just about anything could be done. There are two different transmission tunnel heights - low ones that are stamped into the floor, and high ones that have a cutout with a bolted-on cover. Some modification may be needed there if you get a donor cab with a different configuration.
'73-'77 are basically compatible; '78-79 are different, but could be bolted in if you're swapping the whole thing, wheel and all. Columns for automatic and manual transmission trucks are different from each other, and the later-model ones also had a tilt wheel option. I'm sure Bill can clarify the exact differences there.