Approximately one year ago I purchased a retired F250 XL 4X4Super cab fleet vehicle that came from New Mexico. It had 160K miles on it,needed a new engine but was rust free, and had the camper suspension with somenew Rancho shocks all around. At 140K the fleet company replaced thetransmission, but then the cam phasers crapped and a new engine was then needed.So, I ended up buying the Rig for 2K. Ihappen to live in Iowa and any vehicle after about 5 years will get the undersidetrashed due to road salt. So this baby was a find and there really was no way Icould go wrong with a 2K investment. The list of items I addressed began with anew ATK engine, and 10K miles later it has been flawless. I totally love it andit has exceeded expectations. It has a 3year warranty as well. I also put newbrakes all around and had to replace some ujoints and a few other items. Iundercoated the frame and took off the bed and sanded and prepped the under bedand applied an undercoating to both the frame and the bed. I also herculinedthe rocker panels, the bed, the grill and the bumpers. After consulting with aHerculiner rep, I applied a Rustoleum polyurethane clear coat spar varnish thathas very good UV protectant in it. After one year and an Iowa winter, I spentabout 35 mins this spring with a chip brush and used about 1/3 of a one pintcan to re coat the bumpers/rocker panels and grill. Looks new. It will totallymake a difference in how long the herculiner works. I also prepped and painted the wheels with aflat black peel coat for wheels. It actually lasted much better than I expectedand still looks very good.I willinclude some pics of the project.
2006 F250 purchase last year for 2K. needed new engine. 5.4 4x4 with 8ft bed. Came from New Mex. Rust free


Removing cab for new engine install


Pulled bed and undercoated frame and bottom of Bed


Put bed on end and sanded and sprayed undercoating on it..Used acetone to prep after sanding with respirator.


Another picture of newly coated frame


Prepping rocker panels and fender walls for hurculiner


Prepped and painted front plastic grill with hurculiner as well.


Two coats of hurculiner including bed, Bumper and Front bumper and grill


After completed and tape pulled


Black peel coated wheels and got some free chrome nut covers. I eventually put on some Hankook E rated ATM tires.

 

Great looking pickup Spud! Please post more pictures of it! What future plans do you have for the pickup?

 

This is my future in bed camper truck, tonight im installing new extendable mirrors with turn indicators and heat, dont know that those features will all work yet being this was a basic model without the towing mirrors, but it has cruise /AC power windows with the camper suspension option which is great, didnt know that when i bought it. I herculined the rocker panels and grill/bumpers and just this week touched it all up with a brush on UV clear coat poly from a can. looks brand new again. took about 45 mins to do the recoat with a brush. Dirt cheap to do that. i will attach pics after i put the new towing mirrors on.

 

new power mirrors with lighting, extendable and pulls back toward door. might even be heated. Didnt know if any of that would work on these being the truck just had basic power mirrors and small ones at that.
paid $118 bucks for two on ebay.

 

installed digital gauges for Temp, time and voltage.

 

wanted to install a digital outside temp probe/gauge combo for sometime, initially i bought a three in one from Amazon, and while i purchased the Fahrenheit model the Chinese sent me a Celsius instead, well, that was a bummer because it took 6 weeks to get it. I requested a replacement and got another shipped to me after i proved by a picture with it powered up that it was the wrong one. Due to return shipping costs i could keep it and they would ship me the correct model. Well guess what, they shipped me another Celsius model. Ok i said, i will just keep doing this and hording these gauges until they learn to get it right.. well the third time they decided they were not going to be able to offload these without paying the cost because i can be very patient when i need to be so they refunded me in which turn i bought a completely different type of ebay for less money. All three gauges are less than $15. for the total project cost.

 

more to come

 

You're doing a great job Spud! Keep those pics coming and I can't wait to see the camper on it

 

Thanks, its been a fun project, i know there are better ways of doing things but im really not able to throw away money i dont have, so poor men have poor ways, but that's the fun for me, seeing what can be done on the cheap without the results being subpar.