Welcome aboard!!

Be sure to pin yourself on the location maps and hide your beer fridge.......

Jump in on the BS thread anywhere and post up anything that you are looking for.

 

Thank you sir will do. A little background for everyone.

I do not own a Ford truck at this time. I have a couple 1 ton cummins trucks that are beaters and I can not get over how badly they tare up tires, how the steering is so sloppy, and how crappy the interior is(I have to admit they are $1000 and $2500 trucks). I began researching a couple years ago about the best platform as far as axles, frame, etc. and came to the conclusion that Ford was the way to go. I had initially planed to put a 6bt into a 2000+ but never found one so I figured why not have good old rebuildable wheel bearings, minimal electronics and a nice looking body (that came in extended cab) thus my search for a 1978/9 F250/350 Ford Supercab.

My family needs a larger DD and I have been searching for an Excursion for a while with little luck. I was hoping to find one that needs an engine but that seems harder then I first expected.

And that is why I am here LOL.

 

You can find them occasionally, just have to be patient. Oh, and welcome!

 

Thank you, I am trying to be patient. The old Ford Taurus wagon is just getting tired.

 

Welcome sir! Rich was just kidding about you having to buy the beer. He'll provide it.

Ill keep my eye open for an excursion. Buddy is going to sell his in a year and a half, once his daughter graduates collage. Some rust underneath, but i rebuilt the front suspension last year, and it got 10 new coils this weekend.

 

Thanks Chad149

 

I finally purchased a truck!!! Unfortunately it is only 2wd but It is clean with the exception of the drip rails. All other rust is minor I hope.

 

Nice.
Gonna make it 4x4? Not to much trouble on the older trucks...

 

I am not sure yet. It is a little harder then one would initially think. The frame is slightly different I guess and boxing is required as well as the 4x4 crossmember. It seems as if it can be and has been done but I am not sure it is worth it. My initial goal was to swap the body onto a 4x4 frame but I am still looking for one with a kingpin axle even if it is a d44. With a frame I could start mounting up the cummins as well then just set the body on. I have a lead on 2 4x4 SuperCabs but both have the ball joint type axles up front....so I am fighting with decisions

 

Very nice. Did you find that locally or did you have to go get it?

 

I picked it up in Yale. Unfortunately I was unable to drive it the 170 miles because of some minor issues. What concerns me the most is the transmission fluid is a bit low and PINK? I am going to pull the radiator cooling lines and verify it is not leaking. It had been sitting for a while before the previous owner bought it and he was starting to flush everything. It drives but I want to check the fluid thing out before screwing anything up.

 

heck late model superduty front axle is coil spring, should be fairly easy.

 

and congrats on the purchase! It looks to be a really nice truck!

 

very cool!!

 

Yeah that was consuming a lot of my time, researching the possibility of that conversion and it looks feasible.

PROs:
1.Frame is clean on this truck
2.Get to keep factory frame no funky VIN stuff (not sure it really matters)
3.I can fabricate the crossmember where I want it, within reason.
4.I know the 6bt will fit under the hood front to back in a 76 (from other conversion threads)

CONs:
1.Relocating steering box
2.Possibility of spring towers not working from 2wd (cost to find more parts)
3.Boxing frame
4.Cutting and fabricating a new crossmember
5.Fame strength concerns
6.Buying axles while still possibly needing other stuff from the SD frame

Then I think......why not just put it on an 05 frame?
Frame wise the 05 crew cab, short box frame is pretty close in wheelbase 1.2" longer, according to internet specifications.

PROs:
1.Frame is set up for steering no mods required
2.Rear axle is already there
3.Tougher or should I say more refined frame?

CONs more ?? then cons but....:
1.Looks as if the most straight forward way is to use SD firewall and floor, I should have bought that cab with rusted floors!
2.Because of above may loose old dash, none of the conversions I have seen use original dash with the SD frame and firewall.
3.May still have to shorten the frame <<trying not to do that at all?
4.Getting the wheel wells line up in the front and the rear?
5.Will the 6bt still fit like it does in the SD originally or will there be a whole new set of clearance issues?
6.I will have to modify the core support
7.Need to find a frame with axles and a firewall/floor e.g. cab


Or I just say screw all this and try to buy a 79 F350 SuperCab 4x4 (it is hard to justify paying what guys want for a rusty running one when I plan to rip the engine and transmission out) And If it is too nice it sucks to molest a vehicle that is getting rare.

Ultimately cost is the issue, well budgeting. I have few friends, fewer acquaintances, and I am not the wheeler dealer type, I tend to research in an obsessive manner then get the best deal I can with cash. I think that process will eat me alive (time and money wise) in a project like this. I generally don't buy anything new either so nothing to trade or swap of value

And lastly if anyone reads through all that , I post all this up because I believe in constructive criticism/discussion to clarify a decision and to purge my brain. So post replies if you wish.