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I have search high and low looking to find if anyone has ever swapped a 7.3 Powerstroke into a 1957-1960 Ford series truck. To my conclusion i haven't yet found that swap. Im sure its probably been done, and its out there, but haven't found a build thread as of yet. There has been a 6.0 swap into a 1962, a few 7.3 and 6.9 idi diesels, and a 1964, and a 4bt Cummins and a 6at Onan/Cummins. If any out there know of a 7.3 Powerstroke swaps out there please send me there way i would love to see.
Starting this build thread i want everyone in the ford-truck.com world to chime in and give me any advice, and or ideas you have. All words of wisdom accepted.
The Donor Truck
It's a 1997 F350 crew cab long bed Powerstroke 180k ZF5 BW4407. The swap is going to be the motor, transmission, transfer case, drivelines, batters, wiring harness with computers, hvac, maybe heater/ac box, radiator, obdII, wait to start and check engine light, throttle peddle, brake and clutch peddles, and all the little odds and ads to make it all work.
1960 Ford F350
Lets start this truck off with saying that this was my late Grandpas old truck. He sold the truck to a gentleman in 2006 from Santa Cruz. After sitting for 3-4 years the decision was its time to sell the truck. He wanted to know if the family wanted to buy the old truck back. So after contacting a family member who lived in the area who passed the good word back up to central oregon I made the drive down to tow the old truck back up here.
After a trailer tire blow out, and freezing fog for the last 150 miles of the 17hr journey we made it back home.
It sounds like a great swap but seems like a pretty nice donor truck to strip out. In decent shape those bring north of 10 grand in these parts.
Tell us more about the 60. Appears to have a single wheel 4x4 front under it. Is it a single wheel Naapco conversion truck some one put duals on? Ford didn't make an F350 4x4 in 1960, actually not until 1978 or 79
I actually was thinking that someone would say something about the donor truck being that they are still so valuable, and I almost wrote not to worry in my post. The 1997 is a salvage title. It was rear ended and the axle was hit said the previous owner. Also the truck is in pretty poor shape. Interior is thrashed. Rear right door has been replace before with a bad paint job. Thats the only reason I would ever use such a great truck as a donor.
Also 1997 is an awesome year for swapping. It has no intercooler, if you have the wiring harnes and computers it only takes about 5 wires to do the swap, it's almost like a stand alone. Having an obdII port is a huge plus. About the same dimensions as the 460 that is currently in it. I love Cummins 12 valve but there're too long for the swap, they require a little more fitting of fire wall. And the most important reason why am using that truck for a swap is my grandpa would love it more than anything.
P.S. The rest of the 1997 parts that I don't use won't go to waist. I'll sell off all the good parts to people who need to repair their OBS and get there trucks back into good shape.
So about the 60 grandpa put a 78 or 79 f250 Dana 44 disk brake front axle under it in 1994 when he moved to Oregon after seeing the snow fall that winter. He also retro fitted a hydraulic assist steering onto the Dana 44. I'll take some pictures of that tomorrow when I get to the shop. The C6 and mated NP205 also came from that truck. Also way back when he put that Dana 70 in the rear. It has matching front and rear 3.73.
That looks like a full hydraulic steering setup, not just a hydraulic assist! I love the idea of diesel power in these trucks; good luck & keep us all updated with plenty of pics!
That looks like a full hydraulic steering setup, not just a hydraulic assist! I love the idea of diesel power in these trucks; good luck & keep us all updated with plenty of pics!
You probably know better that i do on that steering as this is the first time I've ever really seen it. I was just a kid when grandpa put that on there. He did it when he made the truck 4X4 in 1994. The guy i bought the truck back from said he had the rams rebuild a few years back. As for usability it really works well even with the heavy 460 thats in the truck now!
That is what Ford used on mid 70s 4x4 when power steering first came available. I think 1973 was the first year. Looks like gramps was pretty handy and I'm sure he would be proud of the PS. Cummins are ok but over rated and prone to oil leaks that are laborious to fix. Noisy too.
Sounds pretty interesting...I like the idea, and I Like the 1960 body style. Growing up we had a 1960 F-250 4X4 on the ranch. I'm just over in Prineville.
Sounds pretty interesting...I like the idea, and I Like the 1960 body style. Growing up we had a 1960 F-250 4X4 on the ranch. I'm just over in Prineville.
Hey cool yea super close! Yea interesting idea but sure is gonna be a lot of work as anyone would assume. I really like the factory 4X4's there're just neat.
Originally Posted by willowbilly3
That is what Ford used on mid 70s 4x4 when power steering first came available. I think 1973 was the first year. Looks like gramps was pretty handy and I'm sure he would be proud of the PS. Cummins are ok but over rated and prone to oil leaks that are laborious to fix. Noisy too.
Grandpa was the master of handy. way back when before it was 4X4 he took an underdrive and turned it around and made it an over drive and was geting really good mpg in that old ford! 1980's gas crisis i would assume was the reasoning for that back then.
Look what i saw on both of the mud flaps grandpa put on the truck facing forward ih mud flaps! looks like he knew someone many years later would put an international motor in there one day ha!
Typical rust everywhere especially under the carpet and sound deadening, but thats expected. Cool radio though. Doesn't currently work but i have an extra ill put in.
I have been shoehorning a 1960 crew cab onto an E450 powerstroke ambulance chassis. I will say the rust repair and amount of fabrication were much more than expected but I am close to finishing. Please look through my album or feel free to ask anything about the build.
I have been shoehorning a 1960 crew cab onto an E450 powerstroke ambulance chassis. I will say the rust repair and amount of fabrication were much more than expected but I am close to finishing. Please look through my album or feel free to ask anything about the build.
01-11-2018, 04:03 PM
