So I've had the desire to build another truck for a little while now since my other truck is nearing completion (I think/hope) and I've got a couple other "builds" in the works. The truck I'm wanting to build as of now is a dentside f350 dual rear wheel super cab 2wd. I've got everything except the cab and I'm in the process of trying to get a decently straight super cab body from my cousin, who is a fellow FTE member. I've got a 1975 F350 dually with a 390 and a NP435 and I've also got a 2005 f350 dually with a blown motor as well as another dually rear end out of a similar truck that needs a pinion bearing. Another thing I have is a 6.2 liter IDI diesel that came out of an early 90's gmc short bus. My plan was/is to put it in a 97 chevy s10 with a solid axle 4wd conversion and make a bit of a rock crawler, but I am starting to lose interest in that project. Anyways, I've been thinking and I'm trying to figure out if it would be an absolute sin to put the 6.2 in the f350 build. I know they don't make very much power, but I'm not really worried about it. I really don't like brand mixing when it comes to stuff like this, but I feel like this might be different enough that I could do it and not lose sleep over it. I'm also looking for something that might get reasonable gas mileage since I'm a musician and do a good bit of driving to/from gigs. The 6.2 has already been gone through with new gaskets, seals, glow plugs, filters, water pump, etc.

So, I guess I'm asking if I'd catch a bunch of crap for putting the GM 6.2 in a Ford truck.... I really want to feel good about doing this cuz I HATE seeing small blocks and LS engines in ford cars/trucks just the same as I hate seeing a 351 windsor in a chevy car. I could build the 390 I guess, but I'm just not a fan of FEs and I'd also be throwing the gas mileage factor out the window. I'd also have to spend a bunch of money getting it in good shape with an aftermarket intake and headers and all. I'd like honest opinions

 

You'll get purists who see it as ultimate sin, you'll get builders that'll say go for it! Love to see people put new motors in builds

Hell plenty of hot rod fords with Chevy motors. So moot point just depends on which group you wanna satisfy

Personally, if you like to build... why not build the blown motor outta the ford dually and swap that in? What motor is it btw?

You could call the Truck durastroke or powermax if you swap the Chevy in there lol

 

Well, I am both lol I build, but I also hate mixing brands for the most part. The motor in the power stroke is a 6.0 and I'm not going to mess with it. If I'm gonna swap a diesel into something, it's going to be completely mechanical and probably naturally aspirated because to me, the beauty of a diesel is its simplicity and lack of week spots. It's also not a Duramax engine anyways so I would have to come up with some other name for it lol.

 

If I do this build, it's going to be this truck but dually




With a bed similar to this.

 

I feel ya, I'm the same way but more often then not the purist wins. It's gotta really be outta the park for the builder to win. IMHO I think the purists wins this one... for me.. but see what everyone else has to say too cz I'm just some guy on the Internet lol

Ah dang I was 50/50 on the Duramax, I didnt think it was but I had no other names so I had to stick with it LOL

And ok yeah I too wouldn't want to touch the blown 6.0 especially to go in a dentside.
You could go really out of the box (think I saw a CL add selling one) but you can get an OLD ford or dodge engine that was altered from factory to mount on a slab in the Mountains and run chair lifts. Would give ya cool story for the build. (Or maybe it was on here, can't remember).

 

If you were looking for motor reliability and use what you have, the 6.2 would be fine. I forsee lots of aligning and in and out of the motor/tranny in your future. Making the mounts, making a cross member, verifying no parts hitting on other parts. Seems like a lot but Hey, it's YOUR truck, do what you want!

I was going to install a 7.3 IDI/ZF5 into my '75 which has a bad 390 and a good C6, but I do not want to deal with the conversion, so I found a rebuilt 360/C6 (zero miles on rebuild) that the PO of the engine/trans had lost interest in.

Bottom line, enough time and money, you can do anything! I am short of both, chronic issue it seems....

I have no idea on MPG for the 6.2 tho. I am interested in following your build if you decide to do it.

 

I'm definitely prepared to do a lot of fabricating and test fitting, but to me, the fabricating is the fun part. As for it physically fitting, I would imagine that it's going to fit a lot better in an engine bay that usually holds a 460 rather than an engine bay that holds a 2.2 liter inline 4 cylinder. The 6.2 has about the same footprint as a small block and even shares the same motor mounts and bell housings so I might even be able to buy a motor mount kit, but I haven't looked so I don't know. As for gas mileage, I've *heard* of them getting around 20 mpg in a 4wd 3/4 ton square body so I figure my mileage should be in that area as well, if not, better. I thought about trying to find either a 6.9 or a 7.3 idi, but I'm like you, I don't have the time to find one and if I did, I don't have the money either lol. If I do decide to build it, which I pretty much already have, I will definitely start a build thread. Be warned however, it will be a while before I begin this project because I need to finish my other truck first and also get my 4 wheel drive closer to paid off.

 

Yup, it appears I guessed correctly, I can get the mounts to make this almost completely bolt in.

Here's the motor mounts:
https://autofab.com/i-9458923-65-79-...or-mounts.html

Here's the transmission mount:
https://autofab.com/i-22828688-65-79...ion-mount.html