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As a side note, chevy enthusiasts are now appropriating the term "OBS" as mentioned in the current Hot Rod issue in an article on GM's 88-98 "GMT400" trucks as being "the next big thing" in the performance parts industry.
Wow. Can't get stock parts for ours, can't get decent aftermarket parts, can't get decent, affordable performance stuff.
The vortec is a good platform to build on, just have to get a better intake design with proper injector placement. The whole fuel distribution assembly inside the manifold is a power dealbreaker. Guys do the marine intake swap and make ok power over the truck intake, but a long runner tpi design would make killer torque paired with the vortec heads.
Found a stock wheel power chart for a 96 5.7 and it is broad and flat across the tq range peak 280ish it looks like and hp peak of 200-205ish stock.
Googled 95 351 dyno and found a stock dyno and looks like 260ishtq and 155ish hp. So power wise chevy has the best starting point. But drivetrain wise ford has the better suspension and 4x4 options.
I've got no real issue with the GM engineering & output per se. It's just that the the post sale industry & media just seem to fall all over themselves feeding each other.
You see the number of OBS out in the real world & judging by the views & posts here in forum #28 the article is a real trend.
Just wish there was better market support to keep these things viable.
I agree. I love my truck, better ride and interior comfort than the chevy platform.I like my tahoe and silvy but the f150 is my driver 290 days a year. I'd like it to get a few more mpgs but it is what it is.
As for aftermarket support I agree I know stinger is trying their route, but they are about it for plug and play simplicity. The gmt400 "black box" system is able to be converted to the later 0411 computer fairly easy for better tuning. But, if you dont do that, the factory computer is in many ways inferior to the older eec4 that is supported by moates and TwEECer.
I'd like to be able to find quality replacement fenders much cheaper than the last time I looked ( been a while maybe I should check again).
For making a better capable offroad rig the ford is leaps and bounds ahead. Get a solid 44 with arms and brackets, you can have a solid axle in and be driving in 8 hours. A chevy ha good luck I've swapped both platforms and it took every bit of a week to get the chevy on the road.
4yrs ago, didnt see many OBS, see bricks, all the time, now around here, seeing about as many OBS, maybe the cheby stuff will drive, better parts for ours, doubtful, but one can hope. Its astonishing, what swapping in a newer Ford motor/trans, cost.
I think part of the surge in popularity for the Chevrolet pickups is due to the ongoing "LS Craze". Parts are cheap, plentiful, and easy to obtain for even the tightest budget. There has even been a growing crowd of OBS Ford trucks with LS swaps.
There are a ton of parts available for Ford trucks though. The parts that are going obsolete are due to lack of demand for the parts, either because the issue is uncommon, or because there are other ways so solve the issue so nobody is buying the offered "direct replacement" part. I think with outfits out there like Skys, Stinger, PMF, Complete Performance, OBS Solutions, there has never been a better time to have an OBS Ford truck.
Around here you do not see that era GMC or Chevy trucks doing much work. Hauling rubbish, sure. The scrap and pallet guys seem to love them in Milwaukee. But just a few days ago I passed a bricknose f-superduty bucket truck that actually had a guy in the air working. You don't get that with gm or dodge around here very much.
You see aero nose trucks in industrial use to this day. Airports, NASA facilities, think some racetracks have some serving on. Powerplants, refineries, places where maintenance is not minced on.
The municipal junkers that make it to my local pull yard have the snot beat out of them & hacked to hell & gone.
We have a local outside company that does specialty work on some of our CNC machines at work. When the owner shows up to bid a job in the summer he has a beautiful 93 f250 460 5 speed 2wd standard cab long bed. His words " it's only ever been driven from May to September and its kept inside always". I looked it over once and its clean like showroom clean 34,000 original miles. Vinyl floor and seat but I'd take it in a heartbeat.
