Hi all, I just picked up this F600. I plan to fix it up and use it a bit.
I think it has the Widow maker wheels. It looks like it has 3 WM wheels and 3 standard lock ring wheels.
The front driver looks like lock ring not all the way down in the groove, all hold air but are trash.
I plan to convert it to 4x4 with a GMC 2.5 ton eaton front axle.
It is a former railroad truck with a Knuckle boom crane, dump bed, and big PTO winch on the bed.
2 pto units.
It took me about 10 rowdy tries to get it up onto the trailer.
The engine runs but the carb pukes gas out the top, and the throttle sticks. "Rebuilt"
New fuel pump also.
The brakes are soft.
The starter grinds a bit , "New"
Incorrect radiator.
The trans stick doesnt seem right it has some major bends and hits the dash in what I assume is 1st all the way left and forward and Reverse all the way right and forward.

The vin is F61dkf93566
Warranty plate
174 WB U F612 4 81 0 54c
23000 164 3800 515015

If I could get vin Decoded and figure out the trans model and where to find Carb parts that would be great.

Thanks ! -A

 

F61 = F600 gas, 4x2

D = 330 2V HD FT gas V8

K = Kansas City Assembly Plant

F93566 = 1969 numerical series. I can't confirm production month as there is an inconsistency in the records. See the notes below from Fordification site. Early 1969 production would be a fair guess.

174 = 174 inch wheelbase

U = Medium Green

F612 = F600 gas, 4x2, 23,000 lbs GVWR "2 wheel drive-state of PA" (the notes about PA are common in this ERA--possibly some state regulation on brakes etc, that eventually fell under the Federal Motor Vehicle standards. WAG alert!)

481
4 = Black woven thong /corintian vinyl
81 = Standard cab

O = New Process model 541 five speed direct transmission (possibly model 541 FL)

54C
54 = Rockwell model H170 single speed rear axle, 17,500 lbs capacity, 6.83 ratio (just as pictured in your photos)
C = Ford-Rockwell (Timken) front axle, 6,000 lbs capacity

23000 = 23,000 lbs GVWR

164 3800 = 164 certified net HP @ 3800 RPm

515015
51 = Denver District Sales Office
5015 = Sequential special order number. All the usual suspects are there, maybe it was just the combination that someone wanted and could not find in dealer inventory.

The carb showing is a Ford/Autolite/Motorcraft 2100, 1.14" venturi size if I am reading that right in the little clock shaped raised area on the bowl. This carb was served on billions of Ford car and pickup trucks with standard V8s. It was not, afaik, served on medium trucks, especially those with the HD engine like yours. (maybe on the MD versions....) Again, afaik based on all previous info here, this truck should have come with a Holley 2300 series 2BBL, sitting on top of a governor assembly and maybe even a PCV spacer.

What is the carb sitting on? Directly on the manifold? I would think you'd have a heck of a time getting it to seal.

The fuel fitting says "Fire!" as well.

So a few things to sort out--normal for any vehicle this age.

Converting to 4WD? The transfer case and driveline changes will be child's play. Look long and hard at how the steering works on it as it sits vs. whatever the steering is on any donor you find.

Notes regarding 1969 production numbers:
https://www.fordification.com/tech/VIN69.htm

 

Thank you for all the info!

 

Early '50s GMC 6x6 axles had a drop out carrier and a 6.17 ratio. Probably close enough in the mud, and you could fiddle with tire size a little to even it out.

As found in these:

https://www.militarytrader.com/milit...light-gmc-m135

Brake parts are available via NAPA and others--EXCEPT DRUMS. No new drums are available unless you have extreme searching powers and luck.

 

Good info , thank you!

Are my drums worth money if I don’t use them?

I may try and make disc brakes work on it. I did an upgrade on my 78-79 Ford Dana 60 axle.

As for gear ratios I think I found a center diff for the rear axle that is 6.14 so it would be close enough.
I want to run all the same size tires like 9.00 -20 or similar. I might even look at 19.5 rims because one company came out with a 305 size tire for the 19.5s.

How do I positively ID the engine in my truck?

 

Postive ID would come via a fancy CID checker:

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speed...-Tool,703.html

Or pull a cylinder head and measure the bore and stroke.

Your 330 should look like so:

https://www.heavytruckparts.net/item...65930/1/267361

You should have 10 bolts in the exhaust manifolds--2 at each cylinder and 2 in the center as shown in the pics. On the intake manifold, you should have a small runner on each side of the carb base. These runners and the two bolts indicate the center exhaust crossover found in the FT engines. (FE engines have them offset with no exhaust manifold bolts)

Here's a 361. Note the major differences:

https://www.heavytruckparts.net/item...960/2/24919210

You can note those differences if you have x-ray vision. Pistons, bore, rings are different.

In the 2bbl flavor, it is almost impossible to tell a 330 from a 361. In 4bbl flavor, almost impossible to tell a 361 from a 391.

You can't do the wire down the plug hole trick as the stroke is the same for the 330 and 361 at 3.5".

 

Thank you!
I need and air cleaner and radiator shroud.

I don’t know about you but that blue paint job makes me blue. Blech.

 

Due to distributors visuals it looks more to me like a 361-391. But who knows I’ll clean it up one day and find out. The water neck on the intake doesn’t looks like either engine.

the carb is sitting on a thick phenolic looking spacer that lines up nicely with the intake manifold and looking down the bores looks to line up properly.

 

With the 2bbl, not a 391 unless swapped in under the 2bbl manifold. Not likely.

The differences you see are probably because the engines I pictured are from different model years.

As OEM, I'm pretty sure your carb should have been sitting on a governor. If it's not there, just keep the revs below 3800 or so. You can put in electronic ignition from Pertronix that can give your a 4000 RPM rev limiter. Better than nothing.....

As to air cleaners, anything you can find from a similar truck will work. 2bbl or 4bbl, the carb neck is the same size.

For the fan shroud, I doubt a pickup item would fit, but I'd bet the truck item is salvage yard only.

 

Great, thanks for all the info!
I was browsing the completed auctions on purple wave for pictures of carbs and what not.

Could the distributor be swapped between a 330 and 361?

 

Yes, as long as the 330 is an HD. The distributors are the same in any particular model year.

 

Well I got the carb to stop leak gas. I used an eBay carb and a rebuild kit.
I need to figure out what vacuum lines to hook up where.
Filled the hydraulic system and tested out the crane and dump bed.
I took it for a spin in my field. It a herky old truck for sure.

 

What would it take to swap in a 1990 460 engine? I have one in a truck that runs.
new bell housing and clutch setup?

 

More than that. There are some discussions on it. I will find those and post a link later today.

 

The 460 mounts differently than the FT series, so you either have to make up mounts or adapt the front cover and bell from a 370/429 medium truck engine.

You would probably be money ahead to find a 391 to swap in there.

Once you get it going, you might find that the 330 is all you need, and the low power is matched to the steering and brakes.

This is about going from a 370 to a 460. Same engine series, just going from the medium truck 370 to the light truck 460. Your swap will be slightly more complicated:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ny-issues.html