74 or 76 hi boy?
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 216
Likes: 1
74 or 76 hi boy?
i'm looking at rebuilding a hi boy cause i'm sick of my half ton. i have the option to buy a 74 f250 with (i assume drum brakes front) closed knuckle front axle, np 203 transfer case, and good 390 motor
or
76 f250 with open knuckle front axle, 360, np 205 transfer case.
my problem is that the first one is in better shape and will cost more, but the second one has open knuckle front end . from all the threads i've read on here about closed knuckle axles, i get the idea that they are not very desireable? is that true? the drum brakes, closed knuckle axle, and ram assist steering (all things that could be changed). am i too worried about the closed knuckle front end? or is it really as much maintenance and work as i've read about?
or
76 f250 with open knuckle front axle, 360, np 205 transfer case.
my problem is that the first one is in better shape and will cost more, but the second one has open knuckle front end . from all the threads i've read on here about closed knuckle axles, i get the idea that they are not very desireable? is that true? the drum brakes, closed knuckle axle, and ram assist steering (all things that could be changed). am i too worried about the closed knuckle front end? or is it really as much maintenance and work as i've read about?
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,110
Likes: 32
From: southwest pa
i would buy the cleaner of the two truck because body work can get really expensive if you dont know what your doing. what size tires are you planning on running?i ould buy the 74, and swap to a dana 60 front. also, the 203 tcase is the rarer one, since most came with the 205, and the 74 will proe wrong the assumption that all highboys have a divorce mount t-case. i would go with the 74 just because it would be a fairly rare truck and you can swap in a 60
