Ok, well some of you might recall I used to have a 78 F150 that I "oopsied" while building the engine, and got rid of. Well after that I had a 87 Cougar 302, which I was planning on keeping. Well that car got totalled in front of my work by a bitc.. that had no insurance, and I only had Liability. Then I got my current trucklette, a 93 Ranger 4x4. Well, now that accident from the cougar, even though it was not my fault, got posted to my driving record, I find that I can't afford the insurance on the Ranger, and thus, have to get rid of it.

My question is, I want to get another old Ford. I want to be able to build a good mudder (not a crazy one like you see in the magazines, but something that will hold it's own), I want to be able to put a 460 in it easily (meaning it should come with a 351M/400, or even a 460), and I want leaf springs all the way around.
I can't decide if I should go with a 250, which will have the leaves, or pre-78 150. Are the brakes better on the 250's? My 150's always sucked.

This sorta relates to the question before this of what years are exempt in California.

Also, I know this has been hashed through before, but if I got this 77 F250 I found with a NP435 trans ( I don't know what transfer case or if it's divorced or mated, the lady I was asking has no clue) How difficult would it be to put in a C6? I mean as far as driveshafts. I assume both are different lengths (and if it's divorced, the stubby would be too)

Thank for all the help/opinions!
Matt

 

Matt, you need to a '74 or older to be exempt from SMOG checks in CA.

 

If its a married transfer case, the driveshaft should stay the same. the difference is in the tranny. The transfer case doesn't move.
Dave,
79 F-150 4x4, 390 w/C6, Edelbrock carb, 33X12.50 never will be finished.

 

hey i`m not sure if this helps or not but..
I have a `79 ford bronco, it had a 351m/c-6/np205, I yanked the motor and tranny out and put in a 429/np435/np205 their was no stub shaft so all i had to do was move the transfer case forward to make up for the shorter tranny <the transfer case is bolted to the frame vie a little three bolt braket, there is already an extra set of holes drilled for the manual> I had to lengthen my rear driveline and shorten my front, u will have to do the opposite. for some reason the trasnfer case linkage was differnt length for the auto and manual tranny, u will have to get a longer metal plate fer that.

 

when ur finished with the swap keep the tranny i may be interested in it.


1977 F250 460 C6 87000 orig miles


longhorn

 

sorry man, one of the reasons i switched to a manual <other than the fact i prefer them> is that the c-6 was 100% hashed, not sure what went on before i got it but it wasnt worth rebuilding.

 

actually the no smog applies to PRE 74 so you should be looking for a 73 or older.

I'd get the 73 F250 4x4 because you get the newer 73-79 styling and the leaf springs and no smog problems. The pre 73's are nice too but I just like the newer styling better.

 

What engines did they use in 73? I don't want to mess with anything with a FE =-(
Nothing against them, excellent engines, just don't want one really.
Any other drawbacks with a 73? Like front drums still?

Thanks

 

They were still using the FE in '73, as well as the 302 and 240/300. My dad had a '73 that had, in chronological order, a 360, a 390, a 302, and another 302. He went to the 390 because the 360 was worn out but found that it drank more gas with the bigger engine, but the mileage got worse with the 302 because your foot was always in it. If you get a truck this old, you're not going to get a 385 or 335 series in it without some creative engineering. Besides, you can't get a better sounding engine than a dualled off 390 with glasspacks. If you're going to be exempt from the smog laws, you might as well flaunt it, right?