Hi everyone, just got off the phone with ATS. That's the fun part, I'll tell the story up to it first..

About 9 months ago I purchased an 83' F250 4x4 Diesel. It was in sad shape, everything that could be wrong was wrong....except that it started and ran like a champ.

I originally bought it just for the IDI and I was going to swap it into my 78' CC.

I drove it home about 40 miles and the brakes let go after about mile 39 so I just limped it back. It ran great down the highway and had plenty of power, I was impressed for $600.



So I parked the truck next to the garage and really didn't do much with it. One day in the winter I got snowed in and my Bronco wouldn't start so I went out to the diesel and it fired right up...again, I was impressed and it got me to work (with 3 working brakes).

After driving it here and there in the winter I ended up putting new shocks on the back because they were missing. I also put all new drum/disk brakes and pads. New master and brake booster. This truck was starting to be fun to drive!! Other than the obnoxious smell in the cab from the rusted out exhaust that was pooring out right under the cab. So I fixed that too and installed a couple of 3" stacks my buddy had. Looked pretty cool and rapped really good under load.

I started to wonder, what am I going to do with this truck?? Initial plans were to tear it apart and basically throw it away. It still looked like crap and I was embarrassed to drive it around....so again it sat for the rest of winter. But it was starting to grow on me...and the clutch was starting to slip and chatter..

Then I took a new assignment with work and had to move across state to the Milwaukee area. I had to move in a weekend and I needed a way to get my project 78' Crew Cab across state. So I bought a trailer, loaded up the Crew Cab (F350 4x4) and drove across state and it pulled awesome. It was slow on hills but had no problem getting to 65 and got decent mpg. Again, I was impressed. This old Diesel didn't want to quit. Even with a clutch that was giving up the ghost it made the trip...couldn't believe it.

So I moved to a nicer area this time and the IDI had to sit outside (couldn't take up precious garage space) and it def. got comments from my new neighbors, "is that your truck", "when is that going to the junkyard", "does it even run", "is it safe". You get the idea. So again I started thinking of getting the motor out of it and junking it.....

Until.... I found a rust free, dent free F150 on Craigs List locally for $600 with a fuel injected 302 swap gone wrong. I got in the diesel, hooked up the trailer and picked it up. I got the F150 home and upon inspection found it to be in much better shape than I had ever hoped. The body was the only thing I would need anyway (if any of you want a 2wd F150 frame with the 302 and auto tranny let me know). Sorry didn't take many pics of the donor but here is the cab in the garage:

and a pic of the 2wd with the body off still on the trailer:


I am now in the process of doing a complete body swap on the old diesel and fixing everything that I find wrong with it along the way. Cut off the huge rear bumper...the mounts to the frame were paper thin and I am sooooo lucky that it held up towing. I installed the Donor trucks back bumper and a class 3 hitch I had laying around. It should be a much safer and reliable towing machine now.



I have gotten pretty far, both bodies are completely off the trucks and I am working on switching all of the wiring from the diesel cab to the gasser cab.






So, after reading a lot about the IDI's and how much the turbo kits wake them up, I decided to jump in and called up ATS today and ordered their new Aurora turbo kit and downpipe. I probably won't have it until the end of the week but I will post pics of it as soon as it arrives. I am going to leave the cab off the diesel until I get it all hooked up to make it easier. Here is the link to the kit: http://www.atsdiesel.com/ats_new/pro...p?p=3056202920

If you guys want me to continue to post let me know and I'll keep you all updated.

 

Keep 'em coming!!! just try to get the pics smaller....doing all the scrolling on my laptop kinda sucks...lol

 

The '83 needed more mirrors and antennas! LOL
I noticed it has a semi-floater rearend, that's the first one I've actually seen in an IDI.
I know there were some, just never seen one before.

That '78 CrewCab F-350 would be a pretty rare bird around here. There are a lot more 3/4 tons.
Does it have an NP 203 in it? I've never seen a Dana 60 form 60s, 70s or 80s that didn't have hubs. Is it a Dana 44?
Just curious.

You ought to have a pretty solid truck when you're done!

 

Nice..You will love the turbo!!
Do a rebuild like Dave S.'s truck...

 

YES!!! please keep the updates coming!!!

Like the big photos too.

These old diesels can really grow on you.....sounds like this little critter followed you home so to speak. Its certainly a loyal engine.

Farmboy: you can zoom in or out on the web page by holding down ctrl + or ctrl - to get the whole picture in view.

 

I thought the semi float was pretty strange too. I have a few Dana 60 full floating axles laying around that I might end up putting in it. From what I can tell though it is a semi float D60 rear.

The Crewcab def. has the 205 in it. I'm wondering if at some point sombody took out the D60 front and replaced it with the D44 8 lug...doesn't matter really, I have a D60 front out of a 79' F350 that will be going in it. That truck will be getting either a 4BT or 6BT cannot decide which one.

Hahaha, yes the 83 certainly did have a few antennas didn't it. The funny part is none of them are hooked up to anything, no cb or radio in it at all.

I'll see if I can't snap a few pics of the new body before I go to work.

 

I got a chance to run out to the shop and take a few more photos of the donor body that's going on the IDI truck






The bed is nice but it is clearly off a newer truck, does anyone make good fendder flares that look the same for both periods of Ford trucks 80-86 and 87+?





Here are a few pictures I snapped of the semi-float D60 in the IDI



I was thinking of putting these rims on the IDI...not the tires though. A concern I have though is I noticed on the rear drivers side all the lugnuts are reverse thread??....I've never seen that a truck like that. I was thinking it might be hard to find the lugs that go through those mags with reverse threads....any insight?



I also got the tranny/xfercase off so that I could pull the old slipping clutch and go through all of it.


Does anyone have the aluminum spacer that joins the tranny and xfer case? Mine has a crack on one of the ears where it mounts to the xmember. It any of you have it let me know, I can't put this one back together with a crack.


Anyways, I need to go work, enjoy the pics.

 

Wow. Nice way to spend $600. Just surface rust in the cab....Making me jealous! lol

 

That '78 is going to be REALLY COOL!
I'd go with the 4BT as it would be easier to get the shorter length in there and it'll get 5 mpg better mileage. The problem is people want twice as much for the 4s as the 6s.
It all depends on what you want to do with the truck. Seems to me it would make a good "woods roamer"/commuter with the 4-banger.
Build the IDI for work/towing with a turbo and make the '78 your toy.
I could probably think of as many reasons to (literally) stuff the 6 in there too and make it a GREAT all-around truck, so just tell me which way to push you. LOL!
Ithink if you got Bushwacker flares for your frankenstein (don't mean that derogatory) the difference in body lines would be hard to spot.
I'm glad you didn't take my remark about the antennas and mirrors wrong, I've bought so many beaters with worthless crap all over them I wouldn't make fun of someone else. I always say they look like somebody drove them down thw $h#+ isle with the CRAP magnet on!
I have never had a rig with reverse thread lug nuts besides my '52 ******/Overland P/U. I'll bet your right about finding LH lug nuts to fit those wheels, good luck!
I'll bet you a million bucks somebody swapped the Selective hub Dana 60 out of you truck at somepoint for their Dana 44 out of a truck with a NP 203. Sounds like something I would do.
It must be nice to have some "extra" Ford front Dana 60s around. I have 5 but two are in Dodges and three in Fords, no EXTRAS. LOL

 

When I had tires put on my 84 F250 the rear drivers side had lefthand lugs. I know a long time ago trucks used to have left hand on one side and right hand on the other side. The tire shop put a big air wrench on mine, put it full blast turning to the left, and broke all eight off before they figured out what was happening. They replaced them with right hand lugs.

 

If it was my crew cab, I would put a 453 Detroit diesel and Allison Automatic. You can do just about any enigne/tranny with a divorced transfer case. I have an 85 Chevy with a 353, not much for pulling (98 HP) but it gets pretty good mileage. A 453 Turbo could be made to have 200 Horsepower, and turn around 3000 rpm. A torque monster though.

 

I know a guy locally that buys the frito lays trucks and takes the cummins motors out of them. I believe he wants like $1800 for a used 4bt and $2400 for a 6bt. He has too many for his own good but he won't come down on them. I wish I knew where he is getting his trucks from....but he won't tell.

That crewcab I have will eventually be the primary tow rig in my fleet...that's always how I wanted it anyways. I will probably do the 6bt, the extra torque and hp will be used if it's a tow rig. The IDI that I am rebuilding is a quick project that will serve as a tow rig and every other "truck" duty until my CC restoration is down perfectly.

No problem on the antennas...it was a mess when I got it...they always seem to be. I wonder a lot about other owners and what they are thinking sometimes.

Next problem to solve is trying to find a local place that can turn down my old flywheel. I live in Racine, WI and just can't seem to find anyone that can do it. Still waiting on parts also, clutch and turbo on order.

 

I could see that happening, I almost ruined my wheel by turning one of the lugs to the left....even put a breaker bar on it and a 3 ft extension...and then stood on it...finally I got down there and looked closer and sure as ***** left hand threads. I think it's only on the rear axle too....seems dumb to me. Why Ford did that I will never know.

 

Man, I like that OLD CREW CAB TRUCK. That thing is BAAAAD. I hope you post pics when your done with that project as well, cause thats something I would like to see. Well, Good luck on the IDI project. Keep us posted on the pictures. Later.

 

My '77 Dodge 3/4 ton had a Dana 70 with left hand threads on one side. Just like teh big rigs with 10 stud budd wheels.