Finally... After a year of owning it we finally got that '83 F-150 in the shop to strip for the drive train. My wife is almost friendly again since she doesn't have to see it in the back yard.

My son has come up from Atlanta to spend a week helping me strip donors. The more we stripped of this old rust bucket the more we marveled at how this thing was so heavy duty for a half ton. It must have been a heavy duty version. With the exception of the five lug wheels the thing looks as heavy built as any 3/4 ton. I plan on using the 351-W with the manual 4sp. tranny and transfer case, I have no idea what tranny or transfer case it is but it all looks like the stuff you would find in a one ton. It's all iron and cast steel, no aluminum. I can tell it's all factory stuff just by how things look and the fact that it has never been taken apart. It's too bad the rust bugs got this one because it is a beast for a half ton.

After getting what I want out of it there won't be much to sell or trade. Most of it is going to the scrap yard. It seems like a waste to junk the front and rear diffs and axels but I don't know where I'd keep it all. the frame isn't bad either but the rear spring hangers are rusted pretty bad.

We put the rusty bed on a trailer and we are loading stuff into it as we go. The cab section is probably salvageable and could be saved. One thing that amazed me was the radiator support. It is very good shape and I expected it to be bad after seeing the rest of the rust.

Later Folks...

 

I've got a 89 F150 sitting in the yard to be use for the same reason. Plan to use the motor and 5 speed trans in the 56. I move it from place to place in the yard from time to time still runs good but the clutch slave cylinder has started leaking since its been setting up. I have to put fluid in it every time I move it. Plan to use everything I can off it when the time comes. The chassis and body are rust free.Hoping to maybe use the steering column.

 

Hmmm... I wonder if the '89 vintage slave cylinder can be adapted to the '83 bell housing as I will need a hydraulic clutch set up.

Later Man...

 

1983 was the first year (since 1957/60) for the hydraulic clutch set up, but was only used with the 460 or 6.9L diesel.

Beginning in 1984, these engines also have it: 300 I-6 / 302 / 351W.

I can guess what your next question will be.

Sorry...the bellhousing used in 1983 (E3TZ7505D) with a 351W is different than the one used with the 351W from 1984 thru 1993: E4TZ7505C.

E4TZ7505C .. Bellhousing / Marked: E4TA-7500-EA or E4TA-7505-DA.

 

It turned out to be a New Process. It just was a whole lot tighter than I am used to. Mission accomplished, shift lever removed... What really coaught my attention is the size of this tranny. I had a two ton dump truck with a New Prosecc that was not any bigger than this one. What a bear...

Later Man...