I've been toying with this idea for a while. Take an old ('60s-'70s) 5+ton truck (such as a grain truck or single axle log truck), put Rockwell axles under it, drop a carbed 460 or a 7.3 turbo diesel in it with a stout 5-6speed trans and maybe a splitter-box and a stout transfer case in it, and put the big tires off a HUMVEE or a Bradley on it (they're cheap used with like 80-90% tread), fab up a pick-up bed for it, and make a giant mudder with it.

Sorry for the long post. What y'all think about this? What year truck should I look at?

 

Its a great idea but I'd go with a lighter base vehicle. It'll save you money in the long run since you're gonna have to buy an engine, trans and axles anyways. I'd take a 4x4 77.5 to 79 Bronco/F150/F250 with a NP435 and start with that. These had strong frames and the very strong gear driven NP205 trans case. Since they didn't make 4x4s with a 460 you might could find one without a motor that's in good shape. You can find Broncos and/or F150/F250s that had 351m or 400 and the manual trans will bolt up to the 460. Also, the bell housings are interchangeable so you could really use a truck with any original engine. I lucked out and found a truck that had already been swapped. I'm building a '79 F250 with a 460 and C6 automatic on Rockwells and 53" Michelin XZL's and I'll have a little under $5000 in it. It took me two years to gather parts but the patience paid off because I didn't get in a hurry and make impulse buys.

Rockwells have 6.72 gears so most people don't run a tire any smaller than a 44" and I think the largest tire on a Hummer is a 37. I might would consider the 46" Michelin XL, XML or a larger sized XZL. I paid $400 for all four of my brand new 53's. You'll also want to run full hydraulic steering if your going to be anywhere near rocks or trails, otherwise you could get by with hyrdo assist.

Here's the link to my build thread
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...ld-thread.html

 

Pssst, the wheels off a Bradley are going to be a serious problem for your idea:

File:1BFV01.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Alright, thanks. Your truck should turn out awesome. I saw a build on Trucks! on Spike where they made a deuce-and-a-half pickup. I don't remember what size the tires were. They were big, aggressive, and cheap. I want to build a truck where I could haul a SWB F-150 in the bed just for shock value.

 

I feel retarded. I forget what they came off. Must've been one of the convoy trucks, unless they have a tired troop-transport.

 

I see where you're going with that. That was a bobbed duece build on Extreme 4x4 and Ian ran 46" Michelin XL's.
Xtreme 4x4 - Episodes | PowerblockTV

I've always liked this truck a lot, it may be something worth looking for. I read in the magazine issue that it has a 300 inline 6. Those are front loading F106 rockwells and michelin XL's
May 2009 4X4 Trucks 1969 Ford F600 Truck Photo 5

This would be a good place to post your question too.
Large Truck - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

This is a guy that's active in that forum that has build a centurion bronco F800 on rockwells and 46" XLs.
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - 78_f800crewcab4x4's Album: 1978 f800 project '1'

 

Thanks. I wanna do something like that '69 model. I'm sure it'd be alotta work, but I'm about half dreaming. I swear I'll make this eventually, but it's gonna be a good while. Just gathering ideas.

 

I meant to go on, as I often do, and suggest that you were probably thinking of one of these, or one of the several wheeled APC's, European and Soviet/Russian, with the extra large rubber:

- Armored Vehicle=

I ran out of time earlier. I was also looking for a link to a shortcut for you to have a giant mudder. No need to homebuild, 19 liter V12 enough for you? And the blade, perfect for doing mass graves....

YouTube - Tatra 813 Kolos for sale

Why be saddled with just 4x4 or 6x6 or even 8x8?

YouTube - Tatra 10x10 in siberia

Buy American--$8500, think you can homebuild for less?

Schott Enterprises - M813 / 800 Series / 5-Ton Military Diesel Cargo Vehicles for Sale

You probably have more serious mudding than this in mind:

YouTube - Trucktrial part 5

If you google "truck trial" you'll find a bunch of those vids from E Europe & Russia with surplus Soviet stuff. Someone posted a bunch of those here a while back, but I didn't go looking for them, as I can't recall how long ago.

Anyway, good luck with your project.

 

I don't even wanna think about having to work on ona those... Much less find parts for it.

 

Yeah, I'm gonna stick with American. This is just me thinking out-loud for a project that will be atleast 5yrs down the road. I'm not worried about it being hard. I want a challenge and the truck I envision will be cool.

 

There was a guy in my 4x4 club about 15 years ago. He had a late 60s Ford F-600 I believe it was. It was 4 wheel drive, but I don't know what axles were under it. It had a bored out 460 with duel carbs. It had an automatic tranny with a 4 speed bolted to it then a divorced transfer case. The tires were like 60 inch Chevron tractor tires.
If you ever made it to the 4x4 Jamboree in Springfield Mo around that time, you would have seen it there.

 

That's kinda what I was thinkin of. Any idea how he bolted a manual to an auto? Seein as I'd've been 2 back then, I never made it.

 

All I can remember about that was that it was a homemade adapter. I don't know how it was mechanicaly connected, perhaps a sleave of somekind connecting the two shafts together.