Hello Kentuckians,

I bought the truck pictured below and want to rebuild it for hopefully a 10-year+ truck for me. I drive nearly 2,500 miles each and every month. My goals are longevity, dependability, decent fuel economy and a nice appearance. 4wd is important to me for winter but I am not planning on any aggressive off-roading (occasional camping trip...)

I have located a 4.9L straight six and ZF 5-spd transmission for the project.

I am planning a thorough rebuild including:

Rebuild the engine
Rebuild the transmission
Install both (finding lots of necessary parts of course)
Paint and body work
Interior
Suspension

I know for a fact that the transmission rebuild is beyond me so I'm surely farming that out. The rest of it I am up in the air about. I could farm it out or I could tackle some aspects of it myself, with a suitable location and some help (at a cost, of course!)

So that's what I'm asking here: anyone know of a place in the Louisville area where I could work on this and have someone looking over my shoulder and occasionally lending a hand / advice?

I have plenty of time, I don't care if this takes 3-4 months to get done.

I have some experience with typical shadetree work, but nothing to in-depth. When it comes to something like the engine rebuild I would need a lot of help and advice. But I'm not afraid to jump in and get my hands dirty and learn.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

 

HI JCKnife... one way I learned was with a Chilton's and/or Haynes manual. I agree on farming the transmission work out as I have already screwed a few of those up. lol. You can break the 4.9 apart and then send heads and block out for cleaning and machining, then get it block and you can put it back together and paint it.

Keep us posted.

 

I've got both manuals on the way.

 

Hope the build goes well for you. I was just visiting the 4.9/300 forum a while ago. You might want to go there and see what those folks have to say.

 

I will do more reading up there. Another development I've discovered (with help here) that the transmission is not going to fit. So I'm back to looking for one. (the junkyard guys says he's sure he has one that fits the 4.9 so it must be around there somewhere...)

 

I just scrapped a 88 with a 300/manual trans. No title. put some junk in it from cleaning out my garage and it brought $600 across the scales. Might check GradeA autoparts over on Grade Ln. That's where I took it. Trans was good.

 

Thanks LXMan I will check that out.

I've had some difficulty buying the truck I posted above. The seller so far has been unable to get the title from his nephew (from whom he bought the truck). I have my deposit back but I'm holding out hope that a deal will go through.

 

LXMan, what was wrong with that truck? (Esp in the engine?)

 

hey JC, not to revive a death topic but you still working on your truck? you say you can do pretty much most things but a tranny job, would you care for some help in working on your current project? im lookin to try and get help with some planned projects but I believe in helping others before my self hehe and want to offer my knowledge and hands to help build a truck, plus it would be fun i think!!! lol! can't wait to see more pix

@LX what how much of it coulda gone on a 95 4x4 F150XLT? I know the rear wheels I could have possibly used, at least as a spare set...

 

Jamie actually I'm still waiting on GETTING the truck. The seller is having difficulty getting the title from his nephew. He keeps telling me next week, next week. I am still watching Craigslist for other trucks but haven't found another one that suits me yet so I'm waiting out the family drama. If I get things moving I'll get in touch with you!

 

cool man, I know the feeling, but i guess sometimes you just got to move like the Mafia does and get chit done, thats what i did with my truck, dealer was hemin and hawing like no others business and I just went to the person and said "look if oyu cant get your act together and in order so i can buy this truck in two days I will be gone and Ill find another truck for less money then I can buy it for here" and with in 30 minutes they got there chit in order and i bought the truck...


I hope you can get things movin on your end cus I would definitely be willing to lend you a hand with any thing (with in reason lol)

as for tranny I will not touch one, thats auto farm out work there (too much chit to break and fug up really) and for engine rebuilds, well never did one my self but for the most part it should be straight forward and with the tech manuals and data sheets (i think?) charts that tell you what is what and breaks it down I could do most of it I think, would need a garage to work in and I would work with you hand in hand to do the build but thats iffy but things like body work, repainting and repainting the frame and other mods (installing turn lamps, headlight bulbs, ect I could do no problem with you