This project came about completely unintentionally. I bought the truck a couple weeks ago with the sole intention of completely gutting it for some other projects. Most of the cab was going to be sacrificed to fix my 79 Bronco and then the drive train & chassis was going to have the wife's 59 F100 body swapped onto it (still gonna happen, just later). And then the brain started coming up with expensive ideas.

I'm going to fix the F350 up, do the sheet metal, body work & any mechanical problems. Get it driving & road worthy, since I need a truck now. Over the summer I'll be doing the body on the wife's F100 and then the body swap.

Then the F350 will be body swapped onto a Super Duty frame. I want a diesel & some creature comforts. I've not settled on a year for that donor as yet, probably the newest I can afford.

Not my rig in the background.


The carb is sticky, but this is one of the best running 400 ive seen in a long time.



I'm not particularly sure what this out of or gearing. Coooould bo a 70 or 60. Front is a D44



Has a factory F code transmission. So T18 & it does have the right shift pattern for a 79 T18, but I've not opened up the floor to check the cover yet. Did come with the bonus PTO drive. No idea what I'm going to do with that yet.



Got new floor pans and cab mounts ordered from Tabco. Tires & wheels are ordered as well. Cause ya know, 3 blow outs & a flat work great!
37" Goodyear Wrangler MTR hmmwv 95% tread take-offs. New 16.5" x 9.75" steel wheels, 8 - 6.5" bolt, 5.15" center hole. 4.75" backspacing. I didn't want to mess with re-entering hmmwv wheels & so dang heavy.
Stock photos.

Depending on how they fit, a 4" lift may come in short order. I'll get new springs all the way around if I do & no blocks.

The engine isn't getting anything crazy right now. The Bronco has a 351m that im robbing the shiny stuff from.


So much more to come.

 

Nice project, yea those 37" mil take offs are probably NOT going to fit a stock 4wd F250/F350. Unless you cut the fenders or take the fenders off. A 4" lift will let you run 35's and maybe 36"s. But really for the best clearance for 36", 37"s or 38.5's a 6" will be needed. And if you get a Skyjacker 6" with new rear leaf's, you will still need to reuse the OEM rear block. I am taking the 38.5's off and putting Mil take off 37's on.

But you can get enough spring lift from Atlas and NOT use the rear block. They have a delete the rear block option $$.
https://www.atlassuspension.com/1973...e-Rear-Springs

The day it came home.

6" and 35x14.50x16.5's.

Getting a little better, and a mix brand of 35's.

Back in the day 1st gen mil take offs bias ply 36x12.50x16.5

Getting there with it and it has 38.5x14.50x16.5's, but too close to the front fender front tip for me. So down to 37's here soon.

 

I figuresfigured that I wouldn't get away without a lift kit & budgeted in roughly $2500 for one in the initial budget, so atlas ain't a happening for me. Was thinking a 4" skyjacker & opening up the fenders with some flares. Not opposedto a 6" lift. Still need to pick up some other goodies as well, such as a locker. I'm a fan of Yukon grizzly lockers personally, but that may not be in the budget without selling a rifle or two. Headers & exhaust (thankfully I am a good welder). Possibly new gear sets, but I reeeeeeeeeally hope not.

But hey, the clutch feels good. Winning!!!!

 

https://www.rockymountainsusp.com/li...0/1966-79.html

https://www.rockymountainsusp.com/li...html?c=279&i=0

A real long time ago off Craigslist, I got that brand new Skyjacker 6" (lift system-included new rear leaf springs, lift kit only has new front leaf's). Also had new shocks, drop pitman arm, duel steering stabilizers, dual shock kit. Adjustable drag link SDL250. And even stainless steel brake lines.1000 bucks. Heck ya!

Skyjacker also has the longer steel braided brake lines. No drive shaft lengthening was needed for mine.

 

Wheels showed up & I'm torn whether or not to paint them black. They chonky though.



Talked to the feller at Tabco today since I hadn't heard about my order. They were waiting for material to show up to make them & the feller was super nice. So hopefully those will be here next week.

 

I vote for getting some chrome center caps and new lug nuts and rock'm white. I also vote for you getting a proper jack for your own safety.

This one. https://www.harborfreight.com/automo...ack-59136.html

I know that is a BUNCH of money for a jack, but they are awesome. Roll one handed outside in the gravel, mud, sand. Ok so sometimes you have to pull them in the mud and sand, but they pull easy. They have a great extension idea (awesome for lifted trucks and no more block of wood sketchiness) and a great way to lock the extension in place when not using it.

And cheaper than Pro Eagle. https://www.proeagle.com/collections...el-jack-kratos

And cheaper than the Cat version https://www.northerntool.com/product...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Never fear, a new jack is on the buy list & that tiny pos is doing nothing but pushing the axle up a bit. It ain't got the ***** to lift the truck. Trucks actually hooked to the engine lift to achieve lift off.

I miss my old floor jack, but it managed to get left when we moved last October. Someone in Springfield ended up with my floor jack, trans jack, engine stand, second engine lift & a crap ton of tools. I was at work & the wife didn't double check the garage for the last load out. Was very frustrating.

 

Holy COW I just realized you are in south central Missouri. Howdy maybe neighbor, I am a hour north of Springfield. Check your visitor messages and private messages. Stop on by the FTE Missouri chapter and join up.

Harbor Freight in Spg has them, but the north side store is usually out of stock, so you have to hit the south side one.

Where did you get your MTR's from?

 

Two steps forward, one step back. But that still leaves a step forward.

Since I'm still waiting on rubber to make an appearance (from Trail Worthy fab). I snagged a couple of el cheapo take offs to make it up & down the dirt road for assessment. Man this thing is a hot mess. First off, the engine runs great, probably one of the best 400's I've ever owned. The carb is still junk, but the wife found a Chineseium turd that I thought was lost.
The T-18 works as it should, at for reverse though 3rd. I was to chicken for more. I've got some rear-end issues & wanted to make it home. Went maybe a 1/2 mile up our dirt road.

I knew it has a Dana 70 in the rear, but not exactly which model since the cast number was proving elusive. But got it.

Not the best but not the worst & i aint gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. Has 35 spline axles as well with 3.54 gears.

And for the bad. It needs a rebuild. The amount play / slop is amazing. I like to set my backlash at about .005" - .010" when doing gears, but this thing is about half an inch & can be physically moved in the housing. I've no real idea what this came out of, but my gut says bullnose 250 or 350 over a van. Mostly because the spring perches haven't been fiddled with or moved. I'm working on narrowing it down still. But fortunately the gears match the Dana 44 up front. If money permits (should read as, if the rifle sells), I'll go ahead & throw in a locker now. Either a lunchbox locker or Yukon grizzly.

I'm also wondering why I bought new floor pans instead of my usual clapped out custom made junk. Only the finest here fellers.

Just look at the one of a kind bespoke fit & finish. Why, you can't hardly pay for this level of craftsmanship. Y'alls should be jealous. Don't mind the hole, it's for drainage & a/c.


Also found where all the tail light wiring has been cut. Right next to the ripped off upper shock mount. But knowing where it's broken is half the battle.

 

So you have the tools to set up gears huh?

 

Got a few dial indicators & magnetic bases. Plus a whole lot of patience & some know how. Will have to make a trip to Harbor Freight for a new shop press as the old one got left during the move, but it was beat to death anyways. Maybe a third set of jack stands while I'm at it & yes, I've a new jack in the mail.

What has me worried about this axle is that someone has been in it before and it's questionable if they knew their butt from a hole in the ground. Little things, like the bearing caps have been off & are not marked in any way. The massive amount of RTV instead of a gasket. Maybe I'm just nit picky.

I also rebuild transmissions, manual not automatic. My 83 Cj5 came to me in pretty sad shape drive train wise.

T-176 four speed. Yeah that's not a straight 90w gear oil. Was probably more mud than oil. Wife got mad at me for rebuilding it in the kitchen, but it was cold outside.


AMC 20 from the same jeep. This is also an example to check your differential vents & lines. This is 100% avoidable. I didn't re-gear this one, just a clean up & new bearings. Got away with using the same thicknesses of shim stacks. Was my first exposure to a lunchbox locker as well.
Peanut butter mixed with mustard & stunk so bad. So bad.


I miss the good old days of Craigslist. Found this Dana 44 for $20. Was just an empty housing & I added all the fiddly bits. 4.88 gears, bearings, axles, and a grizzly locker.

 

I know that feeling of dread when you pop a diff cover or 3rd member and you get a milkshake, instead of the normal whiff of 80/90.

The reason I asked about tools and backlash/diff det up know how is....Yesterday I discovered a front axle issue on the (Bronco crawler #2) and I am going to have to pull the carrier for sure. And come back together time is not my wheel house. Interested in lending some knowledge some time?

 

Rich what do you need to do to the front on Bronco Crawler #2?

 

I REALLY just need to remove the complete axle (low pinion 76) and swap in the built up (locker/chromoly axles) 1979 one.

 

Yeah, happy to help, I've got a truly crap work schedule though. I drive a semi to pay the bills and am home generally only Friday afternoon to Sunday morning. I can generally do a gear set in a day if its not super uncooperative.

On a plus note, my blasted tire showed up finally. On a minus note, the shops be a bit of a d-baggy & won't mount them for a week. Which brought up another plus note, that made the Minister of Sex & Finance mad & she told me to pick out a new air compressor. To get a big one she said. At this rate, I'll be making the old army trailer into a service trailer. Generator, welder, compressor, tire tools & associated fiddly bits. Having a trail worthy service trailer would be super handy. Could be a good little business too. There's a lot of people who run Gladetop down here & break stuff.