Ford Enthusiast

[jonmark1985]

Okay, First thing first. I have never been big on 4 wheel drives, but lately I've been thinking about how handy a 3/4 ton truck would be. Our family has had a 1982 F250 for about 10 years now. Originally the truck had a 351w when my dad bought it, but the motor was blown. He changed out the motor for the 300 six cylinder and drove it for about 3 years after that. The truck had a moderate suspension lift and a very smoothly running drivetrain. My dad evantually parked the truck and wound up trading it out for $600 labor owed to a fellow employee. Seven years later and the man hasn't picked up the truck. I figured I'd check with the guy that sort of owns the truck (I'm sure he'd be fine with it) and I'm gonna claim it as mine and start working on it.

The body has fallen into great dillapidation will need to be recabbed. Basically I want to change the whole body. While I'm in there I'm gonna redo the brakes completely and do the suspension up with new parts. I don't intend this to be a collasal money pit, skyjacker and energy suspension will not be on the parts list, but rather moog and raybestos will.

So I'm asking for some insight and direction. Heres the first question.

Should I put a newer body on this frame? I was thinking even up to a 95 body would be cool, very modern but still retro underneath. Up to 95 I imagnine the work will be minimal. I have a cousin that does body work and I plan to pull the cab entirely apart, rewire and clean every part I can. I may even put new carpet, bucket seats and dynamat in the cab.

I love the 300 six, its a great motor, lasts forever and tourqe out the wazzoo, I was thinking an offy intake with a 390 cfm 4160, a flowtech header, melling tourqe cam, and re-ring would be awesome but...

I was also considering building a very mild (almost factory) 302", with cast pistons, chrome rings, factory HO roller cam, ported E7TE-PA heads, 87 mustang exhaust manifolds, factory four barrell manifold, and a 600 cfm 4160.

Or even putting a 351w back in the truck. I have two options for this, we have a 95 roller cam motor or an wore 85 351 4V motor. The roller cam motor is really set for more of a race car project. The 85 motor is very wore out and will need a complete rebuild.

I wanna build a nice truck, but not a hill billy mobile. Loud pipes aren't cool to me, neither is being jacked up to the moon. Basically I want a nice rig to pull a trailer, haul a 4000lb water tank on the bed, or pull someone out of a ditch if they need help. I also want to get working on something again, as I'm starting to get the itch for another project.

Im gonna see about getting some pics tommorow and start looking at cabs, what they are worth and what shape I can get em in.