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1971 f350 crew cab long bed tow vehicle project

klork

Well-known member
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
73
Messages
47
Just picked up a 1971 f350 crew cab long bed 2wd from california and drove it back home to ohio 2 weeks ago. Has 390 and c6 trans and 4.10 gears. Runs and shifts great but leaks a ton of oil and not much power. Could hardly keep itself doing 60-65 mph at 12,000 feet on flat land. Also got 9-10 mpg empty. I will be doing an engine swap so I can actually use it as a tow vehicle and be able to go faster then 50 mph. I have been looking at a DT 360 but I get stuck at what transmission I could use. I would prefer an auto but seems like any auto I can use from a forf chevy or dodge is just a 4 spd or 5 spd and require a trans controller and an adapter at $15-1800 plus a trans and rebuild. I there any medium duty trans that would be small enough to fit in a pickup and have overdrive or should I just stick to a newer gas motor and be done with it. Get a newer pull out with trans and engine controller for 5k ish. I dont plan on towing a ton and it will be used for cruising around quite a bit. I have never owned a diesel. My though was to stick with an older mechanical style like a dt360 or maybe a cummins 12 valve as parts are a ton cheaper and seem a lot more reliable. I am NOT looking to make 500 hp and 1500 ft lbs of torque or rolling coal with this thing. Just want a nice tow vehicle that will be reliable and not get 5 mpg while towing or just cruising around. Will post pics later as they are on my phone which has no service in the building.
 
Is Ohio completely out of rotted out Cummins powered Dodge trucks? Find one of those for a donor. They have a normal sized overdrive trans that won't have you hacking up your nice CA truck's floor to make it fit.
 
I've built 2 ford Cummins trucks, they make a nice swap

buy a complete but wrecked truck instead of trying to piece together a power train

sticking with 2wd?

if you go dodge/Cummins you need to know a couple things, 89-93 has a lesser injection pump, and all auto trannys are non lockup, the earlier half are only 3 speed and with a 2700rpm red line, it's not a street able truck, maybe cool to bar hop in a little town, but not highway

Currently 2wd or 4wd?

Are you going to convert to 4wd?

Cummins donors have gotten pricey, 94-98 are the most sought after

My next cowboy Cadillac/ backup tow rig may have a 7.3psd 5 speed, or 2000s efi gas v8 auto combo

post some pics of this thing:flipoff2:
 
Look in the ford section at rattlesnake's build, he's converting your truck, but a reg cab into a fun driver/ wheeler/ tow rig, and he's doing a beautiful job of it.

Me personally, I'd find a rolled 2015 6.2 f250 4wd with 180k on it, set up a gantry or lifting source, swap the body over, do it several times lining everything up fabbing body mounts, maybe adjusting wheel base or even taking a few inches out of your bed, which isn't terrible. Then when it's right, pull it apart, pressure wash it, fog black paint all over it and reassemble it.

End result is that you put your fab time into putting a 70s body onto a turnkey frame with better axles suspension and brakes instead of trying to put axles under a 70s frame

Then run that entire 2015 harness from the headlights to the license plate light, cruise control and all.
 
Projectjunkie said:
Look in the ford section at rattlesnake's build, he's converting your truck, but a reg cab into a fun driver/ wheeler/ tow rig, and he's doing a beautiful job of it.

Me personally, I'd find a rolled 2015 6.2 f250 4wd with 180k on it, set up a gantry or lifting source, swap the body over, do it several times lining everything up fabbing body mounts, maybe adjusting wheel base or even taking a few inches out of your bed, which isn't terrible. Then when it's right, pull it apart, pressure wash it, fog black paint all over it and reassemble it.

End result is that you put your fab time into putting a 70s body onto a turnkey frame with better axles suspension and brakes instead of trying to put axles under a 70s frame

Then run that entire 2015 harness from the headlights to the license plate light, cruise control and all.
Click to expand...

this
 
Honestly my ideal engine swap would be the new 7.3 and 10 spd. A buddy of mine is trying to push me towards a 460 swap with a 6 L 80 transmission if I did a diesel it wouldn't really need to be much more than 250 or 300 horsepower so I'm not too worried about it being a p pump Cummins. I have thought about doing a frame swap but I'm not sure I really want to do that much work. I have also thought about doing a four-wheel drive swap but this thing's never going to see winter so staying two-wheel drive is not a big deal.
 
20200809_083408.jpg
 
Sorry im retarded when it comes to uploading pics on my phone so 1 pic per post.

Anyway most of the pics are from my trip home. The only spot of rust i can find is from the stupid roof lights. They will not be going back on.
 
Honestly, I'd fix what's wrong with it and leave it.
 
I like it perfect truck to put a camper in the bed. Have you picked out a color yet
 
I kind of like the blue jeans color ford uses on the new truck or maybe a dark metallic green and tan 2 tone. Not 100% sure yet.
 
It is long and has the turning radius of a bus. Takes a bit to get used to.
 
Yes, It is definitely not you average grocery geter. I had a 75 Dentside and it was not happy in a parking lot
 
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