Pablo the F-450

[GLTHFJ60]

Unexpectedly won a 1997 Ford Super Duty at a local machine shop auction. Put in a "fuck you" low bid and, yeah, it happened.

Have some landscaping projects at the house I am digging into this year and this was way cheaper than buying a dump trailer, renting trailers or roll offs, or adding dump ability to my 04 f550.

This thread will document my debauchery with this old truck. Hopefully I will show how deals are still out there, and flipping trucks still works. If I fail in that mission and my friends make me keep it for them to use, then yeah.

Behold the greatness. 1997 Ford Super Duty. 7.3 psd, auto, dually, 15k gawr, dumping rack bed. Purchased for $3000 (before auction fees) today. 222k miles, drives mint, albeit a little vague steering. Both front and rear tank fuel gauges work, which is more than I can say about my 04, lol.

 

[06h3]

Badass score

 

[white-rhino]

Looks like a steal.

 

[welndmn]

Nice!

 

[Provience]

That's solid

 

[Gbkeith]

I’ll give you $3001. Plus auction fees.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

That's a score

Any idea what axle gears it has?

If you're curious, I just found this on Google.

axle code 72 = 4.63
axle code 73 = 5.13
axle code G3 = 4.30 LS (iv only seen this code a couple times in ads on the door jam.both times the trucks were '97' s)

Is that an electric over hydro pump or is it pto?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

That's a score

Any idea what axle gears it has?

If you're curious, I just found this on Google.

axle code 72 = 4.63
axle code 73 = 5.13
axle code G3 = 4.30 LS (iv only seen this code a couple times in ads on the door jam.both times the trucks were '97' s)

Is that an electric over hydro pump or is it pto?

Gears feel like 4.88s to me, because it drives similar to how my 04 did before I swapped out 4.88 for 4.30. I'll take a Pic of the door jamb sticker, didn't think to try to decode the codes.

Bed hydraulics are elec/hydraulic. Works with the ignition off too. Double acting cylinder which is nice. Makes lowering the bed with a load much more controllable.

 

[ridered3]

Nice find!

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Shop worker told me that this truck was always "cold blooded", which meant you had to cycle the key exactly three times before starting, but then it'd start every time. Yeah, sure bud. Went to start it yesterday and it wouldn't kick. Glow plugs is always where to start with HEUI trucks imo.

Glow plug relay seemed a little crusty. Tested it and it tested bad.

Yep, she's dickered:

Starts like a champ now even in the cold weather we've been getting in NC.

Started removing the graphics too:

 

[ridered3]

GLTHFJ60 Austin should be able to help you edit the thread title.

Sounds about right for a "cold blooded" truck. It always amazes me that people don't look for a solution to things as opposed to just dealing with it.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Sounds about right for a "cold blooded" truck. It always amazes me that people don't look for a solution to things as opposed to just dealing with it.

Looking for a solution is ungodly expensive if you have to pay someone else to do the looking.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Looking for a solution is ungodly expensive if you have to pay someone else to do the looking.

It can be, but a glow plug relay is cheaper than a starter you'll wear out quickly from extended cranking times. Ask me how I know.

 

[WoodburyZuk]

Nice score for $3k

 

[ridered3]

Looking for a solution is ungodly expensive if you have to pay someone else to do the looking.

100% accurate, especially if you don't describe the issue to the person you are paying to look. Seems like most any mechanic (shade tree or otherwise) would know to check that relay. Then again, I've been around plenty of people that fall into the "just dealing with it" category.

It can be, but a glow plug relay is cheaper than a starter you'll wear out quickly from extended cranking times. Ask me how I know.

Read that in the Owners Manual huh

 

[Penetrode Offroad]

Titties.

 

[Levigarrett76]

Too bad we cant know the hours on that truck


nice find and thanks for sharing

 

[Kriptonite]

Nice score, you won't get hurt on reselling that. Use the falk out of it and still make bank in the end.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Nice score, you won't get hurt on reselling that. Use the falk out of it and still make bank in the end.

My thoughts exactly. Local market looks like 6-9k for a truck like this.

 

[fordguy]

Badass score

fuck yeah

 

[ridered3]

Got anything to update on Pablo?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Got anything to update on Pablo?

Nope. It's living at a friend's house being put to work. I'll get it back over to my place for some repairs and put it to work in a month or so.

 

[WaterH]

Strange to have a dump bed with rack sides. Think I would line them with sheet metal.

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

Strange to have a dump bed with rack sides. Think I would line them with sheet metal.

It's actually way more common than you would think.

 

[WaterH]

It's actually way more common than you would think.

What would you dump with racks? Trees and maybe trash. What would you dump with solid sides? Dirt, rocks and trees and trash.

 

[arse_sidewards]

What would you dump with racks? Trees and maybe trash. What would you dump with solid sides? Dirt, rocks and trees and trash.

the sides let you haul shit you won’t be dumping more gracefully.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Landscaping. 4 yards of topsoil dumps no problem. Very pleased with that.

 

[Levigarrett76]

Was it enough to smooth out the ride?

 

[pennsylvaniaboy]

I thought all those truck in the F super duty were 5.13?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Was it enough to smooth out the ride?

Just about, yeah. Fortunately the landscape supply is less than two miles from my house, but that means I don't get long to drive it and feel it out.

I thought all those truck in the F super duty were 5.13?

I don't actually know what the diff ratio is, haven't bothered to check. It might well be 5.13.