Project "Autonomous" F-350

[Seabass]

Oh wow!!!! I hadn't checked your thread lately. I had a buddy who had an F-250 that was identical to my old one (the 88' in the old Polaroid pics I posted a couple days ago) It was a little slow out of the gate- but it was just fine to drive. TONS of torque! He hauled cattle and horses the same as me and powered up all sorts of hills and passes. I don't know the particular engine you have there- but like Garrik I think this will be interesting. I'm actually really wanting to do a mid-90's F-150 restore. I want a reg cab short bed with 4-6" of lift, some 33x12.5's on 15x10 wheels and one of those light weight aluminum flat top toppers. A five speed would be my choice- but the wife only does autos. And for an engine- it has to have a 300 I-6! If I was just born rich instead of so dang good looking..... But why not keep the 460 plan and gear up? With a t-case you can always go low range and not mind tall gears. Like 3.55's and 35" tires. I bet you could squeeze low teens out of that set up. I had a buddy that did that in a crew cab auto 460 with 3.55's and 35's. He got 14 mpg. But he drove it super easy.

 

[pappawheely]

When I started this thread I promised to share what I learn along the way. I have found a source that is just plain amazing. Usually when you go to an auto parts store looking for something out of the ordinary you are just plain out of luck. If you are running a manual transmission and need some technical assistance you need to call Perfection Clutch. I called to see if they could find a clutch for the combination I am putting together in the F250. A T-18 transmission behind a 223 inline 6. I told them the input shaft diameter and spline count, the bolt circle on the 223 flywheel, and that I was using the factory bellhousing from the 1950's 223 engine. They are a supplier and don't sell retail so they asked me what auto parts store I would be using and then gave me the part number to ask for. You just don't find anyone who can deliver like that anymore. They even found a diaphragm clutch instead of the stock lever style. It's going to work perfect with my hydraulic throw out bearing. If you have any questions at all about clutches, I suggest you call them!

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Excellent find!! Not many OEMs are able or willing to offer help that is beyond what is in the catalog. To do this takes someone at the engineering level that knows the individual parts and the particulars.

 

[pappawheely]

I picked up this 223 for cheap. So cheap in fact that I think I can recover the entire cost of the engine and transmission by selling the parts I'm not going to use. I found a clutch that works but am having bellhousing issues. I might have to fabricate one because the input shaft on the T-18 is about a half inch shorter than the 3 speed that came out of the 223. I got a header for it, and an HEI distributor that I can modify to work. I'm going with a Clifford intake with my Quadrajet mounted to it. I won't be winning any drag races, but the fuel mileage should be pretty good. The low end torque of the I6 should get me around just fine in low range.

It's bound to breath a lot better with this old stuff gone.



It might look crusty on the outside but it was rebuilt just before the truck was parked. Everything inside is fresh, it still has the electrical grease on the points, and the rotor looks brand new.



To say that the bellhousing looks funky in an understatement.

 

[pappawheely]

Solved my bellhousing problem. Found one on ebay for an automatic trans. Now I can fabricate the back half of the bellhousing with the correct bolt pattern and depth so I have full engagement of the input shaft into the pilot bearing. I won't have to do any other mods, the starter and flywheel will remain in the stock location. *I also got some sand blasting media.

 

[pappawheely]

Spent the day building an engine stand for the I6. Now I can work on the intake/exhaust, making the accessory drive brackets, fab the bellhousing, and modify the oil pan. It looks like I can just flip the pan around. Will only have to modify the pick up. Still waiting for the bellhousing, but found a diaphram clutch that bolts to the flywheel, and has the correct splines.

 

[Chorky]

haha nice looking stand! should make things significantly easier!

 

[Seabass]

Man I can't hardly wait to see this thing on the road. I have so much love for those old engines!

 

[pappawheely]

Purchased the final piece of the puzzle, a Clifford intake manifold.

 

[Gummee]

Now that you've gone down the old gasser route, I won't tell you to look at the new new 4cyl turbo diesel from Cummins.

M

 

[pappawheely]

Now that you've gone down the old gasser route, I won't tell you to look at the new new 4cyl turbo diesel from Cummins.

M

I looked at it, but that doesn't fit into my frugal budget. After I sell the parts I'm removing, the inline 6 will be free.

 

[Gummee]

I looked at it, but that doesn't fit into my frugal budget. After I sell the parts I'm removing, the inline 6 will be free.

There's frugal then there's cheap

I'm pretty sure in the long run, the diesel's gonna be less work, less headache, and will fit the mission of the truck better. ...but that's me. I get the budget thing. BTDT

M

 

[pappawheely]

There's frugal then there's cheap

Cheap, that's what I meant. Out the door with stock components and not including a transmission adapter or shipping, the 4BT is $7500. In the truck it would be pushing 10K. I'll take my free dinosaur any day.

 

[pappawheely]

Argh! The distributor I ordered had a damaged o-ring, my bellhousing is coming from Canada so it's held up in customs, and the header I ordered is also delayed for some reason until next month. Guess I will work on the oil pan, and mounting the accessory drives. The way the intake/exhaust gets bolted down, you need both parts because they share the same bolts. I want to get the motor installed before I re-wire the truck so I can plan where to mount the batteries, etc.

 

[Seabass]

All this and you still got that glorious u-haul 4x4 camper conversion to finish. I thought I was the only person who had too much to do...but I'm feeling better about my situation right now!