suprhlr
New member
Love these old fords, looks like a fun project. You must be just down the road from me, Zeeland here too.
1978 Crew Cab F250 4X4, 7.3 POWERSTROKE Conversion
- Thread starter 1killerz
- Start date
1killerz
New member
Cool, we are practically neighbors.
1killerz
New member
surgery with a sawz-all
So, lets do this...
"no-scope" nick researching porn while we discuss how to properly remove the heart of this beast.
Master Chief Willard see all the crusty boats and is unhappy...
Lots of crustiness, but I ain't complaining. $800 makes me smile.
Going to need that....
Maybe that too...
IDK, I have been told a '99 and up SD would be the better brake upgrade. I will hang onto this just in case...
Reference pictures
My home made gantry isn't tall enough to clear the frame!
Had to remove the tires and drop the donor down to clear the frame perch
So, lets do this...
"no-scope" nick researching porn while we discuss how to properly remove the heart of this beast.
Master Chief Willard see all the crusty boats and is unhappy...
Lots of crustiness, but I ain't complaining. $800 makes me smile.
Going to need that....
Maybe that too...
IDK, I have been told a '99 and up SD would be the better brake upgrade. I will hang onto this just in case...
Reference pictures
My home made gantry isn't tall enough to clear the frame!
Had to remove the tires and drop the donor down to clear the frame perch
Last edited:
1killerz
New member
FREEDOM!
Took a little longer than we thought, but its out and free.
Took a little longer than we thought, but its out and free.
Hotrodtractor
Moderator
Nice! I had started down a similar path on a project - but it got put on hold for other projects.
1killerz
New member
Been there, done that. It sucks when other stuff pulls you away. I sold my other projects to keep me focused on this one. But I still managed to pick up other projects that will tide me over during the lulls in this build.
1killerz
New member
Thanks. It was initially going to simply be a gasser. But I wanted the reliability, power, and long haul capabilities of a diesel.
1killerz
New member
clean up
Winter is fast approaching. The township I live is displeased with my hillbilly ways. So I needed to hurry and get the driveline tucked away and unfortunately needed to hurry up and be rid of what was left of the donor.
This was easier than I thought, until I met the 1/2 lip of concrete from my driveway to my garage.
Had to let the air out of Eleanor's rollers to barely squeeze in the garage. That was not a fun job of pushing...
This was a close fit to make it all happen. But at least the township will be happy.
Not much clearance on the backside, but its only for the winter....
Winter is fast approaching. The township I live is displeased with my hillbilly ways. So I needed to hurry and get the driveline tucked away and unfortunately needed to hurry up and be rid of what was left of the donor.
This was easier than I thought, until I met the 1/2 lip of concrete from my driveway to my garage.
Had to let the air out of Eleanor's rollers to barely squeeze in the garage. That was not a fun job of pushing...
This was a close fit to make it all happen. But at least the township will be happy.
Not much clearance on the backside, but its only for the winter....
1killerz
New member
clean up with a cost
In my haste to not get fined by the township, I rushed to scavenge what I could to at least make the PS run in my truck.
So I grabbed the Sawzall, some screw drivers, and procured the wiring harness, steering wheel, connectors...
Loaded the truck and away to the junkyard we went...
What sucked was a multitude of expensive things I had but didn't know to grab at the time. Let alone the multitude of reference points I now do not have... such as:
Gas tanks with lines, including the oh so ridiculously priced sending units, axles (could have sold for money to offset cost of build), the dash itself so I would then also know where every connection went and what it was for, dual tank switch, etc.
But anyway, it is what it is.
:fustrate:
In my haste to not get fined by the township, I rushed to scavenge what I could to at least make the PS run in my truck.
So I grabbed the Sawzall, some screw drivers, and procured the wiring harness, steering wheel, connectors...
Loaded the truck and away to the junkyard we went...
What sucked was a multitude of expensive things I had but didn't know to grab at the time. Let alone the multitude of reference points I now do not have... such as:
Gas tanks with lines, including the oh so ridiculously priced sending units, axles (could have sold for money to offset cost of build), the dash itself so I would then also know where every connection went and what it was for, dual tank switch, etc.
But anyway, it is what it is.
:fustrate:
gwunter
Active member
Should have thrown a license plate on it and told them it was your daily driver. Or maybe threw a for sale sign on it. Stupid rules.
1killerz
New member
I thought about that, of course after the fact.
1killerz
New member
I kind of did. I ignored them, until they called the sheriff about my car hauler. Its ugly, but its behind me now. I only play nice cause I still need to get township approval for when its time to put up a pole barn.
1killerz
New member
drinkin and thinkin
so here we are. Just me and my Eleanor.
My "crew chief" Willard and I have had the winter to think, plan, drink, and think some more.
After much deliberation, and beer, we determined we do not have the fabrication skills to customize/fabricate strong enough motor mounts to hold the PS's girth, and more importantly, to fit properly.
Called around. Talked to some fellow trail riders/mud eaters. They all concluded one guy would love the job and and will do it beyond my expectations.
Call me a sell out...but I concurred to use my check book as a tool on this part (motor mocked in place, motor mounts built).
In the end, I am beyond excited at his craftsmanship. (But that is a story for a later part of this build).
so here we are. Just me and my Eleanor.
My "crew chief" Willard and I have had the winter to think, plan, drink, and think some more.
After much deliberation, and beer, we determined we do not have the fabrication skills to customize/fabricate strong enough motor mounts to hold the PS's girth, and more importantly, to fit properly.
Called around. Talked to some fellow trail riders/mud eaters. They all concluded one guy would love the job and and will do it beyond my expectations.
Call me a sell out...but I concurred to use my check book as a tool on this part (motor mocked in place, motor mounts built).
In the end, I am beyond excited at his craftsmanship. (But that is a story for a later part of this build).
1killerz
New member
hold my beer and watch this...
...gets said more times around this part of Michigan than I can count.
But first, some hillbilly ingenuity.
Kids, don't try this level of shade tree mechanic crap at home. Always ask a hillbilly if it will work.
In Michigan, when we say "hold my beer and watch this...", you know something magical is about to take place.
Or tragic... but we don't like that kind of negative energy around these parts...
Having said that...
"hold my beer and watch this..."
...gets said more times around this part of Michigan than I can count.
But first, some hillbilly ingenuity.
Kids, don't try this level of shade tree mechanic crap at home. Always ask a hillbilly if it will work.
In Michigan, when we say "hold my beer and watch this...", you know something magical is about to take place.
Or tragic... but we don't like that kind of negative energy around these parts...
Having said that...
"hold my beer and watch this..."
1killerz
New member
Getting Eleanor and all her lady bits to the fabricator...
1. Get the drive train on a trailer.... by using a ratchet strap, and engine hoist, and jack stands...
2. Use struggling at capacity engine hoist to try and get high enough to clear trailer...
3. Once cleared, use jack stands to raise clearance of engine hoist's legs under the trailer...
4. Secure load, remove engine hoist...and head out.
1. Get the drive train on a trailer.... by using a ratchet strap, and engine hoist, and jack stands...
2. Use struggling at capacity engine hoist to try and get high enough to clear trailer...
3. Once cleared, use jack stands to raise clearance of engine hoist's legs under the trailer...
4. Secure load, remove engine hoist...and head out.
Wayne
Active member
hahahaha I like it!
reminded me of this:
reminded me of this:
markfuga
Member
Have you given any thought to the "re-wire" of the engine/trans to run in the 78 truck? I see you have an auto trans so you should have swapped in the donor rear axle so you'll have the speed sensor. The auto trans will need the VSS in the rear axle and the speedometer module from the gauge cluster. The PCM uses this signal (passed from rear axle through speedometer) as part of the transmission shifting code. Without it you'll likely be stuck in 1st gear. I've done many harness re-wires for guys that are swapping PSD's into older trucks so just let me know if you need help with the electrical portion of your swap. Good luck and looks good so far.
1killerz
New member
hahahaha I like it!
reminded me of this:
This is a typical thing in my garage, with most of my projects.
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