smcox1
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- Sep 14, 2012
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Well I think I want to get myself a medium duty truck and have been searching around the internet and came across the fl80's. I have been looking around the 1998-2002 trucks and I'm wondering if anyone has any good or bad news about these trucks? I came across a 98 yesterday with an 8.3 Cummins and a 6 spd Allison MD3060 auto transmision but saw the auction to late and it sold for $6700 seems like a heck of a deal. So my biggest concern is how reliable is that cummins and auto transmission setup? I would prefer an automatic so I can just jump in and go and not have to worry about shifting gears(lame). This truck will primarily be for pulling my 35' show cattle trailer that will weigh less than 20,000 pounds fully loaded. I did notice that the speedometer goes to 85 and can this truck do 85 easily if necessary? I know I won't need to go 85 but the interstates are 75mph and I prefer to not get my ass ran over LOL. Also do you need a CDL to drive this? I think that's it for the questions and here's a picture of the truck I missed yesterday.
So on to the build side of this. These trucks are way to "industrial" looking for my taste as I would prefer a sport chassis but that's just not in the budget plus I don't need a crew cab. So this truck will go through one hell of a makeover. First thing will be to get a dually dodge bed and remove the big fifth wheel plate and throw the bed on but I don't think the bed will be long enough as the axle is really far back and to center the bed and axle it will probably leave a huge gap so I will have to slide the axle towards the cab till the bed almost touches. Which actually reminds me, does anyone know the height from the ground to the top of the frame rails? I hope it's low enough that I won't have to raise the floor of the bed. The sport chassis trucks bed sits at 59" and your still able to pull a gooseneck so I need to be at that height or lower. I will also lose some height when I change out the tires to 255 70 r 22.5 so I think I will be able to clear my trailer. After I get the bed figured out the front end will get molded in custom headlights, shaved turn signals, mesh grille, big moose bumper and a hood scoop or I might just figure out how to put a sport chassis hood on it and that will solve all my problems. The sides will get custom running boards with led lights and some powder coated black 22.5 10 hole wheels. The cab will have the windows tinted, black powder coated mirrors the roof will be extended up a couple of inches with a more aerodynamic look, smoked cab lights and a visor. The interior will get custom leather seats, carpet, a bunch of layers of hush mat lol, and new door panels for a more high end look. The bed will have a hatch to access the gooseneck hitch down in the frame, a custom headache rack, roll pan, bumper pull hitch and custom tail lights. It will also be getting a nice amount of led light bars. This should be the end result but probably a different color.
So on to the build side of this. These trucks are way to "industrial" looking for my taste as I would prefer a sport chassis but that's just not in the budget plus I don't need a crew cab. So this truck will go through one hell of a makeover. First thing will be to get a dually dodge bed and remove the big fifth wheel plate and throw the bed on but I don't think the bed will be long enough as the axle is really far back and to center the bed and axle it will probably leave a huge gap so I will have to slide the axle towards the cab till the bed almost touches. Which actually reminds me, does anyone know the height from the ground to the top of the frame rails? I hope it's low enough that I won't have to raise the floor of the bed. The sport chassis trucks bed sits at 59" and your still able to pull a gooseneck so I need to be at that height or lower. I will also lose some height when I change out the tires to 255 70 r 22.5 so I think I will be able to clear my trailer. After I get the bed figured out the front end will get molded in custom headlights, shaved turn signals, mesh grille, big moose bumper and a hood scoop or I might just figure out how to put a sport chassis hood on it and that will solve all my problems. The sides will get custom running boards with led lights and some powder coated black 22.5 10 hole wheels. The cab will have the windows tinted, black powder coated mirrors the roof will be extended up a couple of inches with a more aerodynamic look, smoked cab lights and a visor. The interior will get custom leather seats, carpet, a bunch of layers of hush mat lol, and new door panels for a more high end look. The bed will have a hatch to access the gooseneck hitch down in the frame, a custom headache rack, roll pan, bumper pull hitch and custom tail lights. It will also be getting a nice amount of led light bars. This should be the end result but probably a different color.
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