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"Garage built" 01 F350 6 door short bed DRW

45K views 259 replies 30 participants last post by  h0trod 
#1 · (Edited)
i have a 01 F250 CC SB 4WD.
i have driven this truck for years, but the headgasket went a couple of months ago.
shes beat up, and its time for a low buck make over.

i also have a 02 F350 CC LB DRW. (minus engine/trans)
i bought this truck for parts for dirt cheap about a year ago.
has a scrapped title (unregisterable)
its got a super clean body, so i will be combining these 2 trucks to make 1 super truck.
plans for paint are out of the question for this round.
the goal is to get it all apart, and back together and make it run.

im going to make this truck a 6 door, short bed, DRW.
primary use is for family trips (4 kids, 2 dogs, lots of equipment, and a wife(optional)
I also have a 10M offshore, heavy lay boat.(7,000 lbs)

the first order of business is to swap the cab, then get ready to chop the 02 up!

the 2nd order of business is the drivetrain.

the 01 7.3 came to me with a blown headgasket,
the previous owners popped a radiator hose, and were transporting alot of weed, so they didnt stop, guess it was cheaper to buy a new truck.
i fixed it, and it ran great, did a new top end.
4 years later, it popped a headgasket again, the short block is done until i get it checked and machined.
the engine IMO is only good for parts.

this engine build will be low buck, i plan on building a forged rodded and fully studded engine in the future.
what i have is:
a running (180K) 96 tripplehoar short block.
i have a set of heads that im going to send to the shop.
cups are a must. the rest of it, we will just see how they check out.

i will strip the short block and mic the fecies out of the crank, bores, and slugs. if it checks out, i will polish my crank.
new bearings, rings, and hone it a RCH.
just for ring sealing.

im not going to do anything with programming or hoped up injectors.
stock tune.
may upgrade to the 38R dryer.

im still a month out on starting this project.
painting my sons F100 right now, and vacation right around the corner!

just wanted to throw stones in the water and listen to the ripples!
if anyone has any questions, thoughts, ideas, or trash talkin, feel free,
im not the sensitive type.
 

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#2 · (Edited)
more pics !!
 

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#3 ·
Seems like you enjoy building Frankentrucks. subscribed, I want to follow this build :)
 
#4 ·
if you only knew how far the rabbit hole goes!
the only vehicle i have that's stock is my E350.
but when i have extra time, or the right parts fall into my possession,
that will change!
my biggest decision right now, is what type of hood do i chop up for the SD to give it that personality.

to the folks that havnt seen my IDI, heres a pic.
 

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#5 ·
time to get the body off the 02!
that's the goal for today.
tomorrow, i have a hired hand coming to help me.
40/hr, ouch! but its well worth it, to have another experienced hand helping out.
i hope to get the 01 cab on the 02 cab tomorrow.
pictures coming at the end of the day.
 
#7 ·
i will be getting every penny out of him LOL!
no brakes, no lunch! no union job, hustle hustle!

well its lunch time for me, i have most of the wiring disconnected.
gotta find a home for this VSM harness.

my truck has the GEM, and will be using everything off that truck.


question folks.
when doing a project like this, would you put the engine in the chassis first?
or would you wait until the body work is done?
its not getting painted any time soon.
but i will be fiber bonding the metal seams and primer it.

looks easy enough to put the engine in it with the cab on.
ive also gotta get injectors, and figured it would be easier to do out of the truck..
thoughts?
 
#8 ·
it depends:

is the frame already cleaned and painted and finished that the engine will sit in? When My dad and I put a 48 ford body on a mid 80s chevy we put the engine and trans/t case in first then mounted the body to get measurements for shifter, steering coluem, body mounts etc.

If your frame is done enough put the body on after the engine.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Justin, first and foremost, id like to thank you for your service!


i need to steam clean the frame, but i wont be doing anything other than cleaning.
i honestly don't have much cash for this project. but i have parts galore.

i wanted to build an engine, but its just not in the cards right now. maybe in the future.
i don't really even have cash for paint!

i just got done depleting my savings while building my last truck.
eventually, i will blow it all apart, have a bada$$ engine(heavy on the dollar signs)
paint the whole truck, and everything. but realistically, it wont be for 5ish years.
i just paid the reg, and its still on insurance, so ive got to get this thing going under its own power.

it may look like a ******* hack job, but itll be structurally sound.
 

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#10 ·
It's not that bad to put a 7.3 in through the front, If you're ready with the body and the engine isn't, go ahead and drop the body. If the engine is ready it'd probably be easier without the body on. Seems like you're trying to get what you can done, so whatever is ready go for it
 
#11 ·
i almost want to take that 01 F250 frame, and slap that 41 1/2 ton on it lol
 
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#12 ·
heres a photo of the very, very early stages of the project.

the frame and running gear is a 3/4ton Chevy I think 86-87?, body is late 40s ford and the tires are 35x12.5r16.5 with the old school older bfgoodmrich mud terrains. almost 12 year old tires and no cracking!
 

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#20 ·
Looks like a fun project. But just to clarify, the cab is most definitely Chevy. Judging from the split windshield and lack of door vent windows, I'd guess 1947-1950. My father had a '52 growing up, and since then the '47-54 Chevy "Advanced Design" trucks have been on my dream list. Someday I will find the right one.
 
#13 · (Edited)
nice!
my 41 will have a custom frame built with a Scotts Speed M II IFS, 2wd
I plan on boosting a 7.3 IDI over 30 psi.
may be using a ST-10 4 speed I also have a 2 wd ZF5

my mudder project is a 63 chero on a 89 F350 frame, 97 7.3(that im robbing for this build)
will have a IDI going in, with a S47 Zf5 4 wd, 60 in the front, 10.25 out back w/ 4:11's and 35's for now
 

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#14 ·
Haha love it!!

The only issues for me is my dad, his shop and everything are in northern Idaho, so I'm gonna sell the house we have in California afyer the 2 year tax fee goes away then we can move back and I want to start creating more toys.

We through a small block 350 in a Toyota once that power plant and small Toyota truck was fun at the mud bogs.

My dream is my make a tear though. My dad had a 80s car Buick on a f250 frame when I was on highschool we called it Buford. Miss that stuff!
 
#15 · (Edited)
ten characters.
 

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#16 ·
another ten.
 

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#17 ·
parts truck.
inbetween work, kids, and honey do's ive been drilling out all of the spot welds for the parts roof.
I will make 1 cut with a cut off wheel right after the cab lights.
keeping as much of the roof as I can for later.

rockers will get cut off with a sawzaw, then de-spotwelded and picked away until I have the factory seam exposed.

going to get the parts truck gone and ready to mount before I cut the back off the cab ill be using.

on a side note, the SD line appears much easier to deal with vs the OBS and earlier!
im digging it.
 

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#19 ·
that's the plan.
but not so flashy.
2-4" suspension lift with 255 85 16's
 
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#22 ·
255/85/16's are the largest tire you can put on a dually without needing spacers.
 
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#25 · (Edited)
scrap ready to go!
 

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#27 ·
315/75r16's fit just fine on a leveling kit fyi. ;)

A custom roof rack that is cab length with some classic kc lights would look killer. Have you decided on color yet?
 
#28 ·
this is a dually folks!
Horizon, I wont need paint if you give me your 2 rear doors :D
ok ok I know that's asking a lot, what about a trade for some well seasoned green and tan doors?

LOL

I actually like the gray and black, wouldn't mind keeping it that color.
if I find the same color scheme for the rear doors, I wont even bother with paint.....
 
#29 ·
Sorry but that's a no go! Might I suggest bedlining the entire truck, including the undercarriage. Great time to do it too since everything is apart. Plus if you do the body then you don't have to worry about scratches and such. I worry more about the finish on my truck then some people do about their kids.
 
#30 ·
this is a low buck build, I am literally going to use what I have on this round.
there will be other rounds in the future.
im not worried about the looks of the truck right now.
im worried about getting everything back together and making it a truck I can drive.

I will build a new engine for it eventually,
but for now, im going as low buck as I can.

im thinking less than 2500 I can get it running and driving.
minus tires.
 
#31 ·
had some time lastnight to finish peeling off the roof from the parts cab.
this process took a little more than I thought.
but I only damaged the roof where they sealed it on either side of the post support.
gotta find a easy way to remove the seam seal without damaging the roof any more.
but a few more spot welds to remove on the rocker, and the floor, and im ready to brace up the other cab and cut it up!!

im at 32 man hours, and $375 spent
 

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#32 ·
been slowly tinkering on her.
replaced the fenders yesterday and slapped some parts on to get them out of the way.
the 3rd set of doors is prepped and ready to go.
will start drilling spot welds out of the cab today.

this weekend is an IDI weekend.
stripping a bull nose truck, and installing a bull nose front end on my bronco!
 

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