Someone here needs this - sweet cabover vintage hauler content

God I want this! If only I had the cash, it'd be in my yard.

http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/cto/3327358476.html

Cool truck, but I think it's a '53.

Turbo 350 in a 2.5 ton truck, no bueno.

It bothers me when people sell things as military; but, the paint is incredibly weathered and all the stenciling is new. I'm not saying it isn't military; I'm just saying that is a pet leave of mine.

Those stickers on the bumper have weathered really well. A Ford truck should have a Ford engine.

iceracer wrote: A Ford truck should have a Ford engine.

Exactly

Yeah so I'm totally not cool with the Chev 350/350, and the bed looks like they yanked it off a deuce.5, and the stenciling is faked, but man, it has sooo much potential. And you never see old COE's anymore.

I agree that the build process is suspect, but the result looks ok to me.

Nice truck, wrong drivetrain, too expensive.

Its not the wrong engine(Do you really want a flathead? really? A SBC is better in every way) its the wrong trans. A TH350 has no place in something of that size, needs a SM420, SM465, or other massive indestructible granny low 4 speed.

I don't think the folks above are saying a flathead Ford is better than a SBC. I think they are in the Ford in a Ford camp. I would agree. Ford did go on to make a few OHV engines too... A Lima big block & C6 could work.

I've had a customer bring his '51 Ford F5 flatbed to my shop (it didn't fit well in the shop!). Still powered by its original flathead V8. Ran great and moved the truck along nicely. He was looking to replace the non-synchro'd manual with something automatic. The truck is a parade cruiser now, retired from the heavy hauling a long time ago.

So depending on how the COE would be used by the next owner, a flatty could be fine.

Needs moar diesel....

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Its not the wrong engine(Do you really want a flathead? really? A SBC is better in every way) its the wrong trans. A TH350 has no place in something of that size, needs a SM420, SM465, or other massive indestructible granny low 4 speed.

Actually, no, the SBC isn't the correct engine (this is in my opinion, for clarity). Partly because several versions of Ford engines would have been just as good and more appropriate, but mostly because that's a really boring and small engine to put in something like that. If you were standing next to it and the owner flipped the hood up so you could see the engine, would a little SBC impress you? Not me. Hell, you might have trouble finding it! There are multitudes of more interesting engines to put in something like that. Personally, I'd put in an 8V71 2 stroke Detroit Diesel, just for the sound if nothing else than for the sound.

You guys giving the "Ford in a Ford" purist-vibe are cracking me up. You'd be steamin' if you came to the $20xx! Keeping it in the family is fun, but there are plenty of cool bastard swaps out there.

Bryce

The GM drivetrain looks more to me like they just used whatever they had lying around. I'd like to see a manual trans too, but again whatever they had laying around at the time. Diesel is cool, but expensive and most people wouldn't know the right way to get it running.

I'm going for 7.3L Powerstroke myself.

bravenrace wrote: Personally, I'd put in an 8V71 2 stroke Detroit Diesel, just for the sound if nothing else than for the sound.

Oh yes!

Don't get me wrong here, a SBC isn't exactly ideal in this situation. But they work great pretty much any place you stick one, and they are cheap to buy and build. For some reason some people hate the SBC because it works so damn good.

In reply to Kenny_McCormic:

I don't hate the SBC, I've had many of them. I just don't see it as the best engine for this vehicle, and certainly not what I would have used, even if I had one lying around (and I do).

Now, on engine swaps in general, I see many bastard swaps that don't make sense. It's not that I'm against putting brand A engine in brand B vehicle, I just see no reason to do it if there is a perfectly good brand B engine to put in the brand B vehicle.

love the truck, needs a diesel though. Hate the faked stuff. If it has a military history - all he has to do is show a pic of the military vin plate - all the military fords have them.

bravenrace wrote: Now, on engine swaps in general, I see many bastard swaps that don't make sense. It's not that I'm against putting brand A engine in brand B vehicle, I just see no reason to do it if there is a perfectly good brand B engine to put in the brand B vehicle.

Now remember how close the gap has gotten between Ford and Chevy V8 speed parts. Used to cost a whole lot more to build a Ford, and still costs a metric ton more to build up a Chrysler engine. Most people don't want to deal with the high cost of parts and international shipping typically involved with building all but the most common euro engines. Take my Yugo(Fiat SOHC power) for example, it would cost me several hundred dollars for a basic, fairly mild, flat tappet cam, I don't even know if I can get high po bottom end parts while speaking english. So you get a lot of Chevy and Japanese power shoved wherever its needed, purely from a economic and practicality standpoint. Same reason people stuff cavalier brakes inside those big aluminum drum brakes that are period correct hot rod equipment. Good luck getting a wheel cylinder same day for a 61 Buick when you are stranded in small town USA with nothing but a primarily agricultural NAPA for 20 miles.

In reply to Kenny_McCormic:

Everything you are saying would be factored into my decision making process to ultimately determine what a "perfectly good" engine is.

Something big block, or over 8 cylinders, or inline, or diesel. Any of those would be good.

diesel......as long as it isn't a cummins.