whitedog
Veteran Member
So here's the deali-o. I have a 1982 Ford F350 with 460, four speed, dually with a service box on it, set up with a crane, air compressor and welder. But it's a nine foot box which is kinda small.
Right now, I have the possibility of buying a 2000 Dodge w/ Cummins, 3500, six speed, bare service box and 11 foot box.
The 460 was built unknown miles ago but has 45 PSI oil pressure, hot at idle. It runs just fine, but not perfect. I rebuilt the front end and it has a new driveline and lots of new small parts. The truck looks OK and is two wheel drive. 6-7 MPG.
The Dodge is four wheel drive, engine was rebuilt about 30,000 miles with oversize pistons and it has an "updated" head. Local machinist said the original head had induction hardened, native iron valves seats but they were updated to seat inserts. I didn't know this engine had been rebuilt when I talked to him and since then, I found out that HE had rebuilt this head and said it was an "updated" one. I haven't asked him about this yet to find out for sure if this means it has inserts.
The Dodge is in good shape at 348,000 Central Oregon miles on it, no rust. Really. It needs main seals and new clutches in the limited slip rear end - maybe even bearings. Transmission is newer as is the clutch. It has a few, minor things like the dome lights don't work and it has an AC leak plus a few other minor things.
I would have to properly build and support the box for the crane and swap over the rear bumper that has the stabilizers built into it. So there is some fabrication that needs done, but that's not a huge thing for me. I know how to properly support the crane box and it's just steel, so that doesn't scare me.
So what's holding me back? The financials I can handle. The selling I can handle. The guy selling it is the guy who I rent shop space from and work on his equipment. He keeps telling me not to buy it - not because it's a POS, but because he doesn't want to sell it so close knowing things can wrong and I could come back to him. But that won't happen.
The bigger box is so enticing, even though tonight I found out the boxes on the Dodge are two inches shallower, but the stuff I have in the Ford will still fit.
I have been over this in my head and I keep going in circles and can't get out of them. So what can I ask myself to help me decide? I certainly like the 15+MPG. At just 5000 miles a year, that's like $2000 savings in fuel. And I'm a diesel mechanic showing up driving a gas rig. But there is some financial safety in the Ford.
So, what questions do I need to ask myself if the Dodge is the right thing to do? Like I said, I keep asking myself the same, questions round and round and I need a different perspective.
I think I need to check the block to see if it's a "53" block, but my understanding is those were only a problem when building power.
Ok, I'm hitting send before I talk myself around in circles again . Thanks for any thoughts or ideas.
Right now, I have the possibility of buying a 2000 Dodge w/ Cummins, 3500, six speed, bare service box and 11 foot box.
The 460 was built unknown miles ago but has 45 PSI oil pressure, hot at idle. It runs just fine, but not perfect. I rebuilt the front end and it has a new driveline and lots of new small parts. The truck looks OK and is two wheel drive. 6-7 MPG.
The Dodge is four wheel drive, engine was rebuilt about 30,000 miles with oversize pistons and it has an "updated" head. Local machinist said the original head had induction hardened, native iron valves seats but they were updated to seat inserts. I didn't know this engine had been rebuilt when I talked to him and since then, I found out that HE had rebuilt this head and said it was an "updated" one. I haven't asked him about this yet to find out for sure if this means it has inserts.
The Dodge is in good shape at 348,000 Central Oregon miles on it, no rust. Really. It needs main seals and new clutches in the limited slip rear end - maybe even bearings. Transmission is newer as is the clutch. It has a few, minor things like the dome lights don't work and it has an AC leak plus a few other minor things.
I would have to properly build and support the box for the crane and swap over the rear bumper that has the stabilizers built into it. So there is some fabrication that needs done, but that's not a huge thing for me. I know how to properly support the crane box and it's just steel, so that doesn't scare me.
So what's holding me back? The financials I can handle. The selling I can handle. The guy selling it is the guy who I rent shop space from and work on his equipment. He keeps telling me not to buy it - not because it's a POS, but because he doesn't want to sell it so close knowing things can wrong and I could come back to him. But that won't happen.
The bigger box is so enticing, even though tonight I found out the boxes on the Dodge are two inches shallower, but the stuff I have in the Ford will still fit.
I have been over this in my head and I keep going in circles and can't get out of them. So what can I ask myself to help me decide? I certainly like the 15+MPG. At just 5000 miles a year, that's like $2000 savings in fuel. And I'm a diesel mechanic showing up driving a gas rig. But there is some financial safety in the Ford.
So, what questions do I need to ask myself if the Dodge is the right thing to do? Like I said, I keep asking myself the same, questions round and round and I need a different perspective.
I think I need to check the block to see if it's a "53" block, but my understanding is those were only a problem when building power.
Ok, I'm hitting send before I talk myself around in circles again . Thanks for any thoughts or ideas.