Older trucks

[Fenderfour]

While I've got a build going on my 1994 Hiace firetruck (link in signature block), i got to thinking about something a little bigger and easier to get parts for/work on.

How are the older generation of Ford trucks for offroad/campery business? A quick check on some numbers looks promising, especially total weight.

	1995	2025
weight	4,400-5,000	5,700-7,600
Payload	3,500-4,000	4,240
Mileage	13-15	15-18
Wheelbase	155	159-164
Turning radius	50-55	55

It might even make sense to get an older f250 with a blown engine and drop an ecoboost in there, maybe with a modern transmission too.

Who knows if this will ever happen. I need to finish my current build and find space to do some serious wrench turning.

 

[Todd780]

While I've got a build going on my 1994 Hiace firetruck (link in signature block), i got to thinking about something a little bigger and easier to get parts for/work on.

How are the older generation of Ford trucks for offroad/campery business? A quick check on some numbers looks promising, especially total weight.

	1995	2025
weight	4,400-5,000	5,700-7,600
Payload	3,500-4,000	4,240
Mileage	13-15	15-18
Wheelbase	155	159-164
Turning radius	50-55	55

It might even make sense to get an older f250 with a blown engine and drop an ecoboost in there, maybe with a modern transmission too.

Who knows if this will ever happen. I need to finish my current build and find space to do some serious wrench turning.

Can't comment on how the older ones are off road. But, kinda want to see you do the EcoBoost swap to one....

 

[Fenderfour]

Can't comment on how the older ones are off road. But, kinda want to see you do the EcoBoost swap to one....

I'm currently working on a cabover truck an I think I'm might be feeling a little envious of the space available in the engine bay of those old trucks. I remember my dad almost crawling in to his.

There's always the option to rebuild the old 350 or 460(?) that was there.

 

[redthies]

There's always the option to rebuild the old 350 or 460(?) that was there.

Hopefully it’s a 350, but probably a 351

I like the older trucks. All the ones I’ve had from the 2010s and up are incredibly complicated. That’s fine if you have warranty, a big slush fund or are a tech at a dealer of the same brand you drive, but if you are neither, simpler is better.

I am currently fresh out of a no warranty ‘19 Tundra and into an ‘05 Power Wagon. I also just sold my ‘94 Bronco. The possibility of “confidently” wrenching on the older stuff is refreshing. As long as your older vehicle isn’t a total rust bucket, they are almost fun to work on.

Parts for some of the older stuff is getting a bit hard to find, but LMC truck has a lot of things you wouldn’t expect. Your JDM Toyota is probably not fun to source for either.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

As long as your older vehicle isn’t a total rust bucket, they are almost fun to work on.

I love it, working on my Ranger is my release. Some read books, some fuss over their yard, I work in my garage. Working on my Ranger is fun, working on the Bronco or F-150 is work.

Even the Bronco with all its modular mounting points, preran wiring and all that, we just don't jive.

The only things original on my Ranger are the body/dash and frame. And I have a nicer bed and dash to install.