My makeover

[Goofyexponent]

It's for my truck!!! What did you think it was?!

Well, I was poking around the truck in the driveway last night, and I came up with a plan.

I want a regular cab, short box, 4x4, 5 speed turbo intercooled F250.

Yep, a stubby truck for plowing snow. Doing driveways with the supercab long box is NOT fun. It can be done, but you REALLY got to pay attention.

The ONLY thing I have really hauled lately, is the bike. It will go in a short box no problem.

I am going to save some $$ after the wedding, and get my hands on a MINT short box, dual filler neck of course. I can find a cab locally, so I am not worried about that much. I am going to save ALL my IDI wiring harness and simply install it in the new cab.

The frame needs to be cut down quite a bit, and my landlord's brother works in a CERTIFIED truck shop. For cash, after hours he will shorten it, weld it and it will have no problem being safety inspected. The hard part is going to be setting cab mounts where they need to be and then hooking all the wiring, and plumbing up afterwards.

Once the body is on the frame I can pretty much wire it, plumb it and measure for a rear driveshaft here at home. I can't go with any crzy lift or anything, but I would like to install a locker in the rear, as well as have the ZF gone over.

I know this will all cost some coin, but it's still cheaper than a truck payment!!

 

[Keeway]

sounds like a big job but would be worth it ive always wanted a reg cab short bed idi

 

[oldmisterbill]

I shortened my 84 f250 4x4 for the same reason, Its main function was to plow around 75 winding hilly New England driveways every storm. If I remember corectly (it was done in 1994 -a lot has happened since then) it was roughly 1 ft -amybe a little mor shorter. What a difference in manuverability! AT first I shortened the bed then imade a 7ft flatbed dump for it. the worst was the front fuel tank (I cut and put a notche in it (soldered it). The next was the ebrake cable I modified it with a press and cable loops. The frame to me was the easiest , marking cutting and alighning I did using plumb lines levels and a small laser transit. After I put on the dump body I hauled some heavy loads of soping wet tea (for compost) from a Lipton plant ,a perk for me. Then for a few years I pulled the 30ft gooseneck alover the eastern half of the us. Moved every thing to Oklahoma with it too. never a problem but replaced it for an airconditioned crew cab. I wish I had it now.

 

[pwrsmke]

Thats wicked man. Glad to see your not giving up on it plus shortbox looks wicked. I cant imagine plowing with my truck with a long box it would be like a cruel joke haha.

 

[G. Mann]

Sounds to me like what you really want for wheelbase is a Bronco with a plow and 4x4.... why not start with one, take the rear top off forever, close up the "cab area" and put in an IDI.... yer done... No complicated frame work.

If you put the tail gate down you should be able to haul the bike.. when you plow load the bed with sand for weight. Seems to me, you could take the whole back panel with rear window out of a pickup cab and with a little yankee engineering build a nice tight cab. Many Broncos have creature comforts from the factory like AC and power, the new Mrs. wouldn't be insulted to ride/drive it... [well maybe.. ]...

Just a thought...

 

[Goofyexponent]

I thought about a bronco....but they have weaker frames than a true F250/F350. THat, and finding a bronco around here that is not completely rusted out, would be a chore on it's own.

I would LOVE to have a regular cab, short box, turbo, 4x4, 5 speed IDI. I think it's within the realm of my skills and money. We shall see as I start to put crap on paper and begin cutting some time SOON after the wedding!

 

[Brad S.]

Not to be a stick in the mud, are you gonna run into trouble with VIN codes and switching cabs??
I entertained thoughts of a crewcab on mine. The DOT said you can but the "donor" has to have a title, and then it needs to be licensed. So on and so forth, blah, blah, blah.
Still entertaining thoughts.

 

[towcat]

single cab trucks are great if you don't plan on multipying. everyone I know who has kids will swear on SC or bigger.

 

[Goofyexponent]

If worse comes to worse, I will just run it as an "F150"

If I get this done before this time next year, I will be under the wire for the new laws.

I can just buy a reg. cab F150 frame and cab with papers and I am good to go!!