I bet this question is not going to have one good answer, but I'll ask it anyway... I have the opportunity to pickup a straight 1988 Ford F-250 for $800. It has a poor running 351, a five speed, bad clutch and Ford's twin traction leaf spring front end. My question is, should I think about building this into a puller (swap front end/motor) or use it as a tow rig and build my rusty 83 Chevy 3/4 ton into a puller. The Chevy has a SM465 Tranny, 208 T-case and a rare C-clip semi-floating 14 bolt rear. My goals for the pulling truck will eventually be CTTPA Pro-Stock, but for now a street stock/modified type outfit. Any ideas? Thanks in advance guys.

I would go with the ford at least you don't have to do body work

OK personal opinon here. I'd build the Ford. Seeing We did one for my dad a few years back out of a 1983 f250. Pull that 351m out of there and a 460 will bolt right in with minor gas axe action. have to make room for the oil filter in the cross member. Bell housing will fit just up grade the clutch when you have the 351m out of there. You say 5 speed don't matter your using low range 2nd gear anyway. just put 4.11 gears in it and a locker in the front, we had a dana 61 in the rear with nice 35 spline axles, never broke an axle in 5 years of pulling.

What we did with the twin I beam front was put a 6" lift in the center

and left the outer alone so when the truck pull onto the track it looked knocked knee.


But when the front would lift as it pulled down on the back the tires would level out flat.

Daddy campaign this truck for 5 years before he passed away. It was the best 5 years of fun he had.

Dan

Thanks for you input guys. Shazam, I caught a couple of your videos of that truck a while back... It was pretty impressive. I guess I really should go have another look at the Ford before I get to plotting it build up... If it's got cruise and A/C, its more likely it'll stay on the street, although the 350 in my Chevy is only a year old..... I'm not going to sleep at all tonight.

I've got a 75 F250, 4spd.,HD44/60.,351/400M. $950.00 Could be made into a nice pulling truck.

Well, another option... I don't know what I'm going to do at all... really just thinking out loud now...

Digger, What T-case? Married of Divorced?

I've probably got a couple of weeks before I need to get serious about this. Will try to get the Jeep on ebay this weekend, then we'll know more.

The truck has a divorced transfer case in it. There are mixed ideas on which is better. I have a divorced trans. in my pulling truck just to help out on the drive shaft angles. You definately have to beef up the intermidiate drive shaft, yokes and u-joints if you run a divorced trans. case.

Can't go wrong with the SM465 and 14 bolt either lol, i gotta stick up for the chevys, fords out number chevys in prostock anyway. Slap one of travis' clutches in it and your set to go! Well besides a 600-700 hp engine needed to compete prostock (which im having trouble with getting).