Join Our Ford Truck Forum Today

Document your Ford truck project here and inspire others! Login/Register to view the site with fewer ads.

Help me power the f600 fire truck

The f600 fire truck is coming along.. the frame is done and all painted..the front suspension has had some leafs added to it in the thought that I might be swapping the larger heavier diesel in, the axles are done and waiting for paint... the transfer case is ready.. the steering is done.. everything has been refurbished to as new condition

Now its time to think about power.. of course its going to be a diesel

Over the last several months I acquired several f250 90s vintage 7.3 trucks.. I parted them out keeping the 1990 Navstar motor that has the banks turbo.. it is ready to be reman'd if I decide to use it
I dont have enough info about swapping one in yet,,, side motor mounts vs using a international front mount.. I believe that's how international does it... and seeing if I can adapt the original f600 Clark 5 speed

pros.. I have it.. they get good mileage.. work hard if you dont abuse them

Cons- I have to build it... and that will cost about 3500 to completely go through it to concours condition

or

(my preferred option of all of them)

Finding a DT 466.. perhaps with an Allison.. and swapping one

pros.. true medium duty engine with gobs of torque and reliability

cons- Id have to find a donor truck at the right price to get all the pieces and tranny.. and Id still probably have to build it

or.. and I have access to a low mileage one at no cost

A detroit 6v-53.. which did come in some period f series medium duty trucks.. usually with a allison

pros.. they sound cool.. nothing like them.. they make resonable HP if you don't abuse them
con... they tend to leak... they dont have low end grunt

What is everyone suggestions and thoughts???

Many Thanks

Notme
 

DNFXDLI

The Token Canadian
Staff member
The f600 fire truck is coming along.. the frame is done and all painted..the front suspension has had some leafs added to it in the thought that I might be swapping the larger heavier diesel in, the axles are done and waiting for paint... the transfer case is ready.. the steering is done.. everything has been refurbished to as new condition

Now its time to think about power.. of course its going to be a diesel

Over the last several months I acquired several f250 90s vintage 7.3 trucks.. I parted them out keeping the 1990 Navstar motor that has the banks turbo.. it is ready to be reman'd if I decide to use it
I dont have enough info about swapping one in yet,,, side motor mounts vs using a international front mount.. I believe that's how international does it... and seeing if I can adapt the original f600 Clark 5 speed

pros.. I have it.. they get good mileage.. work hard if you dont abuse them

Cons- I have to build it... and that will cost about 3500 to completely go through it to concours condition

or

(my preferred option of all of them)

Finding a DT 466.. perhaps with an Allison.. and swapping one

pros.. true medium duty engine with gobs of torque and reliability

cons- Id have to find a donor truck at the right price to get all the pieces and tranny.. and Id still probably have to build it

or.. and I have access to a low mileage one at no cost

A detroit 6v-53.. which did come in some period f series medium duty trucks.. usually with a allison

pros.. they sound cool.. nothing like them.. they make resonable HP if you don't abuse them
con... they tend to leak... they dont have low end grunt

What is everyone suggestions and thoughts???

Many Thanks

Notme

Although the Detroit is a cool engine....they are dirty, grimey pigs...If I was in your position, I'd try for the DT466.
 

DNFXDLI

The Token Canadian
Staff member

DNFXDLI

The Token Canadian
Staff member
ok.. I didnt win the intl dt 466 fire engine but I did score a 1998 low mile F 800 ford.. cummins with a 4 speed allison cheaply..

I had thought I would use the motor and tranny for the firetruck but the truck is too nice to part.. hey.. it happens..
anyway

Are the doors from an f 800 the same as a the same model year f250/f350? The f 800 has one bad door and needs a hood otherwise is very very nice.. Im convoluted on where to go with this truck.. I have a another nice f600 cab I could swap so I could have cheap historical vehicle reg (CAL commercial reg and insurance is a KILLER).... or leave it alone and have a late model air conditioned cab with all the bells and whistles...

As to the firetruck

My current repower options are.. (and Im open to others)

1)A newly built 370 sitting in the shop.. it would keep it bone stock and is a bolt in

2)A 7.3 banks turbo motor... it would keep it in the ford family but will require a bunch of fabbing for mounts,, I had heard that international made a front engine mount cradle for the navstar motor but i haven't been able to locate a medium duty that has one yet to see... anyone know if this is true? If so then it would bolt up to the front engine cradle of the F600 and would be a super clean easy install and I would probably go this route.. the Banks put out about 210 hp to the 370s 165 hp so would be a nice economical operating upgrade

3) Find another cummins allison deal... it will be hard to replicate the one I got for the price I paid.. Ill post some pics of the f800

thanks for the suggestions

notme
 
Last edited:
The firetruck will be used as a parade vehicle.. be able to pump water for my ranch for fire protection,, is a nice representation of period iron because of how clean it was... and the restoration while not concours will have it as nice as new hopefully.. Im kinda leaning for the 370 now... only because I have one done and its a no brainer.... I may do some tweaks on the motor.. a better carb that isnt smog controlled.. perhaps see if I can tweak the distributor...

The truck isnt so much for the historical value.. because it was so heavily modified from the get go..

the second truck is going to get a service or contractors body...Im pretty good at fabbing aluminum and I thought I would build a nice one.. to hold a ranger 10 welder... a 12hp air compressor and a gaggle of tools... a mobile working shop for around the ranch and the zillion other jobs that friends always seem to want done.... not a work rig... but this would be a good over the road driver.. it drives so nice and is so well built I hate touching it now

Im in love with the 70s f 600 bodystyle... and I do have a second clean cab from a CALFIRE flatbed utility truck... it would be a cool conversion... but quite of bit of conversion work.. probably a years worth in real life time

Whether I ever use the banks 7.3 really depends on how much fabbing it might take to fit it... and whether I can locate a front engine style mount that will work

more thinking...

thanks
notme
 
For now at least, I say put he 370 in place so you have a running truck. And as far as the 2nd one could you sell it and make some cash of it? If so why not do so and find another one you don't mind cutting up. And put some cash in your pocket at the same time.
 

nevrenufhp

California Chapter member
36
0
If it's for parade, it may be nicer to stick with a 370, or smaller diesel like a DT360 or Ford/New Holand 6.6 from an early 90s F6-800. The 466 may run too hot, and be a pain to get installed. The Ford (diesel or gas) should bolt in.
 

rambler

New Shoes......
first time I saw this post.. I need me some pics.. .LOL..

I clicked on your gallery and none there.. ( same as with me though.. LOL)

I love old fire engines of that year.. .
 
not sure where the pics went.. Ill have to repost some

I ditched the powerbrokes and sold them

I have a clean 429 commercial propane motor out of a f900 late model propane truck.. whats nice about it is all the big commercial stuff is hooked to it.. air compressor.. air cleaner..nice 5 speed.. every piece needed for a conversion

there's always 460

and yes a 370 is doable as well

Im back from a bunch of winter deployments.. down to haiti twice.. (that sucked)

I may be able to get back to the f 600 resto soon.. the frame has been done for months.. the axles primed.. still working out the 4wdb conversion issues.. I thought I had it dialed but Im not quite there yet...

still have the f 900.. a new f 150.. and the other 79 as a driver ranch truck.. the stable is pretty full and wifey says no more until they all are done.. but hey..who listens all the time right...
 

LEB Ben

Arrogant A-hole At-Large
34,919
1,124
outside your house
Man oh man I'd love to see some recent pics...I've been following this thing forever. Dad had a 429 in a early 90's F700 flatbed, that would routinely haul/tow 10-15 tons. I really don't think I'd have anything bad to say about it. Did everything it was asked and unloaded, it would cruise the highway nicely. Fully loaded, it would top out at about 55 though.
 
Last edited:

godblessmud

CHECKERS OR WRECKERS
1,596
63
Moscow, ID
:post pics:


Personally i would lean towards either the 429 or a IDI diesel
 
My motor guy said go with the 460... and use all the accessories...

I also have a cummins but I have looked at the conversion (it was a direct bolt up to the front mount) and with the late model f stuff bolted to it including an allison 545 I would have to hack the f 600 to make it fit against the firewall (big air cleaner and commercial stuff on and around the motor.. its definitely doable but not a bolt in like the gasser is).. or use a bodylift (which Im not a great fan of)
I guess the tipping point is the fact that the truck will see very low miles and so a gasser isnt a bad route to go.. not just a parade truck but usable around the ranch during fire season.. or if I wanted to get serious rentable on contract...

Hopefully Ill get back on it soon


 
YEP..Back form the dead.. a couple of rescue trip to Haiti after the earthquake.. teaching and then summer fire season and the time slips by..

Dusted off some stuff and decided to get to building the disc brakes for the rear.. so here's the way its done

First decide what will stop the truck and fit the b 700 rotors. I decided on the f550 calipers which are rated at 13,500 gvw each..they fit fully onto the b700 rotors..
I would have loved to have gone OEM ford stuff but finding the caliper stands from an 84-85 b700 6 lug rockwell axle was impossible.. so that left me making my own setup.. which in the end is more satisfying anyway

The hubs required some machining to fit the rotors but it is definitely doable.. with that done onto mock-up



Then make a paper template


Transfer it to 1/2" plate.. check everything twice,, make it square, use the plasma and cut it out... a couple of trial fits.. always better to be too small and have to remove material then ruin a bracket


Put it together in mock-up again.. and again.. and again



Check it for square (its not but will be when I bolt it together and prior to welding it on the tube).. Left to do.. transfer punch the caliper mounting bolt holes, thread them to American 3/4" thread instead of the 40.00 dollar each special ford bolt..make some gussets 45 degrees on the inboard side of the bracket for strength (make sure you leave a hole on the base of the triangle so that water and dirt don't build up there)


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

slow progress ..slow

notme
 
this is where it started


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

the tear down




Uploaded with ImageShack

The donor truck.. for a cherry short wheelbase frame.. which I still took apart down to the last nut and rivet.. blasted it and coated it and put it back together
[URL=http://img820.imageshack.us/i/fire003.jpg/]


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

The F600 lurking in the background is another 2wd firetruck I picked up cheaply.. its slated for a cab swap onto the late model f900 cummins lo-pro I have,,, but that's another day
 
Last edited:

Ford Truck Articles

Top