So "Old Body" F-250 Trucks?

"jkm7680" (jkm7680)
07/19/2016 at 21:29 • Filed to: None

Are they good?

They were never really on my radar until now, but they’re a cheaper way to get the 7.3. Plus, I’ve always liked the bodystyle.

Don’t think I’ll be going with a 5.3 Silverado. I’d prefer diesel.

DISCUSSION (44)

Jack Does Cars > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 21:34

THE ACTUAL BEST

whoarder is tellurium > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 21:36

Such a great bodystyle. Overall, i’d own one if it was rust free.

I got airborne in a short wheelbase 7.3 F-250 once too.

I mainly hate the tiny door mirrors most of them came with and the interior (mainly the dashboard) materials are terribad. Shiny cheap plastic overload.

jkm7680 > Jack Does Cars
07/19/2016 at 21:37

OH FUN

jkm7680 > whoarder is tellurium
07/19/2016 at 21:37

Remind me not to buy that one hahaha

whoarder is tellurium > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 21:39

It was a work truck the long-timers called stinky.

Jack Does Cars > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 21:39

A guy that I used to work with had a 96 7.3 F250 (I don’t know how he could afford it while working in the kitchen at Chick-Fil-A, but no judgement), and loved it very dearly. Claims that it will be the only type of vehicle that he will ever own.

jkm7680 > whoarder is tellurium
07/19/2016 at 21:40

Hahah, good name.

jkm7680 > Jack Does Cars
07/19/2016 at 21:41

Probably financed it out the ass.

Alfalfa > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 21:42

They’re awesome. I want. As with most American trucks of the era, rust is really the only issue.

jkm7680 > Alfalfa
07/19/2016 at 21:44

Yup, it’s a shame really.

WRXasaurus > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 21:46

My brother had a 97 with the 460 v8 and the five speed. They are big and lumbering pickups, but they are fun and simple and cheap. Also the mpg was absolute shit. Like 6-8

jkm7680 > WRXasaurus
07/19/2016 at 21:48

That just means I can start charging people more for gas money!

Kidding....... One of the reasons I got the Jetta was the 40 mpg. But kinda fuck that because I don’t drive nearly enough to render needing that kind of mpg. I’ve had the car for five months and have driven only 3,500 miles.....

Jack Does Cars > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 21:50

A Thing That People Do in my area is they go to really shady lending firms, get like 10 year terms with super high interest all under the premise of, “if you miss one payment, the car/truck/atv/rv/child is now ours.” So then all of these people get vehicles that they totally cannot afford, and struggle to pay them off. It’s honestly a sad system, but that’s how the game is played.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 21:53

A person on my street has had one as a work vehicle all my life and I don't think I've ever seen it gone out of its usual spot outside of him going to work. It would start on cold mornings when the M3 wouldn't. It's also the best looking ford truck until the new one but that's just my opinion.

Rock Bottom > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 21:54

They’re great old trucks, as long as you remember that they’re old trucks. The 1999 and up SD is a much nicer driver, in my experience. The interior is better assembled too. The old ones are tough and simple and cheap(er), which are all good. If you value your front tire life, the heavy-duty trucks with solid front axles might be a better bet than the Twin Traction Beam lighter duty models. If you want to jump sand dunes, the TTB trucks seem to be valued, though I have no experience that tells me why...

It’s important to remember that not all 7.3 diesel Fords are Power Strokes. The early ones (even the turbos) were indirect injection motors, kind of like an old Mercedes. Good, but not 7.3 Power Stroke good.

BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE > Jack Does Cars
07/19/2016 at 22:00

You can find one for less than $10k so they really aren’t that expensive

Jack Does Cars > BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE
07/19/2016 at 22:01

Minimum wage and not-cheap rent tho, and he repeatedly bragged about spending $16,000 on it. I think it’s stupid, honestly.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 22:02

Meanwhile, I will break 6000 miles this weekend, and I haven’t had mine 3 months.

BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE > Jack Does Cars
07/19/2016 at 22:02

Ok it must’ve been a stupid clean truck with low miles for him to have paid that much. Dang

Jack Does Cars > BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE
07/19/2016 at 22:05

And OBS trucks just aren’t cheap in NC for some reason. If I remembered correctly, it had about 120,000 on it. But it was an extended cab, with a 5-speed. Massive torque, truly phenomenal.

jkm7680 > Jack Does Cars
07/19/2016 at 22:07

All true.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > whoarder is tellurium
07/19/2016 at 22:10

GM late model squarebodys had better mirrors than these fords.

BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE > Jack Does Cars
07/19/2016 at 22:19

One of my friends has a ‘96 F-350 crew cab with the 7.3 and I got to drive it last year from about Elizabethton, KY to Nashville in the rain. It’s a beast for sure.

Jack Does Cars > BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE
07/19/2016 at 22:27

I would buy one so hard. But I’d first have to have more than $27.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 22:37

They are awesome, best diesels.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 22:39

From late model Chevys to mid-90s Fords, you never know WHAT jkm will bring to the table tomorrow!

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 22:46

Are these cheaper than 12v Cummins ? Those who have owned the 7.3 sing it’s praises over the later power strokes, and I like the idea of an older, simpler Diesel

WRXasaurus > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 23:09

Yeah, I want to really find a 1st gen insight for my commute to work but at only 50 miles, alas, it does not pay. I just really love those insights.

Your boy, BJR > jkm7680
07/19/2016 at 23:31

Best looking ford trucks IMO. My first car was a ‘95 5.8 Bronco. Wasn't very reliable, but it looked great and sounded even better. Probably the coolest thing I've ever owned.

RallyWrench > jkm7680
07/20/2016 at 00:14

Yes. The dashboard is kind of crap, but yes. A crew cab, short bed, 4x4 7.3 with a stick is my dream truck. They do ride fairly bad unless they’re loaded though.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > WRXasaurus
07/20/2016 at 00:26

well he got that mpg because 460. 7.3 will get way better

Bowtie_Guy > Rock Bottom
07/20/2016 at 00:58

Yup 95 was the change over year from 7.3 IDI to a 7.3 powerstoke. Other then the block they are 2 COMPLETELY different engines.

Also I agree on the Super Duty comment... as much as I love the look of an OBS Powerstoke the Super Duty’s are a much better place to be and you can upgrade them with parts from all the way up to 2010 IIRC for the interior and exterior

BReLp7dzHM3ytYsE > Jack Does Cars
07/20/2016 at 00:59

Ha. Same

Bowtie_Guy > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/20/2016 at 01:06

Powerstrokes are usually cheaper then 12 valove Cummins but 7.3s arnt that simple to work on...

they had a fairly complicated fuel injection system call HEUI or (Hydraulic/Electric Unit Injector)... Originally developed by CAT... they use a full ECU and a secondary oil pump that hydraulicly pressurized the fuel injectors to ramp up pressure using the trucks oil supply. These were the first “tunable” diesels using performance “chips” to bump power up. While not as complex as modern diesels you still need a scan tool to trouble shoot most issues

Matthew Phillips > jkm7680
07/20/2016 at 01:17

We have an F350 with the diesel of this vintage at work.... I love it, it's nimble and daunting to seattlites.

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Bowtie_Guy
07/20/2016 at 01:23

Hmm... how about the 7.3 IDI? Weren’t they just regular mechanical injection?

Using oil pressure to increase fuel pressure seems... way over complicated

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > jkm7680
07/20/2016 at 06:21

Good, good...let the diesel flow through you.

Kinja'd!!!

Seriously though, the OBS trucks are AWESOME. I had this ‘96 with 250k or so and it was beautiful, the 7.3 kicked ass as 7.3s do, and on the highway it was legitimately fast. It’s the only vehicle I’ve ever sold that I shouldn’t have sold.

Like the newer trucks (like my ‘01 7.3), they’re susceptible to rot, needing cab corners and rear wheel wells more often than not. Get as solid a truck as you can find, though having cab corners replaced isn’t that pricey.

One advantage of the newer body style: I think it wasn't until 1999 that they added an intercooler. The early ones still work great, but I feel better having the intercooler on my truck.

jkm7680 > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
07/20/2016 at 07:13

That is one handsome looking truck. Always have loved the two tone paint on the things.

How was the steering on yours? Was it loose?

Thanks for the advice! I’d preferably be looking for a west coast truck or something.

WRXasaurus > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time
07/20/2016 at 08:37

No yeah, I totally get that. But it was also as aerodynamic as a brick. I totally miss that pickup but it wouldn’t have been useful for me.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > jkm7680
07/20/2016 at 09:46

Yeah, I mean they’re all kinda loose...my 01 is loose, haha. But that’s light duty trucks in general. It also doesn’t help that my current truck has 285s on it, so it doesn’t center well, but it needs an alignment.

I’d look at the newer body style trucks as well, unless you’ve got your heart set on the styling of the OBS, which is admittedly a better looking truck. I got my 2001 with 158k miles, mint interior, needed tires/cab corners/rear wheel wells for $3k. Granted, I stole the thing, but still.

Kinja'd!!!

They’re a ton of truck for the money, 20+ mpg on the highway, 700 ft lbs of torque with a computer flash. Can't beat a 7.3 Powerstroke.

Bowtie_Guy > Flyboy is FAA certified insane
07/20/2016 at 10:29

Haha yeah it totally is... 7.3 IDI are just simple mechanical injection. “IDI” stands for “indirect injection” they don’t have the power potential of a Powerstroke but they are stone dead reliable and super easy to work on

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > jkm7680
07/20/2016 at 11:21

yes they are great. Watch for normal truck rust but the engine will last forever with basic maintenance

Flyboy is FAA certified insane > Bowtie_Guy
07/20/2016 at 12:12

Good, thanks. Dead reliable and ease of maintenance is what I need in a truck.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > jkm7680
07/20/2016 at 16:20

The 7.3L powerstroke version of that truck is the best Ford truck ever made.

My brother worked as a delivery driver where the entire fleet was these and they all had +300,000 miles and they were all still bulletproof.

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE a crew cab long box of these! I would give up my squarebody chevy in a heartbeat for one.

Kinja'd!!!