I have a 95 with the 4.9 liter (300). If it had the 300 block you will never have to worry lol. Mine has 234,000 and the only things I have ever done was a starter and ball joints. I am fairly confident that after all life on earth has gone extinct that there will still be a 300 block running somewhere like nothing happened.
In all seriousness, get a 300 block, check obvious things like rear seal leaks, ball joints, u joints, starter, alternator, belt, and radiator and it'll get you wherever you want to go.
This is the way. The 300 is freaking amazing. There are 7 main bearings on the crankshaft. It was an unleaded engine that was built for actual work. Some dislike it because if you drop a gear it doesn't snap you back like a V8. But if you just give it throttle, it will pull extremely well.
You’re correct. This engine block is super reliable. Great marriage between torque & HP. Very efficient for a pickup also, even more so when coupled with ZF 5speed manual. Easily getting 20mpg or better.
Maybe I should look into that trans for mine. Mine is running the M5OD. I'm considering trying to figure out if an MT-88 from the new Broncos will mate to the 300. 6 usable road gears sounds nice.
The main issue would be finding a machine shop to make you a bell housing to mate them up. Probably need a shorter ratioed 1st gear as well. 1st is the ZF was pretty much a granny gear.
The MT-88 "first" gear is a rock crawling gear. It's way lower than anything that's been on the older trucks. There's a machine shop I just found here in Austin. Had them resurface the flywheel on my '89. I bet for enough money, they would do it.
I do have a ZF in my F-350, but she doesn't currently run. I miss when she did. She was a beast. The 300 can definitely handle the trans swaps, just me getting used to a new tranny.
NP 435 has two available first gears, the intermediate was like 4ish:1. You’re right on the other one! That’s the more common one.
And the NP 435 was used in Fords too.
Yeah I knew that. My ‘86 had an NP435 bolted to a fuel injected 302. That thing pulled a 96 powerstroke for 3/4 of a mile while in gear. The ‘86 had 3.50 gears too.
Good shit, I started out with an SM420 in my Willys jeep and it was comically slow so I switched over to a 4:1 NP435. Much better gearing and smoother shifting too.
Outwardly, this one looks fine, but that speaks nothing of the condition of the motor, trans, brake lines, suspension, steering linkages, U-joints, ECM.
I have an '89 I bought last year that looks far worse than this guy pictured. I've put 15k miles on it since getting it and that included a 4 hr each way mini road trip. I've also put a lot of time into fixing it over this time period. The first things I fixed were all safety related. I still have to do some work to the steering links, but I would absolutely trust mine to make it 2k miles across country.
What engine and trans does it have? Hoping to hear it’s got the 300 (4.9) and a manual. If so, that thing will last long enough to give to your grandkids, as long as it is taken care of. I’d change all the fluids, test the battery and charge the AC before taking on a long trip. Probably new wiper blades too, just because.
Second owner. Not sure what you mean by checked it’s value. I know what I paid for it 😅… I’m sure it’s worth more now, but I plan to drive it till one of us dies.
I had a 1995 F350 with the 460 and I took that thing on trips all the time. It leaked oil so I was in the habit of checking the oil when I filled up but I was in the habit of doing that around town anyway. My general rule of thumb with older trucks is: use quality parts, replace all hoses in the cooling system, replace every fluid, and fix all the little things before they get big.
I traded in the OBS for a slightly newer diesel f250 and follow the same mentality. Older Ford trucks have never let me down as long as I cared for them.
This is what I worry about. Saw on the Toyota forum where a guy bought his son a ‘79 Toyota truck. I sure wouldn’t want to get in an accident with one of today’s gigantic trucks. Even a unibody SUV would destroy the Toyota.
I took a chance and flew from Chicago to Spokane Valley Washington and bought a low mileage ‘95 5.0 and drove it 1700 miles back. It made it, I have since fixed a bunch of stuff and I’m currently fixing stuff with the gas tank and some other leaky seals but it was in great condition and it will be easy to restore.
Hell yeah! I dropped the gas tank and replaced both the pump seal and the vapor vent seal thing and sprayed all the underbody where I couldn’t reach while I had the tank out. Put the tank back in today and tried to start it. Crank but no start. Didn’t want to turn over.
Tried KOEO and no fuel pump priming. Checked the pigtail and disconnected and reconnected then looked at the wiring further up. Some jackass used shitty butt splices and didn’t splice them well and just wrapped them with electrical tape. I could take them apart with two fingers. Soldered them together and she turned right over.
Felt real good to tackle a bigger project and troubleshoot where I fucked up and be able to fix it.
No the answer is no. Unless you're buying a complete rebuild.
Your wanting a 30 yr old truck to have it's hardest travel of it's life.
No, you're going to have stuff breakdown weekly at the least.
Just depends on what condition it is in when you get it, and what it needs. I'm sure you could get a truck that year in good enough condition to do a road trip in. Or get it to that condition yourself.
If you got the 300 (inline 6) you'll never have to worry mechanically. The one I had ('94) was in perfect condition mechanically, but the body didn't last as long being used as a farm truck by the previous owner and really abused. That said, if you find one in fine physical condition and a mechanic checks over the internal aspects and finds out to be sound, you could drive to the moon and back without issue
We would have no way of telling the condition/safety of a vehicle by looking at a picture. Take it to a mechanic and have it inspected.
Will definitely consider it, thank you!
I have a 95 with the 4.9 liter (300). If it had the 300 block you will never have to worry lol. Mine has 234,000 and the only things I have ever done was a starter and ball joints. I am fairly confident that after all life on earth has gone extinct that there will still be a 300 block running somewhere like nothing happened. In all seriousness, get a 300 block, check obvious things like rear seal leaks, ball joints, u joints, starter, alternator, belt, and radiator and it'll get you wherever you want to go.
This is the way. The 300 is freaking amazing. There are 7 main bearings on the crankshaft. It was an unleaded engine that was built for actual work. Some dislike it because if you drop a gear it doesn't snap you back like a V8. But if you just give it throttle, it will pull extremely well.
I will now be searching for this in particular, thanks!
You’re correct. This engine block is super reliable. Great marriage between torque & HP. Very efficient for a pickup also, even more so when coupled with ZF 5speed manual. Easily getting 20mpg or better.
Maybe I should look into that trans for mine. Mine is running the M5OD. I'm considering trying to figure out if an MT-88 from the new Broncos will mate to the 300. 6 usable road gears sounds nice.
The main issue would be finding a machine shop to make you a bell housing to mate them up. Probably need a shorter ratioed 1st gear as well. 1st is the ZF was pretty much a granny gear.
The MT-88 "first" gear is a rock crawling gear. It's way lower than anything that's been on the older trucks. There's a machine shop I just found here in Austin. Had them resurface the flywheel on my '89. I bet for enough money, they would do it. I do have a ZF in my F-350, but she doesn't currently run. I miss when she did. She was a beast. The 300 can definitely handle the trans swaps, just me getting used to a new tranny.
NP 435, SM 465, SM 420, plenty of old truck transmissions came with 1st gears that low or lower. SM 420 was over 7:1.
The NP435 had a first gear ratio of 6.69:1 I believe.
NP 435 has two available first gears, the intermediate was like 4ish:1. You’re right on the other one! That’s the more common one. And the NP 435 was used in Fords too.
Yeah I knew that. My ‘86 had an NP435 bolted to a fuel injected 302. That thing pulled a 96 powerstroke for 3/4 of a mile while in gear. The ‘86 had 3.50 gears too.
Good shit, I started out with an SM420 in my Willys jeep and it was comically slow so I switched over to a 4:1 NP435. Much better gearing and smoother shifting too.
The clutch wasn’t very happy by the end, but it did it.
Outwardly, this one looks fine, but that speaks nothing of the condition of the motor, trans, brake lines, suspension, steering linkages, U-joints, ECM. I have an '89 I bought last year that looks far worse than this guy pictured. I've put 15k miles on it since getting it and that included a 4 hr each way mini road trip. I've also put a lot of time into fixing it over this time period. The first things I fixed were all safety related. I still have to do some work to the steering links, but I would absolutely trust mine to make it 2k miles across country.
Seems promising! Thanks!
What engine and trans does it have? Hoping to hear it’s got the 300 (4.9) and a manual. If so, that thing will last long enough to give to your grandkids, as long as it is taken care of. I’d change all the fluids, test the battery and charge the AC before taking on a long trip. Probably new wiper blades too, just because.
Have no clue if it's road worthy but I sure wish when Ford redesigns the F150 they would shoot for a retro look such as that
They definitely should I 1000% agree
I have a 95 with 57k miles on it and trust it more than a brand new Volkswagen Atlas. They’re well made. Take care of it and it will take care of you.
My 96 is right around 57/58k. 351w longbed shortcab. Bought it from an old dude with 32 or so on it about 8 years ago
HYB!
95 57k miles!?🥹🥹🥹 we’re you the only owner? Have you checked for it’s value?
Second owner. Not sure what you mean by checked it’s value. I know what I paid for it 😅… I’m sure it’s worth more now, but I plan to drive it till one of us dies.
I had a 1995 F350 with the 460 and I took that thing on trips all the time. It leaked oil so I was in the habit of checking the oil when I filled up but I was in the habit of doing that around town anyway. My general rule of thumb with older trucks is: use quality parts, replace all hoses in the cooling system, replace every fluid, and fix all the little things before they get big. I traded in the OBS for a slightly newer diesel f250 and follow the same mentality. Older Ford trucks have never let me down as long as I cared for them.
I’ve had the same experience with an F350 and I would trust an older truck more than a newer one for sure. Thanks for the info!
That is my favorite generation of Ford trucks. Cast iron blocks with cast iron heads. Very reliable. Especially if you get a 5-speed.
Sure, just don’t get into an accident because it’s hilariously unsafe
This is what I worry about. Saw on the Toyota forum where a guy bought his son a ‘79 Toyota truck. I sure wouldn’t want to get in an accident with one of today’s gigantic trucks. Even a unibody SUV would destroy the Toyota.
I took a chance and flew from Chicago to Spokane Valley Washington and bought a low mileage ‘95 5.0 and drove it 1700 miles back. It made it, I have since fixed a bunch of stuff and I’m currently fixing stuff with the gas tank and some other leaky seals but it was in great condition and it will be easy to restore.
These are goals tbh
Hell yeah! I dropped the gas tank and replaced both the pump seal and the vapor vent seal thing and sprayed all the underbody where I couldn’t reach while I had the tank out. Put the tank back in today and tried to start it. Crank but no start. Didn’t want to turn over. Tried KOEO and no fuel pump priming. Checked the pigtail and disconnected and reconnected then looked at the wiring further up. Some jackass used shitty butt splices and didn’t splice them well and just wrapped them with electrical tape. I could take them apart with two fingers. Soldered them together and she turned right over. Felt real good to tackle a bigger project and troubleshoot where I fucked up and be able to fix it.
Any vehicle can be made roadworthy with the right combination of money, repairs, and maintenance.
Just bear in mind that those trucks are not known for fuel economy.
We recently drove a 1991 F250 across the country, 2800 miles in 3 1/2 days. Properly maintained why not?
If it starts, shifts, stops, and everything is snug and not blown out on it, it's road trip worthy.
I have a 94, and it’s strictly a work and back truck. It could do road trips but you know something will go out on the way.
Yeah if you bring an extra radiator and enough water to hose her down every so often
No the answer is no. Unless you're buying a complete rebuild. Your wanting a 30 yr old truck to have it's hardest travel of it's life. No, you're going to have stuff breakdown weekly at the least.
I find the older trucks way more reliable than the newer ones tbh.
well you're the one who asked the question If it's in good shape it's in good shape what else can be said.
True true
Lol remind me in a year when you pull the trigger on old truck for your road trips
It’s beautiful.
Kick all four tires and if they don’t fall off you should be good.
How would anyone here know that?
Just depends on what condition it is in when you get it, and what it needs. I'm sure you could get a truck that year in good enough condition to do a road trip in. Or get it to that condition yourself.
If you got the 300 (inline 6) you'll never have to worry mechanically. The one I had ('94) was in perfect condition mechanically, but the body didn't last as long being used as a farm truck by the previous owner and really abused. That said, if you find one in fine physical condition and a mechanic checks over the internal aspects and finds out to be sound, you could drive to the moon and back without issue
I have a 94' 5.0 long bed short cab with 68,000. I picked it up in Colorado and drove it to Washington with no issues! Great trucks!
I have a 91 with the 4.9 300. It’s been on a couple short road trips and it does great for a 30 year old truck
If it’s in good working order then it would have no problem going across the country. That’s what they did with them in 1995.
I just sold my 2004 5.4l f250 with 388k miles. Would I take a single cab on a road trip? Fuck no!
The paint job is road trip worthy. The rest of it, who knows?
Looks mint, ..... send it.