Topic: Yet another project - 1978 F250 - Pics inside

[Hope]

Update on the truck....

At the end of last summer, we tore down the bottom end of the motor and changed the rod bearings, main bearings, transmission fluid and filter, oil pump, and oil pump.  We also cleaned the valve body.  Because I have been busy with school, I currently have the dash apart.  I am putting working gauges in it.  The old speedometer doesn't work, so I pulled one from an 80s model van (fits perfect) and put it in my cluster.  I just have to put the cluster back in the dash.

I got a new windshield and sliding back glass.  I got a bed mat.  My gf got a new dash cover that I haven't put in yet.

The truck is still a work in progress.  I got Ford to send me a copy of everything that came original in the truck, and I am trying to do it back to original specs with very few mods:



Sliding back glass:



She's a looker:


Check out what we found when we dropped the transmission pan to change the fluid and filter.





Who can identify this part below:

[bucky katt]

thats ugly Hope, is it a C-6 or an FMX trans? (fmx is iron case with aluminum bell housing, C-6 is aluminum one piece) brown fluid and chunks mean rebuild time, or get a rebuilt unit from B+M or TCI for around 600 or so. dont forget to either flush the torque converter really thoroughly or (best idea) replace, stock torque converter wont set you back much.

[Hope]

It's a C6.

[bucky katt]

excellent, a much MUCH better transmission.

[mark]

The mystery part is a plug used during assembly - so they can install the dipstick tube with the trans. already filled with fluid. Its presence merely indicates that the pan has never been off... or that someone just tossed it back in for whatever reason.

You will want a torque wrench calibrated in inch pounds to put the valve body together and back on.

It wouldn't hurt to put in a basic shift kit like one from Transgo. http://www.txchange.com/transgo.htm Save the B&M kit for the track. Avoid anything TCI like plague rats.

I wouldn't panic over a few flakes in the pan of a 32 year old trans. Looks like a bit of thrust washer material. If it slips rebuild it, if not run it. If the owner's manual or stampings on the dipstick say to use TYPE F fluid use it do not substitute Dexron.

The trans is a C6. The parts to completely rebuild, including torque converter, should be in the $350-400 range. Complete instructions in any Chilton shop manual of the period. The Haynes Ford transmission book isn't bad. Replacement friction material is compatible with Dexron fluid.

[bucky katt]

too bad youre in LA and i'm here. i have a C-6 with the big block bellhousing pattern that was behind a 400 in a Galaxie, has about 5000 miles on it and the heavy duty torque converter.

[Hope]

Mark,

You are correct about the mystery part.  Notice how I circled the "Ford" stamp on the transmission filter?  Know what that means? ONLY the original FORD transmission filter was stamped FORD.  Replacement filters were not stamped FORD.

Fellas, I found myself a virgin truck.

When we dropped the pan and folks saw 30 years worth of yuck, they said the transmission would never work again.  Wrong.  We cleaned the valve body, replaced the filter, and put fluid back in it, and she rolls again.

Yep, I kept the original filter.  Do you blame me?

[Stev-o]

Nice truck! Reminds me of my '78 F150 4x4 that I had years ago, it had a 400 also.
How many miles?

[bucky katt]

those 400m motors really respond nicely to a really mild cam, you get just stupid amounts of torque with a small-ish RV cam. dont even change to a 4 barrel carb, keep the 2. way more mileage and torque, stock torque converter too.

[Hope]

74,000 miles.

Here are some current pics: