This whole story began with a simple email from our Associate Publisher, David Hamilton, who had a friend with a cheap diesel truck for sale. The line in David's email that grabbed our attention was: "My friend is selling (giving away) his '87 Ford F-250 diesel, single cab, longbed for a couple hundred bucks. It's been sitting a while, so it just needs a little tune-up." It was the "giving away" part we couldn't resist. We called David's friend to ask if the 6.9L engine still ran-he answered that "it did when I parked it over two years ago." That sounded good enough to us, and we told him we'd be there to pick it up in a few days.
Rescue Mission
With tools packed, jumper cables ready, and the phone number of a tow truck company in hand, we set off on our mission to get the diesel home one way or another. During the 200-mile trip to get the truck, the anticipation of seeing the future project vehicle was intense. When we finally saw the two-tone F-250 rotting away on the side of the road-it was truly love at first sight. The sheetmetal was rust-free, the tires had air, and there weren't any big puddles of oil or water staining the ground beneath it. The fact that the truck had been ordered with a regular cab and a manual transmission created an interesting juxtaposition next to its premium XLT Lariat package. It was basically an old farm truck with cruise control, A/C, and power windows and door locks.
What We Got For $300
We found the 6.9L International was connected to a ZF S5-42 five-speed manual with an aluminum main case and integral bellhousing. The S in the ZF S5-42 model name is short for synchronized, the 5 designates the number of speeds (not counting reverse), and the 42 stands for the ZF's torque capacity of 420 lb-ft. An external slave cylinder was used on early '87 ZF models. Since it is on the outside of the bellhousing, it can be replaced without removing the transmission. The rear axle is a Ford 10 1/4-inch with 35-spline 1 1/2-inch axles and full-floating wheel hubs. That means the drive axles do not support the vehicle's weight; their sole function is to transmit power to the drive wheels. Each axleshaft rides in two roller bearings within the axlehousing, and the housing in turn supports the wheels and vehicle weight. The gross axle weight rating (GAWR) for the frontend is 3,540 pounds while the rear is 6,084 pounds. The F-250's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is 8,600 pounds. To slow all this weight down, the frontend relies on 12 1/2 -inch rotors with dual-piston calipers. The rear brakes are 12-inch-diameter drums.
Tow It, Or Drive It?
In hindsight, we should have offered $250 instead of $300 since it was an F-250. Either way, the deal was done and now we needed to get the truck 200 miles south. The first question we asked ourselves was: will it roll? In our case we had what looked like four brand-new tires. They were a little low on air and covered with cobwebs. No problem. The first question begs the next: should it roll? After popping the hood, and finding a proper stick to make it stay open, it was discovered that the brake master cylinder was empty. Upon further inspection, the engine's oil level was somewhere out of reach of the dipstick. Those two strikes made the decision of calling the tow truck easy.
 The interior was in desperate...  The interior was in desperate need of a seat cover, rubber floor mats (instead of carpet), and a new headliner. |  Rust covered everything, especially...  Rust covered everything, especially the blower motor. This was due to a slow-leaking heater core. The next problem to take note of is the missing turbo. Once we bolt one on, the stock 170 hp at 3,300 rpm and 338 lb-ft of torque at 1,400 rpm will increase considerably. |  The old, unsealed batteries...  The old, unsealed batteries created quite a mess. If not treated, the acid will eat through the metal. Unfortunately, the body mounts are located right underneath the battery tray. A mixture of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and water will neutralize the acid because it is amphoteric (meaning it reacts with both acids and bases). Baking soda also works to put out small fires. |