What’s big and red and can bring tons of goodies to anyone’s house? Why, this 1987 Ford F-350, of course! No need to drive to the North Pole for this toy-hauler, though: it’s located in Tumacacori, Arizona, and advertised right here on Barn Finds Classifieds! The current owner has recently reduced the asking price for this barn-find dually– $3,000 will put it under your tree.
In the early Eighties, Ford contracted with International to provide diesel engines for their F-Series trucks. Starting with the 6.9L V8, the resulting IDI (Indirect Injection) engines would serve in Ford models from 1983 through 1993, with an increase in displacement to 7.3L in 1987. This larger engine produced not only 180 horsepower, but also an impressive 365 ft. lb. of torque. This truck is, of course, equipped with the 7.3L. While the seller states that the engine was refurbished by Jasper Engines and Transmissions, it’s a little astounding that it would need that sort of attention. These are extremely simple units, with little of the electronics or emissions equipment that adorn later diesels. Even the fuel injection is mechanical. Like many mechanically simple engines, they have a reputation for being extremely robust– as attested to by their use in school buses.
The base transmission in 1987 would have been a Borg-Warner T19 four speed– a five speed wouldn’t come along until the next year– though this truck comes equipped with an automatic transmission. This is most likely a 3-speed Ford C6, and the seller indicates that it has also been rebuilt. The interior looks rough, which is to be expected since the seller states that we’re looking at a stalled restoration. Yet, carpets aside, there’s a lot to love even here: that center console looks custom, and the bucket seats are a big improvement over a bench for long trips to bring home another new acquisition. And take a look at the wheels!
The thing about a barn find is this: they’re never in one piece. Or if they’re all together, they don’t run. Or if they run, they don’t stop. The best deals out there are usually ones you’re going to have to put on a trailer. And when you’ve got it on a trailer, well, you’re going to need something to pull that trailer. A person could do a lot worse than a solid Ford with a nigh-bulletproof engine and torque to spare. There’s something poetic about hunting barn finds with a barn find.
During the “Cash for Clunkers” deal, I watched a dealer try to kill a 7.3 with the prescribed liquid glass. It didn’t work. Second bottle – no, just a lot of black smoke. Third bottle – that finally did it…
I saw a quite a few good ones go down in that program (but mostly turds). A pretty nice ’89 K5 Blazer was one I wanted to rescue, but that was against the law. Destroy the engine, and no parts could be picked. Had to be crushed whole.
That IH sourced 7.3 in that Ford that day made me a believer in their toughness. This one for sale, with it’s new Jasper build – you may just have this one for awhile!
You could pick parts off the Cash for Clunkers cars – saw many a great vehicle go to an early grave due to that fiasco. On the other hand, we got a lot of nice parts off cars/trucks that were still nice vehicles.
Another Cowboy’s Continental, only this time a genuine article, with the DIESEL. Lots of these went through our shop in the day. International really hit a home run with the 6.9/7.3 IDI engines and managed to hold out into the 7.3 Powerstroke. We won’t talk about the Emission-Inspired 6.0 and 6.4 because they didn’t even make good doorstops. Interesting that as tough as the engines were there was one problem that could crop up, and it was similar to one that plagued the early Oldsmobile 350s.
They had stamped steel rocker arms that ran on aluminum supports and they failed in similar fashion to the GM ones: they wore out prematurely. Failures could be traced to (2) things: 1/ The idiot who saw the “Maintenance Free” sticker on top of the battery and thought it applied to the whole vehicle. And 2/ Prolonged idling. In colder climates, people tended to leave these running. That was always fun because there would be three or four of them lined up near the door to the coffee shop and with the constant flow of customers, the interior of the coffee shop could become like LA on a clear day. But inside the engine, the lack of lube to some rockers could result in their failure. Oh, I might as well mention a third failure: 3/ Someone came up with a miracle synthetic oil that was good for 10K+ miles. Too bad the makers didn’t take into consideration the fact that a diesel engine still put lots of carbon-laden deposits into the oil and eventually the oil would become saturated, the filter would be plugged solid and the oil either needed more filtration or just plain CHANGED. Guys would ask me about this marvelous new oil to which I would reply that they still needed to change it every 2500 to 5000 miles. Yes, there were many whizzing contests over that issue. But overall, these engines were virtually indestructible. Of course, things like the fuel injection pumps, injectors, and transfer pumps could be temperamental but that’s another topic…
Looks more like ‘Big Pink’ to me.
Mine has 300,000 on it, 7.3 engine never hiccuped but many outer components replaced — modules, spark stuff . Had 200,000 on it at purchase in 97. It’s a 92 automatic 250 Xcab. These great dinasaurs will be around a little longer to haul heavy loads..
I currently have a 92 F250 7.3 E4OD 2WD with 287k on it–runs great :-)
Also a 91 F350 Crew 7.3 E4OD 4×4 with 76k on it, but the E4OD died a few months ago :-(
I ran an 88 F350 Crew 7.3 ZF 4×4 on waste veggie oil for about 8 years, then it rusted-out.
probably good reason for me to stick with regular , non-bio mix diesel fuel
This is just 5 minutes from me. Tempting
Best friend used to snowplow with one of these 7.3 diesels. No turbo i beleive. It was a brown regular cab f250. 4spd standard. Was the most reliable and useful truck in the fleet.
I bought an 86 F350 4door single wheel 6.9 IDI C6 355:1gears. Off a local company named Pavers the bastard had a half million miles when I bought it. And I drove the wheels off of it. They had been eithering it for a long time. I put new glow plugs in it but still had to keep a gallon gas can in the bed to start it most of the time. But it started every time. I loved that truck. Now I have an 88 F250 4×4 4.10;1 5speed 7.3 IDI 33.11.50 mud tires