Ferd Trucks (Specificially 300 I6 Powered)

Shopping around for a full sized beater truck, Ferd seems to fit the bill.

Shopping list:

• Half ton
• Straight six
• Manual transmission
• Highway gears
• 2WD
• Single cab
• Base model. Really really base model. Like rubber matting instead of carpet.

I've heard rumblings about the 300 I6 being detonation-prone. Can anyone report on that?

Anyone have any specific knowledge on changes made to the 300 throughout the years? I can't seem to find much through a google search as to piston or head design, different rods that were used, etc. I pretty much just found that early and HD models had a forged crank. My piston supplier has two different pistons listed for 65-96 (I feel this isn't right).

How gutless are carbed 300s? Can a 2 barrel be easily added? I have a Motorcraft 2150 laying around.

What are these like to live with? I've done some work to American junk, but never daily driven American junk.

How disappointed will I be coming from import junk?

Anyone want to report real world Mpgs? I live in mountains.

Some good info and a link or two here: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/ford-300-6/89573/page1/

I had a '94 F150 with a 5-speed and injected 300, I saw between 14 mpg and 17 mpg in mostly city driving. I believe the '84 and older heads had stud mount rockers while the '85 and up used a pedestal mount.

Chevy 250 inline six rocker arms are a cheap upgrade that will give you a bit more power.

Have you ever driven an 18 wheeler? A 300 six equipped truck is a similar driving experience; soft, easy starts and low revs.

Apparently they have a tendency to break the driver's side motor mount.

Go for the last gen with the 300/6. EFI solves any driveability issues. Only problems I had was rust with mine being a 15 year old former farm truck in the rust belt.

In reply to RoughandReady:

around here Rough just watch for rust around the rear wheel wells where they all will rust. The 4.9 also came in f250's and f350's

also I am guessing this truck fits your needs? http://asheville.craigslist.org/cto/4608196606.html

or this truck

http://asheville.craigslist.org/cto/4557514208.html

15-17 city/low 20's highway

stock compression is only 8:1 so they turbo well(head gaskets are the only issue turboing)

there is a 4bbl manifold available but most for sale around here will be efi $250 for manifold and these trucks like 500-750 cfm. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ofy-6019dp/overview/make/ford

The motor is basically the same through all years the efi heads flow better and the timing gears are nylon iirc but there are metal gears available for it.

can be made to run 10's mostly stock with a turbo http://www.carcraft.com/featuredvehicles/ccrp_1108_1971_ford_maverick/viewall.html

The 300 is a great engine, but the 90s Chevy 4.3 is pretty freakin tough too, and comes in a much better truck. With features like actual suspension, frames made of steel that doesn't tend to turn to dust so bad, and other things of that nature.

The_Jed wrote: Some good info and a link or two here: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/ford-300-6/89573/page1/ I had a '94 F150 with a 5-speed and injected 300, I saw between 14 mpg and 17 mpg in mostly city driving. I believe the '84 and older heads had stud mount rockers while the '85 and up used a pedestal mount. Chevy 250 inline six rocker arms are a cheap upgrade that will give you a bit more power. Have you ever driven an 18 wheeler? A 300 six equipped truck is a similar driving experience; soft, easy starts and low revs. Apparently they have a tendency to break the driver's side motor mount.

Hah. I posted in there about the broken carb on my buddy's '82 that we use for hauling cores. I'd use it s a point of reference, but I refuse to drive it since it has like no brakes. Half the reason I would like my own truck is to avoid riding in his death trap.

I have driven an 18 wheeler, was a bitch to park.

MrChaos: Purple pickups, what will they think of next? Actually, it looks pretty good.

I'm a chevy guy bit would take a 300 over a 4.3 for a beater standpoint any day. Early 4.3s aren't so bad, late one a have problems with the injectors referred to as spiders and in a blazer chassis they sick to work on. An early 4.3 in a half ton isn't bad at all though, they are just gutless but so is a 300.

I have a 300 in a ranch truck that gets little to no maintenance and it starts every opening weekend. It lives a hard life and the bed has completely rusted through bit the engine has had no problems. I don't even remember the last oil change. Probably a few years ago.

In reply to Opti:

The half ton 4.3s were TBI till 95 then went to an improved spider system, S10s and TrailBlazers got the stupid failtastic spider stuff.

The 300 offers much better torque off idle, the 4.3 needs to rev to do that.

I'm a former 4.3L owner and I'd rather have the 300 in a full size truck.

I had a TBI injected 4.3L in a '89 C1500 (2WD) regular cab short bed with the 5 spd, and it had a good deal of torque down low. Peak torque (235 lb-ft) was available by 2400 RPM. I've never driven a 300 ci Ford truck for comparison purposes, but would love to. Given my love of torque, it sounds like something I'd really like.

In reply to dj06482:

It has torque like you'd expect from a big I6.

I am a Chevy guy, but I thing the Ford 300 is the best six cylinder engine ever made.

Later 4.9's had 265ft/lbs. My 302 has slightly more but it's all in the rpm range.

MrChaos wrote: can be made to run 10's mostly stock with a turbo http://www.carcraft.com/featuredvehicles/ccrp_1108_1971_ford_maverick/viewall.html

Cool, but the misinformation regarding inline 6 vs. V8 in that first paragraph astounds me.

My buddy had a similar truck (Eddie Baur, not base) and it went over 225K without any engine problems. He loved the straight 6/ manual combo.

ProDarwin wrote:

MrChaos wrote: can be made to run 10's mostly stock with a turbo http://www.carcraft.com/featuredvehicles/ccrp_1108_1971_ford_maverick/viewall.html

Cool, but the misinformation regarding inline 6 vs. V8 in that first paragraph astounds me.

Yes. me too.

Look for a 1996. Last year of the 300 but (sorta)only year for Mass Air. (California only got it in 1995). I have a 1996 donor F150 for the Vanette.

I've been told to avoid the later ones, not sure on the exact year but sometime in the late 80s or 90s they redesigned the front accessory drive(and the pickup points on the block), and really screwed it up(likes to throw belts). This is directly from the engineer responsible for salvaging the design.

My dad had one with auto . We put a four barrel intake on it and a 390 Holley. It ran great towed a car trailer with a dead 06 f150 on it. I am sure the weight was way over max but it survived.

I've got a '92 F150 Shortbed, 4x4, 4 speed (or 3 plus low...no overdrive) that I'm really pleased with as a beater. It's what we use when a truck is necessary.

Mrs. Sparks has pulled her two horses with it (nearby trips), I've hauled gravel, pulled cars (we hauled Psteav's newest Miata project home with it just a week ago) on the car-hauling trailer, etc.

If you need one truck to do almost everything you'll need...an f150 with a straight 6 is a pretty good fit. It won't get great fuel mileage (but much more tolerable than most 3/4 ton trucks) and you don't want to haul heavy loads up and down mountains...but I'm happy with mine for my uses.

I wish it had overdrive, but it's not really a bothersome issue. Mine is an oddball in that respect. Most of the injected trucks had a 5 speed, I believe.

I sure wouldn't kick a 300 six out of bed, but I'm not sure I'd go looking for one specifically. Not when V8 models bring virtually the same money.

stock vs stock, almost the same amount of maximum torque as the V8 (302) and more torque at lower rpms, and better fuel economy. Slow as balls, sure.

Ive driven with a bed and 5x8 trailer full of furniture, mostly solid wood stuff. The truck was every bit as slow loaded up as it was completely unloaded. Generally drove like nothing was there other than making sure to brake earlier and more carefully.

RE: 4.3L TBI vs 300-6. Ive had em both, both are great engines. When truck shopping last spring I was looking for both options. Tried to pull the trigger on a few chevies but you know how easy it is to get in contact with craigslist sellers...Couldnt turn down the deal i found on the ford.

RoughandReady wrote: - Base model. Really really base model. Like rubber matting instead of carpet.

I believe the trim level you want to look for is "Custom". Mines a longbed of your exact specs but an XLT Lariat.

Cool, but the misinformation regarding inline 6 vs. V8 in that first paragraph astounds me.

It is truly horrendous, isn't it?

Re 300s, I love them. Gear drive cam, tons of main bearings, don't make any power at high rpm. Those are the ingredients of a very long-lived motor!

Did they all get gear drive? I've seen chains for sale.