Original  (when I first got it - Sept. 2004)  2358 original miles on the whole truck !

 It was stored in a Dallas/Fort Worth airport hanger and never put to use.   It still had the original oil in the engine, which hadn't been changed !   It was a pretty sight!  The engine is tight, and I, ....

... am a lucky man !

 UpDate:   As of  June 2008,  there is now 6100 original miles

     There was a HD Dana70 w/5.13 gears.   In order to get it more road worthy,  I swapped out the entire rear-end for and identical match having a 3.55 gear ratio.

     With the original rear-end, it was capable of moving just about anything it wanted to, or crushing it like a can against a wall !

     The complete rear bed was removed, to do the needed metal work in order to reduce the weight.    I figured, why have 3000 lbs of excess steel bearing down on my tires, wearing them out.  Plus the added weight would have just reduced the mpg I were to get.

     Being Texas is considerably flat, & I'm not a hill-climber (solo1),  I saw no reason to leave those things if I intended on keeping it for driving.

     The front bumper was used for its' 1" steel plate to replace the insane sized 6" thick piece of steel that was on the rear of the bed.  There was also a 3 1/2" x 48" x 28" piece that was removed and replaced with 1/4" plate, from the back side of the box under the rear window.

     Instead of the bed riding independently from the cab,  this is were it got tricky...   I have it welded solidly to the frame and the cab of the truck.   It seems to have put a slight more stability in it, I have sacrificed a minute amount of comfort for the security and safety of the front-end absorbing & balancing out the shifts.   I am reviewing my different options on front/rear balance and stabilization of the vehicle while pulling a load.  I have used air bags in the past for coil strength, and it seems to be what I finally will end up using,  but if so,  I will cut the cab loose from the rear.   I would really like some serious input on this from others.

     The all brass 25 gal gas tank was relocated 2 1/2" closer the rear, to make room for 4" x 1/4" square tube for a roll bar, which is welded to the frame and back of the box.  I left openings for running wiring in the square tube if ever the need arose.

Single piece side windows,  I'm going to do away with the vents !

Can anyone tell me from what I might get donor side window glass & tracks?

BUMPER:  32 inches from grill to outside front (makes a nice working platform).

    The top and bottom will soon be separated from the center- the center will be chromed all the way around, and the top and bottom sections will be bedliner coated as well as the diamond plate tops for the side steps.  It will all bolt together with chrome carriage bolts.

Can anyone tell me where to get my hands on a set dually floater rims?  I've been considering going a single set of 24" tires in the rear.

Maybe a souped 460 cu. in. Blown, Ederle Birdcatcher/Nitros Injected, with a 435/NP205  someday ? ?I'm going to switch carburetors,  the Edelbrock 1403, will be replaced with a Holley Truck Avenger 470 cfm.

A New Holley Truck Avenger 470 cfm is due to arrive on 7-19-07 ! Yea!  I can hardly stand the wait.

The Edelbrock Performer 1403 500cfm was TOTALLY AWESOME.

     I hated to make the change.  We'll soon find out if the Holley Truck Avenger is worthy !   Here is my new Holley Truck Avenger 470 cfm

I just got the Original Down-pipes for the split headers this past week. 

Will put them in next week. (June 30th 2007)

Installed:   Caution out there, fellow inliners,  They are very tight to the crossmember !

I had to notch it at the frame, and at the bottom of the crossmember.  I'll be leaving it at that, till I proceed with the Dana 60 front-end swap.   I'll have a better understanding of the orientation at that time.   They lay on my brake line... AND I don't want heated fluid spuirting out at every connector, when I try to stop this beast.  But I will be removing the ttb arms, and this is when I'll get the needed conglomeration ~

What I'd really like to get my hands on is the FORD 4.0L Inline 6 called:

'F6 270 Turbo'   or   Barra 270T

     This is the most powerful I6 ever produced by Ford. Production commenced in 2004 and it is found in the BA/BF Falcon based FPV F6 Typhoon and Tornado models. The increase in power is achieved through the use of a Garrett GT3540 turbocharger.  NOT available in the USA

          Bore: 92.26 mm (3.6 in)
          Stroke: 99.31 mm (3.9 in)
          Displacement: 3984 cc
          Number of valves: 24

Power: 270 kW (362 hp) @ 5250 RPM
 

Torque: 550 N·m (406 ft·lbf) @ 2000-4000 RPM

I'll soon have what I need to fire up the engine, again.  I can hardly wait.  Will I be extremely happy,  I hope it's worth the trouble, I'm not sure what to expect, can any one be specific ?   I know,  I'll be impressed until I drive it down the street to get my header collectors made,  at least the sound will be tough till then.

JULY  3rd  2007        I Got it !  I have a Dana 60 complete front-end 3.55 ratio, out of a '93 Ford F350    'Wanted:  FORD 4x C6 w/married NP205 transfer case, near southern Texas !   

My plans for the trunk area are for it to include a 5th wheel.   The lid will conform to the same style and slope as the hood with the exception, it will still have rounded fender top edges, but the sides will open low for 5th wheel swing.   I intend to split and re-weld hood pieces back together to get an appropriate match.  Who knows,  I might someday want to stick a separate engine for just the rear-end under its' trunk hood.  We'd want it to look like a hood, now, Right !   UPDATE:  Sunday, July 15th, I acquired a donor '84 F-series parts truck.Everything but the engine is present.   So, If anyone needs parts, ya better get to me quick, this won't sit around my driveway long !   I'm keeping the hood & fenders for the trunk !

My Bobtail has four sets of propane injected exhaust, split by two using Model T cast iron cutouts separating the 3 1/2" vertical stacks (I'll leave wide open-no muffler, for high rpm performance on the open Hwy.) from the rear plate/bumper 3" pipes, original '60s NEW Thrust muscle car mufflers (packs)- (soon to protrude out an inch between the plate and lights), but I may change them to come out the very rear sides : All for some fun time radical colored Flame-Throwing !

For the interior,  I have a New set of Corbeau SS Baja Bucket seats I purchased in '99 and never installed, w/ Neon Pink 5 way racing harness's.   I also have a set of 24 carat Gold Plated Custom Ford MotorSport Gauges for the dash.

 It has still never been titled.  I have an application pending the completion of work on a Custom Vehicle for it.  The ORIGINAL Title will process showing the 1st owner of :

 1981 Ford F-350

style:  yet undecided  ( thinking of maybe - One Ton BobTail Dually ) most probably though, just: pickup

Note:  The US Government NEVER Registered these vehicles,  and it isn't an easy chore to get them Titled iether !