"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

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"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

February 22, 2016, 06:31:12 PM

I wanted to share my latest project. It's affectionately named "Wimpy" because of the fact of it being a 3/4 ton truck but only having a 302 for power. I bought it off my Dad this winter after selling a '73 f-250 that was non-running and taking up garage space. Wimpy's got a 4 speed and is a Custom model.

As you can see this truck is extremely rusty. That's due to being a farm truck its whole life. The good thing about the truck is that it's pretty good mechanically. The 302 runs great other than not wanting to idle properly occasionally (I need to check the TPS and IAC) and the transmission, axles, and t-case all are in good working order. It runs down the highway straight as can be at 65 mph.

So far I've replaced some rusted brake lines, done valve cover gaskets, new side mirrors, and found some factory steel wheels and used tires for it.

Next thing is to redo all the brakes and plumb up the new front fuel tank my Dad installed but never hooked up. I think I'm just going to delete the rear tank and the diverter valve thingy and just have the front one. Then I'll probably drive it through the summer to make sure it's mechanically good. It also needs new shocks all around.

In the meantime I need to find some doors, a doghouse, and a bed to get rid of the rust. The plan is to keep the "brick nose" aero front end and paint it to match my T-bird eventually. Long term I wouldn't mind doing a small suspension lift.

I have a friend who has a 90-ish F-250 Lariat though with a 460 and 5 speed. He just priced it to me so now I'm torn! His truck needs bedsides or at least patch panels but the rest is solid. Plus big block power sounds like a major plus! What I like about this red truck is that I've known its owners/history going back to when I was just a little guy. Plus the its a stripper model (crank windows, no A/C, no carpet/sound deadening) and I think that's kinda cool since all newer trucks are loaded with the amenities. The body parts other than the beds are dirt cheap (I've found doors for $80 or so, complete front clips for $200) so I think I could get it looking good again for not a ton of money.

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #1 – February 23, 2016, 11:57:44 AM

Hmm. Since you have access to two trucks perhaps you could combine the best bits from each truck to make one complete unit?

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #2 – February 23, 2016, 05:51:55 PM

I dunno...not sure where to go with it yet. I just drove the truck and still can't get over how nice it drives considering how shiznitty it looks, lol. Yeah sure there's a little wander in the steering and it rides like a log wagon, but for a beat up truck with 160k rough miles it's really not bad.

I think I may hit up some salvage yards over the weekend to see if I can score some cheap body parts. This thing will never be a show truck but maybe I can at least get it presentable again.

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #3 – February 25, 2016, 01:47:01 PM

Quote from: 50tbrd88;453983

I wanted to share my latest project. It's affectionately named "Wimpy" because of the fact of it being a 3/4 ton truck but only having a 302 for power.

If you think that was "WIMPY", I once inherited my father-in-laws 1969 E-300 (1 ton) cargo van that came with a 300 cu in straight six with an auto tranny. That engine had some torque but it took a while to get that heap moving.

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #4 – February 27, 2016, 05:21:31 PM

you should have a 351 in a 250. you got one of fords oddballs with a 302.

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #5 – March 02, 2016, 05:15:38 PM

Yep it's definitely a 302!

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #6 – March 09, 2016, 11:49:59 AM

I'd keep the 5.0 unless you're towing big stuff down the interstate. Makes it unique!

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #7 – March 09, 2016, 06:20:22 PM

Quote from: JeremyB;454218

I'd keep the 5.0 unless you're towing big stuff down the interstate. Makes it unique!

Yeah I think so too. What's crazy is that this truck is equipped with a gooseneck ball in the bed, so it's feasibly pulled some pretty big loads. I have no idea what the gear ratios are in the axles (4.10's I'm guessing) but with the granny low 4 speed it's pretty much a tractor in the first couple of gears.

I've spend a few hundred $$$ on it so far getting it more roadworthy. Just replaced the original '87 IAC valve which seemed to help my idle issues but didn't completely remedy them. Now it will start and idle down like it should to about 800-900 rpm. But when you drive it and then come to a stop, the idle hangs anywhere from 1000 to 1500-ish rpm. I just bought a new TPS ($50+ At NAPA ��) so hopefully that will fix it. I found a ton of vacuum leaks when I did the valve cover gaskets so hopefully there aren't any more hiding somewhere contributing to my issue.

The oil pressure gauge intermittently acts up (jumps around everywhere) so I ordered a new sensor for it. Also got a new pcv valve grommet to stop an oil leak.

Long term plan is a 80's era companion to my 'bird. I've found a rust free bed...id like to redo the body and paint it the same color as the t-bird but keep the porno red interior.

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #8 – April 09, 2016, 09:19:18 PM

I scored a bed for wimpy from a neighbor, and I should be getting it tomorrow. It has some bondo in it but was priced right. I'm going to strip it to see what I'm working with and go from there. Mechanically I've got it almost sorted out. I still need to work on the grabby rear brakes and fix some oil leaks. Otherwise it runs great. I'm really enjoying driving the turd. It's a neat social experiment to drive this truck and watch how differently people percieve me than when I drive one of my "nice" vehicles.

A buddy of mine scored me some FREE poverty caps for the truck. All I had to do was cut the centers out of two of them with a 4" hole saw to fit over the lockouts.

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #9 – May 02, 2016, 09:06:16 PM

So I've been working on the truck some. Got the original bed off which was a REAL pain. I had to basically cut it off as the bolts were all heavily rusted. Spent most of the day Saturday using a grinder with wire wheel to clean the scale off the frame so I can POR-15 it and paint it up.

I'm working on the fuel system now. Here's my issue:

1.) only the rear tank works
2.) all OEM fuel lines have been cut and a rubber fuel injection hose has been spliced into the line for the rear tank, bypassing the fuel selector valve. No idea why as the selector valve is mechanical and from what I've heard they rarely go bad. The lines for the front tank are not hooked up and were plugged.
3.) truck has a brand new front tank but none of the lines are hooked up obviously. Also it doesn't seem that the front tank pump is working, though it should be new-ish.
4.) rear fuel gauge non working

I put my voltmeter on the connector going to the pump for each tank. When I switch the selector valve in the cab, I get voltage to both so I don't think my switch is bad. I looked into the front tank (took the fill hose off) and it has a small amount of old/stale varnishy gas in it. I'm wondering if this could have corroded up the pump and ruined it?

Main question, where can I buy replacement fuel line? Would rubber "fuel injection hose" and small hose clamps work in place of the hard plastic factory lines (they're the same style lines and connectors as on our t-birds and Cougars)? I've bought the hose in small sections before and it's not cheap. I've been looking online and places like LMC and don't see complete replacement fuel lines for my '87.

I'd like to have both tanks working, or at least the newer and bigger front tank but am on a beater budget here. I know this is a Tbird/Cougar forum but thought I'd throw this one out there.

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #10 – May 02, 2016, 10:33:45 PM

Pretty sure the 92 up trucks all had stainless lines, all of mine have been. If the connections are the same could be worth the effort to get a set from a salvage yard. I sourced a set for my 85 F350 when I changed it over to fuel injection. The yard let me have them, but I pulled them and it wasn't pleasant.

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #11 – May 02, 2016, 11:02:53 PM

Quote from: bodyman;455137

Pretty sure the 92 up trucks all had stainless lines, all of mine have been. If the connections are the same could be worth the effort to get a set from a salvage yard. I sourced a set for my 85 F350 when I changed it over to fuel injection. The yard let me have them, but I pulled them and it wasn't pleasant.

yeah pulling fuel lines of a junkyard truck sounds like fun, lol. The rubber hose doesn't sound like a good idea. I just wish Napa or somewhere carried replacement hard plastic hoses like the OEM ones...

"Wimpy", my '88 F-250 4x4 "custom"

Reply #12 – July 02, 2016, 09:18:26 AM

Sounds like I've found rust free doors and front clip for Wimpy. If everything works out I should be snagging them up this Wednesday. I've been driving the truck quite a bit this summer...especially since the A/C ped out on my bird a couple weeks ago.