The Mutt has arrived!

EMD_Driver · 02-13-2011, 08:36 AM

Kitty and I went to Greensburg, PA yesterday and picked up our new primary TV. The PO was a friend of mine, from another forum for Ford diesel trucks. He is a Ford diesel mechanic and really knows his way around a wrench!

The reason I call it "Mutt" is because it is a unique truck. It is a 1999 Ford F350, with the 7.3 diesel engine. It has the rear springs from a 2004 F350. The towing mirrors are from a 2002 F350. The rear seat is from a 1996 F350, The front seats will be from a 2005 F350 and the carbon fiber interior and carpet are from a 2006 F350.

If you didn't know better, you wouldn't even be able to tell it was pieced together that way. It looks factory new! He didn't have any other front seats available and used some tan leather seats. I will be getting the '05 Lariat leather seats in the coming week and get them installed.

The truck was in sorry shape, when he got it and he did a great job on the restoration! Included with the deal, was a toolbox/auxiliary fuel tank combo. The tank holds 80 gallons of fuel and that will give me 118 gallons of fuel capacity. It also has the capability of being tied directly into the truck's fuel system, which will mean a long time between pee breaks!

The truck also has PLENTY of power and a lot of get up and go! It will make a perfect Sunny hauler! I'll post up some pics, after we get the PA road salt cleaned off of it and the new seats installed.

Poppy & Nana · 02-13-2011, 09:17 AM

Hope you get many happy miles from your Mutt!!!!!

**JohnB** · 02-13-2011, 10:10 AM

We want Pics! We want Pics! We want Pics!

Congrats on your new ride! Mutt sounds unique. What was the deal on the need for the springs change?

Happy hauling.

Looking forward to "seeing" when we can.

John

kanyonkitty · 02-13-2011, 01:10 PM

Pics "should" be posted soon as we just had the "Mutt Truck" washed and are now home. I left camera in truck and Gary is "supposed" to take some pics. But right now my son saw the Mutt drive in so he is out there getting the scoop from Gary about it. Fairly clean Mutt truck in the driveway.

EMD_Driver · 02-13-2011, 01:34 PM

Here's a few...

Poppy & Nana · 02-13-2011, 02:44 PM

WOW looks real clean......and I don't mean washed clean I mean body wise clean!!!

EMD_Driver · 02-13-2011, 03:18 PM

Thanks!

It has a few scratches here and there, but it's really nice. The diesel emblems were removed, so I ordered some silver decals for it...

I got them, from a guy on ebay... They originally looked like this:

I wasn't too keen on the text around it and asked if he could make me some without it. He deleted the text and sent me a couple for free, since I had already ordered something else. He also started selling them without the text and is now selling a lot more of them!

**JohnB** · 02-13-2011, 03:35 PM

Ah, now we see. How nice! Really Nice

Boy it shines up well. That body style is like Kitty's 05 was except the grill and the bumper. And the tire thread looks good from even here....

Nice looking ride for sure. Sunny will be very happy!!!

I washed the F350 and the Trailblazer today. It was so nasty with the road salt one did not want to even get near it. The weather warmed up and I pulled the camper over on the pad to reset the hitch from the suspension fix. It is suppose to hit 50 this coming week. If this coming weekend the snow is all gone, so will we to the camp ground!!!

We hope at least.

Thanks for sharing and good luck with your new Sunny Hauler....

John

Trailblazer · 02-13-2011, 07:47 PM

Very Nice! As John says, it really shines up nicely.

Looking at the photos, I can't really tell, is it a short box or a long box?

I like the idea of the auxiliary fuel tank. I have looked at adding one to my truck, however, I just haven't been able to justify the cost. Very nice finding a truck with one already installed.

Gene · 02-13-2011, 08:17 PM

Nice truck.

EMD_Driver · 02-14-2011, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trailblazer

Looking at the photos, I can't really tell, is it a short box or a long box?

I like the idea of the auxiliary fuel tank. I have looked at adding one to my truck, however, I just haven't been able to justify the cost. Very nice finding a truck with one already installed.

Hey Bill...

It does have the long box.. I don't think I've ever seen a dually, with a short box.

The auxiliary fuel tank isn't installed, but did come with the truck. I actually pulled it out of the bed yesterday, to facilitate the hitch installation and Line-X bed liner application. The tank will give me 118 gallons (446.7L) fuel capacity.. It should last me a while!

Trailblazer · 02-17-2011, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EMD_Driver

Hey Bill...

It does have the long box.. I don't think I've ever seen a dually, with a short box.

Neither have I, but I couldn't tell from the picture so i thought I would ask.

Quote:

The auxiliary fuel tank isn't installed, but did come with the truck. I actually pulled it out of the bed yesterday, to facilitate the hitch installation and Line-X bed liner application. The tank will give me 118 gallons (446.7L) fuel capacity.. It should last me a while!

118 Gallons. WOW!!! I wish my truck could even hold half that amount of fuel.

Anyways, the truck looks good. Congrats! Looking forward to seeing it this summer.

kanyonkitty · 02-18-2011, 03:12 PM

I have seen a couple of short bed daullys, and they do make you do a double take. Not too sure how they tow compared to a long bed. I think one belongs to a local excavation company near us.

EMD_Driver · 02-18-2011, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kanyonkitty

I have seen a couple of short bed daullys, and they do make you do a double take. Not too sure how they tow compared to a long bed. I think one belongs to a local excavation company near us.

I stand corrected... Here's proof:

**JohnB** · 02-18-2011, 08:04 PM

Yes Ford does some unique special orders.

I saw a F350 like mine with a crew cab, extended cab and a long bed.... One long truck.

Then I saw a 3 door crew cab and long bed.... This guy I saw at a gas station and asked him, where did you get that? They order them special... I have a pic of this one some where...

**Sunline Fan** · 02-18-2011, 08:06 PM

Custom Autos by Tim ...The Stretch Truck Company! ???

**JohnB** · 02-18-2011, 08:10 PM

Yup, that would be it!

EMD_Driver · 02-18-2011, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnB

Yup, that would be it!

Nice truck... Needs to be white over gold... AKA Sunline colors!

On another note....

I picked up a couple of air tanks and a pair of Viair compressors today. On-board air for BOTH trucks!

The new-to-me trucks mods begin tomorrow!

1) Gray leather Lariat seats.

2) Stancor glow plug relay

3) Removal of gooseneck plate, for Reese bed rail installation..

**JohnB** · 02-18-2011, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EMD_Driver

The new-to-me trucks mods begin tomorrow!

1) Gray leather Lariat seats.

2) Stancor glow plug relay

3) Removal of gooseneck plate, for Reese bed rail installation..

Don't forget the camera! You know how we like pic's!

EMD_Driver · 02-19-2011, 12:33 PM

I didn't get the relay installed, because Kitty told me I was done for the day...

We did get the seats installed... Here's the old tan leather seats and the tan center console:

They really didn't work well, with the gray and black 2006 carbon fiber interior.. They had to go!

Here's a side-by-side pic of the old and the "New" 2005 Lariat leather seats.

The bolts that hold down the seats, are a torx bolt. Unfortunately, I didn't have access to the proper size. Ford used a "Torx 55plus" bolt and I could only find the torx 55 standard. It worked well though.

Here's the truck, with the driver's seat and new center console installed:

Now, with both seats and the console installed:

The 2005 extended cab pickups, had the seat belts integrated into the seats. These are from an extended cab pickup.. The seat mounts included an extra bolt hole, to help support the integrated seat belt. When I get more time, I plan to clean them up some more and drill new holes in the floor board. I will then put a bolt in the holes and get the seats properly mounted. The new bolts will be painted black, to better match the seat frame.

The gooseneck plate was a completely different animal! My 1/2" impact could not even budge the mounting bolts loose. I ended up using two breaker bars, to get them broken loose. That made for several trips under the truck and then back up, into the bed... Whew! Once I had them broken loose, I enlisted Kitty to run the impact and get the nuts and bolts separated. So much for Kitty resting!!!

Here's a pic, with the gooseneck plate removed:

Here it it, upside down and in the back of Kitty's truck:

Note to self: This thing is 1/2" thick solid steel and EXTREMELY heavy! Next time, get some help!!!!