Howdy! (Insert virtual handshake here)

Hey all!

Old Blue is my Girl, 1986 F250, 302, AOD. She was my Step-Dads' till he passed away last year. She has, what I believe to be, 250,000 miles on her. I'll upload pics when I get a chance (the brake pedal tells the story). She has lived her most recent 100k-ish with my family doing truck-stuff: towing the boat, hauling, moving people and their many MANY things, horse-chores, camping, mild-off-roading, and many other fun truck activities! She's tired (and with the 302, there was no extra power to lose :D). I drive her daily since I was in a wreck in my car the other week and have just fallen back in love with her! I have been working on her with my Step-Dad for the last 10 years or so, just a little at a time. He had brain issues for 7 of those years, plug-wires were changed like 7 times in 3 years because "we haven't done those in years, and summer is coming up", it kept him busy when needed. but, anyways, I'm getting long-winded. I don't do social media but I found this forum and have been reading your posts for a while. It is time to join.

A few questions I was asked in my welcome email:

Q: How is your experience?
A: Good enough for me to register on the site!!

Q: Are you having problems finding what you want or need?
A: Nope, not so far. I do have some questions I will be posting as I have time.

Q: Basically; what can we do to make this place better for all of US?
A: so far so good. its clean (appearance and content). and info-packed!! this is the reason I am here, much better than other forums I have run across.

Thanks for the add! Cheers!


 

Welcome Dustin!  
Thanks for joining us.

Your truck looks quite a bit like Gary's Big Blue.

Yes, welcome!  And yes, yours sure looks like Big Blue, although there may be some differences.  

Where’s home?  We have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member’s Map in the menu) and can add you with a city/state or zip.

Right-on! Home is McMinnville, Oregon, USA, 97128.

Welcome!

You are now on the map.  

Dude, The wrote

Hey all!

Old Blue is my Girl, 1986 F250, 302, AOD.

Welcome aboard. I think an F250 with a 302 and an AOD is a bit uncommon, eh Gary? They seem to be more common in the later years...1985-up, but not so much in the earlier trucks. Maybe it's just me and I simply haven't seen enough of them;).

In any case, welcome. I love seeing these PNW trucks that are so well intact, even after a long hard life.

Cory, that's the difference in the F250 "light duty" vs the F250HD.  ("Light duty" in quotes as that's my term not Ford's, but what do you call an F250 that isn't HD?  )  The 5.0L didn't come in the HD versions and the 460 and IDI didn't come in the LD versions.

I don't know the numbers on em, but the f250/302 was totally an inappropriate combination. Again, I love the Ol girl. But it's just too small of a powerplant. She's got me everywhere I need to go (and plenty of places i shouldn't have been 😆), and back. But I am keeping my eye out for a larger block. I'll wait till I find the right one/right price. But that 460 would be sooooo so much better!

Don't discount a 351W, and maybe a stroked one.  The 460 is a glutton and you shouldn't use the terms "460" and "MPG" in the same sentence.  Oh wait!  I just did!  

Seriously though, my 460 is running EFI and I can squeeze 13 MPG out of it on the highway.  But to go to a 460 you have to change out a whole bunch of things, like transmission, engine stands, etc.  However, a 351W will bolt in where your 302 is, although the exhaust will have to change a bit due to the engine being wider than the 302.  And, the AOD wasn't offered in the trucks behind the 351W as it isn't up to the torque, so you should still change out the tranny.