Keeping it in the family-first photo

[rjstractor]

So, I've been on this forum for what seems like forever, and I've never posted a picture. My dad recently decided he had a bit of money burning a hole in his pocket, so he ordered a new 2019 Ford F350 Lariat. 6.7 diesel, crew cab short bed, most of the bells and whistles but not quite all of them. The truck on the left is what the F350 is replacing, and I couldn't let him trade it in. Right now I don't need a truck but I couldn't pass this up so I bought it. It's a 2000 F250, 7.3 diesel with the 6 speed manual. I helped him spec this truck when he bought it new, and it will be perfect for when I own an RV again. It's got 163,000 miles with no major mechanical work done. In fact, it's on the original clutch which I know I will likely have to address. I drove it home from Montana pulling a dump trailer with 2 cords of firewood, and while it's no speed demon like the new truck, it pulled like a freight train on the hills and returned about 14 mpg. Future plans include possibly a mild tune and new paint, and in the next couple years I hope to be towing a travel trailer or possibly a 12K GVWR fifth wheel.

[blofgren]

shepstone wrote:

FishOnOne wrote:
Looks like a couple of jewels... I'll take the 6.7PSD all day long.
I agree with blofgren and that we have an 02 7.3PSD Super Duty and it has been much easier on the wallet than two 05 Dodge cummins and a 07 Dodge cummins trucks.

Around here the rust kills dodges within a few years anyway so it’s a double whammy on the pocket book..

:R

[shepstone]

FishOnOne wrote:
Looks like a couple of jewels... I'll take the 6.7PSD all day long.
I agree with blofgren and that we have an 02 7.3PSD Super Duty and it has been much easier on the wallet than two 05 Dodge cummins and a 07 Dodge cummins trucks.

Around here the rust kills dodges within a few years anyway so it’s a double whammy on the pocket book..

[FishOnOne]

Looks like a couple of jewels... I'll take the 6.7PSD all day long.
I agree with blofgren and that we have an 02 7.3PSD Super Duty and it has been much easier on the wallet than two 05 Dodge cummins and a 07 Dodge cummins trucks.

[blofgren]

That's a great truck, OP! And it will still be chugging long after the new truck is gone! :B The 7.3L/6 speed manual combo was the best Ford ever put in a pickup. I just missed a 2000 F-350 S/C 4x4 LB 7.3L/6 speed with 60k miles on it from the original owner....:M

[rjstractor]

IdaD wrote:
My dad has a 2000 7.3 he bought new, albeit with an automatic transmission. It hasn't been perfect but it's been pretty close to it which is impressive given how old it is. It's still a nice truck, just a bit crude feeling and noisy compared to the newer diesels. The biggest thing I don't like about it is probably the turning radius with those front leafs - it's worse than my Ram even though my Ram is longer (his is an extended cab short box).

The turn radius on this extended cab long box is pretty horrendous, although not quite as bad as the 1994 F250 I once owned. My last truck was a 2005 Chevy 2500HD 2WD regular cab, and it had an unbelievably tight turn radius. I could back a trailer just about anywhere I wanted. This truck, well, it will take a little getting used to! 😉

[rjstractor]

Lynnmor wrote:
Did he rear-end a garbage truck with the new one? :@

No, but he could with that guard on the front and probably just scratch the garbage truck. It is big, heavy, shiny and probably too expensive! One of the guys at the dealership he bought it at said he hit an elk in the shop truck with a similar grill guard and the truck only had cosmetic damage.

[marcsbigfoot20b]

IdaD wrote:
My dad has a 2000 7.3 he bought new, albeit with an automatic transmission. It hasn't been perfect but it's been pretty close to it which is impressive given how old it is. It's still a nice truck, just a bit crude feeling and noisy compared to the newer diesels. The biggest thing I don't like about it is probably the turning radius with those front leafs - it's worse than my Ram even though my Ram is longer (his is an extended cab short box).

Long bed crew cab its almost likek driving a school bus to make a 90 turn.....U turns dont happen easily.
When I jump back into my 13 Tahoe I have to be careful I dont turn in too fast and clip a curb for the first few turns.

[Lynnmor]

Did he rear-end a garbage truck with the new one? :@

[IdaD]

My dad has a 2000 7.3 he bought new, albeit with an automatic transmission. It hasn't been perfect but it's been pretty close to it which is impressive given how old it is. It's still a nice truck, just a bit crude feeling and noisy compared to the newer diesels. The biggest thing I don't like about it is probably the turning radius with those front leafs - it's worse than my Ram even though my Ram is longer (his is an extended cab short box).

[Lessmore]

A former neighbour was a Hydro (electric power company) worker and he had a 2002 Ford F 350, 4WD, SRW, 7.3 liter diesel, 6 speed manual, cab and chassis with a service box .

He worked with it for a few years, usually pulling a heavy cable trailer and up here, our winters are long, at least 5 1/2 months and periods of -25 to -35 C. Never had anything major go wrong with it, he loved this truck and retired...with it still running well around 2012 or so when he retired.

[marcsbigfoot20b]

LanceRKeys wrote:
Good going. I have a 2001 7.3 six speed with 298,000 on the clock. You have some catching up to do! Mine pulls my little 7000 lb trailer with ease. I have it straight piped, a Ford ais intake and a hydra tuner on it. Just put it in 6th and set the cruise! Best modification so far, which I highly recommend is adding an auxiliary fuel tank in the bed. That stock fuel tank is not near big enough for long trips. Say what you will about the new trucks, I like to row my own gears and hear it work. My wife would prefer the new one....

Same here, 2000 F350 Dually 7.3 with 168,000 miles.....Added Banks quick spool turbine housing, RiffRaff billet compressor wheel,Big Head wastegate, PHP hydra tuner, AIS Ford intake, and some other smalls stuff and it is a world of difference. 2000 has Forged rods!

[LanceRKeys]

Good going. I have a 2001 7.3 six speed with 298,000 on the clock. You have some catching up to do! Mine pulls my little 7000 lb trailer with ease. I have it straight piped, a Ford ais intake and a hydra tuner on it. Just put it in 6th and set the cruise! Best modification so far, which I highly recommend is adding an auxiliary fuel tank in the bed. That stock fuel tank is not near big enough for long trips. Say what you will about the new trucks, I like to row my own gears and hear it work. My wife would prefer the new one....

[colliehauler]

At only 163,000 miles it can go a lot more miles. I've got a old 7.3 with a manual 6sp with 255,000 miles on it. Need to take mine in for ball joints and p/s pump. Solo on the highway it gets 21 mpg.

[MFL]

Both great trucks!! I'm sure you'll get lots of use out of the 2000. To better enjoy the older one, stay out of the new one! 🙂

Good job on the pic post!

Jerry