@tarussell more inline people are coming out of the woodwork. I like my 300 in my f150, it's a good driving engine.
CK5
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The $50 F250
- Thread starter 78K30
- Start date
Looking at the past two replies apparently we’re not alone in our love of the old inlines. My first truck was an 81 C10 250 and 3 speed column shift manual. Wish I had that truck back just like it was when it came home
Ooooo freshly rebuilt...
classifieds.ksl.com
1984 GM 250 Inline 6 | Engine Part | KSL Classifieds
$500 1984 GM 250 Inline 6 in Sandy, UT on KSL Classifieds. View a wide selection of Engine Part and other great items on KSL Classifieds.
Wow I never knew they had a 3 on the tree in the 80s?
A good running in-line motor definitely gives a different driving experience with the narrow down low power band.
My favorite engine is them large cubic inch GM “rat” motors but I’m putt’n some effort into this 292/K30 project and not trying to make something it’s not nor was ever designed to be.
It’s all about understanding where these type of engines make great torque and improving on it when possible.
Well the week sure slipped away from me, and the red mist kinda descended when someone decided to bid me up. But hopefully by Labor Day weekend I’m driving the old 78 K20 drive around with its new powerplant. Turns out the combine engine uses a standard truck flywheel and pilot bushing which is handy. I’ll have to take it all back off so I didn’t bother cleaning the paint off the friction surface.
Next up on the F250 project was bumper fab so the rear didnt look so goofy.
Sliced a couple chunks out of the 6” C channel and dropped this hunk of square tube in for the main beam to hold the outriggers and the bumper top/work bench.
Left side outrigger on. Welded the tube to the jack itself then slid it inside the main beam. It’s held in by a single bolt, but the weight is carried by the two tubes engaging each other by 6” of overlap
Passenger side telescopes out for those times when lifting off the side of the truck. Didn’t have a long enough chunk so I had to weld two pieces together. I need to pull them out and grind them down slightly, it’s a bit stiff to slide out.
Bench vise mount for the used 6” off my company truck. Probaby shouldn’t have even made it removable, I haven’t pulled the mount out since I put it on when this pic was taken last spring. It has a single 1/2” bolt that keeps it from walking off.
Next up was the top. I debated making it heavier but this is also just a 3/4 ton truck so and it’s got plenty of support so I went with 1/4” that the local steel supplier cut to side on their plasma table. Drilled a bunch of holes in the front part of the plate and plug welded it to the outrigger tube. The rear is stitched to the rear most bumper tube.
In primer
And painted. Not in these pics is the retainer latch for the outrigger that slides. Can see the mount for it in the above picture.
Overall this project went way better than I initially planned. Definitely some farmer fab compared to some of the works of art on here. But it’s been great to me this year. Many projects got done on this bumper over the course of 2025. Also used it to push start my old international straight truck when the battery was dead, overall very happy with how it turned out.
Sliced a couple chunks out of the 6” C channel and dropped this hunk of square tube in for the main beam to hold the outriggers and the bumper top/work bench.
Left side outrigger on. Welded the tube to the jack itself then slid it inside the main beam. It’s held in by a single bolt, but the weight is carried by the two tubes engaging each other by 6” of overlap
Passenger side telescopes out for those times when lifting off the side of the truck. Didn’t have a long enough chunk so I had to weld two pieces together. I need to pull them out and grind them down slightly, it’s a bit stiff to slide out.
Bench vise mount for the used 6” off my company truck. Probaby shouldn’t have even made it removable, I haven’t pulled the mount out since I put it on when this pic was taken last spring. It has a single 1/2” bolt that keeps it from walking off.
Next up was the top. I debated making it heavier but this is also just a 3/4 ton truck so and it’s got plenty of support so I went with 1/4” that the local steel supplier cut to side on their plasma table. Drilled a bunch of holes in the front part of the plate and plug welded it to the outrigger tube. The rear is stitched to the rear most bumper tube.
In primer
And painted. Not in these pics is the retainer latch for the outrigger that slides. Can see the mount for it in the above picture.
Overall this project went way better than I initially planned. Definitely some farmer fab compared to some of the works of art on here. But it’s been great to me this year. Many projects got done on this bumper over the course of 2025. Also used it to push start my old international straight truck when the battery was dead, overall very happy with how it turned out.
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Next task on the list, power to the crane. Handy thing about this old autocrane is it just needs 12v power no PTO and hydraulic lines needed.
Stuffed a Napa group 31 deep cycle battery in the crane stand, fits like a glove. Had to weld a couple straps under it for support as well as make a mount for the disconnect switch.
Originally I had planned to use the disconnect in the above picture to have the crane run off the truck battery, group 31, or both (which would allow the truck to charge the crane battery). That would work fine but also leave the possibility that the starting battery could be left in use and possibly get drained which I didn’t want. So to Amazon I went for this 500 amp smart battery isolator, now mounted to the battery tray support.
22’ of 2/0 battery cable covered in a heat shrink abrasion sleeve. The sleeve was one solid piece and getting it slid over 22’ of cable took me quite a time and many words. But I prevailed
Cable ran from the isolator to the crane battery with the engine running. Also visible is the two gauges for the airbags which have since been deleted due to them leaking off bag pressure.
This was another one of those projects I was very happy with once it was done. It keeps things simple for anyone to use and that’s important because part of this trucks mission is to have a service truck available to dad when I’m away in the company rig.
Stuffed a Napa group 31 deep cycle battery in the crane stand, fits like a glove. Had to weld a couple straps under it for support as well as make a mount for the disconnect switch.
Originally I had planned to use the disconnect in the above picture to have the crane run off the truck battery, group 31, or both (which would allow the truck to charge the crane battery). That would work fine but also leave the possibility that the starting battery could be left in use and possibly get drained which I didn’t want. So to Amazon I went for this 500 amp smart battery isolator, now mounted to the battery tray support.
22’ of 2/0 battery cable covered in a heat shrink abrasion sleeve. The sleeve was one solid piece and getting it slid over 22’ of cable took me quite a time and many words. But I prevailed
Cable ran from the isolator to the crane battery with the engine running. Also visible is the two gauges for the airbags which have since been deleted due to them leaking off bag pressure.
This was another one of those projects I was very happy with once it was done. It keeps things simple for anyone to use and that’s important because part of this trucks mission is to have a service truck available to dad when I’m away in the company rig.
Two points of interest that might benefit you on your “new” power plant are the flywheel is specific to a 292 application because of the two additional dowel pins on the crank flange that are not used on other GM motors - a regular 168 tooth internally balanced truck flywheel could be swapped in if you had it machined for the extra dowel holes.
The other thing is that exhaust manifold very well could be a rare large outlet 3-bolt flange - there are small diameter outlet 3-bolt manifolds but the larger ones usually came on medium duty trucks ( C40,50 & 60’s ) and forklifts, ag equipment and other industrial applications.
This manifold is highly sought after with most of the 250/292 freaks ( I mean enthusiasts ) out there so keep that in mind as it’s a piece of junkyard gold.
Thank you that’s some very good information! I thought the dowels were odd as I’d never seen them before. I believe the engine is a 76 casting date but I haven’t researched too close into that part of it.
The manifold sadly has some quite large cracks in it and the one flange bolt hole isn’t intact. I’d figured on buying a header but I’ve got a friend that can repair it if I’d ask. Hearing that maybe I’ll have to ask
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I know it’s a Ferd build, but you should check out Vice Grip Garage’s build he did on a 300ci. If memory serves me correctly I believe he did a cam and lifters with efi. Ended up making solid power and great torque.
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I’ve pondered it, I’ve been considering getting a different intake and running a Holley EFI setup on it just for drivability sake. I’ve pondered cams as well, but I’m also weird and like my engines to run perfectly as factory intended and do know enough about aftermarket cams. Although with this truck simple is also desirable so a good carb wouldn’t hurt. I’d actually go as far as removing the NV4500 and putting the SM465 back in if it wasn’t for the driveshafts already being made for the 4500. Will also need to find some 4.10 geared axles as I’m currently at 3.73. Or go 4.56 since I’ve got overdrive. Kinda undecided yet
Been a hot minute since I’ve been in here, so might as well get back to it here and there.
Next item was a hitch for dragging Random stuff around the place. Nothing really fancy here but this project did cause some vision loss in my left eye due to a very very tiny chunk of steel that had to be removed. (And now I get to cheat on the eye exam like Donald Sutherland in space cowboys).
I still need to add safety chain loops but it’s stood the test of time. I was initially worried it wouldn’t be heavy enough but it’s more than proven itself.
Next was a bolt bin, this sits above the right rear tire. Still slowly adding hardware yet to this day. But it’s routinely been a life saver.
Start of a headache rack, always planned to get more fancy than this, but other than a couple mounts for work lights and a single LED beacon it’s remained unchanged.
And the most used part of the whole truck. Friend of mine gave me this gas air compressor. Numerous times over the years I’ve about bought one and luckily I didn’t need to. But this thing is just handier than a pocket on a shirt. I wish I’d put an hour meter on it. We only really use the upright compressor in the shed now to run the tire machine otherwise this one does it all around here it’s just so handy.
Just realized I don’t have a picture of the hose reel, but there’s a 50’ hose reel mounted right behind the compressor. I even rotated the pull starter on the engine upside down so it pulls down and forward now. Dad and I are both north of 6’ so we can easily run all of the controls from the ground.
Next item was a hitch for dragging Random stuff around the place. Nothing really fancy here but this project did cause some vision loss in my left eye due to a very very tiny chunk of steel that had to be removed. (And now I get to cheat on the eye exam like Donald Sutherland in space cowboys).
I still need to add safety chain loops but it’s stood the test of time. I was initially worried it wouldn’t be heavy enough but it’s more than proven itself.
Next was a bolt bin, this sits above the right rear tire. Still slowly adding hardware yet to this day. But it’s routinely been a life saver.
Start of a headache rack, always planned to get more fancy than this, but other than a couple mounts for work lights and a single LED beacon it’s remained unchanged.
And the most used part of the whole truck. Friend of mine gave me this gas air compressor. Numerous times over the years I’ve about bought one and luckily I didn’t need to. But this thing is just handier than a pocket on a shirt. I wish I’d put an hour meter on it. We only really use the upright compressor in the shed now to run the tire machine otherwise this one does it all around here it’s just so handy.
Just realized I don’t have a picture of the hose reel, but there’s a 50’ hose reel mounted right behind the compressor. I even rotated the pull starter on the engine upside down so it pulls down and forward now. Dad and I are both north of 6’ so we can easily run all of the controls from the ground.
Next up, crane controls. This crane has a 10’ pendant you have to connect to it with toggle switches to control it. Well that’s a pain, so an Amazon special crane remote was ordered.
The connector with the split loom connects to the cranes pendant connector without any mods to the crane. So the factory pendant is used for backup (hasn’t been needed yet).
And it works!
View attachment F56724D1-BDDF-427F-B886-AEF5B656DEF0.mp4
The wireless upgrade has been another of my favorite mods to the truck. These old cranes don’t have proportional control so I was able to get away with it. Have yet to even replace the batteries in the remote even a year later.
The connector with the split loom connects to the cranes pendant connector without any mods to the crane. So the factory pendant is used for backup (hasn’t been needed yet).
And it works!
View attachment F56724D1-BDDF-427F-B886-AEF5B656DEF0.mp4
The wireless upgrade has been another of my favorite mods to the truck. These old cranes don’t have proportional control so I was able to get away with it. Have yet to even replace the batteries in the remote even a year later.
That’s awesome!!!
Thanks Greg! About time I update this a bit more
That brings me to the exhaust exit. When I first revived the truck I ran the exhaust dual clear out similar to factory. It sounded good but I didn’t get my angles right and it never looked right to me and was close to the sterling rear.
Before
After. Made my own Y pipe and converted it over to a single exit. Tucks much nicer and greatly improved the sounds
Video of the truck idling. Sounds so dang good for just a 351, it’s bark is definitely better than it’s bite
View attachment IMG_7410.mov
Before
After. Made my own Y pipe and converted it over to a single exit. Tucks much nicer and greatly improved the sounds
Video of the truck idling. Sounds so dang good for just a 351, it’s bark is definitely better than it’s bite
View attachment IMG_7410.mov
Anybody that’s ever been around 80’s vehicles will know what a mess the emissions systems are. This truck being a 91 was no exception to that. The left valve cover gasket has been leaking pretty good, but as you can see the dang thing isn’t even visible under all the nonsense.
The scrap pile kept growing
EGR fitting at the front of the RH manifold. I could’ve put a JIC cap on it but this was more permanent. Stuffed a bolt in the fitting and burned it shut.
Next was the air injection fittings in the exhaust ports. Didn’t feel like digging for or ordering fittings for this either. So each fitting got a 1/4” bolt tightened in and welded.
The bolt head slightly sticks into the port in The manifold. Not like it matters or affects performance on this engine anyways.
All buttoned back up after a complete emissions removal.
And a couple days later I finally got around to replacing the ignition system. This truck had 87,000 miles on the original motorcraft plugs and wires. I had these ford racing wires for years on the shelf. Finally put them to use.
The scrap pile kept growing
EGR fitting at the front of the RH manifold. I could’ve put a JIC cap on it but this was more permanent. Stuffed a bolt in the fitting and burned it shut.
Next was the air injection fittings in the exhaust ports. Didn’t feel like digging for or ordering fittings for this either. So each fitting got a 1/4” bolt tightened in and welded.
The bolt head slightly sticks into the port in The manifold. Not like it matters or affects performance on this engine anyways.
All buttoned back up after a complete emissions removal.
And a couple days later I finally got around to replacing the ignition system. This truck had 87,000 miles on the original motorcraft plugs and wires. I had these ford racing wires for years on the shelf. Finally put them to use.
That sounds good!
Gutted all that crap on my kids '93 460. Way better. Fords always sound so good. My buddy said it's due to the cylinder number and firing order compared to Chevys. Mt IMT crane on my work truck has the proportional control. So nice to have. Stuck with the hard wired remote though but it's only an IMT 2020 so not real big.
