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??? need info b4 purchase ??? '1981 f150'

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Old 09-29-2011, 08:15 PM
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Default ??? need info b4 purchase ??? '1981 f150'

so im looking at a 1981 f150
its 3ed member on the diff is not there and said this lead him to change the ratio from 3.5 to 2.75 ...say saves a lil gas this way...im more so wondering if this will lead to any issues?

no shaft for 4x4 & has a 8' lift.
over the phone i was told motor is a 351 winster. in the add he wrote 351 Cleveland engine....wiki said winster?

said he got the car to use it to haul stuff from homedepot when he was building a house, now hes trying to sell it for 2k$



i have no idea what to expect, all i know is my friend has a similar truck, and love the ride in her car since its lifted, and i have a 150lb dog/wolf so looking to get something to transport him in. since he shats and tears up the cloth in the toyota avalon.

i expect to get around 17mpg city/20mpg highway?



please advise with any Incite/Intel, and Thanks ahead of time.
Old 09-30-2011, 12:30 AM
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Originally Posted by x150x
so im looking at a 1981 f150
its 3ed member on the diff is not there and said this lead him to change the ratio from 3.5 to 2.75 ...say saves a lil gas this way...im more so wondering if this will lead to any issues?

no shaft for 4x4 & has a 8' lift.
over the phone i was told motor is a 351 winster. in the add he wrote 351 Cleveland engine....wiki said winster?

said he got the car to use it to haul stuff from homedepot when he was building a house, now hes trying to sell it for 2k$

i have no idea what to expect, all i know is my friend has a similar truck, and love the ride in her car since its lifted, and i have a 150lb dog/wolf so looking to get something to transport him in. since he shats and tears up the cloth in the toyota avalon.

i expect to get around 17mpg city/20mpg highway?

please advise with any Incite/Intel, and Thanks ahead of time.
If it runs good and straight I'd offer maybe a grand considering if you want to put the 4x4 parts back in that will cost a good chunk of change and from what I remember they offered both Windsor and Cleveland for that year and no offense but I highly doubt you will get 17mpg I've got a 85 and I barely get 14
Old 09-30-2011, 12:34 AM
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No way a gas truck with big tires and 8 inches lift will pull in 17mpg.

I'd take a closer look at the frame and body mounts. If you look between the bed and cab in the pic you posted, the panels don't line up. Hopefully the cab just has a old mount bushing and that it's not the frame doing it's banana impression.
Old 09-30-2011, 10:31 PM
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Might get 17mpg with the truck in idle and going downhill. Like what mustang said check to see if the how the rust is, and the bed to cab dont look good to me so, hopefully it hasnt been wrecked.
Old 10-01-2011, 10:55 AM
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Windsor in 1981. They stopped making the 351 cleveland in the 1970s.

This truck will run like a dog and get horrible fuel mileage with a 2.75 rear.

I would avoid this truck and find another. The guy who owns it is an idiot. And that means an idiot has been working on this truck.
Old 10-01-2011, 12:08 PM
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I completely missed that, wow. 2.75 gears and probably 37s? Is it even driveable damn
Old 10-01-2011, 11:24 PM
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As far as gas mileage, my '81 with 4.9 and 2.75 rear gets around 12 mpg around town...a very flat town I might add.
Old 10-02-2011, 04:17 PM
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Did anyone catch how the third member is missing ?
Old 10-14-2011, 02:25 PM
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Thank you everyone tht has replied and given me some insite.
sad to hear i wont get at least 17mpg, and yeah the membrain and ratio are all oddly set, yet he says it drives well
i will have the chance to look at this trucK in the upcomming week, and will post up more info to see if you can help me out more so.

how about when im driving the truck, is there anything i should look out for? or try to acknowledge during the drive?

Best,



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