Alright guys I got something I want to share. I work at my local Ford dealer as a technician and last week a guy came in with a 2004 F150 Lariat 4x4. His 5.4L locked up due to not changing his oil on time. He did them every 10k or so and thought he was fine. We quoted 7k for a remanufactured engine and labor. He said it was too much and had his truck towed to some place where he thought he could find a better deal. Before he left I offered to buy his truck off him as it is and he can use that money on a new one instead of spending the 7k to fix. He said no convinced he could find the engine cheaper and threw out 5k for me to buy it. Thats way to much for me so he left.

Turned out he came back 2 days later because 3 other shops gave him around the same price to fix his truck. So we worked out a deal for his truck for a lot less and I made that deal 3 days ago.

Why would I buy a truck that needs an engine you ask? Well first it has everything I wanted in a truck. Its a Lariat w/ black leather, flow through console, its 4x4, and has the 5.4L. Second and more important, my friend and fellow technician has a good core 5.4L out of an expedition with 40k miles that He has no use for and volunteered it for this project.

As some of you know I currently have a base model F150 xl 2wd with the 4.6L that I threw a bunch of money into and love but if I could have started with this black lariat I would have been happier. My current truck was given to me from my dad when I was 16 and now that I'm 23 it feels like time for a change. It was his work truck but I take better care of it then my gf sometimes lol.

Alright enough of the back story lets get to the fun. Today was the first day I worked on it. We took the locked up engine out today and got the good 5.4L on an engine stand ready to be rebuilt. Since this truck and engine might be my new truck I decided to go big. (I have not fully decided to rebuild the engine and keep my white XL or sell the white one and keep the black Lariat).

Here are my plans if I keep the black truck as my own.
- Stage 2 Comp Cams
- Beehive Springs
- Cam Phaser Limiter
- Long Tube Headers w/ True Duel and X Pipe
- Cold Air Intake
- Custom Tune
- 4.88 Gears with Detroit True Trac
- Six to Eight Inch Lift on 37s or 38s
- SuperCharger (Maybe if I have any money left over)

Otherwise I throw stock cams in ( Thats what my good 5.4L needs to run) and sell it in the black truck. That way I keep my white truck and make a profit.

Here is what we got done today.

Here are some pics of the black truck in the shop





Here is the good 5.4L that just needs a cam to run. (Not locked up like the original 5.4)



Engine tear down and removal





I also got a full set of black moto metal 951s from Nick. (BlackLariat4x4) Thanks man.



and here is my current F150



Also my only problem with this truck is the color. I used to like black trucks but since I have had my white one thats the only color I really want. I have been thinking maybe a charcoal or royal blue color but i am not sure. I got quotes for paint and body repair and they are from 2-3k. So I can do that or I can swap the bodies and put my white truck on the black trucks frame and get the best of both without paying for paint. Clearly it will involve a lot more work but I would save money. Then I would sell the other truck to make some money back.

So now I ask you all what you think and what you think I would do. Which truck should I keep? Is it worth doing? Am I an idiot for even attempting any of this? haha I hope not.

 

I voted! It would take a lot of work transfering it all over, but I think that's the way to go imo... Whatever u decide, great work!

 

Regardless of what you decide to do, I look forward to seeing the build on this black truck! Saw your last build and thought it was awesome!

 

I'd hate to lose a fellow 2x4 off roading rebel, but you did say that the black truck has what you want. I say transfer everything that you can to the black truck and part ways with the white one. It's worth it for the 5.4 alone, it's seriously bad ***. Good luck to you, either way!

 

Definitely keep the Lariat with newish 5.4L engine. Swap over the small stuff like the black headlights, obviously the 4x2 lift wont fit the 4x4 truck so sell the white one lifted (some kid will pay more then what its worth).

 

Dude, If you swapped bodys... and everything... It would be an epic build... Dewwit

 

Id have to agree and say swap the bodies. This way you can put that paint job money into the good engine and create a monster. Good luck man. Cant wait to see this further on.

 

I wouldnt swap. Cause i think the black lariat looks badass. But i wouldnt paint it white if you ask me there are to many white ones if anything i would paint it the blue you want something not to many people has. I have never seen a blue lariat. I have a blue fx4 but thats not a lariat lol. If i were you and didnt want to keep the white one i would just sell it the way it is. Mabey take.the headlights out as stated above. But its your choice man. Black looks better than white imo ive have both. A 00 black and a 00 white.

 

My choice would be sell the white one, keep the black color but maybe do an electric blue roush style stripe package. That would look sick!

 

Yeah I say swap everything possible. Obviously the lift and tires would have to stay, but since you already have another set of wheels its no problem. Paint the black one blue it gives you the option to go with chrome or black.