Greetings from Dallas,

I'm interested in buying a 97-03 shortbed F150. I"d like to find one with a V8, but all the ones I've seen for sale have been 6 cylinders. Were V8s offered in shortbed F150s during those years, other than the Lightning? If not, should a V8 engine swap be pretty straightforward, i.e. plugging into the wiring harness etc.?

I'd also like to put leather seats in one. Would the best bet be to find some out of an Expedition (I'm assuming they fit), or were they available on F150s too?

Thanks for any input.

David
69 Ford Bronco

 

You can get a V8 regular cab but as you have found they are rare. When you are searching look for the 4x4 Lariat, that's about the only way they came in reg cab. If you decide to get a 6 cyl it's not a bad swap but would be cheaper to find a 8 cyl truck.
Remember if you are into max performance look for the 99-03 5.4 because of the P.I. [performance improved] heads.

 

Yes you can buy a shortbed single cab with a V8. They are a rare find but are a lot of fun to drive. I almost bought one a few years back and drove it for a few days. I wish I would have bought it, but so it goes. Good luck with your search.