Hello I am currently near the end of my apprenticeship program at my heavy duty diesel shop and I am looking for a project truck to work on. Ive found a 1980 Ford L8000 tandem dump with the 3208 cat and auto trans for $1,000. I have access to decent virgin steer tires and recap drives so tires arent an issue with the purchase. It is advertised to run rough and has a coolant leak. It seems (worst case scenario) an in-frame kit is around $800-$1,400. Is this a good platform to start learning on all things considering? Frame looks solid as well as dump body and cab, nothing seriously out of the ordinary... Thanks, NP Also, there is a 1972 L8000 for sale for $1,500 but is a gasser with 5 main and 4 aux trans. Condition as about the same, I'm assuming the CAT is a better option? I dont have much experience with CATs, just Det, Navi, and Cummins mostly. Are they a pain?
What are you goals for this truck? I’d say either one of those will be an unmitigated nightmare to start out with. There’s not really an “inframe” kit for a 3208. If they’re that cheap I can only imagine the things they need beyond tires. To get them to the point of passing an inspection could cost thousands..... 3208 is one of the worst Cat options out there. It was the beginning of the “throw away” motors. Around here you can find a good running starter truck for $15,000 or less. I can’t imagine the blood sweat and tears it would take to get either of those up to snuff. I can go into detail but I think you get the idea.....good luck and let us know how we can help!
That sounds ok if it dosent cost alot to get it to some place to work on it. Just keep in mind what you can get out of it when your done.Most old trucks cant be fixed up to resale it just cost to much.If you have a grand to loss it could be a great teaching tool.
Honestly my goal is to start something I can do on the side and evenings. Like my own trucking business (I know I know, cringe alert and something about a .005% success rate) But I feel like at $1,000 it wouldn't hurt to buy it thoroughly check it out, if it needs too much it shouldn't be hard to offload again for $1,000? But I understand where you're coming from, its kind of like a pandora box thing with it. And is the 3208 CAT that bad? I mean realistically the truck is $1,000 and if it takes thousands to get it to inspection, then wont I still be ahead monetary wise and I'll have something that I know in and out and is reliable vs. buying a 5-8k truck and not knowing if it is reliable or not... Also I would be working on the truck on my own time at my house, no point in taking it to a shop if I've spent the last 3 years learning the ins and outs of similar heavy equipment right? And I have more tools than I'll ever need for it as well...
I'm not trying to come across as having my mind set and not taking everyone's advice and throwing it out BTW... Just trying to hear both sides of the argument and see the options
If you can hold off i would look for something else. Even if it cost more you could end up with something better. I would stay away from automatics in a old truck. I have a old truck now that i went through i drive it every wear and use it alot but 60 mph is pushing it. Now i wish i would have spent my money and time on something newer.
At a $1,000 I don’t think you’d get hurt on it. When was the last time it was tagged and on the road? That might cost a fortune to get current..... 3028’s are ok but there’s no in frame so if it turns out to be a turd you’re gonna have to swap it out. They’re not a powerhouse either. They get the job done and that’s about it. I’ve driven the older autos behind a gas motor but not a diesel. I suppose worst case you could swap for a manual when it pukes. Based on experience I’d say it’ll be tough to get it right for $5-8k. I’d call anything under $10k a victory. Have you priced insurance? Some places don’t like older and will require an inspection before they’ll insure...... There are costs beyond the truck that will occur every month and annually. Do the math and see what you have to make to break even and then see how much you’d have to work it....may not be feasible.
Is the limited top speed due to the trans being tired or just a bad match for the application do you think? Or maybe a 2 speed axle is slowing it down? I'm waiting on an insurance quote right now to see how bad the hit is.. Do I need insur if its sitting on my property for a few months? What would a good candidate for a manual swap? I know we have a re-man allison at work that was for a job that fell through on a similar truck that I can get for less than cost, I think it may be the same as the one in the L8000 Im looking at. What makes the 3208 so bad and not able to be overhauled in frame?
Also apparently it was tagged and otr 2016 and parked after the owner retired that same year... Im waiting for proof before i believe that. But mechanically it looks decent, all grease zerks look to have had grease but obviously that could have been the PO 'doctoring' up the truck prior to sale. Dump body is newer... etc. I know I'm still on the fence about it, but for 1k... I dont know why I am
3208 doesn’t have sleeves to there’s no real way to “in-frame”. It’s out and exchange or a trip to the machine shop. A 9,10 or 13 would be fine behind that 3208. In OK we can park tag them to keep registration current without insurance.
Maybe look at this in another way - If the engine runs and it's a tandem dump for $1k - buy the truck, part the engine, drive train, axles and other items then scrap the rest. Take the money you make on parting and scrapping this truck to buy a better truck. Just my $.02. A tandem dump will bring more than $1,000 across the scales at a scrap yard..
If your looking for a learning experience and a few thousand isn't going to break you go for it Nothing wrong with a 3208 and auto nothing good about it either, 60 mph well sure downhill with a tailwind going uphill loaded well be prepared to receive some roadrage Take your time and check it out you should have enough experience to find the major problems and estimate repairs The engine should be pretty affordable to replace if necessary
There are to things against it as far as I am concerned. It is a Ford. Parts for them are out of this world around here. Mainly because they made them for a few, quit and made them again, and after that turned them into Sterlings. The 3208's I think could almost be outrun by a V-6 Detroit. They are not any sort of a power house.
The big concern to me would be where is the coolant leak and the condition of the cylinders if it needs overhauled. They can be inframed if the bores are in decent condition. A good machine shop can install sleeve-s in a bare block. They have plastic coolant sleeves at the front of each head. They can melt if the engine is ran hot. They slide right in and out after the head is removed. Does it have a turbo? Those were not to bad. The N/A engines in a tandem with an auto were totally gutless wonders that should never have been produced in my opinion. Years ago I was putting a clutch in a 9000 tandem dump with a 3406 shoe horned in it. The owner, a customer silage harvester, came and asked if I would mind to look at one of the other trucks. No problem. I do not recall what the problem was but it was simple. I shared my opinion of his 3208 N/A 9000 auto tandem dump. He explained to me that they had enough power to get the job done but not hardly enough to tear anything up, power train, and anyone can drive them. I buy everyone I can find. His opinion made me question mine. Like everyone as there are lots of good points. As said you cannot get hurt if it goes to scrap.
3208....has lots of fun with those in my youth....my dad had a tractor dealership. He built a mod puller that used 3208....they are great and u can really spin em....but when done they are really done
Thank you all for your comments, very good points were brought up... I didn't even think about scrapping it or parting it out if it doesn't work out. Also I looked into 3208's and it seems they have a split following, 1/2 who hate them and the other die hard half who root for them. But since I've looked up pricing for a new 'to me' engine, and realizing the trans at my work is the same one in the truck I feel like I've got nothing to lose. Also apparently according to the parts guy at my work we have a 13 speed Eaton out in storage that I can buy cheap/have if I wanted...
If all your trying to do is have a project and you have cash in your pocket to play with have at it every one has to have a hobby If you have dreams of Granger of being in the trucking business that's a hard living and it will be a full time job to make it work and you will be 10 years in it before you ever really make money beyond what you could working for someone else As has been said 3208s get the job done but that's about it I personally wouldn't have one with an automatic those motors are already horse power challenged at the flywheel Most thousand dollar trucks are that price for a reason usually because its someone headache turned yard ornaments and they want it to become someone else's nothing about trucks is cheap except the price that you sell it for Also if you do put it to work all that hard work of fixing it up can be nothing compared to trying to get paid for running a dump truck