72 Ford 8000 Dump truck

[Jeff D.]

Here's my 72 Ford 8000 dump truck,shortly after a summer long restoration.It started out life as a Minnesota State vehicle,and hopefully will live a few more years.It has a 3208 Cat,and a 6 speed Allison that shifts like a punch in the belly(there ain't NO slippin').
In the picture I was using it to persuade some Birch into falling in the right direction.I didn't want to end up in one of those commercials where "People do stupid things!"
I found a plow for it,and plowed all last winter with nary a mechanical problem.(knock on wood).

 

[Jeff D.]

This is what it looked like shortly after I bought it.Doesn't look to much different,except it's shinier now.Most of the restoration was under the hood,and in the drivetrain.

 

[Steve Frazier]

I've always like the L series Fords, they offer a great view of the road and the gauges are laid out for easy checking. I've driven these things quite a few miles! I'm not a big fan of the 3208 though, it wasn't one of Cat's better designs. We had a yard switcher that was equipped with one and it needed almost annual engine replacements.

Your truck looks sharp!

 

[Jeff D.]

Thank you very much!!I am concerned about the 3208 dependability also.A friends father worked for the county repairing trucks with the 3208.He said they were hard on head gaskets.He mentioned that the first sign was you'de lose heat in the cab,due to the combustion gases entering the cooling system,and displacing the water.Apparently the heater core is the highest place in the cooling system.He said always warm it up,so everything expands together properly,before putting it to work.The fact that it doesn't have a turbo might help that also(less combustion pressure)but it sure doesn't help the power out.
I do like the cab,and how you sit in it,and I've had semi's with air ride that rode alot rougher too.My biggest suprise was the condition of the cab,when I bought it.I was sure that 30years as a plow truck would have rusted it away.Possibly it got a new cab,before I bought it?And the box wasn't bad either.
Mine doesn't say "L" on it anywhere,only 8000?Maybe it fell off.

 

[cat320]

Nice truck I like those L series too. Well even though it does not say it that is an L if it was the LN it would have a shorter nose. The town I plowed for had a fleet of L-8000's most with belly plows not sure if they still had those 3208's or if they had it's replacement. But you could not beet the visability of them and the big cab,also heat was very good in them ) .Your truck looks good all shined up .

 

[Jeff D.]

Thank you.I don't know for how long the "shiny's" gonna stay.Were getting snow this morning(anywhere from 1 to 6 six inchs,yeah!!)Someone ask me if it was a Louisville Ford.I didn't know,but would that be the "L"part? I'll have to look and see where it was made,he said the Louisville's were all made in Louisville KY. I don't know if thats good info ,or not?It has the hood that open's from the sides,like a butterfly hood.It could be opened forward,except the Hydraulic pump,ram,and related plow mounts prevent it.It's a pain to work on the motor because of that.

 

[Steve Frazier]

You figured it out Jeff. L stands for Louisville, the plant they were made in. The newer models had a chrome L-xxxx on the air cleaner inlet and opposite side of the hood. There were the hundred series, 600, 700, etc that were gas powered and the 1000 series, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000 that were diesel.

If that 3208 goes, I wouldn't bother fixing it. You can find a small Cummins or even Ford's inline 6 diesel to put in, it shouldn't be too hard to do. Those engines were gutless regardless of the configuration, turbo or not. We had them in some fire trucks too, they were very problematic.

 

[Jeff D.]

That is what I'm hearing.I've had Cats before,the 3406 B,C & E,and loved them all.It doesn't sound like this 3208 has the reputation that their others have.
I ALWAYS get the oddballs.When I bought my Bobcat I thought buying the diesel would be the way to go.Then I find out later that I've the the Isuzu diesel(only used for two years)not the Kubota that most of the models had. That's been real nice when trying to get parts."Oh.....We'll have to order that!!!" is all I hear,even if it's just an oil filter.I'm learning to always buy in bulk now.

 

[digger242j]

Jeff..Stop it your killing me

If you want I'll start a thread in TGIF called "Squizzy's holiday pics" and we can carry on there:wink2

Squizzy, No need to clutter the TGIF board with an additional thread. We can discuss your holiday here. Got any more wildlife pics?

:bouncegri

(Digger, as always, leading by example--NOT!)

 

[Jeff D.]

I think this was one of my first post from long ago(only 7 months really)

I just sold that old truck recently too.It was sad to see it go.:crying

Talking about old Ford trucks,where are them vacation pics we were promised??:bouncegri