What motivates someone to purchase a project vehicle like this 1976 Ford F-600 4×4 fire truck? It’s one of a kind. Ok, if there may be other four-wheel-drive F-600s of this era out there, but there are very difficult to find. A truck like this has many stories to tell. It’s capable, it’s now fully retired, and it is to have some fun. What do you think?
We found this F-600 at a local online auto auction. It’s a rare 4WD model. We noticed a Mt. Bachelor logo on its doors. TFL videographer and producer, Cole, is from Oregon. He enjoyed visiting Mt. Bachelor many times. I have never skied there, but I was recently near there in our 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning.
Finally, the price is right. I did not want to pay much more than $2,500 for this project. It’s because – the Fast Loaf Buhanka project is still ongoing. The auction closed at $3,000 and I happened to hold the winning bid.
I bought it – sight unseen! Yikes!
Now, it’s time to go to Silver Plume, Colorado and get the truck home. It starts (when the starter decides to work). It runs smooth and strong. The Ford 361 cu-in V8 has approximately 46,000 original miles on it, and it should still have so much life left in it. The title lists the truck’s mileage as “Actual Mileage”.
The truck drives good, but some of the synchros of its 5-speed manual transmission may be going out. It’s very difficult to shift the transfer case into 4×4 Hi or Lo, but it’s possible. The truck stops well, but the old drum brakes are a bit grabby. This truck is equipped with hydraulic brakes (no air brakes).
We think this truck was born as rural fire truck. It then did some years of work at the Mt. Bachelor ski resort as a fuel truck. It delivered fuel around the mountain to keep all the other machinery going. We are not sure how it found its way to Colorado, but it’s here now.
Roman, Kase, and David help me get this truck home (to the TFL Tumbleweed Ranch). I do not have room to park it at my house. Now, the ideas are flying!
What to name this project?
- Freedom Fred (1776 – 1976)
- Bachelor Pad (working at Mt. Bachelor)
How to proceed? Swap in a different engine and transmission? Put it on super singles large 40+ inch off-road tires? Build a customized bed and camper in the back?
I am leaning to servicing the engine and giving it some extra performance with a 4-barrel carburetor or fuel injection and more. Perhaps, swapping the transmission for one with an overdrive top gear in order to make it drivable on the highway at speeds near 65 MPH. Putting it on super singles and giving the truck a cool flat bed.
Let me know what you think?
