The old 51' short hood I had/have(sold some pieces), I figured around $3k for overhauling it by calling and asking around, checking prices and so on. That was building the engine and doing most of the work myself. But had added costs in that, sandblasting and powder coating frame, hood, housings. If you got time and don't need the machine in a rush and can plunk away at it in the down time. I was in a similar situation, had the short hood and the ranger, not much time or when I had time not much money. I found a machine for $3k and it had been checked out, cleaned up etc, ended up buying it instead so I could deep six the ranger. The machine I got has ac power which is something I needed but still has the bullet proof F163. After about 50-60 years of them building that I figured they have had plenty of time to work any and all bugs out, kinda like a Chevy 350, about the time they got it perfected they changed.
As far as diesels go, yes they do get better "mileage" sort of speak. Look at it this way, a gasoline engine maintains or tries to maintain a 14.7 to 1 air fuel mixture in ideal conditions. A diesel, as explained to me by a long time GM teacher will run at 25 to 1 air fuel ratio and that is pullin her guts out, so idling along it's even better. If you ran a gas engine at that ratio you'd have 4 pistons with custom ventilation holes in the top of them. So as the air/fuel ratio on a gasser such as the continental's they didn't have computer controls to maintain that ratio, so under a load or your dad's old pickup truck pulling a gooseneck full of hay will suck gas and fuel mileage will go from 14mpg to 8-9mpg. A diesel will still consume less fuel than a gasser under the same conditions. I'm fully loaded on my truck and still can bang out 16mpg. A gasser would be in the negative mpg range!
http://autospeed.com/cms/title_Common-Rail-Diesel-Engine-Management-Part-1/A_108104/article.htmlsorry, the above article shows 17:1 to 29:1 ratio at full load with idle or no load which can exceed 145:1. They don't call diesels fuel sippers for nothing. The only down side to a diesel is maintenance costs. On a gas engine, plugs, wires, pretty much everything is relatively cheap compared to a diesel. Injectors, injection pump when they go out hopefully you have enough work to cover the costs of the repairs. Diesel injectors don't like water in the fuel, if water makes it to the injectors it tends to blow the tip of the injector off....seen it. So good filtration is a must. Luckily, for the most part diesel injectors/injection pumps are built very well and will last a long time with nothing done to them. Newer computer controlled injectors or unit injectors, ehhh, replaced many myself and have talked to many with newer Dodge/Fords/Chevy's that have had injectors replaced way before their time. An older Sa with the Perkapillar diesel or deutz diesel, excellent engines, nearly indestructable....nearly.
ok, gotta go....
Shawn
3-5k for rebuild-refurb
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