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While in Indianapolis for the 4Wheel Jamboree, we caught up with owner Donald Schaub and his 1966 Ford F-250 “I was into trucks ever since I was a little kid,” he said. “The body style of these ’60s Fords is easily one of my most favorite. I had the chassis since I was in high school, and it caught on fire, but I kept remnants of it. I eventually came across a body, and put the two together.”
The truck came together from a burnt-up chassis and a barn-stored body from Columbus, Ohio. It took less than a year to get fully rebuilt.
Remarkably, in less than a year, Donald was able to turn his roasted frame into a top-tier show truck. “There wasn’t anything difficult with getting the truck to come together, but the step-by-step nature of it could be annoying at times,” Donald commented.
From the beginning of the build, Donald was sure of one thing – under the hood would be a diesel powerplant. “I knew I wanted to put a Cummins in it, and I was able to find a motor and transmission and set them into the bare frame,” he explained. “I took the body on and off multiple times trying to get it aligned. It was a bit annoying, but it allowed everything to fit well. Then I took my time and made mounts for everything.”
The 12-valve Cummins and NV4500 transmission came from a 1997 Dodge Ram pickup. The engine runs close to stock, with just some tuning done to the injection pump and a 4-inch exhaust system. "She makes about 250, maybe 275 horsepower," said Donald.
As it stands now, the F-250 has a 4-inch Skyjacker lift kit installed, as well as a Dana 60 frontend and a GM 14-bolt rearend. “The rear has an Eaton Detroit Locker in it,” commented Donald. “The gear ratio is 4.10:1.”
This 1966 Ford F-250 isn’t one meant to have a great deal of power – Donald estimates that it makes between 250 to 275 horsepower – but it does communicate the owner’s love and care for his vehicle. The immaculate paint and well-executed engine swap speak to these claims. “I built it to drive it,” said Donald. “I drove it here, and it got 18.3 miles to the gallon.”
The green and white color scheme is what the truck originally had when it came out of the factory in the 1960s.
Speaking of paint, Donald explained that the color choice was a return to form. He told us that it was the color the truck was originally painted way back in the mid-’60s. “It had very little rust, but a lot of dents,” said Donald. “I had to do a lot of bodywork to get it straight. Then I had to prep it and paint it.”
Asked what his favorite aspect of the F-250 was, Donald said, “I think my favorite part is just that we get to enjoy it. My family and I get to drive it around.”
