Wyatt Snell's Nostalgic Story
Some trucks you buy. Some find their way back to you.
Wyatt's 1977 Ford F250 is the second kind. It carried his dad all over Montana. It left the family when Wyatt was four, changed hands a few times, and picked up a 12-valve Cummins along the way. Then it got rolled over.
That's when it came home.
In this installment of Doc's Behind the Wheel series, we ride along with Wyatt, Kristyn, and their dog Fred in the old blue Ford and the 1978 Alaskan camper that rides in its bed.
A $250 Craigslist Find and a Familiar Truck
Wyatt's first pickup came his freshman year of high school: a 1978 F-150 that he and his dad found on Craigslist for $250.
Later, the two of them were scrolling Craigslist again and spotted a 1977 F250 with a 12-valve Cummins swapped in. When they looked closer, they realized it was the same truck his dad used to own.
"So, the nostalgia was there. I just didn't have the budget."
Then the phone rang. Leroy, the buddy who originally sold the truck to Wyatt's dad, said the old pickup was parked down the road. Somebody had bought it and rolled it. It needed a new cab, box, and fenders.
Wyatt already had the perfect donor truck: his '78 F-150.
Learning the Trade on the Shop Floor
At the time, Wyatt was sweeping floors at West Fab Custom Fabrication in Worden, Montana. Owner Dana Westber took him under his wing and taught him body work, wiring, and plumbing. Steven Williams put in plenty of hours helping get the truck wired up.
For Wyatt, the project was personal.
"The running gear had taken my dad all across Montana on lots of trips. I remember sitting in this truck as a really little kid… I remember it sitting in the field with the for sale signs. So it was pretty cool to be able to own it and start a project off of something that my dad originally owned."
After roughly a year and a half of restoration, the old Ford was running, driving, and back on the road.
Daily Driver, Field Sitter, and Back Again
The F250 became Wyatt's daily driver as he started his business. It handled rain, snow, sunshine, harsh Montana winters, and lovely Montana summers. It got him to work, up to the mountains, and out to explore his new home.
Then life got busy. For the last two and a half to three years, the truck sat in a field.
This past winter, Wyatt found a little extra time and pulled it out of the weeds.
"First order of business was going through and changing fluids, changing filters. So the first thing I did was hopped on docsdiesel.com and I was able to order the correct filters for this 12-valve Cummins… a new fuel filter, new oil filter, new oil. It just has really made this restoration process so much easier."
A truck that's been sitting for years needs fresh oil before anything else. Old oil breaks down even when the miles don't add up, and the first start after a long sit is when a clean filter matters most.
The Build Sheet
| Engine | 12-valve Cummins |
| Intercooler | Pulled from an early-'90s Dodge pickup and mounted behind the grille, with a little clearancing |
| Frame & Axles | 1977 Ford F250 |
| Body | 1978 Ford F-150, with the round headlights intact |
| Wheels | Mickey Thompson Classic III |
| Tires | 35-inch Falken Wildpeak |
| Seat | Rear seat from a 2005 Ford Super Duty King Ranch. The brackets were cut down and welded to a custom frame on the factory Ford sliders, so it still has full forward and back adjustment. |
| Gauges | Aftermarket water temp and oil pressure gauges on a TIG-welded mount where the ashtray used to sit. They let him double-check the factory Ford cluster. |
On those headlights, Wyatt doesn't budge:
"Everyone always swaps these out to be square, but round headlights belong on '70s pickups."
The wheels were a long time coming too:
"I was finally able to put my dream wheels on this pickup… it just runs down the highway great on this setup. They clear perfectly. Offset is correct, and these wheels are just so proper on these pickups from this vintage."
Running a Swap? Shop by Engine.
A 12-valve in a Ford still takes 12-valve Cummins filters. The badge on the grille doesn't matter; the engine does. And the 12-valve's fuel filter changed over its production run, so match the filter to the year your engine was built.
1989–1993 5.9L 12V
Fuel/Water Separator
Pulls water, dirt, and rust before they reach the injection system. 3 micron @ 96.92% efficiency.
Shop Now1994–1996 5.9L 12V
Fuel/Water Separator
Built for the second-gen 12-valve. 3 micron @ 96.92% efficiency, 3rd-party tested.
Shop Now1997–1999 5.9L
Fuel Filter
Covers late 12-valves and early 24-valves. 3 micron @ 96.92% efficiency.
Shop NowNot sure what year your engine is? Check the Cummins data plate on the engine, or plug your info into our Vehicle Selection Tool. You can also browse everything for the 1989–2007 5.9L 12V/24V Cummins.
A '78 Alaskan for a '77 Ford
It's loud, and it took some getting used to. But the quirks are part of the fun. Last summer, the old Ford got a partner of its own: a 1978 Alaskan camper.
"When I found this camper last summer and I saw it was a 1978, I knew that it would just be perfect sitting in this old blue Ford."
Restoring the camper meant learning a whole new set of skills. Old campers have their quirks too. Fred has claimed it as his second home. He's up and in the second they get to a spot.
This summer was the payoff. The trips took them into the water with a fishing line, up into the mountains, and out to quiet places they'd never seen before.
Kristyn is the angler of the two:
"I'm really big on fishing, so I was dragging Wyatt out to take me out to go fishing."
Two Trucks, One Parts Source
The Alaskans swap between trucks. For trips close to home, it rides in the old Ford. For anything five hours or more away, like a run up to the Flathead Valley, it goes in their newer Super Duty. Down the road, they're planning to snowbird and chase sunnier states through the winter.
That means two trucks that both have to be ready to go.
"Doc's Diesel has made that so easy by having parts for both pickups… Either way, I know both trucks are running great and they're going to be reliable to carry us along on our adventures."
Keeping more than one truck on schedule is where a little automation pays off. Set your filters and oil to show up when the next service is due, and earn rewards on every order while you're at it.
Two Trucks. One Schedule.
Earn Diesel Dollars on every order with Diesel Diehard, Doc's free loyalty program. Set your maintenance on autopilot with Doc's Cruise Control subscriptions.
Join Diesel Diehard Subscribe & SaveWhy They Go
For Kristyn, getting outside is the whole point.
"I work a very traditional 9-to-5 corporate job and I find my peace by getting outside… getting out in nature, seeing things that a lot of people really don't get to experience. That is and has always been my dream. And that's what brings both Wyatt and I really close to each other."
The truck was his dad's before it was his. It sat in a field and came back again. Now it carries a 48-year-old camper to places most people never see. Keep it maintained and it'll keep showing up for you.
Keep your rig ready for whatever's next:
Find the exact parts for your truck with our Vehicle Selection Tool
Earn Diesel Dollars on every order with Diesel Diehard
Watch Wyatt's Full Episode
Shop What Wyatt's Running
9/23/2021 - I changed my oil yesterday, for the first time since I bought this 2011 Ford F250. I'm new to Diesel power, but loving every minute of my first 2,500 miles in the truck. I move 5th wheel and Travel Trailers for folks on my days off (side hustle) and keeping my truck fresh is important. After seeing the Doc's advertising on Facebook I looked into it and decided to order your filter kit. It took a bit longer to arrive than I expected - about 10 days to Arizona. But the filters were exact fit, installed just fine. My only cringe was that they were made in China (but what's not these days!) and I wanted to support an American product. I'm taking a wait & see approach, and will watch my filters over the next 3,000 miles. Oh, one last thing - you guys might toss a couple decals in the box with your parts - I was hoping to stick a Doc's decal on my back window! Thanks Doc's crew!!
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