Godzilla Truck: Is the 7.3 Liter V8 Ford F-250 a Throwback Big Block Muscle Pickup?
As we've talked about before, there's no shortage of enthusiast-oriented and specialty pickup trucks available today. But rather than the street performance pickups of the '90s and 2000s, modern performance trucks are primarily geared toward off-roading.
And while many lament the fact trucks like the Ford F-150 Lightning or Ram SRT-10 are no longer sold, there are still ways to spec out full-size pickups that make them pretty potent machines in terms of acceleration.
The majority of these will be half ton trucks powered by the biggest V8 you can order or with something like Ford's 3.5 EcoBoost V6 in the F-150. But Ford also has an interesting option for the larger F-250 that makes it a bit of a throwback muscle truck.
Displacement is King
When you think of heavy duty truck performance, a Diesel engine is the first thing that comes to mind. But now that Ford offers its new 7.3 liter "Godzilla" V8 as an option in its Super Duty pickups, there's a new option on the table.
It may be a new addition to Ford's lineup, but the iron-block, overhead valve 7.3 liter Godzilla is a true throwback engine, designed to combine horsepower, torque, fuel economy and simplicity.
And it's certainly no slouch in the output department, making 430 horsepower 475 pound feet of torque. Torque-wise its no competition for the 6.7 liter PowerStroke diesel, but it's also a much cheaper option.
A Genuine Bargain
In fact, the 7.3 is actually a bit of a bargain. It costs just $2,045 more than the old 6.2 SOHC V8 that comes standard in the F-250, and along with the bigger V8 you also get Ford's ten-speed automatic transmission. Upgrading the engine to a Power Stroke diesel would set you back an extra $10,495 over the base 6.2L.
New trucks get very expensive very quickly when moving through trim levels and packages. But you can spec out a base model 7.3 liter regular cab RWD F-250 with an MSRP just over $40,000.
A Genuine Performer
Heavier 7.3 liter-powered crew cab 4x4 F-250s have clocked 0-60 times in the six second range, at a single cab RWD model should be a fair bit quicker. There's still a lot of weight to move around of course, but in addition to having a sprightly pickup you'll also have a truck that can tow and haul with the best of them.
But really, rather than having the fastest pickup on the road, there's something appetizing about a standard cab pickup with a huge naturally-aspirated V8 under the hood. No supercharger. No turbocharger. No electric assistance. No overhead cams.
Throw on some wider wheels and tires, lower it down a bit, fit a new exhaust system for the Godzilla V8 to breathe through, and we think you'd have a pretty cool rig on your hands.
In an industry where the big, naturally aspirated V8 is getting increasingly hard to find, Ford's 7.3 Godzilla is a wonderful throwback that gives the gasoline-powered Super Duty line more street cred than you might think.
More From Driving Line
- And while the Godzilla-powered F-250 is a pretty great truck, you can also get the engine as a crate motor direct from Ford. Here are some swap ideas.
