Hey guys, A buddy of mine just got a 1950 f3 with an 8foot box.. Has no mater or trans.. I know parts for f3 arnt as easy to come by as f1 parts are.. But really how rare are f3s with boxs ?.. Any Input would be great...
Cody p.s he has a title for the f3

 

Give us the specifics of the trade, Cody. And we need all the pictures and/or videos you can get. Cody, I think I speak for a lot of us here when I say your F1's body is probably not salvageable at this point. I say that after looking at practically all of your pictures and your videos over several months since you first joined FTE, and the last thing I want to do is hurt your feelings. But, if we are going to be your friends, we need to be honest with you if you've got an opportunity to "trade up". So, in your case, a more solid F3 with a clear title (even if it's missing an engine and transmission) may very well be a good trade for you. But, like I said, we need to see the other truck first.

 

Cody,

I agree with everything Doc said.

As for the F-3, is it in better shape than your F-1? If it is I say go for it. F-2s are a little harder to get parts for than the F-1 but mechanical parts aren't too hard. F-3 are basically the same as F-2s but there are a few things that I really don't like about the F-3. First, the stock F-3 wheels are the dreaded Widow Makers, next to impossible to find anyone who will work on them and should not be worked on by anyone without proper training and tools. Second, the rear brakes are another hard to deal with part. The rear drums are larger and there are only a few non-Widow Maker wheels that will fit over them and they're hard to find.

Now that being said, you have a couple of options. You could keep it F-3 and swap out the rear axle with an axle from a pre-'73 F-250 axle with higher gearing and brakes that are easier to find parts for and wheels that will fit over the drums. The second option is to make it a lighter weight truck by again swapping out the axle from your F-1, or better yet an axle from a pre-'73 F-150. The front spindles are the same in the F-1 through F-3, so you could also swap out the front brakes from the F-1 and have the five bolt pattern in the front.

Post some pictures of this F-3 so we can see what you have to deal with. Be prepared for some honest input.

 

IMO a truck that costs $3,000 and is in driving condition is worth about $5,000 more than a $1,000 truck with "potential". In other words, the better a truck you start with, the less you have to spend to get it in any reasonable kind of condition and the sooner you are on the road. If you can't afford to move upscale, save your money until you can. You'll never regret it!

 

Very well said, sir. Hard for some folks to understand this concept. Present company excepted of course.

 

Can you keep you engine and trans from your f1 to put into the f3? But I will agree, pics tell a thousand words...

 

F2 & F3s offer a few challenges, but none that can't be overcome . Plus when you finish you've got something a little more unusual & interesting . Go for it !

 

Ill give you my prospective.

I like to build things, learn about things, and I love the f-1's. I have a fair sized (work wise) project in front of me with my m-1, but there is no way I would trade it for an f-3 in better shape, cause in the end, I wanna end up with a m-1! (and i wanna end up with the knowledge involved in fixing, retoring, and modifying the truck)


If your fine with an f-3 and you can see it being your final project, then go for it!

 

An F3 with an 8' box isn't rare..... same box the F2 uses and there were thousands made.

I believe in 50 they were still considered heavy duty 3/4 ton trucks.

Do what you want, its all good.

 

what the heck go for it. would love to see more f-3's out there

 

Cody mine is an F3, look through my unorganized albums!

 

F-3s can be converted to F-1s easily enough. That's what I did with mine. If the F-3 is a whole lot better it's a thought...