Thanks for the replies

And thanks for checking on that wiper motor Arctic. I went to fix mine but realized since I'm swapping out the motor I'll have to change it to an electric one, so no point in doing that just yet. Cross that bridge when I come to it, I don't drive my truck at night or when it's wet yet, hard enough to stop on a clear sunny day, lol.


Well, a couple weeks ago after the idea sorta died out, I went ahead and decided to see what would happen if I put what I was looking for in my signature. Ken, aka EffieTrucker, saw it and was nice enough to help me out with my running board problem and sent me the original ones off his '53 F100. For which I am super grateful for as the short running boards always made the truck look incomplete to me, but I didn't have the spare cash for a new set.

Doing this is a lot more than what it looks like. My truck is very custom, even though it doesn't look that way (my goal is to have it look like it might have been factory,but a much bigger truck). My wheel base is such that I need F100 running boards, but they will take several adjustments to make work. First off the bed is wider like an F250, so the part under the bed needs to be pulled in a couple inches. The whole thing needs to be made a couple inches taller, and wider as well.

Here's a picture of them side by side. Notice that the F100 boards have 3 ribs but the F600 have 4. The F600 boards are about 9" wide from the inside, where the F100 are 7" or so.


And notice the F600 (black) are taller as well. They sit lower than an F100 does. I thought about making them higher like the F100, but it would require cutting both fenders and new brackets. It's a big step into the truck already, the extra 2" helps. Plus it makes it look beefier.


They also needed the back corner adjusted for the fenders angle, I'll have to adjust it again later on in the build. But here is what they look like just sitting:



So today I managed to add a little over an extra 2", I did a little more to help reduce the gap between the running boards and the cab, though I might adjust this again after everything is said and done. I originally made them go all the way up but they didn't look right.






Looks a lot more finished already to me. So much more work to do though. Doesn't look like it's that much on a computer though, ha.

 

So finally something to show. I recently did a poll on running board color ( https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ard-color.html ) And though only a third of people who voted like them body color, I decided to try it. Keep in mind this is still the beta-build if it where, I plan on sprucing everything up later but am doing what I can now to determine how I like the look of it before I do things that require a lot more work, lol.

I think they came out pretty awesome. The width extension is all but invisible. Though the line from the height one you can see, I'm debating weather or not to leave it, it sort of keeps things from looking too bulky, we'll see. (And that's the point of doing it now, to give it some time and see, lol) I will have to adjust it later as it's a tiny bit too far back which shows up a lot on these pictures but not in person (whole lot of red), and I think once I do what I want with the powertrain and change the rear fender it will flow better too. I decided to do them more of a vintage style rather than custom as they can effect the look of the truck a lot and a flat edge from fender to fender makes it look too tucked in and a bit funny to my eye, but we'll see, lol.

Ok, pictures!









(This is a bit of a funny angle, the gap up front is only about 3/8", in the back it's about 1/8", it just shows up because there is nothing behind it unlike the rear fender, if I had taken it not so straight on the front fender you wouldn't see it)



And this picture I had to add because it totally looks like a toy truck


Well, I have the other side to finish up, then the tail lights and a piece under the rear fender... and that will conclude the Beta process of this build. Sure looks like a whole new truck now, so much more complete. (thanks again for the blessing of the boards, you know who you are )

 

Looking great!

 

It's really looking great, congrats.

 

Stephen, you have a really great looking truck that just keeps getting better. And, it is unique, the only one like it that I have seen. Great work!

 

Looking good Stephen! Good work!

It's a one-of-a-kind alright.

 

Thanks guys!

 

It's nothing too exciting but I got the other side finished and in today, I thought I would post it cause you hardly ever see my truck from the drivers side on account of me not wanting to get run over to take a picture, lol.





I got to say I am really happy with having them red, the truck looks way more complete and tank like to me.

Well, I have only two things left in the "beta stage", then it's just a matter of having all the parts and time I need to go back and make everything perfect with real paint and all, lol.

 

I think thats what I said, RED ROCKS!

 

Yeah I think it's a Pandora's box because now black ones just make everything look funny to me, lol. Everything is so much beefier with them body color it makes black look almost anorexic (to my eye on my build at least).

 

I don't think anything would look anorexic on that truck. I've figured out what it reminds me of. A Stomper. Remember Stompers?

You've sold me on the body color as well. I was still in between, until I saw your side-by-side comparison. And mine is going to be Vermilion Red. It's not THE original color, but it's AN original color.

 

Ha, that's awesome, feels just like driving a life size one of those, lol. And in my opinion, on these old trucks, nothing fits better than red.

I took it for a drive today, I figured I would post some pictures as almost all of the ones I have posted have been in the same spot. I like to see these trucks out in the real world.

You'll notice I'm about 2' taller than a minivan a couple parking spots closer.


I'm not sure if I will paint the inside of the fenders and under the hood red or black. Have to give that one some thought, you see it a whole lot more on a truck this big.




I am looking forward to upgrading everything. The top speed limit in town is 30mph, so the truck is ok for around here, but I can't really stop worth a dang. I had to stop a little quicker than what I usually do (which is about 2 bus lengths and me pushing on the pedal so hard my leg hurts, and I'm a big guy with man legs, lol), I ended up skidding and having the tires scream for a whole car length and a half, I was half worried for a moment that I was just going to keep going like I was on ice.

So the brakes suck. Pretty bad actually. I've adjusted them as best I can, I think part of the problem is they just weren't made to be so light in the back, it's use to weight pushing it down I think. So, as cool as the old axle would be to keep, it's actually a bit dangerous to drive in town every day. The bigger trucks don't drive the same, and if I can't stop this truck, I'm just going to obliterate some poor Honda Civic one day, lol, or a Smart Car? forget about it, I might not even notice, lol.

But all of that is coming in the next stage of the build. All of this has just been to get all the pieces I want on it and it's been a big plus to actually drive it.

 

Bolt a 1/2" steel plate or an engine block into the bed. It will ride better too.

 

Rear brake lock up on these old truck has always been a problem. This is why anti lock rear brakes appeared on the rear of the trucks long before on the front. I remember some kind of a device that sensed how heavily the light truck was loaded and proportioned the rear brakes. If you're pushing on the brakes as hard as you say you are the fronts should lock up too and the truck should "squat". I suspect your front brakes are not working as they should. Try stopping the truck under a controlled environment and see if you can get the fronts to lock up. Try a gravel road and see which wheels are actually locking up.

 

Thanks, I'll try that. In the past if I tried to stop in too short a distance ( normal lol) I would skid and even start to go side ways a little. To really stop it it takes some serious push, enough where my leg actually still hurts a little. I've adjusted them as best I can, but I've got to have some disc brakes and maybe ABS one of these days.

Also, it had air brakes at one point, but not when I bought it. It has a compressor mount on the motor but no compressor so I recon that broke and they went back to hydraulics. Also had a gauge for it, and an air tank under the bed. Nothing ran from it to the brakes though.