I'm new to the forum and the '48-'56 F100's. I've built several cars in the past and now looking for a new project. I came across a '51 F100 on Craig's List that caught my attention (see pic below). It was a lowered 4X4. I live in Alaska so this sounded like the perfect project. After I went to go check it out, I didn't like the way it was built with too many custom built pieces that just didn't seem to go together all that well. It wasn't running and was in rough shape. The vision was there, just not the competed project.

However, that planted the seed to build my own lowered 4X4 F100. I know the purists out there will not be happy with a frame swap. But if I have to choose between a 4X4 frame swap so I can drive it in Alaska or none at all... I'll choose the frame swap. Gathering good info from searching the forum. Any additional advice will be greatly appreciated ...travis

Pic of the lowered F100 4X4 sitting on a modified shoebox Bronco frame...

 

Welcome to the forum. How is that lowered 4x4 going to work out in deep snow?

 

No deep snow. I live in the Anchorage area so most road are compact snow and ice. Also not looking to off-road it. That said, I was thinking about using an airbag suspension so i could raise it during the winter and slam it down in the summer.

 

First off are you wanting a F1 ( 48-52 ) or an F100 ( 53-56 ) . I believe they each have their own track width and wheelbase.

For a frame swap on the F100 I'd consider a 95-2000 Ford Explorer chassis. The track width is close enough and the wheelbase is only like an inch shorter.








It can also work on the F1's but you would have to check all the measurements to confirm. Here's some pictures of someone that did the swap.









But before you get too far into thinking about a chassis swap I would check with your state laws to find out what would be legally required. In my area I have to complete an "Affidavit of Reconstruction" and supply a title or bill of sale for every major component on the vehicle and then the state issues a new title.

Another choice is to fit all the donor drivetrain & suspension parts onto the original chassis. You have to get all the geometry and etc. set up correctly but there are less legal issues, less sheet metal work and you are keeping more of the truck box space to use. All the newer chassis' have some amount of kick up in the rear which requires raising the box floor.


There are going to be a lot of haters when it comes to a chassis swap idea. It's a lot of work but it can be done. I'm swapping my 54 F100 body onto a 78 F150 4x4 chassis. But it's not going to be lowered.

 

Stu or Chuck don't you have a Marmon Herrington conversion that he could cut up?

 

Seriously though it reads like you are trying to make a pretty compromised vehicle? It doesn't sound like you really need 4WD? As you can see from the previous posts you are going to have to do a lot of work and you may not be happy with the results. Perhaps you might consider buying a nice fat fender as you showed in your original picture then add a good set of radial snow tires in the winter. You could also add a power transfer-type differential in the rear like a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torsen, Viscous or Electronic limited slip (there are many others but not positraction or tracloc or locker which cause handling problems on corners in the snow and ice).