I acquired this truck about 2 years ago. My father in law got me into these old trucks, and 56 is by far the best year Ford built. I should of left well enough alone when I got the truck, but I had to tear it completely down.
Rundown when I got the truck...
Pretty much original 1956 Ford F100 short box, even though it has "custom cab" emblems it isn't. No rust, 272 y-block and 3 on the tree.





The tear down begins....







The truck has been completely torn apart. I went with the original suspension ( I know i'll probably catch some **** for that ) but afterall, its MY truck. I like old school, so I contacted Nostalgia Sid and he heated up my front axle and dropped it 3". Every suspension piece has been replaced, new lowering springs up front & rear. Shimmed the axles for the correct caster, shouldn't have any problem with bump-steer. A properly set up suspension on these things really don't ride that bad, after all its a OLD truck. I HAND sanded the whole frame to bare metal. POR15'd the frame, and undercoated it. What a *****.
Fast forward after paint & body work.... (re assembly of the truck)



LS swap. Put a TSP 228R cam, new valve springs, shorty headers, LS2 intake. 4l160E with a Ford 9", 3.92 Posi. Truck should run pretty good.

Fits just like it belongs there...

Areomotive fuel system

Custom "Jack Daniels" brake reservoir I made at work...(love having CAD & CNC machines!)

Been a long road, but its coming together. At least I can say that I built this thing (other than paint work). It has power brakes, power steering, AC, most of the creature comforts but stuffed into a old truck. I can't wait to see the finished project, I always wanted to do a project like this and didn't think I would get to till later in my life. Got to thank my wife for helping me and being a part of this! The end result, hopefully will be a very reliable truck that we can drive across country. I would love to do the power tour someday, and show it off at SEMA.

 

Very Nice! Good luck with the rest of your build.

 

Hi

Nice build, I love the diamond blue color and that you have kept the stock frame/suspension.

I do however belive that you suffer with bumpsteer if you have a 3" axeldropand a 2-3" spring drop. If you haven´t also "dropped" the horseshoe on the left side, or in any other way made some modification to get the connection shaft between the pitman arm and horse shoe as level as possible...

just want to help out

 

Sweet! Would love to see the rest of the build as it continues. While most don't go the bailout route, the Ls looks good in there and surly won't disappoint.

Thanks for sharing and great work so far.

Are you in TN?

 

I have tried to get it as level as possible, and its pretty damn close. I can get you some pictures if interested. I rode in 53 f100, with the same suspension setup (but worn out springs, bushings, ect.) and it had no bumpsteer whatsoever. Hopefully I can keep bumpsteer to a minimum, cause I'm going to drive the wheels off the thing! Thanks on the color comment. I have YET to set a diamond blue truck in person. I've always been a sucker for it as well.

 

Thanks for the comments. No I'm actually in Texas, close to Houston.

 

Nice. If I didn't live in TN, TX would probably be my second choice...

Since I have a very similar suspension setup, I'd be interested in more details regarding the springs you're using (I'm using reverse eye lowering springs from mid fifty and also have a Sid drop axle) and the wheels/tires you have! (wheel size/width, tire size)

Thanks, I'm also a fan of the blue you've got there.

 

Thanks for the comment!


The front suspension is 3" Sid drop axle with the mid fifty down and forward lowering springs. The rear springs I got from Sid, they are the Posie Super Slider lowering springs which I believe is a 3" drop. I have the adjustable front shackles (which I got from mid fifty), and I moved it up 1" on the frame. In the pictures its actually on the "highest" setting, I can go 3" lower from there.


The wheels are wheel vintique smoothies, 15x6 up front 0 offset, with 3 5/8" backspacing running a 235/70/15 tire. The rear wheels are 16x8 wheel vintiques smoothie with a 265/70/16, 0 offset at 4.5" backspacing. I actually ran into a little rubbing issue with the rear tires, so I'm sending them back for 255/70/16's.


The tires are from Diamond Back Classics, all custom wide white tires. If you ever need any custom white walls made, this is the place to go!

 

Well if you have that one pretty much level you are home safe. Its the axial movement of that strut (as it rotates around the pitman arm) as the suspension travel up and down, that gives you the pumpsteer.

I would be interested seeing pictures on how you solved that...good job.

That color is a really hot rod looking and best of all stock color choice.

I am doing a stockish resto and my truck came in red......which I m planing on doing again just as the badge states...but this color is a lot nicer.....

Why did you exclude the white roof?

 

Nice build. I have LS6 in my just completed (well almost) 48.
You will love that ls motor.Hopefully a cross country drive in
mine too.

 

I agree about the color! Actually, I made the steering arm, its custom and one-off. (the advantages of working at a machine shop) I will post some pictures up this weekend of it.


My original plans was to paint the roof white, which I may still do once the truck is complete.

 

VERY helpful! Thank you! I am loving the look of my truck (and yours!) with the same parts as you. I recently bought the mid fifty adjustable rear hangers, but haven't put them on yet.

Thanks again.

 

What oil pan do you have on the LS? Is the engine mount crossmember that you used like the chevy engine to ford truck crossmember that Mid-50's has in their catalog?

I put an LS in my '49 GMC so I'm familiar with the engine swap; I am going to put one in my '55 F100. Any unusual problems you have had to solve with your install thus far that I need to watch for?

 

I have the Holley LS swap muscle car oil pan. The crossmember is the one from mid fiftys, the small block Chevrolet. Then I got the adjustable LS swap brackets and mounts from mid fifty as well. Just watch out for the trans mount. I had to fab one up, if your using a frame mounted brake booster you will too.

 

gonna watch this topic good luck with the build