I'm a little late starting a build thread for this project, but, better late than never. Right?
A little background on my truck:
I've owned and driven my truck since 2005, when my dear wife bought it for me for my 50th birthday. What a great wife!
The truck has AC, PS, PB, and power windows The paint and body look pretty good from 20 feet away. Lots of fun to drive, dependable, and gets plenty of attention.



So, why am I rebuilding a decent truck? Simply put, I want something I built with my own hands.

I had the urge a few years ago to repower with a Ford engine. I bought a low mileage 5.0 engine and AODE transmission out of a 1995 Mustang. It sat in the corner of the shop until last year, when I freshened up the motor and rebuilt the transmission. I started tearing down my truck last May right after I came home from the 2014 F-100 Supernationals.



The previous owner installed the front subframe from a 1979 Firebird along with the 305 GM motor and 700r4 transmision. He also made the tilt front end out of the original sheet metal. It works OK, but the inner bracing looks pretty nasty.
The subframe graft is way overbuilt and the welding is scary looking.

Right now I have the cab, bed, and doghouse all removed from the frame. I just mounted the under-cab master cylinder, and verified clearances.
























The next step for me will be stripping every thing off the frame so that I can make that subframe graft look a little better.

 

It looks great, nice work!

 

Tony, I like the plan, make your Ford all-Ford. That GM sub-frame graft is crazy looking but unfortunately not the only one I have seen done using the whole GM sub-frame.

My 1949 has a 1983 El Camino IFS added but whoever did it just mated the two frames.


But it had a 1993 5.0L roller motor and AOD installed when I got it. Rear is a 8.8" Ford as well. It actually is a good combination.

 

Thanks, Walt! My original intention was to just swap the Ford motor/tranny into it as simply as I could, but one thing leads to another, and now I have a full blown project. That's OK though, I'm going to enjoy the process!

I've never seen another GM frame graft in person, so I didn't know that such a large graft was unnecessary. Last summer, AXracer had helped me position the motor and fabricate the mounts. The graft was the first thing to get his attention, and he gave me some ideas on how to do it properly.

Do you have any more pictures of your subframe, Walt?
BTW, I also have an 8.8 explorer rear that I'll be using.

 

I had been trying to figure out how to remove the cab, without taking the doors off, and then came across a build thread by Ktgvols. where he was using an engine hoist through the open door to lift from the floor. I think he said he got the idea from Rimrock. Ain't this forum great!

I used their method with a slight variation that might help someone else.
I welded a very simple fixture that bolts to the two front seat mounting points and has an upright mast that rises to slightly above the dash. I then used the same four strap arrangement to the corners of the cab to stabilize my fixture and act as a backup.
The fixture gives a rigid lift point that's above the CG, to eliminate tipping.
I added some ballast in the cab to balance the cab perfectly with the hoist going through the open driver's door and keeping the passenger door shut.
Works like a charm, and I can handle it easily and safely by myself.





Lift fixture bolted to the seat mounts and stabilized with straps. Ballast added to balance.





Perfect balance and nearly tip proof.

 

Tony, here are some more pics of the 1983 El Camino frame grafted to the 1949 Frame of my truck.

 

Thanks, Walt. That will help me visualize what I can do with mine.

 

Hey Tony,
been wondering what you were up to. Decided to get rid of the extra frame "ballast"? I still think that's a good move.
For those following along: It looked to me that the person(s) who did the clip install wanted to keep the truck at the original ride height rather than lower in the front which a straight butt graft like on Walt's truck would produce, So they used the entire GM front clip all the way back to the end of the small stubs. The subframe drops down about 4" under the passenger compartment. They cut the Ford frame about 10-12" ahead of the firewall. They then trimmed off about 4" of the bottom of the Ford frame from the firewall forward and set it on top the GM clip and welded the two together. This left a large (~ 5") vertical gap between the two frame sections under the cab. They filled this gap with a piece of 1/4" plate!
Tony if you want to do some more brain storming on how to clean up and reinforce the splice give me a call.

 

Thanks for the offer, Chuck, that would be great! You have good sense about this kind of stuff, and I would greatly value your advice.

 

Time for a progress report.

 

The GM subframe is hanging below the f1 frame, and needs to be cut at the chalk line.





Just a couple of hours with the Sawzall. That's about 75 pounds of scrap.

 

Some more trimming. The ford frame rails fit between the GM subframe.





Here's the plan. The graft will be boxed in on top, bottom and both sides.

 

Outside plate fabricated and clamped





Top plate welded

 

Hey Tony! I keep wondering how you're doing. I know you were some further along than in your last picture. Last5 time I was there most of the boxing/plating clean up of the graft was completed on one side. Have you done any more since the last time I saw it? If you need/want any help give me a call. I think we'll be looking for a little CNC work done for the new shifter mount on Gary's truck. Now that his engine mounts and tranny crossmember are in and the headers worked out that will be the next major design/fabrication project we'll be tackling in the next couple weeks. It would be nice if the three of us could get together again, I know Gary has mentioned it too as recently as today!

 

Hey Tony! I keep wondering how you're doing. I know you were some further along than in this last picture. Last time I was there most of the boxing/plating clean up of the graft was completed on one side and was looking good. Have you done any more since the last time I saw it? If you need/want any help give me a call. I think we'll be looking for a little CNC work done for the new shifter mount on Gary's truck. Now that his engine mounts and tranny crossmember are in and the headers worked out that will be the next major design/fabrication project we'll be tackling in the next couple weeks. It would be nice if the three of us could get together again, I know Gary has mentioned it too as recently as today!