Folks, its time to get off the fence and go do stuff


plans are based on my abilities and the fact elephants are eaten one bite at a time.


Plan:
1. disassemble front end body sheet metal. fix as required. get ready for paint


2. Pull engine and rebuild it, the engine might be fine but I don't know anything about it. I don't know if it has hardened valve seats or not. I want reliability at the end as I will turn it over to a family member. current HP for 292 Y block is 170-186 (depending on source) I want to kick it up to 250-270 range to drive taller rear end and advice on how to increase HP is highly desired, especially if it can be done with bolt-on stuff.


3. Pull tranny and rebuild again because I don't know anything about it either


4. Advice on steering highly desired, it is functional but very very sloppy, I am assuming there is some kind of worm gear involved and I am wondering if it is available or I am looking at sometime of conversion/swap out of a newer vehicle.


5. Replace every wheel bearing and wear component in suspension.


6. pull bed and prep for paint


7. remove rear axle and have 3:73 gearing put in. current top end is 57 MPH - rapped out and toes wiggling in the carb. if there is a better combo would love to hear about it.


8. Dissemble instruments and controls and pull cab. have some rust about ready to eat through cab floor and lower section of the back of the cab, and it is beyond my skill set.


9. blast frame and paint


10 reassemble


11 paint


Thank you in advance for help, advice. I Will need your help and to do this as I have never attempted anything like this before.

 

it's good to have a plan. never heard that elephant thing, but i like it.

 

Sounds like reasonable plans for an older 3/4 ton pickup, they were never engineered to handle like a 5.0 mustang. I fall into the stock on the outside, ugrades on the inside ( meaning upgrades are hidden) to the outside world. The 3.54 ratio would be even better if your not hauling 3/4 tons of stuff. A power brake booster and dual master cylinder would be a nice improvements also. A rebuilt front end with new king pins, bushings, tie rod ends and rebuilt steering box should get things feeling right again. If repainting, always use the original factory colors.

 

Thanks for the reply, I will look into the availability of the 3.54. I need to do something at 8 mpg, I cant even drive it to church on sunday. have been thinking about the brakes as well. While the drums will stay a dual master cylinder would be a good upgrade for safety sake, and I appreciate the validation on the front end rebuild. I was thinking of a dark orange, my favorite, but have decided to return it to the original dark green and will paint the engine my favorite orange

 

Post pictures! It should be a real fun project!

 

F250 Spicer/Dana 60: 1955 4.88-1; 4.56-1 added in 1956; 4.10-1 added in 1963; 3.54-1 added in 1966; 3.73-1 added in 1967.

Rear axle companion flange has 10 splines thru 1965, 1966 could have a 10 or 29 spline companion flange, 1967 and later companion flange is 29 splines.

 

Thanks ND, I think that is the single biggest problem with gas milage and speed right now is the differential, I have been told many times are the 3/4 tons were field trucks and the 100's were road trucks