New to the forum been a Ford guy for a long time. Just was given a F-3 1949 I believe. Flat 6 dont know the trany. My question is I want to build (looking at a 5.9 or a powerstroke) keeping as much original as possible while making it drivable eg. Rear disks auto trany and such, but am I committing a major sin? Was leather standard or an option I want the interior original minus the bench seat. I want to put super singles in the back and something cool up front. This is going to be a big multi year build. And I love diesels. Am I nuts. We have a very extensive shop and lots of farm equipment building experience so skills are not an issue. Thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Welcome to the forum. I like your ideas. You will find F-3 parts a bit scarcer especially beds and running boards than F-1. It's not that hard to convert it to an F-1 by shortening the frame. Then an F-1 bed, fenders, and running boards will fit which are easy to come by. I converted a 48 F-3 to an F-1 for that reason. The F-1's are a lot more popular and better looking to most...

 

It was originally a cattle/grain truck, that's gone but trying to find pictures of the original bed to remake it. If no one thinks I am making a mistake I have to find a Dana 60 for the rear end. Since a stroker weighs 900 something does anyone know if the front will handle the weight plus an acceptable transmission? Only rusted through areas I can find are under the headlights years the bottom. Running boards are in good shape and somehow even the floorboards are OK. 22.5 super singles are going to be a challange I think but will be worth it. The instrument cluster is in rough shape how much different are they the same in f1-f3s? Is power steering a must to make it drivable? And the wheel bolt pattern is the 8 bolt hard to find for the front?

 

The F3s and F2s are nearly the same truck with some differences in the rear suspension and load ratings. The cabs are the same for the F1-F6 with front fenders unique to the F1 and shared for the F2-6. Dash layouts are the same with the larger trucks having a slightly different speedo face. Seating materials may have included leather for the big 'uns with vinyl for the smaller range.

This is your truck, do with it as you wish. The mods that you are considering certainly have been done by others. I'll let you learn from them about the effort and skills required. Enjoy the ride.

 

The original interior was very basic. Vinyl was the only seat covering, and only in brown. The floor mat was black. The headliner was cardboard, again only in brown. In 1951 Ford started offering a dressed up cab option that included a two tone vinyl seat, arm rests, vinyl on the doors, and a perforated headliner.

If you are going to install a 900 pound motor you will want power steering. The Toyota box conversion is popular, but I have no idea how well it would work with a large diesel.

The Dana 60 conversion is popular to get a better gear ratio. A donor axle from a 1972 and earlier F-250 is the correct width and the spring hangers are where you need them already. However, my friends that drive 12 valve powered Dodge trucks tell me that the Dana 60 doesn't hold up for them. They are using either Dana 70s or hybrid 80s.

 

Welcome to the forum!

No one has mentioned that your truck came with "widowmaker" split rims. Especially for a truck that's been sitting outside a long time, you should get rid of them ASAP. The Dana 60 conversion will take care of the rear, disc brakes on the front with a matching lug pattern will allow the fronts to be gone.

I think you're underestimating the weight of a diesel. You need the trans to match and they are not light at all. I would guess all said and done, you'd be adding 1300 lbs to a chassis that was not designed for that, or for the torque a big diesel can produce. There is not a lot of room for the PS, it can be done but it's tight. You'd be much better off getting it on the road with gas power of 302 - 351 ci. With a small block engine you don't need to bother with PS unless you want your wife to drive it.

Since you're missing the bed, the conversion to F-1 seems like a good idea.

 

It is my wife's family's truck so I do want her to drive it. Kind of thinking of making this my summer daily drive instead of my F350 w/ 6.4 deleted (she hates it luckily it's the farms truck). I realize the weight difference is substantial but everyone has done a 351 or 302. I love the sound of a diesel but want it to be inconspicuous when you see it from the outside. My experience is mainly w/ 3406's(6) n14's(2) 8.3's(3) lots of 400 series IHs and 5.9s can't remember how many of these we have so a stroker would be a new challange. As far as the front axle if weight is going to be an issue will added leaf springs accommodate the weight or are we talking a new front as well? Is there a disk kit that will fit the old f3 front or is that obsolete? I do have access to a plasma table where I could cut centers out of steel and weld them into blank rims and balance them we have done it for low speed applications. As far a torque I don't plan on chipping or messing with the standard settings on the powerstroke 200+ HP is a big enough jump but if everyone thinks double framing and extra cross members is needed it is an option. I like the option of the Dana 70 axle. If I do put on the super singles I like the lower gears available and spring mounts are relatively easy to weld on correct? One of my concerns is radiators and cooling the 7.3 need to do the calculation on this unless someone has done it.(I have ruled out the 5.9 surprisingly it is 200 lbs heavier dry than the powerstroke). Keep things coming including telling me I am crazy this is still a concept I have 2000 acres of crops to harvest before I get started and plan to pick it up at Thanksgiving, but would like to have the plan ready to go. My dad is even interested now that he finished his 67 Fairlane convertible. If its ok for the truck forum I will include it here. He is my bodywork backup his car had to have all of the unibody frame rebuilt including new torque boxes he did an awesome job. Thanks everyone.

 

The F-1, F-2, and F-3 spindles are all the same so any disc brake kit that will fit an F-1 will also fit an F-3. Problem is the largest pattern those kits will have is 5x5.5 pattern. If you aren't totally committed to the F-250 rear axle, you could use a 57-72 Ford F-100 nine inch rear and have the same pattern front and rear.

 

That is a great looking '67 Fairlane! Not many of them around anymore...
Whatever motor you choose to do I am sure that you will do it right with your fathers help. Looks like he really did a great job on the Fairlane. Good luck with it!

 

TSM make a disc conversion kit for F2 and F3. Not cheap but it's complete. 8 bolt. , Doug.

 

I have been looking around for options and think I know what I am going to do. Looking for a 1994-1997 F350 as a doner. Reason... It is turbo'd but it is pre after cooler much less PIA when it comes to the cooling settep up front. I can then use the trany rearend and motor out of it. Does this sound reasonable? It allows me to then use adapter plates to bolt on super singles.
For those who have worked on them my biggest concern is the front end. Are they heavy enough to support the weight. From what I can tell the old engine/trany combo weighs in the 4-500 lb range and guessing the stroker/trany combo somewhere around 12-1300. So 7-900 lb difference the main concern are the spindles. Any ideas or do I need to rob the doner front as well? Not looking forward to reconfiguring the steering setup. Also I don't have the truck here yet but will the stroker fit
Width wise? Thanks all.

 

She's not a looker but it is solid steel wise. I am actually supprized at the front end size I don't think we will have any problem with the stroker weight. I am not finding anything on other trucks that have been done this way so does anyone have some links? We did some rough measurements and think it should go in. We are going to mock in a motor trany combo before I buy the donor. A few more cross members and the axle from the donor and we should be good. It will be fun reconnecting and figuring out the wiring to dumb down the pcm and ignition controls.

 

Be careful with the donor axle you choose. All Ford trucks I am aware of got wider in 1973. If you use a later axle it will probably stick out of the rear fenders and look terrible. GB SISSON did a later axle swap in a 59 F-250 and also performed some rear wheel trickery to get it all to look decent. His method may work for you.

 

It's a stake body so actually we are going to dual it up. If the axle mounts have to be moved so be it 10 min with a die grinder and a welder and they can be moved.

 

My opinion if your skills and equipment is not an issue why not attempt it? I would probably make it 4wd as well, good luck it's all about having fun