Hello,
My name is Jarek and I'm living in south part of Germany.
I was always a fan of US classic cars, so 2008 I made my dream come true and got a 67 Mustang convertible. I was driving the Mustang for four years and decided 2012 to perform some restoring works. It was my first project of this kind, so I took a six weeks of holidays and intended to finish the works during this time. After all, it took me four years and I finished the restoration of the Mustang just in March this year :-)





But already in June, I decided to jump directly into a new project. I wanted to stay with Ford, but this time it should be a truck. After some weeks of searching, I found it here in Germany. It is an F-100 from 1966, Custom Cab, 352cui V8. Compared to the initial status of the Mustang, the F-100 is in a very bad shape. The original automatic transmission was swaped by any of the pre-owners to a 4-speed manual transmission (as far as I can judge it, it is a new process 435 gear box). Carburetor was changed to a Motorcraft carb I cannot identify now. Ugly valve covers, air cleaner etc. The complete wiring system is a nightmare. My plan is to drive it for the next years, use it also for different transports during house building next year, and take it apart for a complete restoration somewhere in 2019, where I would like to put it back in near original condition. Until then, I would like to learn more about my truck, collect already the necessary parts etc. Got already the right carburetor, the oil bath air cleaner etc.
Nevertheless, there are some things I have to do now, in order to drive safely the next two years. So, I will start immediatelly with some technical questions in the next posts :-)





Thanks in advance
Jarek

 

Welcome to FTE!

Post up a picture of the warranty plate on the back edge of the drivers door. I can see it but not close enough to make out the info on it. We can tell what transmission it originally came with from there.

.

 

Thanks!
Here are the tags and casting numbers I could find.
The casting number on the block beside the starter is hidden under a thick layer of hard dirt.
Jarek

 

You've done a beautiful job on your '67 Mustang. Do I take it that you favor originality over safety improvements such as front disc brakes and a dual master cylinder? There are a lot of choices with your restoration. Here is a decode of the warranty plate you posted: F10 = F100 2 wheel drive truck. Y = 352 cubic inch (5.8L) 2V FE V8 engine. R = San Jose, California assembly plant. 790698 = December, 1965 build month. 129 = wheelbase in inches. 8 = Springtime Yellow exterior color. F100 = 5000 pound Gross Vehicle Weight rating in a ½ ton truck. D81 = Medium beige interior upholstery in a Custom Cab. C = 3 speed light duty manual transmission shifted on the column ("3 on the tree"). 08 = 3.50 ring and pinion gears in a Ford 9 inch non-limited slip differential. 5000 = GVW rating. 172 @ 4000 = NET engine horsepower rating (GROSS HP = 208) and the rpms where achieved. 72 = San Jose, California, the district sales office from which the truck was originally ordered. The truck was NOT a special order vehicle. Obviously there have been some changes to the truck since it was built 50 years ago. The other pictures you provided suggest that the original engine has been replaced. The D4TE casting number on the intake manifold decodes to 1974 so it could be a 360 or a 390 cubic inch engine and the only way to know which is to measure the stroke. The "reverse 105" cast into the block also suggests it's a later, reinforced block, which I would think would be a good thing. (If Number Dummy sees this he may have a differing opinion.) Your transmission is a New Process 435 4 speed with "Granny" first gear. I had one of those in my truck - it's tough, but a bit "agricultural" to shift. You may not like the rocker arm covers, but there are plenty of people who would want them so don't throw them away. I hope you enjoy your "new" truck, if not the km/ltr fuel consumption it gets. Let us know if we can help.

 

Only the 240 I-6 came w/a light duty 3 speed, the 300 & 352 came with the medium duty 3 speed.

'Course, the trans has been swapped, so it doesn't really matter. The engine was probably also swapped (need the casting number/date codes to verify).

Rear axle isn't original either.

The intake manifold is from a 1974/76 F100/350. The left exhaust manifold (does not use a heat riser valve) is from a 1968/76 F100/350 360/390 (except 1973/74 F100 360).

The right exhaust manifold is the same 1965/67 F100/350 352 & 1968/76 F100/350 360/390.

TRANS ID number: C5TA-7003-L = New Process 435 4 speed / 1965 F100/250 2WD from serial number 708,001 & 1966 F100/250 2WD

The rear axle ID tag appears to read: WDC-EA .. If this is correct, the center section was swapped from a 1975/77 LTD w/a 9" & 2.75-1 ratio.

7AA = Assembled the 1st week (A) of January (A) 1977 (7).

 

Thanks for the compliment :-)
Your impression is at least partly correct. I higly regard well done restomods, with modern technology in classic suit. But personally, I prefer as much original look as possible.
But it does not to be completelly original. I painted my Mustang back in the original Diamond Green, but originally it was not delivered with power disk brakes, air condition, dual exhaust, center console, exterior package etc. BUT, while adding all the options I tried to use as much as possible original Ford parts, mainly NOS parts. The only clearly visible not original parts are the stainless exhaust system, brake booster and the AC compressor (I have already an original one, with all the brackets and pulleys, and will try to convert it to the refrigerant allowed here in Germany). Also some safety improvements, like a steel plate welded in as divider between passenger compartment and the trunk with the gas tank are implemented.
My plan with the truck is similar. I like the original Springtime Yellow, so it will be painted back in this color. But maybe as two tone with white…
I also like the floor shifted manual gear, so I will keep it.
I'm also not really sad that the engine is not the original one, but will dress it with the blue steel valve covers and the black oil bath air cleaner.
The last pre-owner just put new genuine and noble black leather on the bench seat, so I will keep it and restore the interior in black.
For safety an convenience, I would like to add at least a brake booster, maybe front disk brakes.
For sure, I will install 3-point seat belts. And I got already a power steering system, I think Bendix type, which I hope will fit without changes to the steering column.
The power steering box was not leaking before deinstallation, nevertheless, I'm looking for a rebuilt set for it. Not easy to find…



I'm already a silent reader of FTE since almost a year now, so I know already the expertise of Number Dummy. I hope to get some help to identify the engine of my truck, just to be sure that I'm ordering the right parts for it.
For example, I got the truck with a "strange" carburetor, with electric choke, which was not hooked up. The engine run OK with it, when hot. But no chance to start it without lots of starting spray.



In the belief that I have a 352cui FE, I looked for a C5TF or C6TF carburetor with manual choke.




I got it and installed it already. Now, with the manual choke, it starts immediatelly even in freezing weather conditions. The engine runs good with it, but now I'm not sure if it is not little bit to small (1.14) for a 390cui FE…

Jarek

 

You certainly have meticulous standards, and know what you want and how to find it. Some of us could learn from you in how to find some rare parts. I did a cab/bed-off-frame restoration of my F100 between late 2010 and 2013. Like you, I favor modern safety bits as a high priority. So I would recommend a front power assisted disc brake conversion with a dual chamber master cylinder. Your choice of power steering components makes for the easiest installation, in that you don't have to modify the the steering column or shaft, but the Bendix system is notorious for leaking which is why Ford only used it from approximately mid-1966 model year to during the 1969 model year when the Bendix was replaced by Ford/Saginaw. Obviously some of the Bendix units must have been satisfactory so hopefully you'll be one of the lucky ones. The air cleaner that was on your truck looks to be around a '73ish truck one. It might have been correct for the engine that's in there. The bore and stroke for the 360 (5.9L) engine is 4.05 inches x 3.50 inches. For the 390 cubic inch engine (6.4L) the bore is the same, but the stroke is longer at 3.78 inches - so a tiny bit more than ¼ inch longer. I have done a rough calculation of the two strokes into metric equivalents, and believe that the 360's stroke would be @ 88 mm, and the 390's stroke would be @ 96 mm. Pull a spark plug (or all of them to make it easier to turn the engine over), bring a piston to the top, then run a straight piece of stiff wire down the spark plug hole as you crank the piston down to the bottom of its stroke. You should be able to tell the approximate length of the stroke and determine which engine you have. The more precise, but also more time consuming method would be to pull the oil pan and read the engineering number off the crankshaft. As to carburetion, if it's running strong and clean, it's probably fine. Autolite 2100 carbs are pretty highly regarded. These engines were not expected to support Autobahn speeds when these trucks were built 50 years ago. The trucks have the aerodynamics of a barn door. I'll be interested to know if you think Number Dummy's decode of your rear differential gearing (2.75 from a '77 LTD) seems accurate. If so, the revs will be tolerable at highway speed, but there won't be much pulling power. Lots of interesting things to explore. Have fun with it.

 

Yes, your steering column will work with the Bendix gear without modification, but you will have to adjust its position at the drop under the dash. There is a dedicated PS column but it is not very different and not necessary.
Many criticize the Bendix as trouble-prone but my steering guy said problems occur due to heat from the exhaust manifold and that a small PS fluid cooler will prevent those problems.
My rebuilder did not use a specific kit, but instead used components intended for other makes including Range Rover. I hope you have a steering genius close to you.
Eric

 

That is a big difference in shafts. Are there any part numbers on your steering column Jarek? TA455HO is there a difference between the standard cab centre horn button and the CC ring push horn button that could make the shaft different? If the truck is already converted to ps maybe that column is from a 73-76 that just happened to also be a three on the tree. Maybe the column was changed before the truck was converted to a four speed

 

You can change between the horn button and the horn ring within a subset of trucks. So a 1965/66 2WD (66 F100 4x4) horn button can swap with a 1965/66 2WD (66 F100 4x4) horn ring, for example, with no modifications. The internal parts of the button and ring are the same. There is more cross-over interchange here, this is just an example.

The 4WD trucks (excepting the 1966 F100 4x4) used the larger diameter steering wheels, buttons and rings which don't interchange with the smaller size.


.

 

The centre column is labelled
My last reply was in your other thread Jarek and I can't move it right now. I just googled a pic of 1973-1976 Ford F100 steering columns and that is what it appears you have according to the pics of your column, my "jacked" photo off the Internet and TA455HO photo of a proper 1966 Ford column

 

Eric, thanks, the advise with the oil cooler is a good idea. I do not have any steering specialist available here in Germany, at least not for vintage US car steering boxes.
Good to know there is FTE :-)

NumberDummy, didn't see your post when writting mine last yestarday. Thanks for the information. I will try to find more numbers on the engine block. The main information should be anywhere in the area of the starter, right? Have to remove the hard dirt there, backed mixture of oil and road dirt.

RangerMercMan, TA455HO, the end of the shaft currently installed in my truck looks very much like on RangerMercMan's photo, long threated part with an end without treads.
The steering box is a manual one and the tag says "HCD B1 5M06C". I'm a newbee regarding the Ford trucks, but I understood that for a 73-76 truck, the PS steering column is shorter than the manual steering one. So the lowest column in the picture should be the manual one and if you are right, this should be the one in my truck (the PS column would be too short for my steering box, right?).
So your guess is, my truck had a power steering in the past, and they converted it to manual steering, using a 73-76 steering column?
What a mess!
I'm a little bit frustrated, nothing seems to be original on my truck. Neither the engine, nor the transmission, or the rear axle or even the bloody steering column.
For the steering box, I found only the information "65-68 Ford without PS".
Not original is not a big problem, but it should fit and work together and I would like to understand what and why is installed, to be able to decide if I want to keept it like it is or not and to order the right spares if necessary.
I'm on the way to some friends from tomorrow morning on, for the New Year's Eve party. But on Sunday or Monday, I will check the steering column for any numbers and make some more detailed photos.

Thanks and Happy New Year to you all :-)

 

1967/72 F100/250 2WD & F350 with M/S use the same C5TZ-3504-D gearbox part number, but different ID numbers.

 

Saubere Sache Jarek! Vielleicht sehen wir uns ja mal wenn ich wieder in der Heimat bin ... Keep up the good work!

Daniel

 

NumberDummy, thanks, at least the steering gear seems to be original.

Daniel, danke für das Lob. Kennen wir uns schon? Vielleicht vom Mustang-Forum?

OK, this will be longer…
I had hard time the last two days, thinking back and forward about my truck, even considering to sell it with some loss and buy another one.
Finally, I decided to keep it. It's my truck now, and I will make the best of it.
I will keep the engine, but have to identify it exactly, to order the right parts. And I will dress it in more original look.
I will keep the "new process" transmission.
The rear axle is leaking, so has to be done anyway. But I will let it until the full restoration starts and collect some experience with the ratio. The truck will be more a show car than a load carier, and I will be driving a lot on German highways, so maybe it is OK like it is.
The color will be back the Springtime Yellow, but as two tone. Below the current paint, there is a companies name on the door, Baxstorm in Cortez / Colorado. It seems that it does not exist anymore, so maybe I will put it back on the truck :-)
I cannot change too much on the car, due to the regulations in Germany. The taxes for the cars are set according to the air pollution caused by the car. An old 390cui without any exhaust cleaning system would cost me 1800 USD per year, plus something like 1200 USD for insurance of a truck. With a registration as a classic car, the tax drops to 200 USD and insurance to 180 USD. But a classic car has to be original, the only allowed changes are to be "contemporary" (e.g. I'm allowed to install the Bendix power steering or a brake booster, but power disc brakes can cause problems if the were not originally available).

Here is my plan: three stages, things to be done as soon as possible (next days), things to be done until this summer, full frame of restoration around end of 2019.

Next days, I will try to get the horns working, install seat belts, install license plate lighting, re-install windshield washing system, change the door locks (currently no function), install a Petronix ignition system, tune the carburetor and the timing point.
Regarding the horn ring and the steering shaft problem, I will go first for a quick sollution, as described in the other post, and shorten the shaft as necessary.

Until summer, I will install the original valve covers together with the oil bath filter and PCV system, change some engine gaskets (oil pan, intake, rear main seal etc.), exchange all wiring in the engine bay and try to get all gauges working, make some improvements to the cab interior, and most probably I will have to exchange the clutch (it makes horrible noises when the truck starts to move, here I will need some help to identify the right clutch parts for the combination of the engine and transmission).

End of 2019, the full restoration will start, with necessary welding works, new paint job, overhaul of engine/transmission/rear axle (where necessary), new brake system etc.

Two questions for the beginning:
Is it better to post all my questions here, so the complete history can be read in one thread or shall I open a new thread for each new technical question?

And does anyone have the following parts for sell: original steering column/shaft for 66 2WD, left door glas, wiring harness between the two tail lights and the license plate lights?