Here we go again.
This truck is from Iowa but I actually bought it from about 2 miles from my house.
The guy bought it in 2001 with the intention to restore it but it never happened and it sat in his driveway.
On the family dog walk we knocked on and the rest is history!

I don't know which frame yet but I think either Explorer or a post 98 Ranger.









Attachment 288289

 

Good find! It looks like you're already into the tear down! Keep us posted with your progress.

 

Very nice project. And nice weather you have there to work on it. I was lucky to get my car washed today.

 

Hello,
Not to be a kill joy, but why not get it running and enjoy it as is?
That is a well optioned truck. Custom Cab and flathead v8. First year for that body and the last year for the awesome flathead. It has survived unaltered for 64 years.
If your going to do a frame swap why not find a cab and fenders and put that on a s10 frame?

 

^^ Ditto! At least give it a try

 

I appreciate everyone's opinion.

It's personal preference and cost really.

I like how new trucks drive but like how old trucks look.

It's also going to be my daily, so it'll have to deal with a lot of LA traffic as well.

 

Nice looking truck. I look forward to seeing your progress.
I would think a frame swap would be much more expensive than updating the current frame. Of course if you have a donor vehicle and your fab skills are exceptional, then the frame swap might be cheaper.

If I weren't halfway across the county, I would probably be interested in parts from your current frame and axles.

Be sure to post lots of pictures of your progress, we love pictures.
Are you hoping to keep the flathead or use the engine from the donor as well?

 

I'll be using everything out of the donor.

I'll keep pics coming!

On that note:



Are the bed crossmembers supposed to be wood?

 

Here's how I came to come across this truck!

 

If you are leaving it a long box, an expedition wheelbase is almost the perfect length, but track width is about 6 inches wider.

 

I'm going to shorten it & also use the floor & firewall out of the donor truck so I need something that's as narrow as the F250.

 

Here's the take her to pieces video!

 

Hi Nathan,

go on and keep us updated with cool videos! Great job!

 

I'm subscribed to your Youtube channel. And have enjoyed watching your bumpside F100 builds. You won't find much love here for frame swaps. Most of the guys hear try to talk people out of doing it. But I've seen what you've done with your bumpside trucks. So I know this shouldn't be an issue for you. It's well within your skill level.

I think the 96-2001 Explorer would be the best choice. They were available with the V8 ( something the Ranger didn't offer ) . And they have the disc brake 8.8" rear diff. The wheel base is a little shorter then a 53-56 F100 short box. But if you are cutting the box down anyways then that doesn't really matter.

Here's some pics of one.






I have seen this done to a few 53-56 F100's. I saw a couple real clean swaps where they used the Explorer chassis with the Explorer firewall and floor. Like you did with the Crown Vic on your orange F100.

But I wouldn't use the dash out of the Explorer. The newer dashes look horrible in the 50's trucks. So I would mate the lower Explorer firewall to the upper F100 firewall. That way you keep the cool original 50's dash but have all the newer chassis and drivetrain parts. And since the floor of your 53 is rusty using the Explorer floor would be a good choice. Then you'll just have to patch up the F100's rocker and lower door post.

If you prefer the 4.6L over the older 5.0L/302 V8 or V6 then check out the 2002 + Explorers. These also have the IRS set up in them. But you will have to check the wheel base, track width and frame width on one in the junk yard to make sure it will work.

Here's the only pic I have of the newer Explorer chassis.

 

Great video, keep posting them.
Missouri is a little more lax. They didn't have to look at my truck until I realized that the title from 1962 actually had a typo in the vin. The highway patrol came out and couldn't find the vin on the frame, so they passed it without ever finding it. Now I have a title with the correct vin. It could have gone like it was, but I wanted to get it straight.

When you put the new frame under the truck, won't you have to go through that process all over again?

There isn't too much love for frame swaps here, but that is mainly because inexperienced people think they will have an easy fix by swapping frames. As you know, that isn't the case and there are lots of things to work through that a novice should never even think about.

Please keep these videos coming. They will be a huge help to people wanting to do something like this in the future. And they keep people like me entertained watching someone that actually knows what they are doing. (I have zero welding or metal work skills and my restoration is my first ever attempt.)