Hey!
I've been contemplating buying a 1971 Ford F-100 to make into a lowrider, but I have run into a problem, how am i supposed to do this? I've looked at so many sites that im getting sick and i've gotten nowhere. I figure where better to go than a site called Ford Trucks, someone here must have some sort of answer. If you know anything at all, where i can get a lowering kit, ground effects kit, anything at all pleast leave me a message!!!!
Thanks
Matt

 

I don't know if you've tried them but try DJM Suspension http://www.djmsuspension.com. As for the body kit I have no idea, and am currently looking for one for my '78. One thing I did find after alot of digging was a company to custom build all clear lenses (tail,turn,marker lights),just a thought.

 

personally I wouldn't use the DJM Dream beams, dont like the sound of them, http://www.aimind.com has fabricated I beams for around 450 complete it's a 3" drop, and you can mount airbags to it as well

 

about those clear tail light covers, where'd you
find them? i didn't even bother, i figured they
weren't made

 

WHY WOULD YOU LOWER A TRUCK??! IF YOU'RE NOT RACING IT, THEN somehow I'M MISSING THE POINT!!
This is one of my biggest pet peeves! -WHY LOWER A TRUCK FOR G*DS SAKE!! If you want a lowrider truck go buy a El Crapino!

Sorry. I just don't see the point of lowering a truck (IT'S A TRUCK!) unless it's for racing-Even then it's no good except for exhibition racing, as it 'Cuts through the air like a brick wall!' !!!WHY!!!? Please explain to me why you want a lowrider truck?

If It ain't broke, you're not tryin'!

 

um, cuz the longer i looked at this truck, the
more i thought damn, this would really look nice
about 2 in off the ground. and, my last truck
was tall (82 f250, with two-inch lift)
and lastly, cuz it's mine, and i can

 

Normally, I'd agree that lowering a classic old RUST FREE Ford that is nearly impossible to find up where I live is a cardinal (or is that carnal) sin. I'd never do it to my rotten ol' '79. But that's the same reaction I got when I rolled out my '84 Superglide painted John Deere green, John Deere yellow rims, and exhaust flapper's like an old tractor or lobster boat. The typical reaction was that I should have been tarred-and-feathered....but I had a vision of what it (the bike) reminded me of (ya know, the whole outlaw biker dust bowl thing; my old man on a JohnDeere working the fields as I grew up, etc). No one else got it and IT doesn't matter. What I thought (and a few other abstract folks/ run-in's, really) is all that matters (I even thought of making a cutter bar for it, but after some consideration, was told I was taking things a little too far). So, go for it and enjoy your vision. Just don't butcher the body or frame so that, maybe, some day, one of us unfortunate poor souls who happen to live in the rust belt and can't find a rust free Ford for a price less-than (<) the price of our first born, can find one within a 2,000 mile ride.
Good luck to ya
Skippy

 

For a radical drop I advise using the front clip from any large Ford, Lincoln or Mercury car and airbags. For the rear it’s even easier, four link with airbags. Less expensive and still a nice drop use 3 inch dropped I Beams, 225/60 R15’s on the front and 265/60 R-15 on the rear. This will keep the suspension stock and looks really good. Progressive rate coil springs are available at www.eatonsprings.com in Detroit. Add quality gas shocks and a heavy duty front sway bar and you are in business. This will produce a nice looking drop and a truck you can drive. I am implementing this plan for my driver. In future I will clip a really nice 64 F100 with a Lincoln Town Car. I love these old trucks and believe the more “Hot Rodders” we can get involved with them the more we will save from the crusher.
William in Atlanta

 

>WHY WOULD YOU LOWER A TRUCK??!
>IF YOU'RE NOT RACING IT,
>THEN somehow I'M MISSING THE
>POINT!!
>This is one of my biggest
>pet peeves! -WHY LOWER A
>TRUCK FOR G*DS SAKE!! If
>you want a lowrider truck
>go buy a El Crapino!
>
>
>Sorry. I just don't see the
>point of lowering a truck
>(IT'S A TRUCK!) unless it's
>for racing-Even then it's no
>good except for exhibition racing,
>as it 'Cuts through the
>air like a brick wall!'
>!!!WHY!!!? Please explain to me
>why you want a lowrider
>truck?
>
>If It ain't broke, you're not
>tryin'!

From a Guy at HP....

I'll tell you why someone may want to lower a truck. I grew up on a farm with a 67 that was beat up and couldn't die. Work for HP now in marketing and don't live on a farm. However, I want an OLD Ford truck that looks excellent!

So I bought a 68 F-100 and have sunk almost $13K into it. Expect it to look real cherry! Is it lowere a bit? You bet- highway driving only. Probably better handling, we'll see. Daily driver to HP? You bet!!!! Proud of it. Reminds me a little of my boyhood driving it to work where I look at the future of technology and figure out where HP can make more $$$'s. Kind of a blend of the OLD and the NEW.

So hopefully you can get a picture of WHY someone would want to lower their truck (NOT SLAM). I believe when I'm done, it will be a very tasteful restoration job.

Regards,
An HP guy with a lowered, P/S, P/B, rewired, new engine F-100

 

I disagree with hpguy. I don't think that lowering a truck is such a bad idea, if you do it right. Lowering a truck lowers the center of gravity, thus improving handling. I think we all know how the old fords handle, especially at higher speeds.

Fordman_79
----------
79' F-100 390 4V C6 w/shift kit
79' F-150 Ranger XLT (project vehicle)

 

Don't get me wrong...I'm not against lowering 1-3 inches, I realize how much this would improve handling. But the radical drop these guys are talking about??! I've always made fun of lowriders of any kind, but always more at the trucks. In my opinion, A truck looks absolutely HORRID 1.5 cm off the ground. You have got to get some kind of mini cattle guard, to push all of those little bitty pebbles out of your way so you can keep that little bitty riceboy motor turning 2200 RPM's out the coffee can muffler so it sounds like my lawnmower. That's my opinion of the new trucks made into lowriders; old trucks in my eyes are a work of art, and to lower one of these that far would be like burning the mona lisa while putting it on display for people to see your bigotry(?) while they drive by.

I hope I haven't said anything out of line
-Andrew

If It ain't broke, you're not tryin'!
1964 F-250, 292 V8, 4 spd/granny;
White with Black accents.

 

 

You can also lower the front end by getting the old suspension completely out from under it, chopping the crossmember out and installing the from end suspension out of something like an 04-06 crown Vic. Along with a power steering pump this will also give you power steering. For stronger coil springs pull one out of a police interceptor. It is a lot of work but it is said to be a direct bolt up fit. Prolly gotta weld brackets though.something to look into.

 

If I'm not mistaken, you have the new record for bringing back the dead.
This post is from 08-2000
Others will chime in, I don't know what you win, you should get something.
Maybe a little razzin.

 

16 years late to the party but, hey, the party's still going on.