The F-250 bed is 54" wide and the F-100 is 49" wide. Ford used the same fenders for both unlike the 48-52 trucks which had narrower fenders on the longbox.

 

Yeah, I know what you mean. If I do keep the long bed I'm going to remove those. I want to see if I can find some pictures of longbed trucks fixed up to see how they look. Maybe they would grow on me too. I want a lower stance, but not slammed. It would save me money to keep the longbed but I don't want to go through the pain and expense of bodywork and painting and still wish it was a shortbed when it's done.

 

I have an old truck magazine (early issue of Truckin' I think) that showed removing ~8" of frame between the back of the cab and the front spring hanger on the rear end. The rest was trimmed off at the back side. If memory serves, they also removed a crossmember (one of the smaller ones similar to the shock mount member) since there was an extra one on the 8' frame (could be wrong here). They used a standard short box and running boards. I think the short box boards are wider in front of the wheels than the long box boards. They also had to do something with the large bed mount bolts, but I don't remember what. I'll try to dig that magazine article out this weekend, but I've got about 20 years worth of Truckin', Classic Trucks, etc, etc.

Good Luck,

 

Shortening a frame is much easier than you think. If I can do it anybody can. My truck is a 48 F-3 which I shortened to an F-1 size. Converting an F250 to an F100 would be comparable. I took eight inches out of the frame just behind the cab with a 'Z' cut and another 12 inches off the rear end of the frame. Fitting the short bed was a bolt-on after that. You will need F-100 fenders and running boards. It would be easier to shorten the F250 frame than to find a F100 frame and remove and replace the cab...

 

I knew the running boards were different. But it was my understanding that the fenders were the same. It would be a shame if they were different because mine are in pretty good shape. Of course I want to take out the "dent" where the spare tire mounts.

 

i am with you, i thought they were the same, just stick out farther because the box is wider

p.s. where are you located?

 

I'm about 30 miles south of Kansas City close to I-35.

 

cool, i am right off 35, only a few miles south, like 600 or so

 

I think the fenders are the same for F-100 and F-250 for 53-72, but I think they are different from 48-52... at least thats what I've heard.

 

Basically you are all correct. The F250 frame is 8" longer than the F100 shortbox frame behind the cab and a little longer behind the rear spring hangers, so it can be shortened in those 2 places to match the F100 frame. It's not a difficult project if you take your time to not warp it. Cut the frame in a Z or step pattern as stated ( vertical cut down to center, horizontal cut ~ 12" long then vertical again to bottom) Extend the horizontal cut another 8" rearwards on the rear section, make two more vertical cuts parallel but 8" back from the first cuts. Slide the rear section forwards 8" along the horizontal step and add a 1/8" plate doubler at least 4" longer than the cut portion to the inside of the frame. Make the ends of the doubler football shaped, cut on the diagonal, or fishmouthed, you don't want to weld in a straight vertical line from top to bottom on a frame. When welding patience is a must! Weld in tacks no longer than 1" and no closer together than 6" and skip from side to side. Allow each round of tacks to cool to room temp before adding another set in between. If you try to weld a continuous bead or don't allow time to cool, you'll end up with a very twisted frame!
While waiting for the tacks to cool, keep checking for warping by measuring the diagonals (they need to be identical or the frame is out of square) and for twist by laying a level across the rails front and back. The both ends need to be level or at least out of level the same amount in the same direction if you didn't level the frame before starting. If you find any signs of warping straighten before doing any more welding! keep adding tacks and cooling until completely welded.
Here's a thought that would be the way I'd tackle the VIN # issue: cut out the section of your original frame with the vin#. Cut out a matching section from an F100 frame. Weld the piece with the VIN # into the F100 frame. Grind smooth, paint. MUCH easier than shortening your frame!

 

I may be wrong since I'm more familiar with the 48-52 trucks but I thought on the 53-up that the rear fenders were the same but the fronts had a larger opening for the wheel on F250s and larger. I'm not sure...

 

AXracer: I appreciate your input and advice. I don't know if you know this but VIN tampering is a felony. Even when your intentions are innocent and it's not a "chop shop" you can get into BIG trouble. I realize people do it all the time especially with old vehicles but I had a friend one time that did a very similar thing on an old Chevy pickup. He got caught and he barely escaped jail time for doing it.

 

Yes I know that, but if I had the clear title to the original frame I just "might" take my chances... That doesn't mean I recommend or have done anything illegal such as this, I just offer the idea as a "topic of conversation".
IMHO much more honest than the "old vehicle title mills" that even advertise in the magazines.

 

The F-250 may or may not have larger wheel opening fenders depending on what wheel/rim size it came with new.

My truck has F-100 sized fenders and came that way new. From what I understand, back in the day you could order F-250's new with larger wheels and they'd put the larger "big truck" fenders on them. From what I've seen, the majority of F-250's out there have F-100 sized fenders.

There isn't a single common part between the longbed and the shortbed except the fenders. Even the braces that hold it up are different. For anybody restoring a longbed, those parts are worth something simply because they are not being widely reproduced.

Here's an F-250 longbed pic, not restored yet, but you can get an idea. The second pic is what my rear frame looked like restored with the bed off it.

 

If I'm not mistaken there is someone on here that is working on making an F-250 long box into a short box truck, for the moment I can not recall who it is though.

Bob G