I enjoy driving my 1952 f-1 a lot, but due to all the snow we get in the mountains of PA I have to leave it parked in the garage for the winter...plus the 393W like to drink gas $$.

I decided to build a bonusbuilt 4x4 that I can drive year round (or at least when I am not driving the 52) and that gets decent mileage. I have NOT decided on an engine yet, I am leaning towards an EFI 300 I-6 or 302 v8.... but could go any route at this point.


I don't have the rear u-bolts yet (they are on backorder) BUT it is nearly rolling.

I used a 1970 bronco front axle since it was the right width however the knuckles were not flat top knuckles so they wouldn't accept steering arms.

I ended up using 74 chevy 4x4 knucles, spindles, and brakes with 76 ford rotors and hubs. It went together like it was designed that way so I have a steering arm (chevy arm that I had an f-1 ball stud pressed into and tig welded into place) and the tie rod on top of the knuckle for more ground clearance (I had to make the tie rod, it used dodge 1 ton TRE's). The spring perches are off a 50's jeep CJ and are the right width. It took me a lot of time to cut/grind all the coil spring brackets off the bronco axle but welding the jeep perches on was easy.

So it now has a stock steering box and drag link tied to a 4x4 axle the same width as the stock axle.

It sits up about 4 inches higher now so I had to find some 2 inch wide, 4 inch high lift blocks for the back. I found that early 60's f-250 4x4 liftblocks worked out great. The rear axle is out of a 68 f-100 and is the right width and has the perches in the right place so I didn't have to cut or weld anything to get it to work.

I would have loved to find a marmon herrington f-1 but I guess this will have to work.

So far what you see in the pictures cost me $750 Including the purchase of the truck itself... I hope to have it on the road by fall for less than $2500...so far so good!!!!

 

Nice build. I hope you document everything, not that you haven't with this post, but please take the time to do something in your gallery listing all the parts and what had to be done. I am sure it will come in real handy to some one in the future. I have an extra panel truck that would be pretty cool as a 4X4, I just need to get my other two trucks done first.

 

looks very clean, everything fits nice.........44 doesn'tt look like it ever had the radius arm mount castings on there at all.
nice you listed the parts you used, it will help alot of others thinking about this type of swap.
so how wide is it? from wheel mounting surface to wms. i've thought the older bronco 44's would be a great swap width wise.

 

You are doing a great job! Interesting post.

 

Nice work! When I first got my '48 F1, I had a '78 Scout II that I thought of using the driveline out of. Didn't do it. I also have a '66 Bronco driveline, sitting in my back yard. So you got me to thinking again. Or maybe I'll put it in my IH KB2. Or I might just sit and admire yours. Again, nice work!

 

Thanks everyone.

The WMS measuremnt is around 60 inches... right at what the stock axle is.

when I measured the distance from the inside of the tire to frame it stayed the same... just shy of 10" per side.... actually 10" on one side and 9.65" or so on the drivers side. I managed to get a tiny bit crooked even though I measured a million times. I doubt that 1/8-1/4" off will be noticeable!!!!!

It took a lot of time to grind off the radius arm wedges and the bumpstop/panhard mount.. It isn't perfect but close enough.

The only issue I can see myself having is figureing out where the heck to put a shock on the drivers side.. I am going to wait untill I figure out what engine to use so that I know where the motor mounts will be cause I will probally have to mount it inside the frame.

I am not sure what you would have to do to get a 66 bronco axle to have a steering arm since it is a kingpin dana 30 unlike the balljoint 44 that they started using around 70. I don't have one so I am not sure if it could be drilled and tapped for steering arm studs.

 

Looking good, interesting to hear you only have $750.00 in it so far. I have put close to $10,000.00 into my 51F1 so far. To get it to where I would idealy like to have it I can see another $7,500.00 at least. Your off to a great start, I would like to see an update to see if you achieve that $2,500.00 goal.

 

Sounds like a cool build good luck

 

Great Job, keep us posted.

 

I have a tendancy to build stuff as cheap as possible...otherwise the wife might have an issue with me having all these old trucks!!!

I also use stuff that most others would consider JUNK.

the truck itself I save from the scrapyard for $150

the bronco I saved from the scapyard fo $125...then put is back into the scrapyard for some cash back...I forget how much....pretty much just paid for gas.

I traded the bronco rear axle for the f-100 rear axle. and bought the chevy stuff for $100

the steel and machinging for the tie rod was $100

the 4" lift steering arm was $70 (the stock one was a little too low and I didn't like the drag link geometry)

The ball joints, TRE's, u-bolts, and rotors ran up the bill another $200.

so that is where I am at right now.

This fall/winter I found some nicer fenders and steel running boards for my 52 and have been working on patching up the rust and getting them ready to swap out...... so I plan on taking the front clip off of it and the fiberglass running boards off it and using them on the 4x4.



I will rob the rear fenders off this parts truck that I saved form the scapper... if the 52 front clip don't look right on a 4x4 I will rob the front clip off this truck and put the "old" 52 clip on it.....the only problem with that plan is that I don't have an extra 48-50 hood... I have one nice one for my 48 and that is it.

 

i think that hood looks freakin great, how about you swap out the grill/fenders.........

 

I wish I had that hood for my 51 it's in a lot better shape than mine.

 

I think the 48-50 front clip looks goofy with the wrong hood... if someone has a 48-50 hood I am willing to trade!!!

 

why can't I find trucks in such good shape as these, I ask? If my "new" truck didn't have an oak tree fall on the hood, I'd seriously consider trading ya for the 51/52 front clip. And yes, they do look goofy with the wrong hood. To the unknowing, maybe not, but to us, yes.

 

They were in worse shape when I brought them home.. I just like to weld up the major rust holes with new metal and put a coat of primer on them when I bring them home so they don't look too bad behind the house.....


the "red" one has major rust above the windshield....IF anyone has a junk cab that they could cut that section out of and ship it too me I would gladly pay a fair price$$$$ the bed on both are pretty rough... fixable but it will take some work.