My 1954 F100/F250 4x4 Build

[55 f350]

ya know those f-600 fenders would let you run some really big rubber if you were so inclined .

[fordman75]

Originally Posted by 55 f350

ya know those f-600 fenders would let you run some really big rubber if you were so inclined .

I'm going to be running pretty much the same size tire that's on there now ( 235/85/16's ) . I'll be running some BFG A/T's.

[fordman75]

Been a while since I posted any updates. I've been busy trying to raise some more cash for some parts for it.

Today I removed the 78 cab mounts/brackets & crossmember from the frame. And I bolted the front clip together. It gives you more of an idea of what it'll look like.

Here's the front clip. The V8 emblem on the grill will be replaced with the star emblem they ran on the 6 cylinder trucks.






Moved the cab back forward. I will be installing the front clip so I can finally get the final positioning done on the cab and start on the floor and firewall work so I can mount it.

[fordman75]

It's starting to finally look like a truck again. My youngest brother stopped by and gave me a hand lifting the front clip into place. Big surprise the openings in the valance didn't fit over the frame and bumper brackets. And the grill teeth were hitting the top of the frame rails. So I had to remove the grill and valance.

I broke out the sawzall and cut out the opening for a little clearance around the bellhousing.



After that was done I was able to get the cab really close to the position it will be mounted in.

Right now the front of the cab and the front clip are sitting a little too high. I 'm going to need to do some cutting/trimming on the inner fender panels and the front frame horns to get it down.





The passenger side fender is pretty messed up. I knew it had a dent but the whole fender is just twisted out of shape. It doesn't fit the cab well, the hood gap is all messed up. I can bolt the valance to it. And it has some pretty bad rusted areas. I'm thinking about trying to find a better F600 fender and just replace it.



I was going to paint the truck a bright Ford blue. But the more I look at it the more it's screaming for a black paint job. It seems like the more parts I put on it the more it's developing a bad attitude!

I also scored a couple cool birthday presents. I got a couple more Autometer SportComp gauges I need for the 54!

[Blue Bomber]

looks good. keep workin on it. you look like your getting really close......to the details that take X2 as long as the rest.

[fordman75]

I'm not even close to being a third of the way done. Basically I'm just starting mock up.

I need to get the cab floor and mounts worked out. Then I can blow the truck completely apart. Then start cleaning up the chassis and drivetrain parts. Paint the frame and suspension parts. I also need to go thru the whole drivetrain and replace bearings, seals, gaskets. Then finally paint all the drivetrain parts and assemble the chassis.

I'm hoping to get the chassis painted before winter. I'm doing all this in my driveway. So I'm at the mercy of mother nature.

[Blue Bomber]

ehhhhh, still looks good. id be in too much of a rush to clean or paint. id just primer what i could and throw it all together. but, I hope it all goes well.
P.S. whats in the bucket in the cab?? just curious

[fordman75]

Originally Posted by Blue Bomber

ehhhhh, still looks good. id be in too much of a rush to clean or paint. id just primer what i could and throw it all together. but, I hope it all goes well.
P.S. whats in the bucket in the cab?? just curious

I want to get this truck on the road bad! But I'm going to be driving this thing thru a bunch of Minnesota winters with lots of road salt. So I just want to have a good finish on the chassis so I don't have to go thru all of this again in a few years!


That's just a empty bucket I throw small parts in.

[Blue Bomber]

I say you throw it together and spray it with bed liner.

i was tearing down a 1977 toyota celica and ended up with a bucket like that.

[fordman75]

I'm going to be applying Durabak black textured bedliner to the bottom of the cab, running boards and front fenders.

The inside of the cab on the roof, rear wall, firewall and floor are all getting a few coats of Durabak smooth blue bedliner. That way it'll cut down some of the noise and when I get the floor all muddy I'll be able to just hose it out!

[Blue Bomber]

i know a few guys with trucks like that. its worth it if you plan on getting it muddy more than once.

[fordman75]

I found a couple cans of spray paint I've had for a long time. So I decided to do some painting. :toothless The blue is just some plastikote old Ford blue engine enamel. The black is some gloss black ACE hardware rust stop paint. I did zero prep work on this. I just wanted to get an idea of how each color would look on the truck. It's all coming back off. I'm going to strip it to the bare metal when I start doing the body work.

I like them both but the blue really seems to make the truck pop. I'm still not sure which color I prefer.














The big brown truck stopped by today and dropped off a couple items I ordered from Summit Racing. :evil: I got a Hedman dual outlet full length header and an Offenhauser C-Series 4V intake manifold. :toothless




I've got a 4V Carter AVS carb that I bought from a friend. I think it will be right at home on top of the Off'y intake.

I still need to pick up the Comp Cams 268H K-kit and some hardware then the motor will be ready to be gone thru. And the parts I'm installing on/in the 300 along with a little head porting should wake up the 300 enough to handle all my power needs ( for now :twisted: ) .

I also found a guy that had the correct motor mount frame brackets to swap in the 300. I should get them within the next couple of days. So I will be dropping in the 300 with the intake and headers so I can layout the firewall.

[Blue Bomber]

i like it 2 tone. you have a whole Jekyll and Hyde thing going. but it looks good in both colors.

[fordman75]

Yesterday I finally started some more work on the 54. Didn't get much done but I got the bracing welded in the cab. A diagonal or X brace would have been a better bracing layout but this set up gives me more room to work on the floors.




Today I started by lifting the cab and slid some 2"x2" steel tubes under the rockers to get the floor off the frame rails.



Here's a pic of the floor before I started to cut.



I dug out my little Hobart plasma cutter and started cutting. Here's a couple pics of the driverside floor cut out.





And here's the entire floor cut out. Sorry the pics are a little dark ( it was getting dark outside ) .

[fordman75]

10-03-08: I made up a cardboard template for the floor. Then I started to cut down the 78 floor. I wasn't sure how high I wanted the floor to sit in the cab at first. So my first attempt didn't work out very well. I was getting the rear part of the floor to fit decent. But to get the floor in place the front floors would have been way below the top of the rocker panel.








So after a little more trial and error, some measureing and some 2"x2" tubing I got the rear floor to sit closer to where I want it. I am going to have to fabricate a crossmember to help support it. I'm going to do some more trimming on the 78 floor. I'm going to weld in some diamond tread steel to tie the rear floor section into the cab.



This weekend I need to dig the 1/8" steel plate I've got. I need to cut them to size and weld them to the inner rockers. Once I have that done I can start fabricating the rear floor crossmember. Then I can start to weld in the rear floor.