looking at buying a 57 F100 for parts, I dont know the condition of anything (no pictures) but for $150 I figured I could use the 9" rear on my 51 F1, possibly the steering box/colum for a model A sports coupe project and maybe a few other misc parts??? anything else I should attempt to salvage? or save if I end up with this truck? I'm not very familair with these "newer" trucks

Thanks
Josh

 

Save as much of the front clip parts as possible... hood, grille, headlight doors, and that lower valance (?) panel. Those are unique to that year, and unless they're complete scrap, someone should be able to use them. (Like me... I'm driving a 1957 panel truck that a previous owner afflicted with a 1960 front clip... but Utah is too far away.) The cab could be useful for any '57 to '60 truck, either whole or for patch panels. Bumpers in good shape are rare too, especially stock rear ones. Any good chrome trim, instruments, steering wheel; a good steering box is fairly rare. And a good front axle without sloppy kingpin eyes is very useful if you don't have one. I wouldn't advise using the steering box for another project; there's gotta be something newer and more common.

I read someplace that later 9" rear ends are stronger than these early ones.

 

Most Model A's use the '48 - '52 F-1 box, I don't think the late-50's box is the same. You also ought to grab the front shock brackets, lots of A's use them to get "aeroplane" shocks (although now that I think of it, those are also usually a 48-52 piece).

 

Thanks guys,
Unfortunatly I missed it by about 10 minutes! I pulled up to look at it and the guy said someone had just left and he told him he would hold it for him until tommorrow. I told him to call me if he didn't show, so we shall see?

I have heard of people using up to 56 F100 steering box's on model A's and even one who used a 57, I think he had to do alot of mods with it and maybe even swap out the casing for an earlier one??? sounds like a pita

oh well. it would just be more work to get it home and disposed of later after parting anyway (only advantage is it would basically pay for itself, would just be my time which would be really good right now) . Plus the guy I posted about before thanksgiving with the 61 F100 9" also e,mailed me today and still had it. he hadn't called because he tore his rotator cuff? so I hopefully will get that for $75 if nothing else

Thanks

Josh