I have a 1960 ford f100 i just bought and i have a couple questions that im tired of looking everywhere for

1.I was wondering if parts from older f100's would fit.. i want to change out the hood and face (grill, headlights, ect..) of the truck for an older model.. but i dont know what or if any of the other years would bolt up..

2. I want to put some 18-20" rims on the truck and lower it but i cant find anything on what wheels will fit ..backspacing..offset.. bolt pattern of any sort.


any help would be appreciated
thanks
Josh

 

Josh,

I'll start to answer your questions, I'm sure others will chime in with more details.

1) 57-60 front ends are interchangeable as long as you bring all the necessary parts together. From a 1960 to any prior year (except 1959) you will need to change at a minimum: Fenders, valence panel, grille, headlight doors, and hood. In addition, if you want to go to a single headlamp '57, you will need to add headlamps and headlamp buckets. I think there is also an outer bucket around the headlamp that may need to be changed. If you don't mind keeping the rectangular parking lamps you could concentrate on the hood and grille. If you changed to a 59 grille, headlamp doors, and hood, you'd have a '59. If you did that same change with earlier parts you'd have something custom. A lot of the parts are interchangeable, the main difference is the rectangular parking lamps starting in 1959. The front valence and fenders are different because of them.

2) Yuck! Now that I've got my opinion of no sidewall tires on humongous rims with itty bitty brakes in the middle, out of the way...
I can't tell you much about backspacing and offset but the bolt pattern is 5 lugs on 5 1/2 inch diameter. Commonly referred to as 5 on 5 1/2 or 5x5 1/2. It was a common bolt pattern on Ford pickups (and many others) until sometime in the mid 90's when they became metric. (5 x 135?) I'm not sure about 18's or 20's (they may have to be custom made) but there are lots of 15's and, I think, even 16's around for that bolt pattern. The rims on my truck (58), for example, are from a 78 Full size Bronco. I believe they are 15x7 or maybe 15x6.5. Lowering a little is easy and can be done with drop axles, different springs, or even removing a leaf or two. Lowering more than 3 inches or so requires notching the frame to clear the rear axle. Take a look under your truck and you'll see what I mean.

Hope that helps.

Lou Manglass

 

Welcome & it's nice to see another '57-'60, "Orphan Years" truck owner, as there aren't a lot of us. Though it not my thing to do to a truck what you've intended. Matter of Fact, I pretty much Abhor what you propose to do to the Olde Girl.
And I've a Question for you. If you DIDN'T like the Look of the '60 Front End, then why did you Buy it in the first place? It takes More time, Effort & Lots of Money to do the type of Front End swap you are proposing!

Unfortunately you obviously Didn't search hard enough, as I've got listed about 12 separate messages w/ this message or ones similar on this forum. Here's the URL to just one of them, https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...ml#post6746028, just to Prove to you it exists.

Here's the content of another.

Now this is for Informational purpasses so you know the Body Differences between the '57-'58 year sets & the '59-'60 year sets.

"The '57-'58 F/M-series trucks will swap perfectly between themselves & '59-'60 F/M-series trucks will swap perfectly between themselves, But not between the two Sets of Year Models.

The '57-'58s F/M-series trucks have the ROUND Turn Signals, the Wider Lower Fender section for the Round T/S, Taller Grille, Narrower Grille/Vallance set-up & Shallow Peak Hood.

The '59-'60s F/M-series trucks have the RECTANGULAR Turn Signals, Narrower Lower Fenders for the Rectangular T/S, Shorter Grille, Wider Grille/Vallance set-up & Progresively Deeper Peak & Taller Upper Sections on the Hoods.

Because of these Body changes between year Sets, if one wishes to incorporate singular Front Cap parts from either of the 2 Year Sets, one has a Great deal of Body work ahead of themselves to do, because it will be necessary to either Fill-in the Gaps between the Sheet Metal or get rid of Sheet Metal no longer needed from the swap.

Plus the Peaks on the '59-'60 Hood are To Deep for a Proper fit w/ the '57-'58 Grilles, as they will not close or if one manages to force the fit, they'll Rub horridly.

The only way to avoid this is either to leave your truck the way it came out of the Factory or Swap-out the Complete Front Cap between the 2 Year Sets."

For Interiors, besides the Black ('57-'58) & White ('59-'60) *****, the '57-'58s had Horn Buttons (H/B) & the '59-'60s had Horn Rings (H/R).

Mechanicals, Frames, Cabs, Interiors (except for ***** & h/b's) are all intechangable between the '57-'60 years models (except for the front caps between the '57-'58 year sets & the '59-'60 years sets).

 

oh um... ok i was just asking questions sheesh

 

And we attempted to answer them for you, but the frustrating thing is you stated you did a search & it's obvious that you really didn't look all that hard for your answers or you'd have found as least the Posts I've listed.

Oh & by-the-by, Our trucks are known as "STYLESIDES" & "FLARESIDES", which are Trade Marked by Ford, Not by the GM Trade Mark, Fleetside & Stepside, as you'd listed in your name. Just attempting to pass on Correct Information.

 

Some of the folks around here take trucks pretty seriously! You could almost say passionately! I think that's awsome!

 

oh wow... let me delete my name now... who would have ever known my first thread would have been jacked by a perfect individual. Forgive me.. and i guess next time i will ask you if you could tell me what i should do to my truck.

oh please forgive me...

 

yea its cool that people are serious about these trucks and i have no problem with that. I dont like the old skool look... so since i dont does that mean i should bash him for what he likes??

 

Excuse me for attempting to be helpfull & give some pointers.
I'll know better next time & you don't have to be a Thin Skined Smart **** about it.
Yes we let other FTE'rs know what Our Opinions & Points of View are here, as it hurts know one to do so.
Was my Information Helpfull or Not? If not, do you wish me to have the Moderator delete so that it no longer pains you to read it?
And those SMILIES used in the way that I did, are there for a reason, they are there to express Emotion so the reader knows how to take the post as it is written. So point out where you believe I was Bashing You?
Get It, Got it, Good. (Danny Kay in the Court Jester)

 

FWIW, the 57-60 trucks have really taken on a popularity lately. Looking on the HAMB will show that. Welcome to the board, and good luck with your truck.

BTW, bolt pattern is 5x5 1/2 which is standard for most Ford trucks from 1948 on up to 1996. Just about any wheel combo has been made for this bolt pattern. American Racing will show several examples on their website. The rear end you have is a 9" which should serve you well.

The only easy mods to the body are the 1959 hood and grille. The more difficult mods are 57 or 58 front clips. Anything other than that, you'll be cutting, welding, fabbing, etc... hope you like a challenge, lol.

One last thing: this may not be your first rodeo, but it hasn't been ours either. Just trying to help, and quell the issue.

 

With the amount of smiley faces the Col Flash included in his answer, I would have to be pushed to consture it as bashing. He took a lot of time to give you the info you were after that is already available on this site if you correctly utilize the search option. Again, opinions are welcomed but there is no need to take it so personal.
There are two groups on this forum, those that like stock vehicles and those that like everything else. There are many that fall out somewhere in between but they are get along in the sense of mutual respect. Hearing strong opinions make us stronger.
To see what I'm talking about, do a search for the word "darksider".

 

ok then it seems i am in the wrong. I appologize col for jumping at you. Thanks for your info and yur lengthy post. let me rephrase my original qestio then to make it a little bit more suttle. (not meant in a smart **** way)

I obviously didnt search for the right terms or i may have even mis-spelled it since i do that alot because i dont pay attention to the screen when i type.

i do like the front of my truck but for instance my hood is shot and i like the 57 style hood and i know a close by junkyard that has a chrome grill from a 58 but i wasnt sure if anything else would fit.

I come from a backgound of fox body mustangs and turbo cars so this older truck thing is new to me.

again i appologize if i ffended anyone..

while im posting.. i found that a crown vic suspension will fit some of the older f100's.. does that include the 1960?

 

Hi,
Don't take all that crap too seriously. Don't be scared away by that kind of obnoxious welcome. And I use the term welcome loosely... After you have been around here for a while you will learn to consider the source and ignor it as you should. Not everyone here thinks they have a mandate criticize others that don't see things as they do. Consider this, you have been subjected to an opinion and that's all it is.

I don't have a lot of favor for oversize wheels and the skinny wall tires either. However, That is just my opinion and I'm not going to try and sway anyone else to see things my way or put them down because they don't. Obviously someone likes that look or there would be no market for the high dollar stuff they sell.

I for one don't want to see you shuned away by one who clearly does not reflect the bahavior and actions of the rest of us. Look at this from the bright side. You had a very early awakening. Now you you know at least one person to ignor and avoid. Let's just say that's one less user name on your buddy list.

I know it's not as nice a welcome as you should have received, but all the same, allow me to welcome you to the FTE and the '48 to '60 forum. And let me add there are more than a few here that believe that it's your truck and you ought to be able to do what ever you want with it. Now, that's not to say that you won't be subject to a bit of good natured ribbing from time to time.

Here's to better experiences here in the future...

Later Man...

 

buddy list? I don't have a buddy list. How come I don't have a buddy list? buddy list!?

Buddy list? Don't talk about buddy list? Buddy List!? lol, I couldn't help myself.

Actually, dave is right: take the ribbing as good natured, the criticism with a grain of salt, and the kudos as a happy moment. Any plans for drivetrain?

 

well sometime in its life it recieved a 302 with a c-5 transmission (which means home-fabbed motor mounts and tranny mount) It drives for now sooo.. I will prob keep that in it until i take the body apar and sanblast ect ect... I have a built 289 tha im thinking about putting in it.

thanks for the support guys.. i have pics of it on my smartphone.. I will see if i cant get them on here