Well, since I know you guys and gals won't kick me in the gut when I try to share info, I'm sharing some. This is pertinent to 53-56 trucks only, but some may be a generic guide line for other years. I'll post ino as I get it, and make it available to all of you. If you need a specific bit of info, ask me and I will either find it for you, or search for it for you.

 

First: Sheet metal. All F-100 thru F-900 hoods, air deflectors, cabs, doors, etc. Interchange. The exception is hood side trim, and fenders, and running boards.

53 has its own air deflectors. These are the panels that go behind the grille. They are not the same as any other year. 54/5 have the same air deflectors, and 56 also has its own air deflectors. Each year has its own front gravel pan. The 55/6 will interchange, BUT there IS a slight difference in the parking light dedent (barely noticable, and makes no real difference). Each has its own grille support, and of course its own grille. All 53's came with gauges in the instrument cluster, idiot lights were NOT available in 53 trucks. Hood hinges are the same for 53-55, and WILL NOT interchange with 56 and vise versa. Hood and cowl damage is possible if using the wrong hinges. All 53-55 trucks were 6 volt positive ground . All 56 trucks were 12 volt negative ground. The polarity IS reversable on 53-55 trucks, on all parts EXCEPT the radio, as all other items use seperate hot and ground wires, and are not grounded through the individual items case. I have more info, and get more as I go, and will update this as I go.

 

Great thread Joe! I'd love to see more pics of the Big Job Fords. No other trucks looked as good as these during the 50's. I've got a F-750 that is getting a completely different treatment. It will go on a 68 F-250 CC chassis, slammed to the ground with a 460/C6/Warn overdrive. I'm still looking for an OLD 24" sleeper for it, and will have a 5th wheel to pull the 35' tandem axle duel wheel trailer that I'm building.

As soon as the son and I can finish his 61 Uni, he has a 56 1/2 ton that is his next project. He picked up a NOS Chrome grill from a friend of mine that has been sitting in the original box in a barn for 30 years. He paid $250 for it! What a deal!!

 

Big Job F-Series trucks used a 20 gallon tank, that is identical in appearance to the F-100 thru F-600 trucks, except it is taller. It can be used, but would require making running board brackets that support the tank. This would be a good way to gain 3 gallons in a F-100. The F-700 and larger trucks, and some of the F-500/600 trucks, have a very heavy duty radiator as standard. This was a rare and spendy option on the smaller trucks. The wiring harness in the 53/4 trucks, IS NOT the same as the 55/6. The schematic that is floating around, IS WRONG. The 55 was the first year that Ford used the shield style tail light, it is NOT correct for 53/4 trucks. These trucks had a round tail light. That's it for now, will try and go and get more info. As soon as I get started on the other truck (a 48 F-1), I'll start a tech info thread on it too.