Hi guys, I want to introduce you to my project, a 1973 F100 Explorer 2wd 360 C6, but first some history.
I bought it in 1985 with a 160,000 miles on it. My job requires that I travel all over the country and this was my primary transportation. It was dependable and if something did go wrong it was simple to fix.
I drove it for the next eleven years before retiring it in 1996. In that time I added another 275,000 miles for a total of 435,000 miles. The original engine (which I still have) racked up 300,000 miles on it before I changed it.
I always knew I wanted to keep it and eventually restore or at least fix it up.
Even before I retired it I started to buy parts from Ford while they were still available. I have a lot of sheetmetal (both doors, front fenders, tailgate, and more). My pride and joy is a NOS grill shell still in the box, I paid $264.00 for it over a decade ago.
I actually started to tear it down about 10-12 years ago but didn't get very far. It's been sitting ever since. When I'm home I go out and start it every now and then (yes, it still starts fairly easy).
Now, I've decided to get serious about working on "The Pumpkin". It has been called that (for obvious reasons) as long as I've owned it.
As you can see from the pics. it has really deteriorated over the decade+ that it's been sitting. But I am bound and determined to restore it to its former glory and when I am done I want to own a "NEW" 1973 F100.
Do I realize the scope of the project? Yes. Will it be expensive? Very! Am I crazy? Probably. Will I ever get back what I have invested in it? Not a chance! Will I enjoy it? Every minute.
I am still in the planing stage on how I am going to aproach the project.
Is it going to be a pure restoration? No, I flip-flop back and forth on the power train. It has a 360 which I like, but I wouldn't mind puting in a 460.
The color is going to change. I never have cared for the orange, the orange interior is virtually impossible to find, and it was way too much orange anyway.
This is going to be a slow proccess. My job requires that I be gone from home 13-18 weeks at a time, then I'm home for 2-3 weeks then gone again.
So, I'll keep you guys posted on my progress as it happens. Feel free to post comments or suggestions.
Please don't comment on my sanity! It should be obvious to everyone that I'm crazy.... I just don't want to see it in print.
















A peek at things to come...

 

looking good! i mean, you seem to have a number of NOS parts, that can be half the battle, and you have the tools and equipment, heck you can even paint with that compressor, my father has the same compressor, its just a tad larger,

me and my father have been working on my truck for about 2 years come this September, so its been in the garage since 2007! it is awaiting to hit the road once again, just some final stuff, like paint, and odds and ends,

you can get a taste of it, via the link in my signature, that video shows the beginning stages, and the videos below which are called response videos are connecting videos, and updates,

all those brake and fuel lines look like some Rube Goldberg machine! lol lol or a roller coaster!

also are those all NOS ford lines? if so that is very cool, my trucks frame still had the old lines, but they had some rust on them, and it was best to scrap 30+ year old lines, so all new brake and fuel lines, and all new wheel bearings, and all new brakes, new tires, rebuilt and updated/upgraded transmission and a older rebuilt '71 302w that seemed like brand new when we had the intake and the valve covers and the oil pan off, also clean as a whistle inside, no scoring or wear marks, looked like new,

so that is my project, and from the videos you can get a feel of my project,

also how about upgrading your 360 to 390 or larger status? that is a option, and i have a friend that did that very mod to his '72 F-100,

also how about a modern orange? then the truck can still have the name Pumpkin!

so best of luck with your project, and keep us up to speed with pictures and ideas,

-Brent

 

also i would say you have a incurable disease, many of us have it, including myself, its the car hobby, and your certifiably CAR CRAZY!

so don't be ashamed, be proud, it takes guts to take on a project and spend many many many many hours working on a project car or truck, and spending countless amounts of money! and in the end you have something unique that is truly your own, and that is much better than simply buying some boring truck from the 90s or 2000's and basically drive a cookie cutter truck that blends in with the rest of the traffic,

car crazy people like to stand out, and they take pride in there rides, something that is rarely seen nowadays,

so many people my age 18 at the time in 2007, looked at me strange when i said how old my first vehicle is, they go what? its 30+ years old! really? then they see it being built, and they start to drool! that is a nice feeling, even better when you have Chevy guys drooling on it! lol lol i always get a kick out of that,

these projects take time, but it makes it so much more worth it, when there done, well there never really none, but when there 99% done there really fun, because there always seems to be one more upgrade, one more thing to add or swap for or replace, it never ends! which is half the fun! plus car shows are fun, and its even cooler to have VIP parking, and have zero walking distance to the show, since you park in the show! certainly pays for its self when parking at shows!

-Brent

 

The reason the lines look like a Rube Goldberg contraption is because they're all jumbled together.
There are brake, fuel, emission, trans. cooler, p. steering and vacuum lines in that pile.
They are all stainless steel from Inline Tube.
Thanks for the kind words. Your truck is looking good too.

 

WOW!, you do got your work cut out for you! I remember my dad had a 73 the same color as yours. He then traded it in and got a 77 F150 Explorer custom with a 302. That was orange too. I thought it was too loud for a truck, but then it grew on me, and I got one as close to his as possible to find.

It's not as orange as his, or yours, but as close as possible to find this century that wasn't ALL rusted out.



I like to keep them as close to factory as possible, but I know to each their own!!

It would kill me to be away that long when I really wanted to work on it, or get something done in preparing to work on it.

Please keep us posted along the way, and you know we really enjoy the pictures!!

PS: I took the screws out of the dash asI am going to replace the factory radio with a period correct AM/FM when I found out my gas tank was rusted through. This was clogging fuel filters. Then the rear seal leaks real bad, and the oil pan gasket needs replaced. THAT was the beginning, now I about replaced EVERYTHING on that truck.

 

I intend to keep the stock look, I like the factory look too but I just can't bring myself to go with the orange. I did however come up with the factory explorer stripe kit, so whatever color I do decide to paint it, it will still have the correct factory white stripes.

 

Looks like quite the project but the end result will be well worth it, nice score on the OEM grille shell btw, i've seen guys on ebay pay 5 times that.

 

Good luck Mike. I can't wait to see her when she's done! You know I'll be watching this every step of the way.

(Like my name...JustShootMe).

I know you'll get it.

 

You could paint it brown and tell everyone it's the "Rotten Pumpkin"...

Just a thought... Good luck with that project...

 

I have the same truck. Orange is a real marker of that era and gets alot of looks. Why change a truck motor like a 360 that is capable of 400k. If your not looking for a hot rod the 360 is an awesome motor.

Keep us updated in your garage. I will add you to my list.
Good luck and have fun.

 

The best part about this post is the mileage history you put on the old 'pumkin". And as for the young generation folks; I recently restored a 78 F100 for my daugther; and its cool to hear the comments from her fellow classmates in regards to the ride she drives to school each day.
Atleast the 2 -3 weeks between work allows you to focus on your rebuild; and sometimes it great to have breaks to allow for more energy and restoring is a time process for most of us. Looking forward to seeing your work.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...219031&width=2

Mitch

 

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I was able to finagle a couple of extra weeks off this trip so, besides catching up on a lot of unfinished projects around the house, I've been able to get more done on the "pumpkin" than I had originally planned.
I hope tomorrow I will be able to lift the cab and bed off of the frame (they're both just sitting there, ready to lift). I don't have to leave untill next Sunday (9/13) so maybe I can get into actually start working on the rebuild part rather than just the deconstruction part.
I'll keep everyone posted on the progress (or lack of) as time goes on.

 

Here's another pumpkin for ya

 

73CaliF100, I've drooled over pictures of your truck before.
As hard as it is to believe, my "pumpkin" looked pretty much like yours when I first got it. Eleven years of constant use followed by thirteen years of basically what amounts to neglect and abandonment have really taken their toll.
I hope that I have a "phoenix" (No, not the Pontiac!) and a new '73 F100 will rise from the ashes of the old.
Wish I had taken better care of her over the years. But, as I always say, hindsight is always 20/20.

 

Thanks for posting pictures, this reminds me alot of the one my dad had, its cool to see one in this good of shape!