hey guys im new to theforums, so here is some info.
im 16 and bought a 1956 f100 with my dad,m we built a garage for it and ive started to disasseble it.

now eventually i wanna do some big things for it, things that will take years and some serious dough, so indecided i just wanna get it road and inspection worthy so i can at least maybe drive it for my senior year.

i obviously wanna cut out all the rust and replace the plannels that have to be

and i geuss ill just clean up and rplace any worn parts on the suspensiona dn frame

and a simple interior is in order like a rug and a seat would be nice
so my question is in order to transfoorm it into my daily driver while stayong on budget what should i upgrade, what kinda bed ,
and many parts like door handles are broken should i spend the money now on new chrome ones or should i settle with crappy used ones and buy the chrome ones later on.

also my truck came with what i belive to be a pontiac 389 around 65 i think but i wont be sure untill i pull it and check the numbers it also the tranny is a 3 speed hydromatic, i didnt even knoew that pontiac made that, or if its not pontiac that the bolt pattern would line up

but i rlly wanna buy an old 351 that a guy might sell me and ill rebuild that while i drive the truck with the 389
but here is the problem im gonna spend most of my money on the 351 but i need to drive with the 389 for a few mounths so any ideas on how to maybe cheaply rebuild it so it doesnt crao iout on me thanks

-charlie

 

 

Nice looking truck!

Right now save all the money you can, if it drives and works, leave it. I'd clean up any rusted areas and protect them till you can get back to it later.

I too have big plans for my build, but in your situation I'd really recommend getting some use out of it before putting any money into it if you don't have to. Reason being is things that seem like they need to be replaced or changed, you'll find won't have to. If it drives and you start to take it apart, it seriously snow *****. Take however much time and money you think it will take and times that by about four, that tends to be the real number with things. It becomes one of those "since I'm doing this, I might as well do that too" things and before you know it the whole thing is in parts for several years. You can't count on always being able to work on it and burning out with the project because you're doing too much at once is a real possibility, especially for your first.

New chrome is nice, but in my experience high school parking lots are brutal. There is no point in spending the money now, it will just get trashed, besides, nothing works quite like the original pieces, heck it might just need a polish job not replacement.

I know, I do it too, we all do it, it's fun, there is nothing like going through a catalog and seeing everything you'd love to have, but if you want to be able to drive it now, don't take it apart. Like I said, remove what rust you can and protect it, you'll still have to replace the holes later on, even if you replace everything now, unless you have the money to put some paint down, you'll still have to protect it just the same and then you're risking having to re-do it anyways.

Right now you can have a lot of fun, once you commit to the direction you want to do things, it changes how you'll drive it. Clean up the rust, put down some good primer, heck get a gallon of rustolum paint and brush it on and enjoy it.


It takes two of three things to do a build; Money, Time, Work. Most of us do it on time and work. You may have found a nice 351 (w,c, or m?) but good deals always come about, and you can probably get a fuel injected 351w that doesn't need a rebuild for several years for $400 if you shop around. Craigslist is a great place to find parts like that, if you keep an eye out.

I would suggest not buying anything you don't need until you drive it for a while, think about it, what if you buy that engine and then need money for something simple like a tire? It's the nickel and dimes you have to watch out for, and it will be what kills the use of the project. My truck drove, suddenly I needed a new fuel pump. Then new sparks and plugs, new distributer cap, new hose, new this, new that, before i knew it it was $500 in parts of things I didn't expect. Playing it safe right now will let you enjoy the truck more, spending all your money right now on something you don't need risks something needing to be replaced, not being able to, then having the truck sit. And sit. And sit.

Thats a hell of a first truck, especially in high school. It speaks for itself, you don't have to do anything to it, you don't have to make it something because it is something. And anyone who doesn't look at that truck and go "hot damn!" isn't anyone worth a friendship, ha. You'll have people that will only see it as old, that would sckuff at gold if it wasn't polished up, these people suck. These people will always suck. They will grow up and have kids that suck. Wait till you're out with it and people start stopping by and ask you questions on it, wait till you get an old guy who had one when they where new, wait till you see someone as excited about it as you are, it's a 1956 Ford pickup, in my opinion the very best truck ever made. It doesn't need to prove itself.

Enjoy it, love every bit of rust, every dent, for it is it's history and it's life, and when you have the money and time, give the old girl something of you. It's hard to imagine now, but when you're old and grey, this truck will still be badass, it will still be desired, it will still be iconic, it will still be what it is today. It's not some bran new car, sure they're pretty now but in 5-10 years, guess what? No one cares about them. How many people you know still going ape over a '94 Mustang or an '05? And how many people you know who go ape over a '67 Mustang?

And you're at a point in your life now that some expenses are going to start showing up, if it was me I would make the truck where you can drive it daily right now so you don't sell it for something in college. You'll regret it, everyone always does, everyone I meet who once had one has sad eyes when they look at mine, they remember what they had. So live it up, enjoy it. Start with what it needs to drive then when that is golden, make it pretty.


And remember, the cost of insurance and registration and plates for these is so much cheaper than a new car would be, that you can get 8mpg and still spend less money than if you bought a new car that got 30mpg. Plus your insurance won't sky rocket by having a V8, lol. I remember when I bought my Mustang was paying for plates, the guy next to me bought a new BMW and paid over $1000, I paid $50. Just food for thought.

And wow I went on a rant, sorry about that, lol.

 

wow you have some great ideas, wat i think im gonna do is cut out and weld in the major rust like the floors to make it safe, and the cab corner and bonder then then sand down any other surface rust and prime and rustoliem like ypu said then get the brakes working good(i forgot to mention thet lol) and i need exhaust then get some other stuff like a floor mat, a seat and a cheapy radio, and a two windows(left side and rear are broken) and while its all

 

and while i can drive it ill rebuild the 351 in my spare time cause i wanna rebuild an engine to learn , and i think im gonna replace the shocks cause they rock way to much and some bushings are shot

but thanks for the input it rlly helpedand by the way your truck is awesome seriously one of the cooler ones ive seeni while

 

Charlie, fix the rust as best you can. Stick with the basics. Make sure the brakes are good, fix the exhaust so you don't attract tickets, make sure all the lights are fully functional. Make sure your speedo and other gauges are operating. You will find lots of nickel and dime items to upgrade as you go along. Check into F100 clubs in your local area by searching club listings on Hemming's web site. Just enjoy the new truck and drive it until you can afford serious upgrades. You will know when it is time to plan a major upgrade depending on your educational, marital and military plan for your own future. Ask your Dad, he sounds pretty cool if he is going to help you with the F100.

 

Hi and Welcome to FTE.

If the truck starts and drives, then you can fix or modify are you go. these things usually take a good while (years) and a fair price!

One item I would definately go through with a fine tooth comb before you drive it is the brakes - trucks that sit accumulate water in the brake systems (brake fluid absorbs water) and it will tend to rust brake cylinders and brake lines.

The chrome and rust can wait - stopping properly needs to happen NOW!

 

thanks everyones i geuss brakes and rust are my first priority and i forgot to mention that my gas tank is midly corroded and the fuel lines have multiple pin ***** holes stoppinng fuell flowso i was wonderin is their any way to fix th old gas tank or clean very well so i dont have to buy a new one and need new gas lines should i just get the rgular stock ones or since im gettin them now should i get a line that will last for a longg time??

 

allso right now the bed is a rotton piece of plywood, what should i put in it so its drivable and sturdy

 

There's lots of tanks out there and they aren't that expensive. If you consider you time and how long a cleaning will last (if you do it perfectly) frankly, I'd replace it all with new - tank, fuel lines, filters, and probably fuel pump and rebuild carb as well.

Tear out the old plywood and for now replace it with a new sheet of 3/4 inch plywood. You will have to remove your bed strips and all the bolts, but it will slide right under the bedside lips and bolt right in. I have both my truck and trailer bedded this way and they are fine (until I buy the bed wood and strips to finalize them.)

The plywood will fit under the bed sides but will be about 1/2 inch to narrow for the bolts to grab so you will have to cut some "shims" and inseret them under the washers of the bed sides when you bolt down the plywood edges. You cut those with a 2" hole saw then cut them in half - works perfect.

 

woah thanks so much your a big help ill deffinatley do that! thanks-

 

o and since i decided to keep the 389 for now, im keeping the hydro tranny, but i cant rlly understand the shifting, i think its a 3 speed but im not sure, andyone have any idea what it could be??