Some quick background...
A '66 F250 I bought about a year ago as an expendable hauler while doing a remodel on the house we'd just bought. Clean and solid and very reliable. At some point at least two owners back, it got a 460, C6, front I-beams with massive disks, bigger rear axle and rear springs, a massive towing rig welded to the frame and a tranny cooler half the size of the radiator up front (built for towing something big?). My neighborhood mechanic (who sometimes doesn't know as much as he thinks) believes somebody swapped in nearly all the running gear from a 70s F350...

Question: With the serial numbers from the engine, tranny and rear end, is it possible to know how old they are, and perhaps what they came from?

Thanks,
David

p.s.: Are the stock-looking 16" steel rims original to an F250, or did they come with the upgraded axles/disks?

 

Nothing is original there. Casting numbers can tell a bit. The diff and trany tags can tell more but they are usualy gone by now. I think the 60s 250s used 16.5" split rims. Steel rims are standard to this day.

 

I don't know when Ford moved the Twin I-beams to the F250, but I don't think it was in 65 or 66. I think Twin I Beams were a F100 only thing for the first few years.

 

F250s had the Is as well. You could look for the VIN that is stamped on the frame rail, on top of the rail by the front pass wheel. If it's the same as the door vin, then the other items were bolted onto it, rather than moving the sheet metal to a new frame.

 

There were no 16.5" split rims, 16.5" wheels have a 15 degree bead taper. These trucks originally came with 16" wheels. Twin-I-Beam appeared on 65 F250 as well as F100.

 

I'd known the frame was original to the truck. It just seemed like a lot of effort on the part of whoever did it - rather than buying a stronger truck...

We figured they guy must have been a contractor of some sort, as also added a massive toolbox (now out since I need the bed space) and a really heavy duty lumber rack. One suggestion was that he might have used it to drag a bobcat or small tractor. Who knows - I was just wondering if it was possible to trace the source of the components, and whether the 460/C6 might have come from an F350 of any particular vintage.

 

To be or not to be, that is the question........such members on here and outside of this website have a love for oldies but goodies.....One of the past owners of your truck had some kind of love for your truck to make all these updated mods. He probably got a mid 70s F250 or 350 and used it as a parts truck



Welcome to FTE

 

Why limit your sources to a truck, could have come from a Pass car...

 

Dual piston disc brakes optional on 1968/72 F250 2WD's and F350's.

1973 and later F250 2WD's and F350's came with standard equipment disc brakes. Some 1973/79 F250's have single piston calipers as it depends on the GVWR.

With front disc brakes: If the rear drum brake shoes are 12" x 2 1/2" = F250 / If 12" x 3" = F350.

Since no FoMoCo Passenger Car of any year has the same bolt circle pattern wheels as any F100/350, I doubt the parts are from a car.

The calipers, brackets, rotors and related disc brake parts used on any F100/350 are not the same as any car, regardless of what year the pile of miseries is.

FIRST year for Twin-I-Beam: 1965 F100/250 2WD / 1967 F350.

The 11 digit VIN used on 1961/80 trucks / 1966/80 Bronco's / 1961/80 Econolines only has the three digit Series code, single digit Engine & Assembly Plant codes.

The last 6 digits of the VIN are the Numerical Sequence of Assembly, the vehicles specific serial number. 1966 F250 2WD example: F25YR732000

F25 = F250 2WD / Y = 352 2V / R = San Jose CA Assembly Plant / 732,000 1st 1966 unit, assembled August 1965.

No VIN of any year Ford truck (car, Bronco, Econoline or whatever) has any rear axle or trans info listed within.

 

Bill,

Thanks so much for the comprehensive answer to this and my prior posts, and we wish you a speedy recovery!

We've got the dual caliper disks and 3" rear drums, so the 70's F350 upgrade scenario is looking quite likely.

 

Hello, I am new to the board. I have a 1965 Ranger CC... I am the second owner. First owner had it only one yr, when I was lucky enough to pick it up. It is a short bed with most all options. I have replaced the 352-2v in favor of a 428 super maurader motor I snatched from a old police car that was wrecked. Destroyed the entire rear section of the car but left the front untouched. Lucky find. It has many factory AND dealer special options as the person before me believed in having every thing available. Special paint option with all the stainless. I have the original factory and Dealership window sticker option sheet with a full list of things that were added or changed. I knew the guy when he bought it and remembered seeing the option sheet in the window.

I am getting ready to do a complete off body restoration and have many new factory parts to put back on. And still looking for a few more odds & ends.

However, two years ago, while my truck was parked in the parking lot while I was up at work,,, some one broke into my truck and removed the seats w/their pedestal and along with the consol. They even had time to try to pry up the carpet but stopped for some reason. They also got the tank curtain which was not the carpet type but a special dealer installed formed plastic, one that molded to the tank. I have never seen another one like it anywhere. There was a company in San Jose that was selling them at the time, but I guess somethings are not forever.
If anyone hears of these items coming up for sale, I would love to be informed. Especially the plastic tank cover. Don't think they made many of those. At this point, even if anyone hears of someone selling their seat w/pedestals and factory consol,,, I need to replace the ones that were taken. Don't matter what color the seats are, I can recover them. Getting tired of this bench seat I found for it.

Thanks guys and sorry for the long post.
Fritz

 

Welcome to FTE

The bucket seats are the same as 1965/70 Mustang & 1967/70 Cougar (except '69/70's with high back bucket seats), The upholstery is the same as either 1965 or 1966 Mustang.

The seat tracks are also the same as 1965/70 Mustang, 1967/70 Cougar.

You shouldn't have too much trouble finding these seats in CA (especially here in LA), as over two million Mustangs came with them.

Many of the Mustang resto shops have used seats available. Mustang Service Center in North Hollywood, Mustang's Only in Van Nuys should have some.

The console is the same as 1964/65 Falcon Sprint. Some parts have been reproduced and are available from dearbornclassics.com.

The brackets that raise and level the seats (bolt to the floor pan, then to the tracks) have been reproduced and are available from FTE member Bill W who posts in this forum and lives in AZ

FTE member garbz2 might know where the moulded plastic tank cover can be found.

 

Reposting as new thread

 

The hard gas tank covers 61 66 were being made by Rod Doors but they went belly up.

I do not know of anyone else.

Garbz

 

Thanks guys. Great information. Very happy I found you.
Bill (NumberDummy), I know I'll be bending your ear for a few things. Good to know the seats, tracks are available. I checked out dearboarnclassics.com and they sure command a good price for their stuff but it is what it is I guess.

I think my first order of business is to acquire the brackets that raise the seat level. However, I have looked around to find a post by 'Bill W' and can't seem to find him. I think when I registered, it said something about members having access to emails of other members. Is that true. I would really like to get in touch with Bill W. to get a set of brackets. Can I get help with that.

Also, Garbz, thank you and I'm sorry to hear that they went belly up. How does one go about finding one? Is that a 'good luck' item?

Too bad I couldn't find the persons that lifted my stuff. :O( Had to be more than one person. They broke out the wing window and got in that way. I used to have these locks that horseshoed on the edge of the wing window and when you closed it, you could slid a bar across the divider which would lock the window tight. Anyone know where I could get another set of those?

Thanks so much for your help guys. I'll check back.
Fritz