I've got a 76 F-100 explorer, originally a 302 c6 truck, that has seen its better years. It was a partial restoration when i got ahold of it in 97.

I finally had my last straw with it, when it started slinging driveshafts, and actually twisted one of them.

I've pulled the engine/trans from it, and swapped them into another truck, where they didn't survive for much longer.

The truck has some pretty bad rust, floor panels are gone, doors have rusted at the bottom.

Front clip is fairly straight with a couple dents in the fenders, nothing really traumatic.

The bed (ol' flapper.) is pretty well shot, rusted away and flopped in the wind at 60+mph when she was streetworthy.

Does this sound like a feasible project? Or should i just let it go and take what parts i can for my newer truck?

Any Info is Appreciated.

 

Unless it has a lot of sentimental value I would say let this one rest in peace. There are many other trucks in good shape that would be cheaper to buy and polish up. Pick up someone elses project that they are no longer interested in and save yourself a bunch of grief and money!

 

The truck does carry a little sentimental value.

Was mine and my best friends truck for highschool, and he isn't with us anymore.

I'm torn between sinking money into it, or letting it go, something tells me to go pick up another. But every time i look at it i miss it. (sob story.)

Replacing the floors shouldn't be too hard, after all its just some cutting and welding.

Replacing the bed, i have a flatbed for temporary for that, until i can hunt up something that will fit a LWB.

Any more ideas are welcome.

 

Sounds like you've made up your mind

 

desperado_18_2000,

Take a look at my gallery. My truck has been in the family since Nov. 1982. It was my cousin's. My uncle gave it to him when he truned 16. He learned how to do body work on it. He put over 100,000 miles on it. In 1995, he got hit by another Ford truck and the truck was put into storage for 7 years. He gave it to me June 2001. I just turned 16. I learned alot fixing it up. If it wasn't a family owned veichle, me and my dad wouldn't have messed with it. Every time I drive it, I think of my Uncle John and Cousin John. I named the truck "Johnboy" in honor of him.

So yah, there is a lot of other more solid trucks out there to start with, but you can never replace sentimental value. Floors aren't to bad, you can pick up some doors at swap meets for under $100 a piece. Bed's can be found, you just have to look. You can get a bed from out west and have it shipped to where you live for I would say under $900. I went to the local wreckers and bought 2 mid 80's beds for $75. You can put 73-79 style quarter panles on them. I don't know, I just hate to see a veichle go to the scrapyard. Just my thoughts.

Lenny