Wondered what you panel truck owners that have replaced your body mounts used. I figure I need to get the pickup cab mounts but want to make sure that's true. What about the rest of the bolting points. As long as my body has been off the frame who knows where the old stuff went. Also, since the truck had be done once before in the past, I don't know if it had the correct mounts when I got it. I'll be working on remounting the body after I get done with the toyota steering swap and running new gas and brake lines. Thanks Guys for any ideas.

Lee

 

I know I probably get alot of flack, but this is what I used, Since my panel frame I built is 4" wider than original I needed to be a little more creative in my mounts. When I purchased my panel it was not bolted to the frame so I never had body mounts on it so I made my own. I went on McMaster-Carr an purchased some round stock of dense plastic, I believed to be like UHMW, and on the ends I took a hole saw and cut out some rubber out of an old Tire to use on the ends. Probably not the best Idea but that is what I did. I am sure some here has a better Idea or at least know where you can get body mount kits for panels. At the time I could not, I was not smart enough to find FTE at the time. Good Luck

 

Anybody else???

 

I saw your post the other day and wanted to answer but it's been a while since I had a panel truck body off the frame. From what I can remember the front six mounts, three on each side are the same as the pickups. There are I believe six more behind the front seats and back. These bolt through the plywood and cross braces through the frame. The bolts are about 6" long and have hollow square headed bolts. The square holes in the bolt heads are a pain in the butt so when I replaced mine I bolt Allen head bolts from McMaster Carr.

Like I said, it's been a while and my truck is in winter storage and I can't easily get to it to make sure that that what I've posted is 100% correct.

 

Thanks for the responses. I'll get the pickup mount kit ordered. Any other panel owners want to share your body mounting experiences?

Lee

 

Here's a little clip of what we did on a Sunday afternoon, thought you might find it entertaining:



BTW, the panel frame and pickup frames are the same. The only differences are the running board brackets, only two on a panel and longer, and there are frame extensions for the rear bumper. So I'm pretty sure the front mounting points are the same as I mentioned above. The floor is, from under the seats forward, is also the same.

 

The front cab mounting brackets are the same on all frames. However, Ford eliminated the "dog bone" mounting bracket for the Panels and instead used rubber pads between the frame rails and the floor as the mounts.

If you can wait a few days, I'll climb underneath my 52 and take a few pictures. I can also do the same on my 51.

 

Ilya, that's not fair. I'd have to trudge through 3 feet of snow for about 300 feet to get to my panel or I'd have beaten you to it. It's been a while since I looked at how the panel is mounted. I thought they used the dog bone on the panel too.

 

The weather has been pretty nice out here. Pushing 70 degrees for the past two weeks or so. Next week will be the same. I'm wearing a t-shirt and jeans during the day, but I do need a jacket in the morning and evening.

Here's a picture of a Panel frame that I had in storage (and recently sold to "old dan"). Only the front cab mounts are welded to the frame. The "dog bone" bracket mounts are not there and didn't have any signs of being removed by the prior owner. I'll confirm on my 52 tomorrow.



The holes in the top of the rails might be for the mounts. Again, I'll double check tomorrow.

 

Ilya, just be careful of the "breeze chill" factor. I heard it could make 70° feel like 65°.

 

Here are the photos from underneath my 52. Pictures taken from right side of frame rail.

Front cab mount.



Second mount around where the running board ends. This is in the same area where a regular cab "dog bone" mount would be. There's a piece of a 1/4" rubber in between the frame bracket and the body mount.








This bolt is through the wood floor and into the body crossbrace before the rear spring.




This bolt is through the wood floor and into the body crossbrace near the end of the rear spring.




The most rear mount at the end of the frame and in the spare tire area. Piece of 2x4 sitting between frame and wooden floor. Also a piece of similar rubber as in the front mount.






The wooden floor is also notched for the frame "kick up" area over the axle to fit. I have a plywood floor in the 52, which I don't think was stock.




I should cross-reference the mounts and areas in my 52 against the mounts and areas in my 51. I know that the 51 is all original and untouched.

 

WoW, THANK YOU for going to all that trouble to take the mounting point pics. Just what I needed. So what it looks like I need is 1) order the cab mounting rubber parts and fasteners, less the dog bones, and 2) find some 1/4" rubber to use at the rest of the mounting points on the panel, 3) Time to get busy. Thanks again guys for all your responses.

Lee

 

Lee,

If you don't need exact mounting bolts for the cargo department I suggest that you use Allen head bolts. The original bolts have an odd size square hole, it's larger than a 1/4" drive socket wrench and smaller than a 3/8". I ground down a 3/8" short extension, which broke and I had to regrind, to get the ones out of my panel. After I had them out I found the threads were messed up by rust. I couldn't find the original type and since they were a pain to get out I bought the Allen heads from McMaster and the went in without a problem with a Allen head socket wrench on my 3/8" rachet. From two feet away you wouldn't notice.