This is the continuation of Cheyenne: The Build (Part II)


For those of you continuing on with me, welcome back! Glad to have you.

For any new followers, if you want to see what has led up to this point, take a look back through my original build thread: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...the-build.html


So here is my new base to work from. The CL listing was very brief and didn’t show a picture of what it was. Go figure we get snow the day before I was to look at it. So, when I arrived I had to dig a bit, but I spent 20 minutes going over every inch of it to find the deficiencies. The PO did some custom brackets to mount the heavy-duty rear bumper. Shouldn’t be an issue, other than I will probably want to fill these holes that were drilled out for it. Also a couple of other frame accessories added to the frame that I will probably do the same thing for.


They removed and sold the front and rear springs by cutting the hangers, but that is no big deal as I already have those. The transmission cross member was cut, no motor mounts, and only one front shock tower, but all those are good on my old frame, so an easy swap over. There is about 3 or 4 spots right behind brackets (like the spring overload tabs) that I can see where the metal behind them will be pitted out when I remove the bracket. The back side of the frame in all these areas are still smooth and solid and show no signs of being an issue, so I’m not sure they will be all that deep and should be easily dealt with. I view them as only minor issues.


On a 1-10 scale, the old frame was about a 3. This one is a 9.75 as far as it being solid.

 

So the frame is not at my house yet, but rather at a family members as pictured above. I need to figure out some logistics on how to receive this new frame into my shop and how to swap everything onto the new frame. I no longer have the mobility of moving my original truck around the shop since I took out the rear, and this new frame obviously isn’t a roller. I may need to put the rear axle back on to get it moved, and the new frame into the shop. I guess this is where that portable chain fall would be helpful. Plus, I have to be able to pull the cab, tranny, and transfer case. My barn isn’t that big! Still figuring this one out.

 

Good luck with it man. This seems like a WAY better route to me!

 

You can get something like furniture movers and set a sawhorse on them, or even your engine hoist could be used to move it, there really isn't that much weight left. If you can have the frames sides by side inside, you will find it much easier to work with, the transfer is much easier. Take it off one, add it to the other.

 

Rent a Sky Track fork lift with a extendable boom, you really need another pair of hands in your barn on this deal.

With the extendable boom you can leave the fork lift outside and reach in and do the job? I am not to sure how much room you have in the first place......

Some places deliver and you can do a 1 or 2 or 3 day rental I am sure.

Or you can use a eng picker with the cab doors taken off and the boom in the cab and a chain to the rear lower seat belt attachment points and a REAL ratchet strap around the front cab corners?

Again a 2 or 3 pair of hand deal, its a great way to get hurt doing it by yourself. When your stack of ballast steel falls off and it tips over...... or make one of these in the pic.

It bolts together and has casters to roll around outside or on concrete even better. Its a 6" I beam with a trolley and could be built cheap enough.

 

Good work, you'll be much happier with that frame & the finished product will be much nicer.

 

X2 on what others have said! Glad you found a MUCH better frame for your project! I don't know the laws in your state but I don't see why you couldn't cut out the VIN number from your old frame and weld it next to the existing number on the new frame. Just document the full process with clear legible photo's.

.

 

Subscribed.

 

Sounds like you made the right choice. I'll be following this one along also.

 

Good stuff I shall be lurking.

 

Don't mind me, just subscribing! Nice find with the frame!

 

Never would have figured I would be in shorts and gardening during March in New England. This weather sure has put a pause to the progress on my build.

I have been slowly getting the truck ready for frame swap over time. I temporarily reinstalled the rear axle in the old frame so I can wheel it around to the overhead chain fall to remove the cab and tranny/transfer case. Right now I am working on the cab mount bolts. It looks like the rear mounts will unbolt ok, but the fronts are pretty seized on. I have begun cutting those bolts.



One of my little mice friends found a nice home in one of the front cab mounts.



I'm also thinking that since the tear down has gone this far during Phase 1, with complete frame off & new 460 motor, that the ZF5 tranny is going to be a given. As you may recall I was wanting to put back the C6 to see what the final drive was like. If it was acceptable, I was still going to get a manual tranny and simply swap in a T18 or T19 which has the same final drive as the C6. It would be just stupid at this point to not go ahead and put the 5 speed into it. So my search for a ZF 5 has begun as well.

 

Any progress

 

No progress yet! Lost...but not forgotten.

Since the truck, I have built a BBQ smoker, Chicken Coop and raised some chickens (still working on this), Grew my Garden, threw a huge Kentucky Derby Party, Worked, Traveled, did some Church Projects.

Really what has held me up is the frame is still not at my house. It's about an hour away from me at my families. My daily driver (GMC Yukon) is in terrible shape right now and I don't dare take it on the trip to get the frame. So I'm waiting to either replace that truck, or fix it up, or just borrow something to pick it up the frame with.

Soon....as I'm gettign the itch to get working on it again. But I also have a lot of excavation/finish grade work around the house I have to get started on in another month or so here.

 

Well boys & girls...I'm back (sort of).

I figured I owed you all an update. Things have obviously slowed down (which is ok), but I think I'm itching to get working on her some more. I had to buy a trailer for work, so no more relying on others to do my transporting chores.

Here are some shots from Fall. Probably around the end of September. Brought her out to my property and parked her for a few weeks.



Gave the frame a good power-wash to remove the flaking under-coating. And revealed the beautiful blue that was underneath.



With it all cleaned up, time to get it out of the elements where she lived the past 5-6 years.







I will slowly begin to take the frame down and do the light repairs it will require. I also procured a few things (460 & ZF5) but can't find the pics at the moment. I will get those shortly.