Howdy folks!

I'm Steve from Industrial Chassis. I'm the guy that does the Dakota IFS kits since the mid 90's. Some of you already know me from the HAMB and other places, so my building skills are already known by you. For the rest who have never heard of me, I hope you are impressed at what I can do.

Since I started in the first weeks of the new year to build the Dakota kits again I have needed some donor fodder to build from. I have a fantastic customer with a 1963 F100 Unibody that let me use his truck as a guinea pig, but I need one of every model year.

I have been itching to build something lately, I have a few early 50's type mid engined race car builds in mind but no time or cash to get going. Then compound this with the rising cost of fuel prices and my 50 mile daily commute, the desire for a fuel efficient ride seems kinda paramount.

Garbz is rounding me up a 65-66 F100 to build out, so I still needed a 53-56 and a 57-60. I do also intend on the F1 series trucks. And as luck would have it, my father-inlaw wanted to clean up his property. He had about a dozen F100s including a fairly nice 56. But I was too late to make my decision and he found someone willing to pay cash for all the good trucks. So what was left was a pair of 54s, a ratty 53 and one blasted 55. The 54 I chose was the best one left, and it was Meadow Green, pretty close to my company color. Surprisingly rust free (almost) and relatively complete. Albeit beat to hell and back.

But it was free!

So I hatched a plan in my head and hooked up the trailer and pulled it from it's mountainside deathbed.





All in all, this is by far not the worst truck I have ever built for a customer, the floors are pretty amazing, the firewall is untouched and none of the sheetmetal parts is rusty. Just minor rust in the cab corners, I don't know if I really want to do much other than a clean up and leave some of the desert patina alone.











I think this is what sold it for me, vintage Ansen Equipped sticker on the dash.

 

Hi there, I really like that 2-door on the right of your truck. Is it a 39? BTW, you have a nice truck there too. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

 

So, what are my build plans for this fine specimen of Forditude?

Glad you asked.

I have to state first and foremost that I am no Ford loyalist. I happen to have more Ford cars and trucks than any other make, 1936 Ford 3W, 1963 Ford Thunderbird (50K original miles), my 1963 Ford Unibody and enough early Ford Model A engines and V8 parts to consider myself strange, just not commited

Ok, the juicy details. I considered a few engine choices to build around. The Chevy LS series engine would be a no-brainer. Cheap and tons of power but not what I wanted for a daily driver. So I thought a SOHC 4.6 with an AOD and an Edelbrock Carburetor conversion would be keen but still not quite hitting my Q-zone. Big blocks are out, most sixes aren't going to give me the grunt I need pulling a trailer around the Southwest. So I started daydreaming of a diesel powered unit. A bit of googling around landed me on 4BTSwaps.com and I think I fell in lust with that oil burner.

Transmission would be simple and cost effective, the NV4500 is about the only choice I would consider for this engine. Maybe a swap to an Allison later on, but that's a pricey choice for now.

The success of the users there and the availability of the engines and parts just seemed like a great fit. And it will fit in the engine compartment without much fuss, doesn't weigh as much as the moon and fits my wants and desires pretty square on.

So here's the deal, I'm stripping it down over the next few weeks. Getting the frame sand blasted and installing my Dodge Dakota IFS kit with the D1500 front rotors (12" X 1 1/4" rotor with the stock 5 on 5 1/2" bolt circle) maybe a two piston caliper swap, fully boxing the frame rails. I am going to add a substantial X member to stiffen the frame against twisting unlike the majority of what is done these days. And install an unparallel, uneaqual length four link with air springs (for towing, not play) with a Dana 60 plucked from a Camper Special 65 F100. I will be adding a good class III/IV style tow receiver. Large stainless gas (fuel) tank in the stock location. Rolling stock will be a set of 17" steel wheels and stock hubaps powdercoated bone white and wrapped by some 235/70-17" tires (probably Michelins LTX). Interior, restore the stock gauges but for electric operation, add a few more needed like EGT and Boost gauges from Westach. Restore the stock heater system because its there and in good shape but add a Vintage Air Mark IV underdash unit. Rebuild stock bench seat, healthy dose of noise dampener and insulation. Simple door panels and a rubber floor mat. Exterior wise, mild restoration and leave it alone but that may change. I do love all the original badging.

 

I think that is a 47 or 48 Lincoln 4 door. It had the V12 and some really cool gear but Paul has been parting it out since he couldn't sell the car as a whole. He has some really cool stuff out there.

 

I was thinking it would be nice if you told us what your plans are as I rolled down to this post. thanks for reading my mind. Nice truck - cool plan.

I kinda wish your IFS had come with with truck rather than the Cordoba. Now I have 5 x 4.5 in front and 5 x 5.5 in back. Do you have a web page for your IFS kit? If nothing else I can dream. Unless I win the lottery my solution will be to replace the 9 inch with a Explorer 8.8.

 

Sure, the front page has a few blog posts regarding the buildup. I have more in progress shots on my Facebook page than any, because it is so much easier to post there

Here is my post announcing the kits, and there is a link to the instructions.

The instructions are a work in progress, I really need to scale the pictures back because they are HUGE! Probably look pretty good on your new iPad though. I need to include the bumpstop installation, part assembly and alignment but otherwise this is close to the final.

 

i had thought about a 4bt swap, but I was too far into what I already got. Not enough ambition to start over. I am definitely signed up!
MECMAGICIAN (sorry if I spelled the username wrong) Has a 5 cyl mercedes diesel in his F100 '53 or '54? I am very interested! Might be another project for the future for me...
OH Welcome to this fantastic forum!
I read up on it a bit, Seems that bread trucks are the main donors. And I remember seeing some outfit that was selling nothing but 4bt's from those type of trucks...bread/service.frito-lay's etc.

 

The more gas prices rise, the more I'm thinking my Geo prism front end might get grafted into an old car. Dig the 54's! Good luck!!

 

Bumping for joining thread purpose

 

can`t wait to see the build!! stock diesel engine!, i thought you modified every engine you touched

 

Who said stock

Since I have been reading up on the 4BT over there, I think an intercooler and turbo upgrade is some of the first stuff to do. Then a cam swap and injector upgrade and some tweaking on the pump, depending on what I can find and what kind of condition it's in. I did get a number of a Dodge specialist wrecking yard in Southern California who might just be able to sell me what I want, cheap enough.

Seems if I can get my hands on the P7100 pump, I won't have to do much other than a governor spring. Plenty of guys getting fantastic numbers out of those without much work. But the VE Bosch pump seems to be more available and worthy of the performance range I want. I figure if I can get around 200 horse and close to 400 lf/lb out of it, it would be more useful than my current 2500HD Chev.

And a far site more efficient!