I spent about a half an hour scratching my head out there and I think I've it figured out. If I mount it on the bottom of the axle instead of the top everything seems to line up right. I'll have to grind off the old shock mounts first to see for sure but I think it will fit just fine that way.

 

I can't say that I have ever seen one mounted on a solid axle below the axle. I can't see why it wouldn't work, but it would hang down a ways under the pumpkin.

 

Thats how it is on my car.

 

Well in alot of cases, yes, it would mounts on the bottom of the axle. However, if this piece was truly designed for this truck, even with OEM shock mounts it may still not work on the bottom. The picture you posted shows it on the top as well. Just mounting in below the axle will not make up for it being too wide. When mounted, it will surely cause the endlinks to be at an angle as well as put them really close to the springs. IMO, it's just too wide! I really urge you to call Mid-Fifty and speak with them. Something is wrong here. They are great people and will work to find the proper solution for you. I've dealt with them many, many times over. Excellent people that strive to sell excellent products with top-notch service in order to make a good name for themselves. Call them, you'll be surprised and wont regret it.

 

Any progress? This is a fun build to watch!

 

Nothing new for now. I threw in the axles and bolted tires to the rear so I could roll it out and over.

I've been working on my Son's 1982 F-100 while he is in Basic Training. Its been a fun little build and I think he will be pleased. The interior is basically brand new now and more comfortable. I also slapped a 4 barrel on the rebuilt 302 we put in there to replace the 300 and a serpentine system from a 1994 with electric fans. Put in a 5 speed on the floor to replace the three on the tree also.

 

Hey Alcaeus,
Sounds like fun! Show us pics of your son's '82 when you get a chance -
I've been contemplating swapping out an automatic for a 5 speed - how much work was it for you? Getting the clutch into the driver's side engine compartment looks like fun.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1 (351W/AOD)

 

Sure,

-------After writing this I realized it is long and has too many pictures. Sorry guys

Here is what we started with.


And then we dropped a 302 in it from a 1985 truck that ran pretty good and made it look like this in the bay.




BUT then he forgot to check his oil level before a trip to Tucson and we had this to fix.



Got a rebuilt motor and dropped a weiland 4 barrel on it



and Edelbrock carburetor



Added the serpentine system from a 1994 minus the smog pump.



and electric fans

<a href="http://s44.beta.photobucket.com/user/althalus10/media/1982%20Ford%20F-100/photobucket-64245-1354641290513.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f31/althalus10/1982%20Ford%20F-100/photobucket-64245-1354641290513.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>

Added a fuse box from a mid 90's Taurus to run the fans, electric fuel pump and other keyed accessories.

<a href="http://s44.beta.photobucket.com/user/althalus10/media/1982%20Ford%20F-100/photobucket-107316-1354641241257.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f31/althalus10/1982%20Ford%20F-100/photobucket-107316-1354641241257.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>

I think the engine bay looks pretty good now. I'll be spending time cleaning everything up and getting all the grease off of the aluminum brackets etc. but he needs to drive it when hes back for Christmas so It will remain dirty for now.

<a href="http://s44.beta.photobucket.com/user/althalus10/media/1982%20Ford%20F-100/photobucket-131486-1354641147798.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f31/althalus10/1982%20Ford%20F-100/photobucket-131486-1354641147798.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>

When he heads back after christmas I'll get the truck painted midnight blue, added a seat heater, electric windows/doors and tie up some of the other loose ends.

I'll take some pictures of the interior if you guys are interested.

 

As far as the tranny swap went. We got a rebuilt M5od for $700 and pulled the hydraulic master, lines and internal slave from a junk yard truck. The firewall didnt have a punch out for the master so I had to trace it out from the yard truck and trace it back onto his firewall. The tranny crossmember had to come over also.

The bracket the column bolts to and the brake pedal hangs from has provision for a clutch pedal. Just pull the whole unit from the yard truck though. It will have the pedal and little bushings you need as well. You will need the tranny tunnel and to cut out the location in the floor. It already has the shape and spots for your screws in the floor.

The speedo cable plugs in to early M5od 5 speeds but is inaccurate so that needs to be fixed. Its a pretty nice little swap and highway mileage is much better.

Since it is a hydraulic rather than mechanical clutch it fit really nicely and takes up zero room.

 

Thanks Alcaeus,
You have done a ton of nice work on your son's truck! My 20 yr. old son had our '50 up at college & he called one day - uhh... it just doesn't run any more. Ended up replacing the push rods with hardened ones & fixing a blown exhaust gasket. I hear you on fixing up the cars after the kids drive them. Doing my daughter's Volvo brakes right now.

I appreciate the info. on the transmission - I'd really like a manual 5 speed in our old truck. You are a lot more talented than I am.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1 (351W/AOD)

 

Well...

I got sidetracked by life/work/school and didn't do much to the truck for a long time.

But then Christmas came and Santa brought some new toys!


And I was thinking about how nice it would be to have fuel injection instead of carburation.. and how nice independent front suspension would be...

So I decided that all the nice work I did was going to have to be for whoever would be buying the frame from me and I went and bought a Crown Vic Interceptor at auction for $500.00. Its got 147,000 miles but ran and drove before I did this.


I ripped out all of the wiring, drive train, suspension, etc. and I've sold off everything that I could otherwise and scrapped the body.

Then I started working on my frame again.

I drilled out all the necessary holes for the crown vic sub frame to bolt in and just cut a notch in the frame to level it out where it would mount. I'm welding up where I had to level it and welding in a piece of scrap to fill the gap and then boxing the frame.


Then I slid in the tubes and bolted it in really tight and tack welded the tubes in.



Then I welded her up.



Enter comments about crappy welding here

But the suspension is welded/bolted in and ready to serve. I still have to box the frame and clean it up a bit. I also will weld in the underside of those tubes.



And thats where I'm at now. Next step is to weld in mounts for the control arms. I'll head to the junk yard and pull off another set of brackets from a Crown Vic and turn them upside down to weld to the frame. The left and right are mirror images of each other.

Then I'll strip the frame of the rest of the unnecessary mounts and brackets and install the rear end. I have the 8.8 from the crown vic but its too wide by all accounts and the one I have is not limited slip SO I'll find one from a 2002 or earlier Crown Vic with limited slip and hopefully 3.73 gearing. I want it from a Crown Vic because I'm trying to maintain the ABS. The pedals, booster, master cylinder etc. from the crown vic are being put in the 56.

I'm transplanting the entire drivetrain and wiring harness and will even attempt to install the HVAC from the crown vic into the 56 but the box may just be too big for the inside of the cab. I need to figure out fuel delivery and I don't want to have to fill through a slat in the bed floor. I saw some guys fab something to hang the crown vic tank under the bed. Well have to see.

This swap wasn't too hard compared to some things I've done with trucks and the hardest part was measuring, and measuring , and then measuring again.