Hi all I am wanting to lift the front of my '74 F350 Super Camper Special 2wd in order to fit 35" tires on it all the way around. I'm sure no one makes a kit for it, but I can custom order springs. Any idea how much lift would be required and with the twin I beam would there be enough room for proper adjustment on the camber?
Before everyone attacks me I have my reasons... I'm planing to convert it to 4wd but in reality its another year or two down the road. I have a '73 4wd parts donor, then I realized my front gas tank is in the way of the transfer case among other things and with further research I want to use axles from a late model Dodge, keeping the front coil set up and gaining 4 wheel disc brakes. I ultimately want to run 35's so why not mount them now, as it will keep my RPM's down on the freeway and I live on a bumpy, pothole, wash board road and the larger diameter really helps, besides that it just looks cool! Thanks in advance for your input!

 

Here's a thread about a really nice lifted 2wd:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-2wd-f250.html

 

Fabtech makes a kit $$$ Its a pre runner set up you are looking for.

As far a converting your 2wd to 4wd you are in for a long hard road. Best bet would to swap you body on to the existing 73 4x4 parts doner, if you have the frame w/running gear.

Here is some 4x4 conversion info copy and past for you.

There is nothing nuts and bolts about a 4wd conversion, there is not a thing that is bolt on or swappable. The engine cross members are entirely different, and this means that if an un molested truck is what you are after, it will be impossible to create one with a 2wd platform. The 2wd will have to be lifted quite a way to clear the front diff.

2wd trucks are coil sprung and most F250 4wd's are leaf sprung. None of the suspension items are even close to the same, so you will be fabricating or modifying some original 4wd stuff to work. Steering systems are entirely different as well, so you will be upgrading that too.

My last conversion with leafs ran me several thousand dollars, and that was with the work that I performed for free. The difference in sale values between a 4wd and 2wd are minimal, and the 4wd conversion is hardly justifiable. How far away are you looking? I pick up F250 4x4's for reasonable money. Consider the cost of shipping, and then consider buying a west coast truck with no rust, and I can guarantee that you will be time and money ahead.

Well the frames are similar, with a few exceptions. The frame horns are slightly different, and the frame widths aft of the cab ar different from 73 to 77 trucks. The frame rise is also slightly different, but this is not a show stopper and does not make much difference one the fabrication begins.

Not that the important question is whether or not you will be using a coils springs or a leaf spring. It is possible to install a 78/9 radius arm and suspension. Not a big deal really, and with a standard cab this is reasonable. Not quite as easy with a super cab and or crew cab.
The 2wd frames are not cut for the shackle pivot, and they do not have the provisions for a spring hanger, but again, this is not a deal breaker. Installing a pivot is just a tedious process. Accuracy is key, but I am not telling you anything that you do not already know.
Ok, so next is the transfer case. You have two choices, Install a married case, and this requires the proper transmission. Might find some difficulty making or modifying an output shaft to accommodate the early C6 and a married transfer case. So then the next option is to find a divorced transfer case, and install this. You will have to make up a cross member, but then you will have to get creative with the shifter linkage. See the 4wd trans will have an adapter or tailshaft with a pivot for a typical 205 shifter.
Fabrication is the only limiting factor here.
Next and final factor will be the speedo. See your speedo works from the trans, so that being the case, you will have to get a speed reference form the t-case. If you do not, the speedo will read twice as fast when you put the case in low range.

As mentioned the steering box will have to be relocated, and the truck will require some lift. That engine crossmember has limited clearance so you will be looking at some lift to even clear it. The other option would be to remove it and replace it with a tubular unit.

This is a heck of a project. Not unreasonable, but a project none the less.
2500 bucks for a 2wd might get expensive. I paid 1300 bucks for a 4wd 75 last year, and it was already 4wd with 38" tires, and a strong 460, A/c, and plenty of goodies. I have made these conversions, and can tell you that it is a chore.

 

I fitted 33inch tyres to my 79 F100 2wd and it would rub now and then. I wanted to do a suspension lift but after doing some calculations and research doing a suspension lift will cost me more than what my truck cost me. So know my only options would prob be a body lift.

 

They do????

Got a link to it?


My thought is you meant Autofab, but I'd love to see what the deal is if Fabtech made something

 

Thanks for the great info guys, just talked to AutoFab they have exactly what I need. They're only 120 miles from me so I'll stop by and check out their shop. Guess us desert rats are the only ones who lift 2wd's. Might leave well enough alone and keep it 2wd and get rear ARB locker, that way I can spend my money on a gear vendor instead

 

Autofab does good stuff. You'll be please with your purchase. John, Darrin, Tiff & the gang are good, KNOWLEDGEABLE people for sure!

 

And now for grins, here's another option:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...y-of-pics.html
Since I haven't tried it, I won't recommend it, but it does fascinate me. Maybe one day...

 

Yes Chase you were right and my memory was wrong, thanks for picking up the fumble.

 

No worries. You had my hopes up for a second that someone else was actually paying attention to these old trucks, and the 2wd ones to boot! Oh well. As I said before Autofab stuff is good stuff so I'm fine with it.

Little side note tidbit here:
Fabtech started as a local fab shop in Fullerton, CA. I remember going there when the 2wd lift kits were just starting to take off along with the "prerunner scene". That shop changed names when Fabtech name & lift kit line was sold & became a rancho type deal. In the good old days Fabtech, Camburg & pretty much all others would would use autofab bent beams in their more entry level type lift kits that didn't go to a custom fabricated i-beam.

 

I have had only one 2wd dent side Ford truck, a 73 and all the others have been 4wd. I really like the prerunner look, the bumpers and roof rack is definitely different and cool IMO.

The 79 4 door prerunner dent is even cooler.....

You never really see a prerunner style truck out here in the mid west, we have more mud than sand, so it makes sense.

 

Guy I know on another forum owns that yellow one you show the pic of. It was for sale on race-dezert.com a while back & I had to keep my checkbook at bay as I was tempted.

Side note - I found (well cheet-o pointed me to it) the closest thing I've ever seen to what I want to do on facebook the other day. So cool even that I'll take the time to load the pic in my photosuckit account & post here!!!
Crew cab on a supercab, short bed frame (notice the bedsides tucked into the cab!) with a d50 TTB up front & full cage. Only difference I'd be looking at would be possibly doing it on a std. cab, long bed frame to get the wheel base even shorter.

 

Now that's pretty cool!

 

Off to Autofab tomorrow for a 5" lift! Took a long time to get to this point but since my last post I popped in a Lunati Voodoo bumpstick and ditched the tired C6 and I rebuilt and installed a np435. Anyone know what a good wheel offset would be for this setup? I plan to run 35x12.50x17, probly a 17x9 rim. Just hard to visualize what I need because I have pizza-cutters on the truck now. I don't like tires sticking out far and don't want clearance issues. Thanks

 

I run H2s

They are 8.5" wide, have 5 5/8s backspacing and don't stick out. The only thing is that I think they would rub the radius arms with 35s. They are kind of close with 265s, and I think 33s would barely rub (or miss) the radius arms at full lock.