decision time
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 707
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From: Owasso, Ok.
decision time
So far I'd say my grandpa's truck is pretty much stock as far as I can tell. I think I even pulled the original shocks.
At this point I've changed the shocks and done a ton of rust repair. Also I closed up the cowl vents and doubt I'll regret it after all that rust repair.
Originally I wanted keep it as much stock as possible (and mod later uhh need be) but here's my concern. My kid and wife will probably ride in it and I hate not having head rests on the seats. I know what get rear ended and having a head to the back window is like, so did my grandpa, in this truck. Also there are no seatbelts. That's not gonna work if my kid rides much. I can fix both with a new seat with integrated belts.
I'm also at the point of paint. Before I go for that I'm considering pulling the tank. We all know how dangerous gas is. Safe location or not, right behind the seat doesn't thrill me.
I can stay stock but then I'll have done all this work to not really want my wife and kid in the truck. But if I stray to mods it kinda loses what's left of a truck he mostly kept original.
And yes I'm considering disk brakes with newer brake pump. (Whatever it's called).
In the end I'll do what I want, but figured I'd ask for thoughts.
At this point I've changed the shocks and done a ton of rust repair. Also I closed up the cowl vents and doubt I'll regret it after all that rust repair.
Originally I wanted keep it as much stock as possible (and mod later uhh need be) but here's my concern. My kid and wife will probably ride in it and I hate not having head rests on the seats. I know what get rear ended and having a head to the back window is like, so did my grandpa, in this truck. Also there are no seatbelts. That's not gonna work if my kid rides much. I can fix both with a new seat with integrated belts.
I'm also at the point of paint. Before I go for that I'm considering pulling the tank. We all know how dangerous gas is. Safe location or not, right behind the seat doesn't thrill me.
I can stay stock but then I'll have done all this work to not really want my wife and kid in the truck. But if I stray to mods it kinda loses what's left of a truck he mostly kept original.
And yes I'm considering disk brakes with newer brake pump. (Whatever it's called).
In the end I'll do what I want, but figured I'd ask for thoughts.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 676
Likes: 0
From: Glendale, AZ
So far I'd say my grandpa's truck is pretty much stock as far as I can tell. I think I even pulled the original shocks.
At this point I've changed the shocks and done a ton of rust repair. Also I closed up the cowl vents and doubt I'll regret it after all that rust repair.
Originally I wanted keep it as much stock as possible (and mod later uhh need be) but here's my concern. My kid and wife will probably ride in it and I hate not having head rests on the seats. I know what get rear ended and having a head to the back window is like, so did my grandpa, in this truck. Also there are no seatbelts. That's not gonna work if my kid rides much. I can fix both with a new seat with integrated belts.
I'm also at the point of paint. Before I go for that I'm considering pulling the tank. We all know how dangerous gas is. Safe location or not, right behind the seat doesn't thrill me.
I can stay stock but then I'll have done all this work to not really want my wife and kid in the truck. But if I stray to mods it kinda loses what's left of a truck he mostly kept original.
And yes I'm considering disk brakes with newer brake pump. (Whatever it's called).
In the end I'll do what I want, but figured I'd ask for thoughts.
At this point I've changed the shocks and done a ton of rust repair. Also I closed up the cowl vents and doubt I'll regret it after all that rust repair.
Originally I wanted keep it as much stock as possible (and mod later uhh need be) but here's my concern. My kid and wife will probably ride in it and I hate not having head rests on the seats. I know what get rear ended and having a head to the back window is like, so did my grandpa, in this truck. Also there are no seatbelts. That's not gonna work if my kid rides much. I can fix both with a new seat with integrated belts.
I'm also at the point of paint. Before I go for that I'm considering pulling the tank. We all know how dangerous gas is. Safe location or not, right behind the seat doesn't thrill me.
I can stay stock but then I'll have done all this work to not really want my wife and kid in the truck. But if I stray to mods it kinda loses what's left of a truck he mostly kept original.
And yes I'm considering disk brakes with newer brake pump. (Whatever it's called).
In the end I'll do what I want, but figured I'd ask for thoughts.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 757
Likes: 0
From: 7th realm of hell, Va.
I don't think adding an updated bench seat and seat belts from a newer truck is straying too far from original. Neither is adding safety equipment like power disc brakes and power steering. Just my 2 cents
matt
matt
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 8,062
Likes: 35
From: Central Oregon
As far as the seat goes; my son adapted a hi-back seat from a 78 T-bird into his 66 F100 to get the head rest, but still uses the OEM lap belts.
And like dsrtjeeper said about the gas tank; it would be hard to rupture in the the cab. My 66 F100 4x4 has been rolled over and landed on it's top once and hit in the passenger side at the cab and box seam hard enough to blow to tool box out of the bed though to the drivers side without hurting the tank. Looked like this after the roll over:
And like dsrtjeeper said about the gas tank; it would be hard to rupture in the the cab. My 66 F100 4x4 has been rolled over and landed on it's top once and hit in the passenger side at the cab and box seam hard enough to blow to tool box out of the bed though to the drivers side without hurting the tank. Looked like this after the roll over:
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,954
Likes: 64
As far as the in cab tank is concerned, I always figured if I got hit hard enough to rupture the tank behind the seat, I'd already be dead, so it never concerned me. And in the cab it's less apt to get hit, and it will never rust out and leak.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,091
Likes: 14
From: Tucson, Arizona
Here's one solution. 40/20/40 from a 2002 F-150. Had to redesign the seat mounts. Truthfully, it's a bit too big for our old '66, so it's not the perfect solution by any means, but depending on where you are willing to compromise this is a possibility.
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 713
Likes: 3
From: Florida
You could also look into small truck seats like toyota tacoma, etc. I know its non-ford but these cabs are tight and using a later Ford split seat with headrests...man I hardly fit in my truck as it is with the old bench seat and big steering wheel...good luck. 
Tuned
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 376
Likes: 4
I have a set of SN95 Mustang seats I will adapt to my 66 f100 and will also install the shoulder belt system I took out of that same car . For a bucket type with a center section for a baby car seat maybe look into some of the mid sized Ford passenger cars . I think my Taurus I had in the 90's had that arrangement
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 860
Likes: 13
From: Asheville, NC
My wife fell in love with the 66 shortbed "Becky" and bought it; it was all I could do to keep her out of the thing until I got power disc brakes and power steering in it, but now I feel she is safe and can have fun driving her truck. If you will be hauling your loved ones about in modern city traffic, then I say do the upgrades and forget about the purist stance. Most everything on the road has modern steering and brakes and those folks are pushing the envelope of the modern systems (AKA driving like maniacs); you need something to stay alive in the madness. My 2 cents.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 707
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From: Owasso, Ok.
Thanks guys. I appreciate the replys. I really expected to get ripped by the "keep it stock, it was that way for 50 years" crowd.
All your thoughts were positive and beneficial. I agree with every comment every one made. This has been helpful and Im gonna go ahead and go for it. Ill check in to toyota and smaller seats, but either way anything is better than nothing.
Lot of good stories and thoughts in here.
All your thoughts were positive and beneficial. I agree with every comment every one made. This has been helpful and Im gonna go ahead and go for it. Ill check in to toyota and smaller seats, but either way anything is better than nothing.
Lot of good stories and thoughts in here.
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