Anyone know how many 56 shortbed big window trucks were built.
I once read somewhere about 2,000 but there sure seem to be a lot of them around.
I am in the process of finishing hotrodding mine. It's all shaved, smooth firewall, dash smoothed, Heidts IFS,95 T Bird Super Coupe IRS, 68 modified 428 CJ, modified C6 with all high performance race parts.
Hope to be on the road with it in about a month.

 

Ron,
I don't have an answer for you on how many '56 big windows were built, but I do have to share a couple of things:
First and foremost, welcome to FTE!!! And secondly, I have to say that is one IMPRESSIVE list of components! Wow!!!

I checked out your gallery pix and would sure like to see more of the suspensions, motor, shaved work, etc. Trick idea having the F-O-R-D lettering (from a tailgate?) on the firewall. That's one I haven't seen before! Nice job on the fuel door, too. So how about it... would you mind posting some more pix? You certainly have MY attention (as I recently came across a '68 T-Bird 429 motor that I ended up NOT getting because it needed a ring job= engine rebuild= too much $$$$). And what kind of "all high perf race parts" are we talking about here???

Welcome to FTE, and let's see some more of what sounds like an awesome '56 Big Window...

Daryl

 

Thanks for the nice comments Daryl. To ans. some of your ? 428 has a crane cam, Offy intake, Doug Thorly headers, 3 angle valve job, milled heads, Stainless rocker arm supports " a weak link in 428s", Chrome Molly shaft, Comp 9000 unilite dist, balanced, all port matched & polished intake & exhaust. Got a lot of good info from a performance tech that used to work for JBA in San Diego when they did a lot or rearsearch for the racing community & FMCO. His speciality was 428s, so I followed all his hints as best I could. He told me it should put out 600 + ponies on pump gas with all the mods. Tranny has all drag race inards so it should take the H P, T Bird Super Coupe rear is an 8.8 That should carry up to 800 ponies with no problem " at least that is what I was told" Now all I need is 1,000 lbs. over each rear tire so it will hook up. LOL. I'll post a few more pics for you & others.
Thanks to all the forum members for all the great posts & helpful hints.
PS When I bought the truck a year ago it was a rolling Bondo ad with "ARGHHHHHHHHHHH" Chevy running gear so I had to do somthing. Took it down to the frame, did some body work & got rid of 99% of the Bondo & 100% of the GM stuff. Plan on running it for about a year in primer so all the little defects show up before the final paint job. Debating between a 91 Jag charcol gray or a pearl orange from the house of colors.

 

Wow! Very impressive list of mod's and upgrades. I thought I was doing well with the mod's I've made to my lil' 302... not that it could EVER compare to a big block CJ428. JBA definitely knows their Ford stuff, so I'd say you were wise to follow their advice on where to spend your money on the engine build. And man, what a build! Sounds like it's on some serious steroids!

Re: color...

Why not both? I've seen similar combo that on face value sounded like it wouldn't go together. But in real life, looks pretty darn good. Free's up a lot more color options for the interior, too.

If you're sticking mono-color, either one would be great. Two totally different looks, but either would be great! Bummer we have to wait a year to see the paint job. Meantime, I have a feeling you'll be gettin' yer ya-ya's driving that Wild Thang....

I'm green with envy,
Daryl

PS- FYI my mod's on 302? new balancer, steel crank, bored 40-over, Edelbrock manifold, Carter 625 AFB carb, ceramic headers (huggers, due to new IFS), Mallory distributor/Taylor wires, K&N, Aluminum GT-40 "turbo swirl" heads, CompCam 268H cam/lifter kit, Ford Racing full roller rockers (1.7's). Unsure of hp, never been dyno'd. Be-de Be-de Be-de...That's All Folks!

 

very cool truck !
If you dont mind, can you discuss the rearend installation?? i have a 1990 T bird SC IRS sitting in my shed that we were thinking of using on my 56. It looks like you used the stock cradle mounting points. this correct?? did you relocate the springs or shocks?? are the upper and lower control arms stock?? anything else?

Mark

 

Welcome to FTE! That is a Bad@ss truck you have! That motor is sick and its nice to see you going with a FE motor! Please keep us updated on your progress and feel free to ask as many questions as you like. Hope you have a fun time here, Later-4speed

 

Thanks for the welcome aboard & all the nice comments about my truck. Makes me feel good knowing other folks like my ideas & work. Doing all work except machineing of engine etc. & trading the GM gear I removed for the paint job.
Mark - I had to change the mounts for the caged rear. As you know the front ones reach up into the body a ways so I just cut the arms off & repositioned them to fit the 56 frame then welded them into place. Notched the frame & beefed it up with 2"x2" steel tube & boxed it all in. Rear mounts are bolted to steel plates that I designed to incorperate a 2" square tube spacer which can be removed or added to to change ride height if desired. Since mounting points front & rear of cage were changed the springs were a problem. I took the easy way out & went with air bags & was planning on air for the front also, but when I purchased the IFS Heidt techs said there would be handling problems with the big block so had to stick with steel springs.
If you want I can get some better pics of the install & e them to you.

 

Daryl.
Sounds like a bunch get up & go ponies will be kicking loose from your eng. also.
I'm planning down the road to redo the 428 after the rest of the truck is done.
Plans are for steel crank, full rollers, blower, forged blower pistons. alum. heads, possibly fuel injection. Thats a lot of big $ items so they will be a long way down the road.

 

Alronz,
Pix would be great, if you get the notion to and it's no trouble. Just click on "profile" at the bottom of one of my posts and it'll send you to where you can E-mail me. Thanks in advance! I look forward to seeing them... -Daryl

PS- Mr4SpeedFord knows of a website where you can estimate your engine's hp. With my spec's, my engine dyno'd out around 300-320hp. Nothing earth-shattering, but good enough for moi.

 

Alronz, there were approx 6,200 big windows, including large trucks. There are kits to convert to big windows, so who knows how many we will end up wuith?

 

Thanks Larry,
I knew about the kits etc. was just wondering about the F100 shortbed. Kits cost a lot of $ + a lot of work so that raises a new ?
How many truck owners would go through all that just to have a big window?