I haven't been on this site for 10 years but it feels good to be back with a project in mind. I got lost in the crew cab only thread, and ran out of time to read all 180 pages.....

I hauled home a 73 2wd F350 crew the other day. At some point it gained a 4bbl 390 and lost most of the factory AC components. It sports the usual cab roof and front cab mount/floor rust. Not much of the box will remain when we get done.

I have a few conversion questions. I hope to make this 4x4, and someday will have a 5.4 or 6.8 under the hood. The plan was to remove the components from a 78 F250 4x4 and bolt them under the 73. I am looking for advice on things to avoid or to consider before diving in head first with this idea. I have been in love with this body style since high school when my grandpa gave me his 79 F100. That truck is gone now, but the infatuation remains. I have not done any major modifying to these trucks before, and have only recently become aware of differences like the frame widths and such.

In looking at my box a bit more, and considering the availability of solid replacements in North Dakota, are there any flaws in the plan of just ordering the whole page for a long box out of LMC truck?

These are a few beginning thoughts, I am sure I will come up with more questions that have been answered many times on here. I plan to continue exploring the site, and yet hopefully get some info specifically relating to my project from some of you with a lot more experience.

 

Howdy from SK. Im 2 hours NW of Minot.

 

Southern Truck sells rust free GM, Chevrolet, GMC, Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Jeep, Toyota, Mazda, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan truck parts and also does truck restorations and customized paint jobs.

 

I'd look into swapping in the whole suspension out of an 05 up Super Duty 4x4.

 

Thanks for the response. Are there any threads relating to using the 05+ axle? That seems like a good thing to look at a bit more or find a wrecked v10 truck and buy the whole thing. I don't mind pioneering such a conversion, but if someone else has done it already would help me avoid some mistakes. As luck would have it, a coworker heard about the truck purchase and came over later to visit. His grandpa has a 79 2wd 150 with some very nice doors and what appears to be a nice solid box. My brother in law is a bodyman, so he is going to check it out tomorrow. Some dents and dings, but the trim is near perfect on it. My concern is that it is the wider frame width. Is it a big deal to make my own holes, or can a bracket be fabbed on the narrow frame and use the original box holes? I'll try to get some pics up, I know that is what people like. Even pics of someone's junk is better than all this text.

 

Before I hauled her home. Air in the tires gives it a little better attitude

 

 

For inspiration, here are some pics from last weekend's West Coast Nationals. Specs are 521BBF/FAST EFI/C6/NP205/Dana 60s with 5.14s(?). Re-ached leaf springs, 40-inch tires. 38-gallon rear tank and a honkin' mid-ship tank. Well appointed IMO.:










My favorite detail... under-dash trim to cover the firewall junk.

 

That is beautiful. I suppose the trim under the dash becomes a necessity when your truck is lifted to the point of the dash being eye level for some people.....

 

Hello all, I am about to undertake this same adventure, trying to put my 1974 F30 SuperCrew on a newer truck chassis with a 7.3 diesel powerplant. It seems many have done this but not many I can talk to. Would appreciate any advise based on lessons learned on recommended frame and chassis etc.