Laws change in the period of the build. In my case, I bought my panel in 1980. 1984 ??? in CA they passed a law all vehicles if not being operated have to go non-op, 5 bucks a year. So fast forward to today when I am thinking of putting it on the road I have a new set of requirements. If the vehicle is not on the non-op program and has been out of the system for 7 years, I have to go thru basicly all the requirements as bringing a vehicle back to life. Alot of hurdles. So basicly if I was to do it again I will register at the time and save alot of hassle. One scenario is if the vehicle gets stolen while it is not registered to you, good luck getting it back if the original owner is not around.

 

So update! Good news and bad news...

Good news: my prep of my work area (proper ventilation, materials ready to use, etc) allowed me to use the aircraft stripper with resounding success!! The paint came off with ease, and minimal rust (read: nothing more the slight surface rust) was present once stripping the paint. What I thought was possibly rust under the paint turned out to be just a REALLY bad paint job. I could read the VIN clear as day.

Bad news: It turns out I don't own a '53 F100. After reading the VIN (F10V5D19838), it turns out I have a 1955 F100, built in Dallas with the 239ci V-8. That said, I've contacted the seller to get a new bill of sale before I contact the police for a VIN check. I did this for 2 reasons:
1.) To register the vehicle, I can't walk in with a BOS for a '53 and a VIN for a '55. The DMV doesn't hire the brightest bulbs, but I can't imagine they're that ignorant.
and 2.) if the VIN comes back stolen, I want proof of the previous owner saying "this is a legitimate sale, blah blah blah" so that I can avoid any heat with the fuzz.

I had to be delicate with the wording of my request to the PO for a new bill of sale. I phrased it in a non-accusatory manner, simply stating that I'd need an updated BOS for registration. I figured that would be better than "turns out you had no idea what you were selling me, and I need you to say you sold me the right truck in case it comes back stolen, so you go to prison instead of me."

 

That is good news. Good move looking for the VIN info right away. Very different ask if you wait months prior to making the same request.

 

Once you get that truck's Id sorted, you should be well on your way. with that incredible parts list you have bought yourself a bargain! Well done!
I guess on the flipside, while you have had good fortune, it sounds like the seller has fallen on hard times, and that would be a sad thing to hear.

 

Thanks! Yeah, I wanted to get into the motor (that'll be the first task after I sort out this identity crisis), but I realized that I should probably make sure it was a legal purchase before I sink thousands into it.

I thought it was a pretty good deal, too! I have plenty of parts that I don't need, and some of them were in pretty sketchy condition (i.e., he gave me the window trim/liner, but it was folded up, and since it's metal, it was pretty much trashed). And don't feel bad for the seller. The ad made it sound like he was falling on hard times, but after talking with him, I found out he had really just grown tired of the project and needed the money to buy his 18-year-old son a 'Cuda. He had apparently also bought his wife some personal flotation devices, which she had surgically strapped to her chest.

 

I like how you just changed the title of the build thread. I was very confused when I saw two similarly titled emails, but both linked back to the same thread.

 

Hahaha. I figured if people were going to search, I might as well change the title to accurately depict the thread topic. I tried doing a strikethrough of the "1953", but it didn't like that. :P So fear not! I only have 1 build going on, and it is for a 1955 F100.

 

Quick update:

After 2 calls to the local police precinct, they were finally able to send someone out who had the time to run the VIN. The first time I called was at like 9:30pm on a Friday night, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise when the cop threw the paperwork in my face (literally) and ran from my doorstep before completing the report. BUT! The second officer was much nicer, and verified that there was no report of it being stolen. Huzzah!

So this brings me to my current to-do list:
- Tear down the 400M motor, have it hot tanked and magnafluxed to check for cracks. No since in dumping money in a motor that will just fail on me shortly thereafter.
- Sell spare parts (fiberglass hood, 2 fiberglass rear fenders, 2 steel rear fenders)
- Clean rust off of door hinges and spray with some kind of primer to prevent surface rust from coming back.
- Box the frame


To expand on my to-do list (for those that are interested)...

After talking with some friends (who are much wiser than I am), I think that the 400M motor has a lot of potential, and I think it's worth building (assuming it's in good condition). 4bbl carb and headers at the minimum. We'll see though. I know Tim Meyer is a good starting point for rebuilding the 400M, but I haven't emailed him yet.

When I bought the truck, it came with a lot of parts. In fact, it was all parts. This included 2 hoods (one fiberglass, one steel); 2 steel front fenders; and 4 rear fenders (2 fiberglass, 2 steel), which I don't need (I have a stake bed). I don't need the fiberglass hood (I like the idea of keeping steel where possible) or any of the 4 rear fenders, so I'm looking to sell those to fund the engine build.

For the door hinges, I'm looking to get the rust off. It's not much (basically surface rust), but I don't want to grind the rust into the body when I fasten them. Then I'll blast them with some primer to keep them from rusting again. Anybody have any suggested primers? Will anything do? I'd need something in a rattle-can, as I don't have any spray equipment. Also, does anyone know if there is a specific torque for the bolts to attach the hinge to the door or frame?

Finally, I also think I need to box the frame. While I am currently going to stick with the stock suspension set-up and just focus on getting the truck back on the road (so I can get some enjoyment out of it), the end goal will be to go with a full independent suspension set-up. I've read that boxing the frame is necessary for full IS, and that'll be easier to do now (as I do not have really anything attached to the frame). As I build the truck, that will become much more difficult to do. I have a tendency to over-think things (while severely under-thinking other things), but I think this is best done now. I also tend to try to finish the entire project at once, instead of taking baby steps (i.e., get it back on the road, then worry about upgrades). But again, I think it would be worthwhile to do the boxing now rather than as an upgrade later.

 

Since you have a C6 trans that mates to your 400M, you should keep the 400M or start looking for a 429 or 460. The bell housing bolt pattern on your C6 will not mate to a 351C or 351W. The 400M can be made to be respectable. Check the block and head casting numbers to discover the module year of the engine. Edebrock sell a 4V intake and a cam kit, but even in stock form it will move your 53 just fine.

 

Yeah, I'm planning on keeping the 400M for now (pending the block isn't cracked). If the block is cracked, I'll re-assess my plans.

 

I'd be interested in any extra parts you have, PM sent

 

PM replied. I'm sure I have a ton of extra parts, but the body panels are what I'd like to get rid of first -- they're pretty bulky, and are just getting in the way right now.

 

Hey Grif,
I would definitely keep the 400M if I were you. I dont know why people poo-poo them so much. Sure, they didnt come from the FPR stables but they are strong and reliable and with cam, carb and exhaust you will easily get 350hp out of it which is more then enough mumbo for a '55 pickup to move down the road with authority!!

Unsure of your location but I would be interested in the sheetmetal if you are in SoCal.

Cheers,
Tricky

 

Goodness gracious. I was ambitious two and a half years ago. So... quick update: nothing has happened in 2.5 years, except one of the tires dry-rotted and will no longer hold air. That said, I'm trying to get back into this project. My focus has changed a little bit on the direction, but I'm stuck in a bit of a "paralysis by analysis" situation, so looking for some advice:

The truck is essentially in a bunch of parts. The cab is mounted, and there's most of the suspension there, but... that's about it. So I figured the first place to start was to figure out what I want out of the suspension. Here's my list:

• First and foremost, I want this to be a "daily driver" (feel comfortable driving it to work, which can involve sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic for 30-45 minutes).
• Lowered ride height. Not looking to be a snow plow, but tucking a couple inches of rubber would be nice.
• I want it to handle nicely. Something that will be smooth and handle some curvy mountain roads. Probably won't autocross it (and definitely not competing to win, if I did), but would like something that can be a bit nimble.
• Not looking to break the bank.
• Hoping to utilize some of the parts I already have, which include my Ford 400M motor + C6 transmission + Ford 9" rear, if it makes sense.
• While ride quality and handling are important, I don't want to lose the ability to make a Home Depot run or occasionally pull a trailer (UHaul or another project car or whatever). It's not going to be a workhorse, but I don't want it to be useless as a truck.

So I'm thinking a Mustang II front, but I don't know what for the back. I have a Ford 9", so... best I can tell, an IRS is out of the question. But what to do instead? It's not intended to be a drag strip monster nor a tugboat. If there's a compelling argument for going IRS, I'm interested in hearing it.

Edited To Add: I'm asking this now, because if I need to box the frame (something I would need to do with the Mustang II), it's going to be easier to do this now, while it's already in a million pieces. But I need to know what to do with the rear suspension before I figure out if I need to box the entire frame, front to back. Flipping the rear end, removing leaf springs, and/or shifting the rear leafs up would not require boxing.