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1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Early Eighties Bullnose Ford Truck

Cab and Chassis Frame Rust

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Old Feb 21, 2016 | 10:32 PM
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Cab and Chassis Frame Rust

I'd posted this in another thread I started but I'd derailed from the original title so much that I thought it better to duplicate it off as a new one. Hope that's OK.

In my search for a c&c truck that's drive able and restorable I've checked out a couple lately and on both of them found the rust seen in the photo. It looks like the curve of the frame, back and behind cab, was reinforced (factory I assume since both have it identically) with a bolted on band. Over the years it appears rust has taken hold and warped both the frame lip and the band. In between is a very thick flaky rust layer. Is this really common (in regions prone to rust)? The first one I saw, I thought it might have been a one-off but then shortly saw it on the second. Is the frame feasibly/easily salvageable or fairly done for when it's like this? I've got some closer photos but this one shows the waves due to where bolts are (and aren't) on the band. Like I said, I want a project but aside from some frame surface rust and such, I am not wanting the frame to be the project part.
Anyone ever dealt with this?

 
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Old Feb 22, 2016 | 02:24 PM
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Very common in the northeast. All you can do is beat on it with a hammer to knock as much of it out as you can, and then soak it with rust converter. After hitting it with a hammer, if there is nothing left then you have frame work to do.

As you are finding out the cab and chassis were work trucks. Just like the crew cabs, they were bought for people to make money with, so they were rarely babied and used to the max till there is not much life left.
 
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Old Feb 22, 2016 | 04:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Franklin2
Very common in the northeast. All you can do is beat on it with a hammer to knock as much of it out as you can, and then soak it with rust converter. After hitting it with a hammer, if there is nothing left then you have frame work to do.

As you are finding out the cab and chassis were work trucks. Just like the crew cabs, they were bought for people to make money with, so they were rarely babied and used to the max till there is not much life left.

I was afraid of that. Yeah, I completely get the "a work truck's treated like a work truck" so none of conditions surprise me, just hoping for a good base to start from frame-wise.
Are there any later and bolt-on interchangeable years that didn't do the reinforcement band thing and may not have this issue?

Side question: dual c&c axles bolt right into a srw 4x4 c&c, right?
 
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Old Feb 23, 2016 | 07:11 PM
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Originally Posted by kramttocs
I was afraid of that. Yeah, I completely get the "a work truck's treated like a work truck" so none of conditions surprise me, just hoping for a good base to start from frame-wise.
Are there any later and bolt-on interchangeable years that didn't do the reinforcement band thing and may not have this issue?

Side question: dual c&c axles bolt right into a srw 4x4 c&c, right?
Did they make a srw cab and chassis? Never seen one.

If you want a frame without the band you will need a pickup frame. Your one other option is to buy a cab and chassis dually, AND buy a 2wd dually pickup with a good frame(2wd's usually do have better frames). You would need to make sure the 2wd dually had the same rearend ratio as the cab and chassis, then you could swap the dually 4x4 frontend up under the 2wd pickup. It's not totally a bolt in, some rivet grinding and hole drilling is required. But you would end up with a dually 4x4 pickup with a good frame. And you could put a pickup bed on it, or a flatbed on it.

The cab and chassis dually rearend won't fit under the pickup frame.
 
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Old Feb 24, 2016 | 10:20 PM
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You're right, they didn't. Looked at too many trucks lately and getting my wires crossed. Thanks for the swap ideas. Keeping my eyes open.


Originally Posted by Franklin2
Did they make a srw cab and chassis? Never seen one.

If you want a frame without the band you will need a pickup frame. Your one other option is to buy a cab and chassis dually, AND buy a 2wd dually pickup with a good frame(2wd's usually do have better frames). You would need to make sure the 2wd dually had the same rearend ratio as the cab and chassis, then you could swap the dually 4x4 frontend up under the 2wd pickup. It's not totally a bolt in, some rivet grinding and hole drilling is required. But you would end up with a dually 4x4 pickup with a good frame. And you could put a pickup bed on it, or a flatbed on it.

The cab and chassis dually rearend won't fit under the pickup frame.
 
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