This will be my build thread for this old truck. My first truck was a '64 with the short bed flareside, so that's the look I'm trying to build to; replicate the truck I had in my youth.

This truck has the 128" wheel base, styleside bed with the incorporated tool box. I bought it as a roller so didn't have to deal with disposal of an old engine. Truck is Wimbledon White over Rangoon Red. The red was re-done in its past with a rattle can paint job, but this should clean up pretty easily.

Will do a short bed swap unless I stumble on an 8' bed first. This truck has the original center console and map pocket door inserts. The truck is an Arizona survivor with little to no rust. Interior is pretty well gone, but with no rust, should clean up and paint pretty easily,

Plan:

• Install a '98 explorer 5.0l EFI I have in the shop with the 4r70 tranny that came mated to it.
• Crown Vic front sub-assembly for the front
• Put the explorer rear (3.73 Limited slip) under it, notch the frame and lower it if needed to match the crown vic front. Want to keep as close to original ride height as possible. Will move the rear forward if needed to line up with whatever bed I find.
• Bed swap to a flareside, shorten the frame to match a shortbed.
• Install bucket seats from the explorer, power driver seat, upgrade to shoulder harness seat belts. Restore the factory console.
• Add the tilt steering wheel (will "explore' using the explorer column so it has cruise)
• Add A/C. Want to see if the explorer box that goes under the hood with the evaporator and fan will fit under the hood of the truck. If so, will take the existing fan out and find a way to route air past the heater core. If this works, I can reuse the entire AC system from the exploder.
• Wheels (5x4.5) all around and tires of course.
• Not sure about color yet, have to think on that for a while.

Lots more, and will try to document progress over the next few years as I tinker with it. As my signature usually says:
"Interesting thing about hobbies, you can spend a lot more than its worth and still get your monies worth out of it."

few pics of the truck as I bought it:

 

Been doing some work on the F-100. Got the Crown Vic front assembly mocked in a couple of months ago. I may cut it in a little farther (to drop it) based on where the ride height winds up. I have to put some weight on it and the rear end to compress all the springs before I get this welded in place. Used the original rear leaf springs, but have put an exploder rear end under it for the gear ratio and limited slip features. This will match the 5.0l Exploder engine/tranny that will also go in someday (all from the same donor). I've got some pics of the front end installed as i did a little different approach than most in order to keep the truck up where it looks more natural to me.

Latest activity has been cleaning the bottom of the cab to remove the old rust proofing. Very tedious using a heat gun and scraper, but it does come off. I'll get to fenders and hood much later in the build. Also cleaned 55 years of crud off the frame and have it painted. ​​​ Had to lift the cab off the frame to get access to the top of the frame, and bottom of the cab at the frame rails, but the cab is nearly ready to go back on with new bushings. Really love Arizona vehicles as there was only surface rust that cleaned up nice with a wire brush on the drill.

Once the cab is back in place will be making brackets and installing the Exploder steering column. This will give me the cruise control as well as a nice leather wrapped wheel.

Took the power adjustable brake pedal, brake booster and the master cylinder off the 2008 Crown Vic donor for use in the truck. Separated the drive-by-wire throttle pedal from the assembly and tossed that, so now the motor only adjusts the brake pedal. I hope this works out so I can pretty much just use a toggle switch to move the pedal up and down based on where the seat adjustment winds up. Wanted to use the entire brake assembly as everything is the correct orientation and length. Will document this when I mock it up.

Note the cab is off the frame in these pics. Will get more pics once I set the cab back on the frame.


Kept the entire front section of the CV frame, so the trailing arm mount is already in place.

This is how I notched the front of the CV frame around the F-100 frame, This will be welded off when I'm done.

This is the power adjustable brake pedal assembly from the 2008 CV. The motor will hide up under the dash.

 

Posted this in the 1961-66 forums, and decided to copy it here to my build thread:

So i had bought a '98 explorer for the engine and rear axle for my '64 F-100. While parting it out, I got to looking at the A/C and wondered how I could use the system from the donor in my truck. After a few months of looking, (and drinking) and more looking, I finally got around to actually cutting and fabricating this weekend. Still have a little trimming to do, but I think this is going to work. Please note this is still in mock up mode, so may make a couple more tweaks before it goes final. Will also get paint done before final install.

The air flow will basically come into the interior just like the factory. Will pass across the heater core and out the back of the interior box into the Explorer box under the hood. Pass the fan and A/C evaporator out there, then pass back through the fire wall into the interior air box using the original '64 fan hole to be distributed.

Interior F-100 box modifications: Will be using the explorer fan located in the A/C box, so took out the F-100 fan. Cut a blank-off for the original air path to redirect the airflow. I had to relocate one of the bolt stand offs to the bottom of the box and drilled a new firewall hole for it. Cut a hole in the back of the box in the section with the heater core. Will buy a new heater core (1992 ford van rear heater core should fit) and lay it flat across this opening. The heater hoses will have to route out the bottom and through new holes in the fire wall. These will be about the only new thing visible on the interior once this is done.

Fabricated some flat stock metal to create the two air passages between the box and the interior of the fire wall. At final install, I will seal these off to the box and fire wall.

Under hood: Had to relocate some of the mounting bolts in order to clear the interior modifications to mount the explorer box. Cut a couple new holes through the fire wall. Note: In the pics i still have some trimming to do. Cut the fire wall holes a little small so I didn't have to risk patching something back in. I'm guessing that I will have to do some notches to the interior fender to clear the air box.

I know the passages through the firewall are going to be a little restricted, but that A/C for an SUV should have no issues keeping up with that small cab, which will get full insulation for these 110 degree days.

 

Latest activity has been mainly to prep for a steering column. With the CV front end under the truck tried to get the explorer steering column to work, but have decided that the fab needed for this and the look, I would just go with an aftermarket tilt column. Much easier to install and won't require that I get the steering wheel placement perfect the first time. Purchased a '67 fire wall support bracket and seal. This will move the penetration for the column above the cab seam and better align to hook up to the CV rack. The lower penetration for the original integrated column/box will be covered with a patch panel.

Now looking for the seats I want to use. I put the power bucket seat from the '98 explorer donor in, but I think it sits a little to tall. Once the seat is figured out, then I can measure and order the column. In the meantime may look for a later tilt column as those seem to be a good fit as well. I did confirm that the power adjustable pedal from the CV donor will work, so the brake booster and master cylinder to match that will go in. Final elevation of the pedal will be set and new holes in the firewall drilled once I get final seat height.