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1961 - 1966 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Slick Sixties Ford Truck

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Old Aug 16, 2019 | 08:10 AM
  #1  
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wanta65
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Quandry

i have a nice 65 alabama truck with almost no rust, cab corners and mounts are perfect.
it already has a 351 windsor with disc brakes.
however, i want a full custom, fuel injected, bagged truck with other non standard items.
i hate to cut up a real nice truck to customize like i want.
i can't find a decent but rougher truck to customize.
what should i do?
 
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Old Aug 16, 2019 | 08:36 AM
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Well, since want opinions I'll throw my mine in here.
That sounds like too nice of a truck to hack up into a hot rod, I'd leave it alone and fun with what you have. Original trucks are getting harder and harder to find every day and once you modify it heavily it probably won't be worth anything to anyone but you. Of course this is your truck and you can do whatever you please with it, I just look at hot rodded cars and trucks that are sold at a fraction of what it cost to build them . Although to think about is what will a fuel injected engine do that a 351w won't do? A 351 will easily smoke tires if that's your thing.
 
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Old Aug 16, 2019 | 08:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Kesselrun
Well, since want opinions I'll throw my mine in here.

That sounds like too nice of a truck to hack up into a hot rod, I'd leave it alone and fun with what you have. Original trucks are getting harder and harder to find every day... .
It's not original, because it has a swapped in 351W and disc brakes. Plus, there are no pics and what one persons description is...can be vastly different when others look at it.

These trucks are not rare, so if the OP wants to make a full custom out of it, with a gazillion HP engine...so be it.
 
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Old Aug 16, 2019 | 09:20 PM
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CJ McGee
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Originally Posted by wanta65
i have a nice 65 alabama truck with almost no rust, cab corners and mounts are perfect.
it already has a 351 windsor with disc brakes.
however, i want a full custom, fuel injected, bagged truck with other non standard items.
i hate to cut up a real nice truck to customize like i want.
i can't find a decent but rougher truck to customize.
what should i do?
Doesn't seem to be totally original, and these trucks are plentiful. Build what you like. Personally I like the look of the trucks relatively stock, so mine will stay that way. I have installed disk brakes and other aftermarket parts, but I also have the original style wheels and hubcaps just because I like them. BUT on those original wheels, I have slightly larger tires because the stock tires look a bit small to my eyes. Build the truck for your own likes, but be careful because some modifications are pretty much permanent.
 
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Old Aug 17, 2019 | 08:10 AM
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The truck is already modified and odds are it will never go back to 100% original. It's your truck so do whatever you want with it.
 
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Old Aug 17, 2019 | 04:51 PM
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i don't want massive power, just a mild cam and low low stance.
i'm thinking Roadster Shop chassis and LS power.
 
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Old Aug 17, 2019 | 09:28 PM
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if you want LS power you should buy an Apache.
 
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Old Aug 18, 2019 | 06:53 AM
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i've got a 57 apache but learned to drive in a 65 f100, hence they are special to me.
it was fun trying to keep the thing in the road with worn out front end. the thing would jump right or left 2 feet.
i've driven fords(5) all my life, rebuilt several ford v8 engines.
i like the internal design of windsor 351, not so much on the 302.
i hate the fact that they increase displacement at the top of cylinders instead of at crank like a chevy. can't interchange parts because of this.
seems the 351 is under powered for the amount of gas they use. it got 10 mpg and struggled to pull a small boat.
maybe their injected engines are better but i have no experience with those.
i am impressed with my old chevy pickup with LS engine. the thing will fly and gets almost 20 miles per gallon.
why are ford diehards so touchy about using a different engine?
 
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Old Aug 19, 2019 | 05:22 AM
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Not a Ford diehard, I like all American iron, just don't see why anyone would want to switch engine brands. If it's a Chevy it should have a Chevy heartbeat, if it's a Ford it should have a Ford.

Oh and your engine comparison is a computer controlled FI chevy vs. a ford with a carb. All the FI engines are better mpg out of the box.
 
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Old Aug 19, 2019 | 09:59 AM
  #10  
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I say go for it. If it was a concours level resto you were after then no, but as others pointed out it has already been changed. Personally I love the custom stuff and it has to start somewhere. It might as well have a good canvas to start on.
 
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Old Aug 20, 2019 | 09:13 PM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by wanta65
i've got a 57 apache but learned to drive in a 65 f100, hence they are special to me.
it was fun trying to keep the thing in the road with worn out front end. the thing would jump right or left 2 feet.
i've driven fords(5) all my life, rebuilt several ford v8 engines.
i like the internal design of windsor 351, not so much on the 302.
i hate the fact that they increase displacement at the top of cylinders instead of at crank like a chevy. can't interchange parts because of this.
seems the 351 is under powered for the amount of gas they use. it got 10 mpg and struggled to pull a small boat.
maybe their injected engines are better but i have no experience with those.
i am impressed with my old chevy pickup with LS engine. the thing will fly and gets almost 20 miles per gallon.
why are ford diehards so touchy about using a different engine?
I feel like a night of provocative typing. I like all the domestics too and have owned lots of GM. I too huff at the idea of a Chevy engine in a Ford. Everything in this world seems brainwashed toward Chev as the only existence. It is nice to be unique. We live in a smallblock 350 posi rearend world when cruising in our stepsides with our No Draft windows open. I took my beater 88 Ranger to the parking lot of a big car show (not entered of course) and a kid commented I had a cool S10. I told him it was a Ford Ranger and he said no such thing. We barked for a bit and then I growled and pointed to the tailgate that had FORD stamped on it. Kid says "I didn't know Ford made an S10" (angry red face by me). Dare to be different and keep it Ford powered if in a Ford vehicle but to each his own. Hopefully this explains why some are adverse to an LS in a Ford.
 
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Old Aug 20, 2019 | 09:22 PM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by EricJ
Not a Ford diehard, I like all American iron, just don't see why anyone would want to switch engine brands. If it's a Chevy it should have a Chevy heartbeat, if it's a Ford it should have a Ford.

Oh and your engine comparison is a computer controlled FI chevy vs. a ford with a carb. All the FI engines are better mpg out of the box.
My preference is injected over carbs as well but thought would point out my 1992 F250 4x4 with an injected 5.8L 351 c.i. gets dog poopie mileage. I only paid $800 for it and it has never seen a lick of maintenance in its life especially since I bought it. I agree with the OP with the lack of power. I was towing just shy of 9000 lbs with it and there was an angry mob stuck behind me that I could not pull away from.
 
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Old Aug 21, 2019 | 03:18 PM
  #13  
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overhead cam and deep throat spark plugs are what kills a ford engine for me.
i could handle it otherwise.
 
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Old Aug 21, 2019 | 03:54 PM
  #14  
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From: Great White North
Originally Posted by wanta65
overhead cam and deep throat spark plugs are what kills a ford engine for me.
i could handle it otherwise.
Aye! Good comeback. That is why I shopped for a used Ranger with the 3.0
 
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