Hello-

I am finally about ready to tackle a rebuild of my 1972 F100 4x4.

A few questions:

1) Anyone have experience with the universal harnesses from Painless? My goal is to be able to put in a modern fuseblock. I want to be able to wire in an alarm system, modern radio and maybe electric windows. I have a new Painless universal that I bought for another project. Should I go with that or do you guys recommend something else
2) I'm a little confused about the pressure line that comes off of the power steering pump. O'reillys list three different ones, and I don't have the original to compare it to. Here is the comparison of the ones that are supposed to fit my truck: 1972 F100 4x4 power steering hose comparison . The power steering pump is a new one from Cardone
3) How big of an alternator? 100W? 150W? more? I just want to be able to run the aforementioned stereo, AC, etc.
4) Radiator suggestions are welcome. The new engine will be a 360 stroked to 431.
5) Any recommendations on what I should have bolted to the motor before I drop it in (for example, headers)? Or is it better to do all of that afterwards?





That's all I can think of at the moment. That's Penny in the foreground, itching to go for a ride

 

67-72 4wd's never had power steering so it was swapped in. What type is it, a 73-75 power assist linkage type or an integral power steering gear from a 76-79 F-100/150? Since it never had PS from the factory, you will have to measure to find the hoses that you will need, or just use the ones listed above for the type that you have. For an alternator, use a Ford 3G one as here:
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/inst...r-older-fords/

 

Sounds like a good project. For the alternator, I would go with a 3G style out of a 1990's Taurus. that way you have a 150 amp unit and it is fairly easy with a universal wiring harness. And second on the power steering, never offered on the 1967 to 1972 bump 4x4 trucks.

 

Thanks for that guys. Here is a picture of the gearbox:



Also, anyone know what that round blue pot is at the bottom of the photo? This is my first '72, none of my '76s have that.

 

Looks like the 76-79 gearbox so just get hoses for that. The blue canister is a charcoal canister which collected the fuel vapors from the gas tank, and fed them to the carb.

 

That canister is toast by now (40+ yrs on) you can either replace it or ditch it. The line back to the tank still has purpose as a fuel return line for fuel pressure regulator return line. Us with older vehicles wish we had it. I have the Holley regulator that I wish had a return line so it won't have the regulator working so hard to control the pressure.

 

I am going to go out on a limb and say that your truck has been re-bodied. What I mean is that your bump body was put on a dent chassis. Does the front axle have disc brakes? If it does a sure sign you have a later model chassis.

 

Were your '76's F250's by any chance? Or had different engines than this one? Or maybe it was just a Federal vs CA thing at that point too.
Some passenger cars got the charcoal system as far back as '69 I think, and some lighter duty trucks and utility vehicles started getting them in '70 (like the Broncos did in mid-'70 or so). But pickups were varied due to the wide range of GVWR ratings and the fact that the heavier rated trucks tended to get smog updates farther down the road than most other vehicles.
Living here in CA I thought by '71 they all had them, but as it turns out tons of the heavier trucks did not get them consistently until like '77 or maybe even '78. Others know when that happened. I learned from some of NumberDummy's posts that there were '76's and maybe '77's that did not have them.

Personally I like keeping them intact, and running return lines down the driver's side with the fuel feed line. Depends on how easy it is to convert to a return on a particular vehicle, but with the smaller rigs like I have they can get parked indoors sometimes so I like the lack of fuel smell in the air.
My F350 never gets parked indoors unfortunately, but I left it anyway. Good for everybody in general, and like the PCV system, is a smog part that does not lose you any power, and has other values. Especially the PCV system!

Good luck on the new project. Looks like fun. But better get rolling and get Penny her truck back!

Paul

 

I noticed the brake booster is also of a 1976 vintage.