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This has turned into the build thread of a 77 Supercab body on a 99 Powerstroke Chassis. The exciting stuff starts around page 3.
I'm looking to build the familymobile as some may know. I've been looking high and low in Canada for a crew cab Ford of the dentside era. They are slim to none but there are plenty of nice supercab trucks. The question I have is how small is a supercab truck actually? Does anybody here actually transport people in the backseat of these trucks? is it really uncomfortable or just mildly so? When I was young my dad had an extended cab Ford and it was tight but it wasn't awful to ride around in until I was a grown adult on long trips. Mind you it at least had rear half doors where as the old ones do not.
Does anybody put car seats in the back seats of these trucks?
I put my 10yo, 5yo and 2yo back there all the time. I think I have another couple years till my oldest is going to have to move to the front middle but he might not like that because sitting there with the shifter sucks. I know this from my childhood lol.
2 seating options, the side jump seats or the bench, both on the small side. Kids might be ok but I'm 6'4" and I took up 3/4s of the bench turned sideways. Not comfortable. If your not pulling big trailer you might consider a 78 or 79 Bronco, about he same hassle on entry and exit as a SC but back seat was ok. I admit for a people hauler CC is the way to go, good luck on your quest.
Yes an ol 73-79 Dentside Crew Cab is all the rage now days. I agree the SC backspace is fine for kids in car seats, and younger kids up to about 16. The side folder jump seats are not for a kids car seat and not much for any one over 16. If you get a rear folder full width bench, kids car seat yes and more comfort for bigger kids. And yes you run out of leg/feet room quick.
I went through that decision recently and lack of funds steered me into the Bronco option. Like has been said, the Bronco has a good amount of backseat room. I have large kids (my 9 year old is 4'8") and I think even adult sized they will fit. I wouldn't recommend doing three across on the Bronco seat, but for two is it nice. Ingress and egress is awkward the same as it would be in a Supercab. I personally wouldn't want to do car seats in anything without dedicated doors for the car seat positions. It is just too hard to get everything fastened without being able to reach from outside the car. Standing in the footwell of the back seat to reach their buckles and then climbing out backwards is not a reasonable option. I don't feel that a Supercab has enough space for hauling kids when they start approaching adult size. Your family may be tiny though, so it may be ok (I used to have some neighbors that could ride 3up on their horse). Towing a trailer is not as convenient as having a truck bed though.
Hold out for a crew cab if that's what you really want. Making compromises on size/storage space isn't something easily remedied once it becomes an issue.
I'm single, no family. Me and 2 adult friends maxed out a supercabs space with bodies and gear, a bed topper woulda helped alot with cab space. We also ended up stopping more often to stretch legs and rotate who sat in the back, but that might be a good thing with kids, me personally i want to drive till i get where I'm going.
I have a 79 supercab and my 3 and 6 year old don’t complain. They love riding in the “orange truck”. There are some things you can do to help the situation too. Buckets with no center console will allow at least one tall person the leg room they need and it makes for an easy way to get into the back too. They sell a riser kit for the rear bench to lift it 4ish inches. This makes it more comfortable for adult or taller people. I built my own 2” riser and it seems to be working good. Bucket seats allow for the passenger bucket to give more rear leg room and the driver still be where they want to be. We run one kid on the passenger rear and one kid in the middle rear cause my driver seat is pretty far back. I’m 6’2” and for a good driving position I need the drivers seat back but when my wife drives I can be comfortable in the passenger seat with it up for plenty of rear leg room.
I had thought about mounting regular sized bucket seat on custom mounts in the rear to angle them slightly to center. Similar to the useless factory jump seats, but mounted at a 45 angle. Should gain a few inches of leg room but you'll lose the 5th seat position. I'd be looking for some some late model seats out of a midsize sedan or a compact/sports car. They'll be really comfortable and small enough to mount, relatively, tight in the corner. Some of them have the seat belts built into the seat which makes the swap that much easier.
I routinely put 3 young teens in the back of my 79 supercab. They don't seem to complain, but it is getting tighter back there for the 13 year old boys. They need to stop growing.
I do have the bench seat back there.
I did have booster seats back there when they were younger also.
There isn't much more room in a crew cab than supercab...however there IS more room. (probably comparable to a modern extended cab truck)
I have had 3 supercabs and 2 crews all in 4x4 variety.
This is my only truck - so I wanted the 8' bed...you know...a MAN's truck. LOL
Forward facing kids seats go in the back..front seat may not be able to be fully back or it could be too close to toddler's legs.
Booster seats no problem.
Without booster front seat can be back all the way no issue.
Rear facing baby seat i put front center if wife is also riding.
Would be a hassle if truck is manual - mine is an auto.
I installed rear 3pt belts for extra safety as the kids graduate to boosters and then without.
Baby seats wtih 4pt belts are good with just a lap-belt.
Also installed a 95ish rear bench and modified the seat brackets to raise it up about 2.5" so it's tight to that back "rub rail" that runs around the interior of the truck .
Also put some fold-up cup holders in the back for the kiddo's.
There isn't much more room in a crew cab than supercab...however there IS more room. (probably comparable to a modern extended cab truck)
I have had 3 supercabs and 2 crews all in 4x4 variety.
This is my only truck - so I wanted the 8' bed...you know...a MAN's truck. LOL
Forward facing kids seats go in the back..front seat may not be able to be fully back or it could be too close to toddler's legs.
Booster seats no problem.
Without booster front seat can be back all the way no issue.
Rear facing baby seat i put front center if wife is also riding.
Would be a hassle if truck is manual - mine is an auto.
I installed rear 3pt belts for extra safety as the kids graduate to boosters and then without.
Baby seats wtih 4pt belts are good with just a lap-belt.
Also installed a 95ish rear bench and modified the seat brackets to raise it up about 2.5" so it's tight to that back "rub rail" that runs around the interior of the truck .
Also put some fold-up cup holders in the back for the kiddo's.
There isn't much more room in a crew cab than supercab...however there IS more room. (probably comparable to a modern extended cab truck)
Keep telling yourself that LOL
87' F350 XLT Lariat dually crew 460 10.000 GVWR Dana 70 LS hauling home a 76' highboy chassis
I am speaking about dentside's since that is what this thread is about.
From post #1:
I'm looking to build the familymobile as some may know. I've been looking high and low in Canada for a crew cab Ford of the dentside era.
There is no question that 80+ yrs got alot bigger and more useful.
First off I love your truck and think it is one of the best examples of making a super cab family friendly I've ever seen. My suggestion was more rather then give up on the crew idea because of price an availability constraints of the 73-79 era trucks it's worth a look at the 80's era trucks before they too are unavailable and or overpriced. The F350 was still carburated and non-catalyst through the 87' model year.
Packed up for family vaca - 2 adults and 4 kids with plenty of room IMO.
Bench seats F/R.
My wife has a new Ford Expedition Max - not enough room in it without a roof carrier so we took the truck.
I have a thing for white - here is one of my crew's I sold a few years back....those are 40" tires and getting kids in it was harder than my supercab....but the height thing is self-inflicted. The doors on that building are 10'6" tall for reference.
LOL 
