Well, I've started thinking more about what I'd like to do with this truck (that is, if I do finally purchase it...not like it's going anywhere), and I have three things in mind.

First: It has that big flatbed, and there's an extension welded onto the frame which supports the back of said flatbed, far as I can tell. So I'm thinking, if the original frame is the same as an F-100, for example, wouldn't one of those beds work on this truck? I think the running boards aren't as long as ones for a bedded pickup, but that shouldn't be too hard of a fix. Anyone know if an F-100 bed will fit an F-350? 1954 model, mind you.

Second: As a part of this swap, I'm pretty sure I'd want to convert from a dually axle to a normal axle, so the bed wouldn't have to have fenderwells on the inside. I just so happen to have a 1979 Ford E-250 Van sitting by my shop with what I have determined to be either a Dana 60 or 61 (or was that 70 or 71?), full floating, with 3.73 gears, that I thought might be useable for this application. Again, any ideas?

Finally: As a result of stealing the van's 302 to rebuild for my 67 Fairlane, I have a decent C6 transmission and a 302 block that needs one cylinder sleeved, both sitting around collecting dust. Thought that if I was going to do some swapping on the truck, I might as well go all out and do an engine swap.

Well, those are my thoughts for now. Getting kinda late, so I'm gonna go to bed, but hopefully some of yous guys can get some of your own thoughts going about this and guide me a little. G'night.

-Josh

Oh, and I noticed that when you hit the brakes, it REALLY pulls to the left.

 

Josh

Measure the wheelbase (from center to center on the wheels). The guys can identify it easy and offer advice. An F100 bed is shorter than F250 or F350. You can shorten it if it's a big truck. Some of the guys here have done it.

 

I don't know if it matters, but the 8ft and 6.5ft beds are different load widths also.

For the 56 trucks, measured across the inside of the bed, it's 49 inches across on the 6.5ft bed vs. 54 inches on the 8ft bed. Measuring tire center to tire center, the 8 ft bed is 62 inches across while the F-100 is 60 inches.

For the pulling brakes, my first action would be to bleed them and see if that fixes it.

ROB

 

So, if I did switch out the axles, I could get a bed made for a 54 F350 that isn't a dually?

 

Ok, I did some measuring last night, and here's what I got: from the back of the cab to the back of the original frame, it's 8 feet 3 inches (give or take an inch), and the flatbed is 10 ft (give or take an inch). So would this have an 8 ft or 9 ft bed? I know it's like I keep asking the same questions, but I'm just trying to understand. And on that matter, does anyone have the specs for the bodies and all, like, is the F100 cab the same size as the F350 cab, or is the 350 wider or something?

Oh, and I got a lot of pictures last night, but I can't post them until I get them on my computer (borrowed a camera from someone and they didn't give me the drivers to get the card reader to work on my computer). Later.