I just found a 64 for sale. I am not sure what model it is (F100, etc). The sign in the window says that it has a 351W engine. The interior and paint are pretty rough, although the metal "seems" to be in good shape (have only seen the truck in the dark). My questions are; did 1964 F series pickups come with the 351W or is this a modification? Also, what would be a fair price to ask/pay for this truck. I realize it is difficult to give a price without seeing the truck, but a ballpark figure will be good enough. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

 

I'll hop in and give some of these questions a try... the truck came with a choice of 223, 262 sixes or a 292 Y block V8. A 351w is a much more modern engine, which if it really is there, has been transplanted. Good engine, but definitely not original.

Price is gonna depend on the shape of the body, among other factors.
Peel back the floor mat and look under the clutch pedal location where the floor changes planes, for rotted out cab mounts/floors. Look carefully at the bottoms of the doors, the door sills, and the "steps" inside the cab for signs of major rusting. Look at the back bottom of the cab, below the gap where the box meets the cab.
Are the cab corners rotted out? Check the drip rail around the top of the cab for rust. One of the most common places is the very front of the hood. Rust there is a sign of bad things to come. Check the radiator support, just below the headlights, where it meets the gravel valence behind the bumper. Is it rotten in there? Those are very expensive to replace.


The above are common places for those trucks to rust. Oh, and did I mention, do your checking in the daylight

Good luck!

 

Chris, ringo gave a pretty good list of common rust locations, to which I will add the front cab mounts as well. They are hard to replace, unless you are doing a full restore.

Conceptually, the price depends a whole lot on your location and who else likes the truck. Running "driver" trucks cost more, though not necesarily are worth more. If you are very unhandy or impatient, then you have to buy one that already runs. But the long term areas that will give you the most trouble are the rust spots that Ringo points out.

Perhaps the best "deals" out there are trucks that cosmetically are rough, yet have no rust, and have either no engine or a siezed one. You can often get them for a song (as in under $500), then drop a different engine/tranny in, and you are rolling.

A high end restore might net a slick that is worth $15000 but not ever much more, A good running truck with no rust and a nice looking paint job, might be worth 3-5k depending on location. A rough looking rusted up truck, with a good engine, will still bring 1-2k in most parts, but that is no good deal in the long run.

 

Chris,
Welcome to FTE. this 61-66 forum is the place for info/tech on these great Slicks!
There is a lot of knowledge, advice, and opinion, to be found here for sure. I hope we can be helpful to you, and hope you enjoy our world of Slick 60s FoMoCO trucks. I'm sure most of us do, and I know I certailny do. So welcome aboard Chris........

FWIW
If '64 has 351 Windsor engine, then as already established, somebody added it later.

That means creating some way to mount it and some way to mount a transnmission in there also, since 64 & earlier frame/ chassis does not accomodate engines later than 64. FoMoCo made major changes which included subtle changes with '65 year models in all vehicles. 61 thru 66 F series trucks look very similar & they are same "style" but they're definitely NOT same Substance or technology. 1964s are last year of a design that began in 57. Very little interchanges between 61-64 and 65-66 versions.

I'd inspect structural integrity & workmanship of how the later powertrain has been installed very carefully. Many folks do lots of work, but not all do all work well, if you catch my drift there. I see some pretty "funky" set ups around folks have done.

Newer design & technology of 65s is basically same design, mechanically speaking, all the way thru 79. Even later parts & components interchange thru 96s, in some cases. Bottom line with this info is while 65 & 66 are easily upgraded with safety/performance features in a "bolt up, bolt on" manner, 64 & earlier are not. That is not to say the 57 thru 64s can not be upgraded, as they certainly can, BUT it's a matter of how much time, effort, and money somebody wants to throw at doing it.

My point is while 65 & 66 can be virtually bolted together to be upgraded, the earlier models can not, which means someone made engine mounts, or bought aftermarket conversion kits and had to buy, make, or convert some sort of crossmember for the transmission to mount on since 64s sort of "hung" off back of bellhousing, early chevy style, and did not have a trans mount X-Member.

There is no engine bellhousing from a 64 that will bolt onto a 351 Windsor engine. For one thing 221, 260 and early 289 CID windsors were 5 bolt bellhousings. 1965 up 289-302-351W etc used a 6 bolt bellhousings. They do not interchange. 65 & later engines can't be "simply" bolted in 64 & earlier trucks with readily available OEM Script parts.

Another factor you may want to consider is, a 64's single I beam Front Axle with dual front leaf springs. They ride hard & steer terrible compared to 65 & later twin I beam IFS system. Also it's a monkey goat rope to upgrade 64 & earlier to disc brakes, power disc brakes, Power steering and so forth. Yet 65 is just a matter of bolting on/up what you want from later model FoMoCo F Series truck.

About only 61 thru 64 I'd mess with is integral bed SWB F100. If so, 1st thing I'd do is get it to sit on a later chassis, which is also a lot of hassle & work in comparison to bolting a 65 or 66 on a later, upgraded, chassis. My 66 is on a 79 Chassis which more fits my idea of what I want. It was almost a direct bolt up upgrade. Cab & nose were bolt up, the bed took some creativity but nothing major. It all works well and looks like it belongs there too. . . .

I'm not trying to diss 57 to 64's for any reason. I apologize if some are upset by my statements. Other than dissing 57-64s here, I feel someone buying one should know where they stand & what they're up against if they have notions of upgrading and/ or retro fitting stuff to bring their early slick out of mid 20th century & into 21st century where we are now. As a Long Long time Hot Rodder, whole idea of "rodding" has been to apply improved technology to less advanced, often much more stylish & desirable, perhaps even more classic bodied vehicle. Some are easier than others to do. That is the case with Slicks & a serious divisional difference between 57-64 0r 65-79 models.

Again I apologize if I ruffled anybodys' feathers & once more, Welcome to FTE Chris.
FBp

 

What FBp said.
I knew (or thought I knew) the differences between twin I trucks and straight axle trucks before I even bought my '64. But, in retrospect, my life would have been so much easier if I had held out for the '65-66 that I was originally looking for.

"Bolt on" beats "invent and create" for some one of my skill level, any day.

 

Thank you all for the info. I did get to look at the truck again briefly in the daylight, and it doesn't look too bad. I haven't looked at any of the trouble areas yet so I don't know its true condition. The guy is asking 7k OBO. The initerior doesn't look too bad. All of the factory gauges are still there. It also has a B&M shifter installed. I will use all of the pointers to come to a decision. Again, thanks.

Chris

 

$7000 for an unfinished truck? Laugh laugh laugh lauigh laugh laugh laugh .............

You may haw some trouble getting this guy to realize that he cannot ask a price that is anywhere close that. Ok to make him a much more realistic offer, like maybe 2k, but he doesn't seem to realize that you cannot get 7k for an unfinished, unrestored truck. Especially one like a 64, which is not particularly desirable. You are lucky to get 7k for the whole thing when you are done and its perfect.

 

Especially one like a 64, which is not particularly desirable.

OUCH! My toes hurt. Thats OK, we all like differant stuff

 

Tiremine. Reality is a cold slap in the face to us '64 owners.
Check ebay sometime, you can get a really nice finished truck for 7 bills.

I have a '64, and mine is a Merc, supposedly more rare. I am scared to total up the bills but I am well past 12,000 in to it, and it has not got paint on it yet.
Finished, I doubt if I could get 8 for it. Restoration sucks, so far as retail prices go, but one day we will catch up to the fat-fender boyz. Just not tomorrow.

 

Tiremine -- I didn't say that it was "undesireable"

 

Just kidding around guys, I've got pretty thick skin anyway.
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and my eyes glaze over everytime I walk through the garage. Like you said Ringo, we ain't building these things to make money.

 

I've got a '64 4X4 almost fully restored and absolutely rust free. I'd love someone to give me $5 grand for it, and 4X4's are hard to find. It has sentimental value, but I'm more sentimental about greenbacks. Plus the Issue mentioned above about the difference between 61-64 and the later year models. You can't easily modify these trucks...

 

Hello All! I am new to this forum. I was just given two '63 uni's and am trying to research them. I've been reading FTE for what seems like 15 hours straight. Let me start off by thanking everyone for all of the indispensable info. Also great to see a forum were everyone is not trying to one-up each other!
Both trucks are 2X. One truck is a SB w/ a wrecked front end. The other is a LB. Both have had the drive lines removed. My plans are to build resto-rod daily driver that can pull a car trailer, have late model interior and get desent mileage(meaning FI & OD). Planning on the Industrial Chassis cross member. Already have a 9". I've restored quite a few vehicles so I don't scare easy but I am doing this project on a "junk yard budget" I would love to hear any and all opinions on how to spec out this truck. I've heard uni's are prone to flexing body panels. Is this myth or fact? Thanks ahead of time for everyones help!

 

I have a good 64 Short Bed Custom Cab with a 460 automatic in that I would sell for 2500 if your interested feeel free to contact me for pics and info. Depending on your location I might deliver, I really need to sell bad

 

FordBoyPete-that's great info to a new user like myself. I've been seeing a number of '64's around and have alomst sold my wife's car for them! I really want to hold out for that faded red/white '66 SWB with no rust. You've made my life a lot easier albeit harder to wait for the '66. (and definetly my wife's-her car isn't all that much-she'd just switch to driving my Tacoma)