i have a 1956 ford f-100 that i want to fix up. i am not sure if i want to go back to the stock or add a little bit off street rod to it. i also need parts alot of parts any and all parts. i need suggestions on where to get the parts form and what style i should do the truck. someone please help me i am open to all options

 

What i would like to do is find a newer modle short bed ford to put the body on that newer frame. i can do that with no problem, but i do have one little problem. I can not find a short bed truck (something about 1968-1972). I can get a long bed all day long. I was thinking about cutting that frame. i can make it work but i just need to know what the length of the frame would be. like how many inches from the front to the back. could anyone help me on this? please

 

http://www.clubfte.com/users/jniolon/fordspecpage.htm Try this link for some measurement.
Mike

 

I would also rod it but I won't chop it. Drop it for sure. Concerning the frame has lon as it is in good shape box it, run on Mustang 2 or similiar front end, 4 link and 9 inch ford in the rear. Engine/tranny of your choise as long as its Ford.

 

First time trying to post a pic in a post here. Let's see if it works...

Here's how I think I intend to build mine. The epitomy of a rodded stocker. I'm diggin' this one hard. Oh, and I must confess, yes I shamelessly scalped this pic off the net.



Edit:

Well, don't know what I'm doing wrong... so here's some links:

http://hotrodders.com/gallery/showph...sort=1&cat=500

http://hotrodders.com/gallery/showph...sort=1&cat=500

 

Welcome to FTE and good luck with your project no matter how you decide to go. Few have attempted full frame replacements because they do require more room, time, and offer their fair share of frustrations. I have my 55 sitting on a 69 f-100 frame and had to cut it down from a long bed. It has some good characteristics in that disk brakes are cheap and easy to get (swap out from mid 70's f-100) plus power steering is also cheap and available. Motor mounts and transmission cross members are already there.

It is one of the less complicated changes since the frame rails are the same width as stock and some of the mounting hardware can be transferred to the new frame (running board brackets, rear cab mount brackets) but it does retain the less ‘modern’ Twin-I-Beam suspension. Dropped I-Beams can be had but if ‘slamming it’ is in your plans, that would be better left for other suspensions. I will put some photos back in my gallery in a few days if you’re interested. Do your homework; look at other suspension alternatives before deciding, and again good luck.

 

I have always been of the opinion that the best frame for a truck is the one it left the factory with.

From the couple of truck chassis and ten or so rod chassis I have done I reckon fitting new suspension and engine/box mounts is WAY easier than trying to get everything to line up on a new chassis.

Shortening a longbed chassis is pretty easy. Just make sure you do the cut on an angle or step, that you put a decent size fishplate inside and that you box a foot either side at least. Take it out between the 2nd and 3rd running board brackets + a bit of the tail end.

Over here in Australia pickup chassis are REAL hard to find so at least one shop I know of uses F100 chassis through to 72 and swaps over the body mounts......but that only gives you a bare frame.....you still have to do suspension and engine/box mounts etc because 60's chassis aren't a whole lot different in the suspension department than original

Hard for me to judge the truck scene over there, but I always find it interesting that ebay is full of abandoned projects that are either half fitted to a late model chassis or that come with a blazer/s10/explorer chassis "ready to be fitted"........but you don't see or here of a whole lot of finished trucks built that way.......

I personally don't think the "easy" chassis swap option is really all that easy.....but like a few others here I am keen to see photographic evidence to the contrary !

 

halfdone. Ditto - and well said.

 

Vintage, you're in luck. You can buy that truck of yours in a couple of weeks at the Barrett-Jackson auction. Look here http://www.barrett-jackson.com/event....asp?id=178106

I definitely like the look but not the colours.

Kevin

Sorry for hijacking the post.

 

Count one more here in agreement with halfdone and Randy...you can do a heckuva lot with a stock frame.

As far as going stock or rod, do what you feel. Personally I like both so I have two trucks: my 56 is a major darksider ...my 54 will be pretty much stock ...although the y-block in it will get some major tweaking.

Welcome to the 48-60 forum ...where you'll find an awful lot of us 48-60 yr olds who still play with our toy trucks .
Norb

 

Wooops.....I must be in the wrong forum....I'm only 41

See you oldies back here in seven years !!!

Hang on.........42-47 Pickups are butt ugly !

Guess I'll stay here and just act old !

 

i would want to keep the same truck frame but this truck was used as a welding truck and the frame has been cut and extended and the rear end changed and i was wanting to put airbags under it to raise and lower it. can i still put air bags under the straight front axle? i was thinking maybe even newer frame like 80's - 90's with disc brakes? let me know what you think! i had in mind keeping the stock look but dropping it with the air bags so when it sitting at a show (hopefully one day) that it will have that stock look. maybe a shaving the doors handles but i am not sure leave me some suggestions on what i should do

thanks to all

i can not wait to have this truck finished i will post pictures of it from start to finish and again thanks to all of your help

 

For what it's worth, my opinion is you should get another original chassis (they turn up on e-bay fairly regularly, and also via this forum's classifieds) and fit an independent front and 4 link rear.

I think that would be lot's less work than a chassis swap.

Lot's of advise on this forum about front end swaps

Or if you have the $$ go with one of the comercial suspension kits from FatMan, Chassis Engineering, etc....this may well be your best bet if you want slammed air ride.

I know the chassis swap LOOKS like an easy way out when you first start.......and we would all be pleased if it was.....but despite this subject getting raised at least once a month, no-one has come up with a simple, easy and low cost swap.

If your chassis isn't repairable (or it's beyond your skills) grab another.

Mark

PS Any 54-56 F100 chassis would suite your requirements as the suspension changes you want will negate any differences between years

 

One very important thing to keep in mind when considdering a frame change of any year, is if you go wider than the stock 34" frame width, you will have to channel the floor to get the cab to sit lower and straddle the wider frame rails. Otherwise the cab sits up to high making for an even goofier look. This is where you get into not only fabricating frame supports but also tons of sheet metal work. Ford widened the frames and made the rails taller in latter years.

Again good luck with your project.

 

oh i have found me a truck it is a 1971 with a 302 and an auto trans. the nest thing that i am wondering is how to tell the difference between a c4 and a c6 trans or what might be under the truck. i would like to put a 390 in it or some kind of a big block. yall know know something to burn those back wheels up with