Frame Swap
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,222
Likes: 1
From: East Central Florida
gshouch,
1st of all welcome to our 61-66 forum here at FTE. . . .
your choices are F100 and F150 models. An F250 with a GVW under 6900 can also be adapted but will come with a Dana 60 rear axle and have eight bolt 16.5 wheels prior to adapting it otherwise.
68 thru 72 will be direct bolt up yet should still offer the newer & better Saginaw style
P/S, with the slipper pump. However Front PDB was an option prior to 1973. But 73-79 PDB spindles etc will fit 68-72 Twin I axles just fine.
73-79 frames are not direct bolt up, but IMHO I think worth fudging and adapting to get one to fit under 65-66 bodies. The Nose & cab are virtually direct bolt up, but rear rails of later frames are wider & longer so earlier 61-66 or 67-72 beds require adapting & aren't exactly dead on right, but they're fudgeable enough to pass all but the most hardcore purists close scruitiny. . But I don't care 'cause I prefer later chassis design. I prefer a out of cab, rear mounted, in frame fuel tank. I prefer a wider rear axle assy & generally larger rear brakes, and I prefer some other features 65-72 frames lack.
So the answer is 68 thru 72 is the easiest to do but 73 thru 79 provide the modern, later, newer tech, running gear and suspension much closer to the 21st century we're in now. IMHO safety and performance are equally important, and more important to me than ease or convenience, so I chose a clean 79 F 150, Ranger, SWB, Trailer Special when I did mine. I'm very happy with it.
I hope this is of some help & value to you.
FBp
1st of all welcome to our 61-66 forum here at FTE. . . .
your choices are F100 and F150 models. An F250 with a GVW under 6900 can also be adapted but will come with a Dana 60 rear axle and have eight bolt 16.5 wheels prior to adapting it otherwise.
68 thru 72 will be direct bolt up yet should still offer the newer & better Saginaw style
P/S, with the slipper pump. However Front PDB was an option prior to 1973. But 73-79 PDB spindles etc will fit 68-72 Twin I axles just fine.
73-79 frames are not direct bolt up, but IMHO I think worth fudging and adapting to get one to fit under 65-66 bodies. The Nose & cab are virtually direct bolt up, but rear rails of later frames are wider & longer so earlier 61-66 or 67-72 beds require adapting & aren't exactly dead on right, but they're fudgeable enough to pass all but the most hardcore purists close scruitiny. . But I don't care 'cause I prefer later chassis design. I prefer a out of cab, rear mounted, in frame fuel tank. I prefer a wider rear axle assy & generally larger rear brakes, and I prefer some other features 65-72 frames lack.
So the answer is 68 thru 72 is the easiest to do but 73 thru 79 provide the modern, later, newer tech, running gear and suspension much closer to the 21st century we're in now. IMHO safety and performance are equally important, and more important to me than ease or convenience, so I chose a clean 79 F 150, Ranger, SWB, Trailer Special when I did mine. I'm very happy with it.
I hope this is of some help & value to you.
FBp
