Hello

Well its been a few months since I posted and I am finally getting into restoring/customizing my 1968 Ford F100 2wd. I have been hoping for 5 years to get rolling on my truck. I plan to make a few changes that are common an one in particular that is unique.

My old 360 engine will be back from the machinist hopefully Friday, he said the latest would be the following Tuesday. Its been bored .060 over and has now been converted to a 390 with 428 rods and a 390 crank. actual displacement works out to like 407ci.
I've already purchased a complete MSD ignition with breakerless distriutor and a complete Painless Wiring harness for the whole truck.
As far as the body; I live in NJ so salty roads and ocean air have left some wounds. Door corners, the radiator support, cab mounts, the lower fender corner at the door, and the usual Rotted and bent in the middle Tailgate. The bed is in Excelent condition. Though there is surface rust begining underneath the top edge of the quarter panels, basically the under rim of the bed. Also My truck has dual tanks like the one in the Pictures here


I don't really like dropped stance myself. I plan on a 3" body lift, an self leveling HD air ride setup (5000lb cap), and new suspension all around. Plus I want to do the disk brake converision, and add a hitch and winch assembly to the front, while customefabricating my New Bumpers.
Other changes will be are adding an integrated Chromally Rollcage into the cab, a custom dash and interior, Bucket seats, power windows, AC, a custom Headliner with Speakers inbedded, and finaly fabricate a removable Crew bucket or Pod similar to the sleeper pod on a Tractor trailer but with windows and a bench seat for my daughters. They're just too small to ride up front since Heather will only be 3 in July and Danielle just turned 1 in Feb.
Basicaly it is a rear seat that drops in the bed and is shaped and secured to the back of Cab. There will have to be a hatch cut into the back of the cab to make the Crew cab/bucket idea work.
The previous owner of my truck made some changes I wish he hadn't. For some reason he Brazed shut the hole in the quarter panel where the Fuel fill belongs and installed a Flap type Feul door in the lower part of quarter. He then Squeezed the rubber fill tube between the bed and Frame which is on stock body bushings of 1". It was always a PITA to fill. I have Removed Brazed in plug and plan to rework dual tank setup.
After I get all the rot removed and I can weld in the new steel for the cab and bed. Im going to Remove the Fuel tank in the cab completly but retain the on cab fuel fill by running a new pipe through the floor. The 3" body bushings will allow for running the 2 1/2" pipe under the cab and above the frame to a second long tank under the passengers side of the bed.

First thing is to stiffen up the cab with the chromolly role cage welded in.
Next the front of the bed will be re-enforced with Square Tubular framing then the front sheetmetal can be made removable. The back of the cab will then be cut open with a plamsa cutter from the bed floor level to just above the rear window. You can see the body detail in the back of the cab will lend to doing this as I only need to follow the formed body line that runs arount the rear window. This will create a removable door. I'll weld in male & female Seal edges on both the Cab and the the hatch on the cab. On the Panel I will also add a 1"x1/2" 16ga channel simular to how a hood is made rigid.
When the hatch is in place you should only see a 1/8" Seam on the outside of the cab and only notice it if you look for it.
Inside I would like to use some kind of latch. Preferably Chrome that will pull the hatch door closed tightly. It would be nice if the latches could still close snug even without the hatchside of it present. Regular toolbox latches won't work because they wouldn't pull in or close without the other half present.
I was thinking something like a Nautical or aviation box latch but Im still hunting them out. I would prefer to use latches instead of bolting, but that is always a option.
When the door & bed front are removed the two front most frame bolts will be removed. Then the Pod will drop right in and be aligned by the bed corner post holes. The pod construction is mainly a rollcage with skin. The roof of the pod will be shaped to the blend with the roof of the cab ( I was thinking a doner cab roof and rear window cut to suit this purpose)a foam rubber seal would make the gasket between pod and cab as two longer frame bolts are tightened into the floor. I was originaly thinking Next two bolts in each side through the bed corner post but I was reminded that the frame flexes greatly. So a gap will be left and sealed with a foam gasket. Then the interior stuff can be straightened out later.
The next photo is my Rendition of what the pod should look like when done.


As I said before I don't like the dropped look but the picture was great for playing with different ideas using MS Paint. Im also not sure where I am going with the paint as like this truck there is little chrome trim. I do have the Stock towing mirrors though and being that the body is free of emblems I can go wild with the paint sceam
I know they make full on crew cabs and I could just get another truck but its a vintage hauler and it has dual tanks. I've had her since 96 and 35 grand is what a comperably equiped new truck is going to cost me. Minimum. Plus when was the last time you saw a regular length truck with crew cab that can be switched back to full bed in an hour or two.
Right now Im looking for a pair of Front stock spindles for a 2 WD from any 73-79 F-series (100-250). Seems like the after market places are only selling dropped or lifted type spindles. Since Im only lifting the body not the frame clearence I need stock sized spindles.
Any Help with where I can look or where I can purchase them would be best or even opinions on the project would be appreciated.
JohnnyD