a couple questions:
1. anyone ever put a 58-60 body on a late 70's frame?
2. anyone put a 385 series engine in a 58-60?
hoping to do this because i like the body style of the 58-60 but the ease of finding parts for the 70s stuff
planning a 460 stroked to 545 and built to run on propane... in a 58-60 body
thanks in advance for any info on the proposed swap

darrin

 

My book lists the 59-60 at 118". The closest I have listed to that is 73-96 f-series regular cab shortbed at 117". Other options are chevy 73-87 shortbed pickup and chevy 88-96 shortbed pickup at 117.5", S10-S15 shortbed regular cab at 117.9", 95-97 tahoe four-door at 117.5", and my personal fave-jeep 47-65 flatfender pickup at 118", and jeep j10 74-84 shortbed at 118.7". However, the lengths may be close, but when you figure in frame heights from front to back, engine mount location, body mount location, etc... it get's very difficult. If the frame ain't rusted through, then modifying just the suspension, tranny, and engine mounts are alot easier. Not ever a task for the faint at heart.

 

ive got a 1978 ford 3/4 ton 4x4 with a 400m, c6 auto and np205, dana 44 front 60 rear... probably getting spools for both ends... got power steering so steering shouldnt be a big issue... building a 1973 429 out of a tbird for it... i want to know if a 385 series engine with headers will fit between the fenderwells of a 58-60 ford truck... and if the front suspension will work with the cab... if it wont i wont even bother with finding a 58 cab ill just find a 73-79 in decent shape... my frame and bumpers are good but the cab and box are pretty well shot... if i do do the 58 cab ill custom make a flatbed so frame length wont be an issue... the cab will probably come off a grain truck because thats all thats around for those years... f500-800 cab... i hadnt even thought about the front suspension not fitting or the cab mount heights being different... thank you :-)

 

There is a P/U around here with a 460 in it. Not sure of exact year but it is '57-'60.

 

There's enough room between the inner fenders of a 57-60 to put ANYTHING in there, including a diesel. Remove the inner fenders and the sky is the limit. A longer motor may mean dishing the firewall and tranny tunnel more. The problem is usually getting headers around the steering box.

 

I am currently building a 60 ford with a 460 in it. I have a MII front suspension in it and used headers for a mid 70's 4 x4 application from Hedman. I had to tweek the drivers side headers a bit to clear the steering shaft on the rack and pinion setup. Couldn't really say if they would clear a stock steering box, but I think they would as they clear the frames by a couple of inches either side.

The engine fit in the bay with plenty of room to spare, it actually looks like it was made for this truck. Even using the stock fenderwells. the only thing is i can't fit a regular fan and had to use a pusher fan on the outside of the rad. the way it sits their is about an inch of clearence between the rad and the water pump shaft without a fan on it. But if you use a custom rad and change the mounting position, you should be able to fit a water pump mounted fan with no problems.

The 57 - 72 frame widths are all the same, 73 and up are 3" wider, so all the mounts will have to be fabricated to mate the body to a mid 70's frame.

Rgds
Mike
(and someday i will post photos of my build up when i figure computers out)