I'm about to put my 73 F-100 2X4 dual tanks with 390 in the garage and subject it to being my very first frame-up restoration project. Any hints or tips any of you have learned about this process would be most welcome. I have cut a deal with a mechanic for motor help but I'm not sure how far to go into the engine. I know I want some more HP but not so much it ruins its street driving capabilities. The exhaust will have headers and true dual but I haven't picked mufflers yet --- any ideas ??? The brakes and suspension have already been totally upgraded but I'm still considering replacing all the origional rubber bushings with poly ones --- worth the cost ??? My truck didn't come with A/C but I'm thinking of adding it. I'm also adding power widows and locks, backup alarm, power bench seat, and digital gauges. Any other toys out there any of you heard about which would make cool accesories ??? Rust repair and final paint will be done by a pro but I need to find a metal rollpan and tailgate handle relocator kit. Door handles will be shaved and 18 inch American Racing teflon coated Victor rims will be added. Anyways, I have likely raised more question with all of this the I have answered. I just want to do this right the first time. I don't mind spending money but I hate to waste money. Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

Hey Western Star Im just getting started on the same prodject but with a 73 4x4 250....Would like to keep in touch with ya....Ive probably got more work than you do....I need a cab... anyone have one thay want to let go....My e-mail is Tballard1@stny.rr.com.....Name is Duane.....

 

To answer one of your questions,, the poly bushings are well worth the cost, especially if what you have now is the original bushings. They made a noticeable difference in my truck. hope this helps

 

I don't think you're going to get "True Duals" for your exhausts with the Auxilliary fuel tank as it blocks the routing on the left or drivers side.
Are you absolutely sure you have a 390 CID engine? Did you actually measure the stroke yourself to confirm that is actually is a 390? I have done many trucks for many folks and easily 8 out of 10 believe thay have a 390FE when they actually have either a 352FE or after 68 a 360FE. Generally Henry did not put 390s in an F Series Truck.

As for the Poly G and Poly U bushings thay are harder than OEM by A long shot and have a lot less give and absorbtion. . . . This attribute can often lead to cracked body sheetmetal at the cab and support core areas. I would not use them under the body, and if I used them in the suspension I would have my customer/ Client sign that I informed them to keep checking the fasteners & functions at points where I installed poly derivitive bushings. I know some will not agree with that, but after some bad stuff with some suspensions & sheetmetal damage in the past I have learned to stay out of court by having these waivers of liability. . . .

If I add an A/C to a non A/C truck I get a lower right firewall panel between cowl top & pass side toe board from a donor with A/C & cut it into the recipient truck. I also get the A/C Dash board panel from an A/C donor vehicle for use in the retro project. I have no use for aftermarket systems when compared to an OEM System. Actually I'd go so far as to categorically state there is NO Comparison between them. Doing a retro-upgrade that way I can use OEM in Dash controls, registers, ducts, defrosters & technology like harnesses etc and get great performance. It all works as it should from one single unit & source. and with finitely variable control. . .

It's about quality of life & creature comforts working as they should. . . .


FBp

 

i would go with an in dash a/c system. i know a few guys who have them and theyre great. theyve all gone with the same brand and like them alot. saves having to cut up the firewall and clutter the engine compartment. im just finishing putting my truck together. my one piece of advice would be that if your going to go through the hastle of tearing something apart, tear it apart all the way and rebuild it completely. pull your dash and clean out the cowl area. paint behind the dash and up inside the roof. if a crossmember looks to have corrosion between it and the frame, drill the rivets and clean it up and rebolt it in place. take the time to get up above the wheel wells on your bed. it's small details like these that will mean the difference between having your truck last a long time and not. i got a cab and bed from arizona that are both in excellent shape, but i still have a lot of weekends invested in cleaning, undercoating, and generally taking preventative measures to ensure the longevity of the project. good luck

 

Thanks for the replys. Guess I have lots to think over. To answer some questions yes I'm sure I have a 390 I had the engine checked by a Ford mechanic. As for duals I didn't think it possible either with two tanks but I have since seen it done twice and been told by a exhaust shop it just takes some custom bending and installing your mufflers vertically instead of horizontally. The in dash A/C sounds much simpler than the origional way and since this truck will be anything but origonal simpler sounds good.

Anyways; I appreciate all the advice and opinions. Feel free to keep it coming.

 

o yea, if you do have to resort to removing some crossmembers to get the whole things clean, make sure you replace them with grade 8 bolts and hardware. don't want that stuff being insufficient.

 

FWIW "In Dash" is the OEM Set up with the registers & ducts in the dash board.

Aftermarkets are generally called under dash or "Hang On" units. With the recent onset of R-134 to replace R-12 as a refrigerant, the bigger the evaporator coil the better the A/C system will work because R-134 is less dense than the old R-12 was.

Evap coil surface area is where heat exchange actually occurs between atmosphere & system. Most aftermarket systems have a barely adequate Evap Coil. They work alright if you don't experience high ambient temp's. If you have many days into 90s or more, as we do here in FL, the aftermarkets systems don't cut it IMHO, and FWIW niether do the condenser coils most aftermarket kits come with. . . .

FBp

 

No pun intended but --- cool. Since I know next to nothing about how A/C works its interesting to learn. I'm located up here in Canada where +28 Celsius is a rare heatwave and 90Fairenhuit would have us dropping dead do you think a aftermarket system could do the job ?

 

Yup, it would probably be all you need. However you will sacrifice some underdash room and accessability with the unit installed.

FBp

 

Hey Western Starr I was in your spot about 2 years ago when I started the frame off restoration of my 77 F100 Flareside Shorty. I've found that this site is the absolute best place for advise if you don't have a Ford mechanic for a neighbour. Get yourself a set of Ford manuals and frequent the sponsors of FTE for the stuff you break and misplace. If there's a metal cleaning shop nearby, get to know them as well.

I'm taking the route of putting the truck back to factory with a few modifications. Being from Ontario where there is no shortage of road salt it's difficult to find good sheet metal but have managed to collect 4 donor trucks for parts and the answer to "how'd that fit on there anyway?". The frame was blasted then expoxy primed and painted. All the steel lines were primed and painted to prevent them rusting. I've swapped ou the original 2.75 rear end for something with a little more torque, 351M is pretty much stock with a Performer cam and thinking about installing an Edelbrock Accu-Drive timing set. Hedders and Flow Master 40's for mufflers and stainless steel exhaust.

I'll likely be another 2 years finishing it but seeing what some the other guys on this site have done has made me a believer that it will be worth the wait.

Good luck. Hope to see you posting your progress.

 

Get your self some sandwich bags to put nuts and bolts in. You can use a magic marker to write what they go to on the outside. However, if you hands tend to get very greasy like mine, it is best to put a note card in them instead of writing on the outside. Saves alot of time when you have to put it back together again. No more missing bolts. Or maybe I'm the only one that has a problem with that.

 

Great tip, Strokerin'


Also suggest putting those baggies in storage boxes with like parts together, trim, interior, etc. Get a digital cam and take a lot of closeup pics of the engine compartment and all the harnesses,vac hoses etc. Wrap labeling tape around them and magic marker them as to where it hooked too. I thought my restore would be a year. Ha, six years later now and I am still putting parts back on my 79. Glad I sandwichbagged/labeled/boxed/built a pic album of it, as I dismantled it. good luck.



http://http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m210/gregs79f150/Bought%20in%201998/Taking%20her%20apart%20in%202000/PaintgunsallSatas.jpg

 

I done the sandwich bag and marker trick too. Worked good