Well im getting ready to start major undertaking. A 1951 f-1 orginally a flathead but the motor was cracked (suprising isnt it) so the owner took it out. I guess he used it for a boat anchor or somthing. Any way its going full custom.

I already have some ideas. The stance i want, Im going to chop it,nose it, and shave it well almost every were. Just smooth it out and make it look well more like i think it should have looked.

Anyway some things i not sure what to do on it. Its goin to be in traditional type hot rod theme. Not rat rod but wide whites so on and so on. Actually more of a 50 Kustom sort of style.

Things i was wanting Opinions on are like what would you like to see done to an old effie that maybe not has been done before. Tail lights still up in the air on that one. Grille i hate the 51 buck tooth grill its got go, but what would be neat alternative (doesnt have to be from a truck can be from a car, truck even tractor i dont care as long it looks good) interior i was thinking a 40 ford sedan dash as its more chrome and just better looking. so on and so on.

Motor havent quite a clue on this one. I was thinking a 351 but everyone at the shop insits on a 302 would be better. A fule injected one. No non ford motors are going in.

Front suspenion I looked through the tech articals but they were all about suspeion swaps. I want to know i can get the right stance with out going through that as i really dont want to.

Also somthing else i have searched for for a couple days on here and havent found is what factory rotors will fit the stock spindles on these trucks. I knwo there has to at least one or two vehcials with front discs that will fit these things. Im not worried about caliper moutning i can make those brackets. i refuse to pay and ungodly amount for conversion "kit" i can make my own and if need be i might have to find the proper doner car or truck and list it on here.

rear suspension isnt much problem i get it handled but the bed what to do with the bed leave it stock? or modfiy it and how, what would be good bed mod.

Ive gone over this a 1,000 or more times in my head how i want to look what to do so know i thought i would get some outside opinions

I find thats best way to see things you miss normaly is have other pepole point the obivous that you couldnt see.

Thanks i advance sorry for the long post.

 

Welcome, it sounds like you have some nice plans and ideas with the traditional type hot rod theme.
Keep us posted and with pictures to follow.

 

How about a black primer paint job with flames, 58 Caddy or 55 Olds hubcaps or plain painted red wheels without hubcaps, some kind of frenched tail light (59 Caddy perhaps?), possibly some fender skirts on the rear fenders, and keep the buck tooth grille but add some extra teeth. Forget the 40 dash since the 51 dash is not removable unless you cut it out. You could probably figure out a way to add some chrome trim to the original. Either the 302 or 351 would be a good choice of engine (302 might be more gas friendly). Use a dropped axle on the front to get it low without IFS but it would ride a lot smoother with one. Leave the bed stock.

 

Wow! you are defintely ambitious.

I have seen a 51 with the teeth removed from the grill just leaving the horizontal portion, It really cleaned the grill up nice.
I had contemplated using an instrument cluster frorm a 58 Pontiac in my 49, and I still might do it eventually. Right now my metal skills aren't quite good enough yet.
I did however just add a bunch of chrome to my dash. I fitted a speaker grill from the rear seat of an old Pontiac to my dash to cover up a butchered radio hole (pics in my gallery)

If you keep the stock axle in the front there are several conversion kits to go with disc brakes. I hate spending the money as well but I popped for the price of the basic conversion kit which comes with the caliper brackets and the most important part...the spindle adapters. You have your choice when you buy the kit to retain the 5 on 5 1/2 lug pattern or go with the smaller car patterns. I stayed with the truck pattern. The kit call for late model rotors from a Ford 1/2 ton from 73-90 with GM calipers.

Good luck with it, it should make for an interesting truck

I love wide whites
Bobby

 

It's a major undertaking, alright. I bought my 56 3-1/2 years ago and drove it for over two years before the big teardown. I'm just a few months (hopefully) from being back on the road. My truck has many of the mods you've mentioned, except I didn't have the walnuts to chop it.

Like you, I had ambitions and a vision of what the truck should look like. I wanted a truck that was easily recognizable as a 56, but with changes that highlighted the roundy fat lines of it cleanly and with mods that were subtle and took some time to see, even for someone very familiar with the model.

The stance is easily obtained with stock suspension. A dropped axle seems to be the easiest method to get the front down and retain suspension travel. A rebuilt stock front end rides surprisingly well. If I had it to do over, I would have retained the stock front, but mine had MII when I bought it. Reverse-eye springs with leaves removed with drop shackles will handle the rear. That's what most here have done.

I run a 351C and love it. Not as swell on gas as an EFI 5.0, but it will blow those away. It's warmed over pretty well and gets looks and questions at the cruise nights. It is impressive on horsepower and relatively lightweight.

Aside from the cab mods (drip rail, shaved, nosed, filled cowl, etc), you'll want to look at my bed. The mods I did could easily be done on a 51 bed also. I thought the stock bed on my 56 looked like an afterthought and didn't go at all with the lines on the cab. It was too narrow and had too much going on with the side walls broken up by the post sockets. I thought the in-out shape of the sides looked dumb next to the smooth cab shape. I added a second wall and smoothed the gate. The added bonus is that it moved the rear fenders out 2" each and lets me run 12" wide meats under it without tubbing. I went with a lined bed for utility, but since the bed interior is completely stock, a nice wood bed was also a possible choice.

Each of the mods above (and some others) have albums in my gallery: https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...?userid=201514

Good luck.

 

[QUOTE=bobbytnm]Wow! you are defintely ambitious.


I did however just add a bunch of chrome to my dash. I fitted a speaker grill from the rear seat of an old Pontiac to my dash to cover up a butchered radio hole (pics in my gallery)

Bobby, That speaker grill looks right at home in your dash. Nice touch!



]

 

A traditional rod would use a dropped beam axle and softened leaf springs to bring it down. A 50's era Pontiac grill or a 55-56 Plymouth (not commonly seen), or the ever popular 54 Chevy. Some of the late model Jags have a single thin chrome grill bar that could be adapted. In the 50s-60s perforated metal backing with drawer pulls or bullets mounted on it would be period correct. Also 58 Buick grill.
Taillights: 51 Ford sedan with the chrome side spears, PT Cruiser, a pair or 3 each side 59 Caddy frenched in from the side.

 

Other customizer favorites: 1951 Mercury grille; 1953 DeSoto grille; 1939 DeSoto front/rear bumpers. 1939 Ford Deluxe passenger car taillamps; Frenched headlamps and taillights; Fender skirts; Shaved and decked hood and side trim; "Bull Nose" hood trim; 1954/56 Oldsmobile flipper discs (wheel covers); 1951/54 Chrysler Imperial wire wheels (5.50 bolt circle-Imperial only); Moon Discs. Decals of all the performance stuff you wish you had, plastered all over the windows. Moon Eyes.

 

LOL! how true!

 

1. Buy a 94/95/96 Ford Thunderbird V-8 SC. The complete car less the body may be used. Complete drive train including the rear end and cage will work. If the front suspension or clip didn't fit I would use a MII.
2. The left half of the instrument panel could be attached to the 51 panel, including gauges and maybe some or all of the wiring may work or at least the computer wiring. Use T-Bird steering column, A/C and center console and maybe seats. Do a leather doe skin interior.
3. Install dark tinted windows, Delete wind-wing windows.
4. Look at make/model cars from 30/40/50's on e-play to find a suitable grille.
5. Entend pan below tailgate and add round l.e.d. lights from eighteen wheeler trailer and add license plate area in the center.
6. Paint truck dark chameleon colors used on a new mustang convertable a few years ago. Chrome bumpers. It's all Ford and do-able as a project at home. Dream along with me and a six-pac !!!!!!!!!!! Have a great day,chuck

 

And a '58 430 super marauder MEL under the hood.....arr, arr, arr.

 

Thanks for the replies some great ideas in there randy jack thats some awsome work on the bed. I never thought of broken up flow of the truck. i guess thats just cause thats how ive always seen them. That means i got stare at the back half of the truck more.

I thought about just removing all the teeth in the grille and leveing the hortisonal bar. I of course will do that first (as it is the easiest) and see how i like it from there.

The chop is mainly cause everyone of these ive seen lowered makes the cab look huge. i want it to be some what in porportion, not heavily chopped (although it might end up that way what can i say i like the chop) just enough to make it look right. Im thinking right now 3 inches or 4 leaning towards 4 being the heaviest. These things are actually pretty easy to chop as far as chops go. The a pillars are angled back alittle but the rear of the cab is pretty much straigh up and down. And with all flat glass in it why not right.

Wasnt aware the dash the didnt come out. That kind of sucks to be honest. I will look to some things mentioned here great ideas.

Great gallerys to guys keep the ideas comming there were deffintley some eye openers in there.

 

The teeth on '51-'52 grilles are normally welded to the long bar, except for the middle one, which I've seen both welded and bolted. It's not that easy to get them off without ruining something.

Some people add two more teeth.

Keep in mind that there's nothing behind the teeth, not sure how exciting it is to see the radiator.

 

if your going traditional hot rod how bout a built up y-block for the engine. add a six pack and some t bird valve covers. cant get much cooler that that.

 

well thats the route i orignally wanted go however everyone i work with is mustang freaks, so i can get a fuleinjected 5.0 motor and pcm for a couple hundred bucks and case of beer. Thats really the only reason im leaning towards that. I love the y blocks but the final goal after im done is to sell it. People may not pay more for the 5.0 but it will sell faster.

I know seems insane to do all this work drive it a couple months then sell it. But for me its the Journey not the destination. I always sold my rods after im done then went and ofund another and i have found in that process what sells better. Unique isnt always what pepole want at least not to unique were they dont know what it is.

As far as the grille i didnt know the teeth were welded (this thing should be delivred tuseday) but thats not much a problem. I did however know there was nothing behind it i was going to get some grille mesh paint it flat back so it would kind of dissapear to keep stuff out of the radiator and to hide it some.

Thanks for all input it has really been helpful

The only rod ive kept is my 1927 t coupe and still hasnt gotten finshed.