Working on new frame rails....

 

A little more progress on the frame rails yesterday....

 

Picked up some 2001 Ford Superduty (Excursion?) springs today. I will use these to fabricate the new spring mounts. The longer length will give me a much better ride then the old shorter springs.

 

Great work, I wish I had the skill and tools to do stuff like that! can't wait to see the finished project.

 

Waiting for some steel to show up so I can finish off the frame and spring mounts... so I been getting back to working on the cab floor and body mount...

 

Interior passenger side progress....

 

I found this on craigslist
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/car/469936523.html

 

Well I've been a bit stagnant on this project... the holidays and kids got the best of my time.

I have all the information for mounting the 01' Superduty front springs... then I was thinking about the spacing? The 69' is set up at 32" ... I'm not sure what my new (later model) Dana 60 front axle will have? Maybe 34" or 36"? So I have to figure out if I can change the spring perch on a later model kingpin D60 without re-tubing the axle? Does the cast perch on the pumpkin offer enough room to narrow the spring spacing to 32"? Or do I need to set my spring eye mounts wider?

Hmmmmmm....

 

Maybe you have already figured this out but the 78-79 have the correct mounting pad width. I couldn't find one (cheap enough) but got a deal on the later one. I had already fabbed up a "crossmember" before under the frame to lower the spring mounts for some more lift. I just redid this again & moved my springs outside the frame & built mounts for the shackles under the cab on the outside. kinda like the rear springs. Good luck with the rest of your conversion! I am starting mine now. I am going to get me a rusty cab cowl for clearance like I see in your pics, easier than moving the cab a couple times. My motor has a front mount, I may cut that whole crossmember out like you did & build a new one up front & use that for the motor mount also.

 

Cool project.

 

Thanks!

Sorry no updates Guys.... I have decided to go the 78-79 route for the D60 front end, so now I'll just have to keep an eye out for a good deal.

 

Ya, the '73-'79 platform offers some better upgrades. I've a '68 F250 and a '76 F100, the upgrades I like, but the styling of the bumpsides I prefer. Good luck.

 

anyone interested in doing a cummins swap should check out this site www.fordcummins.com

 

Well, I just discovered this weekend that the axles that came with the truck did not have Detroit Lockers as they where advertised. So this really sucks as I was planning on selling the axles to offset the cost of upgrading. Now what?

Rear....


Front...

 

just finished converting my dana 60 front end and dana 70 rear to lockers. this truck is a m715 army. but. the change out was a doable deal with the shop press and a bearing puller from Harbor. few seals and gaskets but easily a weekend project....