Nothing to do this Turkey day so my Dad and I headed out the to shop to begin the transformation of our half street/half strip 1979 F100. The front suspension has always been quite soft so we ordered DJM 3" drop deams and a set of Lakewood 90/10 Drag shocks. The rest of the front end was cleaned up and painted either Black or the brightest red rattle can available.

Before (28 years of road grime included)

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0381.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0382.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0401.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0403.jpg

And a few after shots.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0410.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0429.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0431.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0407.jpg

Rear Suspension to be continued.

 

After finishing up the Front I beams and shocks on Saturday morning we turned to the rear of the truck. Removed the box a few weeks back and delivered it to a body shop to install the new Chris Alston tubs. We started be removing the gas tank, cross members, the old axle setup and all old fuel lines and wiring.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0434.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0442.jpg

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http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0452.jpg

The new Ladder bar setup from Chassis works calls for a boxed frame so we started on straightening up the frame and creating templates for the boxing pieces.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0466.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0486.jpg

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Finally started laying out for new 2X3 crossmembers and ladder bars.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0460.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0482.jpg


Also started prepping the new axle housing.



http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0469.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0475.jpg

 

Upcoming projects include: finishing the rear suspension, installing the roll cage, finishing custom aluminum dash piece with new FRPP gauge set, carpet, new upholstery on bench seat and new 514 BBF mated to a C6.

 

Thats pretty sweet... keep up the good work!

 

Those beams sure look familiar. Nice work so far.

 

X2 on that, haha. Cool project, keep us updated!

Btw, since your getting a new 514, if you need a good home for the old 472, I have a green '79 that would gladly adopt it... just kidding, haha.

 

Wow that looks so awesome keep it up

 

Ya, keeping up with your "drop and repair" thread gave me the motivation to finally install the beams. Took about a day and a half working pretty slow and steady. Truck doesn't look very low right now since the engine is out so I have to figure out a way to get about 750 punds onto the front to simulate the engine being there so I can finish the ladder bar setup. So far I have come up with a 55 gallon drum full of water, 100 lb bags of sand blast sand, 80 lb bags of quikrete, cinder blocks or some combination of those. Also waiting on new front tires that will lower it about another inch 1 1/2".

Hoping to do weekly updates as the truck is in my dads garage and I live 70 miles away. The old 460something looks something like this currently (pretty bad picture of closed valves with a 1/4" gap between the valve and the seat. Also only 7 good pistons with 6 good rods and no crankshaft or camshaft. It would make a sweet boat anchor though.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...k/IMG_0389.jpg

 

Ouch, I see why you're getting a new motor! What did the truck run on the old motor?

 

The old motor was kind of a cobbled mess of left over parts and stuff from swap meets. Stock block bored .020. stock crank, stock polished rods, cam that was built for the 514 so it idled like crap, heads ported by my dad and I when I was 16, victor intake and a demon carb. Stock C6 with manual valve body, detroit locker with 513 gears and 33X15X15 goodyear eagles. The trucks fastest time at Douglas Motorsports Park in Douglas, Wyoming was 12.89 and about 106 mph. The alltitude is 5000 feet and the density altitude is somewhere around 8000-9000 ft. In Julesburg, Colorodo along the Kansas border where the elevation is a lot closer to sea level (1500 ft maybe) the truck ran a 12.65 at 109.

 

Cool, sounds pretty good for an unmatched combo. My motor is badly in need of gaskets and seals, and the C6 is slipping going into 3rd, so I'm planning to pull the combo, rebuilt the C6, and go through the motor. I've been hanging out on 460ford.com and plan to follow the formula in the FAQ section to build a budget motor capable of 425-450hp. I've had a cam laying around for a few years but I think its too big, its a Comp 270H with ~.550/570 lift and 235/240 duration. I think I may sell it for a smaller one that will work better with stock ported heads and give me enough vacuum to be streetable. My truck ran a best of 15.60 last summer at Keystone Raceway here in PA. Motor was bone stock besides a 68-72 timing chain set and dual exhaust. Tranny left in drive (and slipping in 3rd), slight spin from the 235/70/15 street radial tires, bog on 4-barrel opening. It was at least a baseline run and I figure I shouldn't have much problem improving on that... Anyway, I'm done rambling... back to the regularly scheduled thread.

Keep us updated on progress

 

I also follow along on 460ford.com and have learned that there is actually quite a bit of interest racing the 385 series. I always thought I was crazy running a BBF but feel better about it now.

When I started racing we ran in the 15 also. Consistently ran 15.15 and were killer in the street class becuase we never had to change the dial-in and could concentrate on the lights. Six years and several thousand dollars later I am hoping for 10's or I am buying a NOS kit with my tax return.


Spent some time tonight welding up holes in the frame so it no longer looks like swiss cheese. Sending the 9" with my dad to denver on friday to get narrowed 9". I am planning in have it 5.5 inches in the left side and 3.5 inches on the right side so the pinion and driveshaft will be centered. Also ordered some adjustable jackstands to set up the pinion angle and axle height. Bought some Powder coat to coat the axle housing, shifter, dash piece when it gets built and the ladder bar pieces not already coated.

 

Who are both of you on 460ford.com?

I am.. Psquare75. lol

 

I am ford141, same as I am on every forum that I join. I haven't posted very much on there since I mostly just go to read up on info. I'm still new to building these, so I don't have a lot to add to the wealth of info on there. My neighbor got me hooked on the 385's, and after I realized how much power these things are capable of without much work, I've never looked back.

 

I am 514wyo on 460ford.com and as ford141 stated, I am also a newbie to building 385 series motors. I have always used stock parts but can't seem to keep rods for very long so I have been lurking on 460ford to figure out a good combo for the new 514.