I bought a 86 lwb F150 4X4 a couple years back off Ebay, on impulse. The po had hit a light pole with the truck. The impact started at the rear lip of the drivers side door and cab corner, caving in the side of the bed, then catching the rear wheel. The spring hanger was ripped off the frame rail, tossing the rear driveshaft, busting the transfer case and leaving the drivers side tire about 4" aft. The drunk driver reportedly put it in 4wd and drove away using the front.

I don't know much about 4wd trucks. I think I want to build a 4wd truck for hi-way use primarily, and possibility tow when needed.

Can I use a 2wd chassis and swap the gearing under it or do I have to start with another 4X4 chassis.

The truck has as 351W and C6.

thanks for any help

John

 

you can use a 2wd frame....

 

Sounds like there is not many usable components left on that truck. Also sounds like after you find another frame and move some of the usable components you will have spent a bunch of time and money to end up with a truck that has been payched together.
Given the age of the truck, and the already known bent up condition, I would start over.
Guys in NC are selling those trucks pretty cheap, and in running driving condition.
An example:
http://charlotte.craigslist.org/car/505916302.html
Took just a few minutes to find a bunch of them, and all were less money to buy than it would cost to fix a wrecked one. Lots of time saved.

 

75, You are probably more on the money with your post. I probably should part it out and buy a truck. I guess I am a glutton for punishment or I wouldn't buy the stuff.

I got too much stuff, all good stuff mind you. Maybe St. Nick would pull up with a flatbed and a sack full of money, and buy all of my junk.

John

 

Even better yet, a pile of parts can really open up the possibilities for a good used truck. If the engine is good out of the crashed one, it would be reasonable to believe that you can buy a non running truck for super cheap.
That to me sounds like it would be a little more along the lines of a reasonable project. This means you would be cruising sooner, rather than later.
I have a bunch of projects too, and have recently rid myself of many parts that were taking up space, so I know what you mean John.
Now I try to not get to involved with temptation, and try to look at things with a more reasonable approach. Does not always work,,,lol, but I try.

 

I think I bought it because it has a crate engine with about 49,000 miles on it. I have grown old enough to know that the young woman is just something to visually behold, aint no use to go there because although I am as good as I once was, one time. Don't know how to relate that to the truck yet.

I aint lacking a truck to ride in, got my 66 for that, used it to haul the 86 home. About 100 ft away from where the 86 is stored, is another 66, that I am certain I have 99% of everything to start putting it back together, and lots of spare parts.

Another 75 ft. past the 66 is the ol dairy barn, that is holding a stack of under bed gas tanks, a running 300 six, an AOD, a C6, a running 360 with chrome pent roof valve covers and S intake with a 390 crank and rod set beside it, a whole floor pan cut out and ready to install. Did that for the 66 cab that has an uncracked dash pad.

Back over to the building where the 86 is parked, there is a fresh 390 still on the engine stand, a new rebuilt 4wd AOD and transfer case from a Bronk that I bought, another 390 block, crank and rod set ready to rebuild. Starters, alts, wiper motors, wire harnesses, flex plates, hundreds of other parts than I know that I might need.

Shoot, I doubt St. Nick has enough cash to relieve the pressure, nor a set of doubles to load it all on. This is all valuable stuff, right?

Everytime Bubba sends Jimmy over he starts whining about how broke he is and wants to buy my perfectly good stuff, for next to nothing, or takes a 40 year old part and starts looking at it for all of the wornout places cause he aint looking for no junk.

Hey if you see ol St. Nick when you go out to the mall in the next few days, tell I have been a good boy.


John

 

Can you advise which year chassis can be used to swap the 86 front end under for bolt up exchange?

I got a feeling that I wont go as advised and buy another truck.


John

 

Bump

John

 

im assuming you dont already have a 2wd frame lined up, i was under the impression that you had a 86' 2wd chassis.....just go buy another truck....not worth the work...

 

why go buy one if he wants the project of doing it himself??? from 80 through early 90's im pretty sure the frames are "really close" I know that you can take a 80's bed and put it on a 78, so it might go even further on possibilities. As long as you can get body mounts lined up, it'll work with some clearancing......

 

I do not have a good chassis from that era. I know that 86 was the last year for the 9" and carb engines. I have not checked the rear closely to see if it was damaged by the crash but could find a replacement housing easy enough.

I don't have a plan or strategy, and like a lot of folk thought I would see if there were any good ideas or suggestions from this forum.


John

 

The basic chassis is pretty much the same 80-91, 92-97 will interchange, but, the bumper mounting is quite different, 92+ F150's also have a front crumple zone...

 

Chrono,
did I miss something? what happened to the bronco?

 

I had been warned that the early 80s chassis were junk, and to stay away from them, any truth to that?

The 2wd and the 4wd chassis in those years are the same??

thanks

John

 

80-1 the frame rails are full of lightening holes. There is much debate over whether or not the swiss cheese frames are weaker, but, I'd stay clear of one if I was building a truck.
You can use a 2wd or 4wd F150 chassis, just the 2wd will have the narrower rear spring hangars(2.5" vs 3") but, this is not a huge thing to overcome.
You can also use a 2wd F250 or 350 frame, as they use coil sprung twin I beam, which uses the same mounting points as the half ton front suspension. They also will have 3" springs.