Okay, so I have a '66 F250 Slick Flareside. I like it just fine except for the ride so I've been looking to get a '73 - '76 frame (disc brakes, power steering, etc...) to soften the ride up.

By now you guys are thinking "WRONG FORUM!" Please, bear with me...

My future father-in-law has a neighbor who has saved up junk vehicles over the years and has recently begun to send them to the crusher. (He made $9000 just last month!!) I asked him if he had what I was looking for and he said he'd JUST sent one off to the boneyard last week..UGHHH! but offered to let me look around what he had left.

I can purchase the following for .08 per pound (scrap prices):

1951 F1
1953 F100
1955 F100

Each truck is complete except for maybe a motor here and a transmission there.

He also has an early 1948 Ford that is totally complete. He plans on selling that one over the internet as it's supposed to be sort of rare (enclosed driveline...?) He wants at minimum $5000 for that one.

I'm leaning towards buying the 1951 F1. No dents at all in this truck. It is missing the rear end and yes, of course, there are some minor rust issues but what barn find of this year DOESN'T have rust, right?

Here's my question -- WHAT parts from the other two interchange with the '51? I will probably buy all of them and restore the '51 with the money I make from parting out the '53 and '55.

 

you'd do right by buying all of them. They stopped making them years ago.....just like real estate.

 

Food for thought:

Check each vehicle for rust in all the right places....at the running boards front and rear...between the upper and lower fender joint on the 51... Bottoms of the doors. Make sure the little things are in place - door locks, window regulators work right, door latches work, switches and *****.

Glass?

51 is a nice truck to restore, but much more difficult to find sheet metal parts for than the 53-56s.

I would look at the drive train gearing (rear ends). Is the top speed of the 51 going to be 45mph as opposed to the later ones driving 65 comfortably.

The cab on the 51 only seats 2 people or three dwarfs. The others 3 comfortably (ok me and my girlfriends).

Are any converted to 12 volt?

Engines in each are (if any)?

Are they all F1s/F-100s or are any long beds. A long bed on the 51 will be impossible to replace if its an express box (8 ft).

Wiper motors, heaters, gauges?

Any frame mods like cross members missing or motor mounts cut out of the 51?

Oh just go buy all three then give me one!

Tee hee
Juls

 

I appreciate the advice, Juls!

I'm really looking to restomod it. Yeah, I'll keep most if not all of the original exterior in tact but internally I'll probably drop an EFI or a bigger carbuerated engine in it.

All of the trucks are short beds. All are completely original. Now, I know there will be window regulator problems along with MANY others but the three trucks are in amazing shape to have been sitting in the woods for awhile.

I believe I'll be keeping the '51 as all the chrome trim on it is in GREAT shape AND I'm a fan of Sanford and Son! LOL! I'll cannibalize from the others as much as I can and sell off desireable components to help facilitate my build.

At least that's what I'm thinking. I DO know I'll be on this forum quite a bit now in addition to my regular postings in the SLICKS forum.

 

Call me when you get good Pic's of the 53-55 body parts....

 

Should have some this weekend.

 

Paxton some people have all the luck