Well, I guess I would qualify as one of those who is converting a truck over to 4x4.

My project is a 52 F-3 that I have lengthened into an extended cab and am now working on the driveline making it into a 3/4 ton 4x4. I chose to stick with the original frame and swap in a modified driveline out of 70's Ford trucks. I am using a 460 with a NP435 4spd transmission with a NP205 transfercase out of a late 70's truck (engine actually from a 75 car). My rear axle is a Dana 60 out of a 69 F-250 and was a direct bolt on. Front axle will be a narrowed Dana 44 HD low pinion out of a 76 F-250.

Feel free to check out my gallery and see what I have done up til now.

One question though, are you dead set on an F-100? If not, why not look at an F-250/350 if your worried about frame strength.

 

Oh very nice, the extended cab looks so very wicked, I might have to toss that idea around a bit. What did you use to length it with, an extra door skin?


I'm not dead set on the f100 by any means... I've just never seen a '56 250 or 350 for sale and figured they would be more expensive if I came across one. With it being more rare I'm afraid I'd be less likely to do what I really want to with it and more apt to make it a show truck and never use it. Honestly right now I'd be tickled pink with just the sheet metal and no frame or drivetrain.

 

Welcome to the board, Steven. Here's my 2 cents on the 4x4 swap. The 80's rangers, explorers (90's), and Bronco II's all with 4wd will be a near correct track width. They will allow a full frame conversion with mods of course, or will fit under the current frame as is. However, the 4x4 systems in these vehicles are on the weak side, and not good for towing heavy trailers, IMO. Now, the heavier duty option is to use 1959-1972 F100 4x4 systems that will also be the correct track width, will bolt in and should be stroong enough for pulling a heavier trailer, though the stopping power on these are not the greatest (stock that is) and will be harder to find replacement parts for. Those would be your 2 easiest options.....anything else will require some serious fab work, like Irondragon's front axle narrowing for example. Finding a 66-77 Bronco will be a bit too narrow, and 1973 on up will be a bit too wide. Other makes, such as a Toyota 4x4, or Nissan, would be a bit left field and uncharted territory, and running a Blazer frame would be sacriligous (sp), lol. One last thought is the shorter wheelbase of the f100, and towing a longer trailer would be a bit iffy. Now all that said, I have seen a Ranger framed 48 F1 that looks stock from 10 feet away, and I've seen F1's pulling 16 foot boats (on trailers for those who think otherwise, lol) up steep hills without a problem. I say it would be a fun project nonetheless. Oh, BTW, who finishes their projects before starting a new one? lmao.

PS: I'm looking for a tow rig project too. Anyone know where I can find a 1958 or 9 F350?

 

Thanks for the link Stephen and the reminder about that site.
I`ve been there but in the last few years I`ve swung back into playing with my first love, Ford/Mercury trucks.
Time for another visit one of these days.

 

Hey Stephen, I just got a chance to check over your pics. With the work you do you're more than welcome to move to my neck of the woods!

That's a gorgeous 67. My sister has a red one with the same hood, but it's got the original 289 and c4. They're very fun cars. And you do great iron work.

 

Thank you, glad you like my work



Interesting about the 4x4s, lot of options, lots of homework to do... thanks for help on that. My current thought process is trying to figure out the best way to make the 4x4 shifter not look out of place or too crowded, it really does effect a lot of things.



Looking forward to seeing you stopping by Morris, I hand around the offtopic quite a bit anymore.

 

Hi Stephen and welcome...
I'm doing a 4 X 4 with my 53 which really isn't all that much different. You can CLICK HERE and see what I have in mind. This little site will tell you what I am doing. Some here have advised against it but it's one way to get a rolling chassis that will fit without the wheels sticking way out. You also get modern suspension, disc brakes and power steering. I personally would not trust the stock frame with any off road twisting with a modern 4 X 4 power train. But hey, that's just me... My son is doing a '53 with a diesel. His project is going to really be Darkside.

Later Man...

 

Thanks for the help

How did you come by the spare cab and bed? Thats sort of the level of "finished" I'm looking for. More complete is better for restoration, less complete is better for modification, least to me.

I walk a lot of alley ways but I've never come across a '56 yet.

 

Hi Stephen,
I assume this question was for me... I was looking for any 53-56 stuff on ebay and came across the cab, bed and frame. Nobody was bidding on it so I bid the minimum which was $75.00 and got it. Although I operate a transport business I had another guy who lived out there in Illinois near where it was, bring it here to SE Ohio. Tha cost me $500.00. It is really arguable as to whether the whole pile of stuff was worth that much. If I had gone and picked it up I probably would have had at least $300.00 invested in the trip plus time. The cab and bed are marginal but there is stuff there I can use.

Yeah, that was my thinking too. If the '53 I bought would have been in better shape and not messed with, I probably would have gone more for a restore as opposed to my current plan. The guy who put the 302 in it was a real hack. He ruined more than he helped.

As for my plans of modification... I already had the '91 Explored. It turms out that it is a pretty good match in width and wheel base. As mentioned earlier in this thread, they have a weak tramsmission. If I had decided to keep the V6 , it might have been OK. I wanted at least a 302 but the experts here say the tranny won't hold with it. That is why I am putting in the 4WD drivetrain with the 351 from the '83 F-150.

There is another fellow on this forum that put a 2WD Explorer rolling chassis under a '55 or '56. I'll have to go look it up and send you the link. He grafted the Explorer floor pan to the cab which I thought was a great idea considering that is where most of the rusty stuff is. That also provided ready made mounts to the frame, He did a real nice job.

I still need to go look at you pictures, so I can't comment on them yet. When I look I will get a better idea of how far you might want to go in terms of radical modification. In my view, the more the better but then again, there are always the three fasctors of money, time and effort. I'm not so tethered by practical restraints as others may be. Watch for a PM or e-mail. I'll get back to you with more details.

Later Man...

 

Yes, 4 "junk" doors have to give up their lives to make the extended portion of my cab. The quarter windows are actually made up of the rear portion of a pair of doors. Although I haven't gotten to that point yet, I'll be using the inter parts of the doors to help fill in the interior portion of the back of the cab.

When it comes to the larger trucks, in mnay parts of the country you'll fid the bigger trucks to be more common since many of the decent f-1/f-100s have already been bought. Recently we have been having more and more people come to the board trying to figure out how to make an F-1/F-100 out of the F-2/F-250 or larger they just brought home.

 

Hey Stephen,
Maybe I goofed... I thought your reply was for me but then I saw Irondragon's replt and thought maybe not. If that was the case, sorry...

Later Man...

 

Nope it was, I was thinking "$75? This man shops like I do!" I'll email you back here shortly.

lol had several questions out there. Thanks for the input.

So what's the difference from a f100 to a 250 or 350 back then? Is all the sheet metal the same or are like the wheel panels different? I haven't been able to come across anything yet...

 

There are guys on here that know all that stuff. I do know that the bigger trucks had fatter front fenders but how much and what size it started at I am not sure. My son has a book we were looking at this weekend that showed a 700 and those fenders were at least 3" wider on each side. I do believe the core part of the cab was the same. Like I said, the experts will probably know and chime in on this.

Later Man...

 

Have you tried the Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI. ???

OK... I couldn't help myself...

 

lol, not yet, but I may have to.