Power & Disc Upgrade
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Power & Disc Upgrade
First off let me start by saying Hello! to everyone...This is my second bumpside buildup and I am greatly looking forward to it!
Ok, I have stock manual drum brakes all around. I am looking to swap to power brakes and front discs. I have read the sticky at the top of the thread list and from the sounds of it I would do best to find a 73 - 79 donor truck and take the following: master cylinder, booster & booster brackets, pedal assembly, I-beams, spindles, proportioning valve, rotors, calipers, and hoses. Basically take off all my parts and add the ones listed above.
Am I missing anything? Also, my truck is a manual so does the pedal assembly from the donor need to be a manaul as well, or can my current clutch pedal be maintained somehow?
Thanks in advance guys
Ok, I have stock manual drum brakes all around. I am looking to swap to power brakes and front discs. I have read the sticky at the top of the thread list and from the sounds of it I would do best to find a 73 - 79 donor truck and take the following: master cylinder, booster & booster brackets, pedal assembly, I-beams, spindles, proportioning valve, rotors, calipers, and hoses. Basically take off all my parts and add the ones listed above.
Am I missing anything? Also, my truck is a manual so does the pedal assembly from the donor need to be a manaul as well, or can my current clutch pedal be maintained somehow?
Thanks in advance guys
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Welcome to the forum, I strongly urge you to buy a 73-76 if you have a FE or 73-79 if you have a I-6 or 302, bring it home, so you will have all the little parts that you miss.
I am also convinced that moving your body to the later frame is easier than the underneigth swap if you have a place to lift the body. The cab is large but not that heavy (it is all hollow).
I still have my 66 straight drive brake pedal minus the clutch. The clutch spring is the big concern in the removal, you will scratch your head several times before you get that out.
John
I am also convinced that moving your body to the later frame is easier than the underneigth swap if you have a place to lift the body. The cab is large but not that heavy (it is all hollow).
I still have my 66 straight drive brake pedal minus the clutch. The clutch spring is the big concern in the removal, you will scratch your head several times before you get that out.
John
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We are definately planning on doing a complete body off restoration on this truck, so the cab and bed are coming off anyways.
So if a find, say a 77 short bed f100 parts truck, bring the whole thing home and put the 70 body on the the complete 77 frame? Any other issues in doing this swap versus just doing the brake parts....do the body mount holes all line up? Could I relocate my gas tank as they did in the later models if I swap the whole frame?
Thanks in advance!
So if a find, say a 77 short bed f100 parts truck, bring the whole thing home and put the 70 body on the the complete 77 frame? Any other issues in doing this swap versus just doing the brake parts....do the body mount holes all line up? Could I relocate my gas tank as they did in the later models if I swap the whole frame?
Thanks in advance!
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
OK, The cab and front clip is a direct bolt hole exchange between the two chassis. The was 4" added to the rear of the cab in 73 that is behind the rear cab mounts that affects things in the bed area or dumb end of the truck. I have not done it my self but would if I built another truck. Tis my understanding that because of the large openings at the mount points one can shove the cab/clip backward, add a little more space between the cab and bed and fudge the difference out.
The 77 has the gas tank under the rear of the chassis already, so no issues there.
The rear axle was widened in 73 to match the front track that had been widened in 65 when Ford swapped to the twin I-beam.
What engine does your truck have now or what engine are you planning on running when complete? I would suggest finding a donor that has what you are wanting your to project to have to cut down on parts.
By doing a body off I surely would go back on a newer chassis, maybe one all the way into the 90s if you are thinking EFI. You will have to do some modding but it may not be as complicated as one might thing.
John
The 77 has the gas tank under the rear of the chassis already, so no issues there.
The rear axle was widened in 73 to match the front track that had been widened in 65 when Ford swapped to the twin I-beam.
What engine does your truck have now or what engine are you planning on running when complete? I would suggest finding a donor that has what you are wanting your to project to have to cut down on parts.
By doing a body off I surely would go back on a newer chassis, maybe one all the way into the 90s if you are thinking EFI. You will have to do some modding but it may not be as complicated as one might thing.
John
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I have a 302 at the moment and plan on keeping it after the restoration.
4" seems like a lot of gap to fudge between the panels / cab / bed. I would love to pick-up a newer chasis, but though my family and are are pretty mechanically inclined, we are fairly limited on tools, so things like shortening frames & welding are probably out of the question.
Any other suggestions...I am still probably going to look into getting a donor truck...and going to keep this frame swap in the back of my mind.
Thanks
4" seems like a lot of gap to fudge between the panels / cab / bed. I would love to pick-up a newer chasis, but though my family and are are pretty mechanically inclined, we are fairly limited on tools, so things like shortening frames & welding are probably out of the question.
Any other suggestions...I am still probably going to look into getting a donor truck...and going to keep this frame swap in the back of my mind.
Thanks
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
OK with a 302 you can go all the way to 79. The bed holes will not line and new holes will have to be drilled in the frame so that is where some of the fudging takes place. You will end up with more rail at the rear of the bed.
Worst is you might have to slide the rear axle, not cut the chassis.
John
Worst is you might have to slide the rear axle, not cut the chassis.
John
