COULDN'T AGREE MORE..................a very interesting thread. I acquired a 60 f100 w/50k orig and had to make the decision. Do I need to restore w/frame-off for the parade & auction?....or modify so I'll be able to drive it around on today's roads and enjoy the ride. I'm gonna do the same thing I did in 1959 when I was 14, with my first hot rod (a stock '34 Olds Coupe w/a "basket-case" j49 Olds v-8, looks like a 32 Ford with reg opening doors). I found someone to help me cut the body down on the frame about 10", found a syncro '39 Ford Tranny w/rear end, and made all the mods necessary to be functional on the road. Man, was it ever a great time to have a Hot Rod!

With all the great Ford stuff built since this truck was manuf in 1960, I find no reason to cross breed but I'm definitely going to have more fun making this a buff, original looking performer that will be a pleasure to drive. The only things I'll have to go outside for, simply as best suited, are steering box, disc brake kit, electronics, conversion hard parts, etc...things that just aren't easy otherwise. I have no purist bent here, just a matter that the best engine/tranny combo I can think of for it are all Ford and I love the classic Ford truck look. (my other truck is a 7.3L F350 Crew longB) I have had almost every car you can think of but only a few trucks. The real ones have been Fords.

I am looking for suggestions on the powertrain starting from the fan all the way back to the rear end, I think the eng is a 292 but maybe a 312. It has the granny 4 box 2wd behind it. Anybody want to weigh in? I'm not looking for a hot rod or to re-live my youth, but something with plenty of power for cruising today's highways plus scooting around town. (newer, lighter fuel injected V8, efficient auto-trans) I still like to have fun.....to me this is a lot more fun than a frame-off to run through the auction or put on my financial statement but whatever turns your crank.....I appreciate originals, this is just my preference. Some of you other dark-siders want to weigh in?

 

Hey Man,
I just noticed this is your first post and I was surprised to see you jumped in on an old thread. First off, welcome to the FTE.

Now, about your truck... It sounds like you have a definite basic plan to work from. Going by what you have said you would like to do I see no problem with sticking to Ford stuff. I can't help you much with the specifics of chassis mods regarding front and rear IFS and disc brakes because I'm not that familiar with your particular model year other than knowing them when I see them. As for power train mods there ought to be a lot of stuff that would almost just bolt in with little modification. You expressed a desire for later model fuel injection. That's a good choice as long as you are willing to deal with complexity. If you harvest a drive train from a later model car or truck you need to get all the electronics and fuel system that goes with it. There is a way around this if you want to spend over 2K on after market systems. If you go the complete donor route you will have to do a lot of wiring work to adapt the electronics and associated components like ECM and instruments into your truck. That includes your dash board controls and instrumentation. Remember, the trannys in the newer vehicles are also integrated into the ECM's. I have one project to start that I will be doing just that. I have another one that I am starting that I am going the old school route with in regards to power train. I'm going with a carbed 351-W, manual truck 4 sp. and manual transfer case. I am however going with a late model 4WD rolling chassis with disc brakes and IFS.

Bringing these older trucks up to date for today's driving and todays roads is at best a rather complicated task. The mechanical part is easy.

As far an engine choice is concerned, that is subjective. If you want ground pounding power you need to go for a big block engine. If you want a combination of decent performance yet some degree of economy, I suggest a small block like 302, 351 or a later three valve 4.6L. All those are available from models produces over the last ten years with fuel injection. If you want more power in a small block there is a Roush conversion kit out for the 4.6L. In the case of any of these choices I strongly suggest you get the tranny with the engine.

OK, hope this helps... Once again, welcome ansd don't forget to keep us posted with pictures and updates. when you get enough posts go to the user's cp and update your profile with your location and make up a sig file with whatever nickname you normally go by. That makes it easier than calling you DarkSide60Effie.

Later Man...

 

Right Dave, glad you found my post....just wanted to weigh in. I agree with you that the electronics have to come over with the latest model d'train.........and you've struck at the heart of my thought process as these are the ideas I need to hear about from others who have done it . Either 1) I find a near bolt-in with the old school stuff (I've stuffed some improbable trains into impossible units) where the trans can be a naturally unmated version that uses mechanics/pressure/controls, etc., and electronics are not intregal or, 2) I swap the most adaptable undercarriage/drivetrain or, 3) wire the works into the old chasis as you're warning me about. I'm good with the fact there are as many conversion parts as a fool wants to pay for, and that's not really me (built a lot of my own), I'll have to say my preference lies somewhere between the "most modern near bolt-in" where a naturally mated tranny would be best but not critical or, the mated electronic systems and if one of those is also not an impossible bolt-in, I do love fuel injection with all the modern efficiencies. The availability of an inexpensive donor might make a difference too on the latter and they are normally lighter as well, which is good for weight distribution especially on an older pickup not used as a truck.

I am hoping there are some experiences out there I can learn from so I can get a jump on the best ideas to start with and go from there. So for a while here while I'm waiting out some real bad weather here in the high foothills outside Denver, I'll just watch the various posts as a learning process toward my goal.

Yeh, I'll take your heads-up on the nickname & profile, including pics later.....just wanted to quickly jump into a niche I'm most familiar with, modifying-classic or not. Having a cousin who was a life-long employee in Ford power train design, I nonetheless believe that although they have built some great stuff, I may be better equipped to take the basic classic look and interchange various era units so I end up with........let's say: very athletic & capable yet recognizable classic good looks & without steroids. My main concern for now is the right DriveTrain; brakes, suspension, power units, electronics, wipers, all those have a pretty good body of knowledge out there to pick & choose from........but good advice is always welcome!

 

Until I get a name I'll just refer to you as DS60E, it's a lot shorter than the alternative long version...

Having an inside source to Ford power train engineering is probably going to be a big help.

I too have a certain fondness for the modern fuel injection systems. For one thing, they always start easy and for another they are pretty much worry free which counts a lot for a daily driver. It is also handy to be able to use chips or programmers. Of course on the other hand it's kind of nice to have the simplicity and old school nature of the old carbed engines. I guess that's why I want to try to both.

One great thing about having an old vehicle that is still titled as such is the fact that in most places they are exempt from all the emmission testing and other rules that plague later models. That means you can put about anything you want in them as long as you build a safe ride.

OK, I'm going to find a link to one Darksider's build that I am sure you would like to look at. he went to a modern fuel injected Mustang drive train and moved everything including the dash over. I'll get back to you with that.

later Man...

 

OK, CLICK HERE to go to see Keith's gallery here on the FTE. This guy is argueably the King of the Darksiders on the FTE.

Later Man...

 

I agree Dave, no argument here. Keith is THE MAN!!! His truck is AWESOME!!!!

 

Yeah, there is no doubt about it, he has done a great job. Not my choice of color he has in mind but it's his truck and only right he should have what he wants. Still, I aspire to be that Dark...

Later Man...

 

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by Truxx1956
I agree Dave, no argument here. Keith is THE MAN!!! His truck is AWESOME!!!!
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


His truck makes me think of what Pablo Picasso may have designed if he ever worked at Ford in the middle 1950's. I mean that as a "sincere compliment", from the bottom of my NOS loving little heart!

 

Just to followup my earlier post on this "darkside" subject, while I do very much enjoy the modded trucks I also equally value the OEM. Since only recently joining this forum I've probably mostly talked about the currrent build of my 58F100 Prostreet-darkside truck.

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/p...6_edited-1.jpg
http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/p...7_edited-1.jpg
http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/p...6-288_edit.jpg

And I don't want people to think I'm only a darksider--I also value the OEM. Here's a couple photos of the current dark side ride in my shop and my OEM in the driveway. The black/green (still has some original paint) 48F1 with the totally cool 50 steel camper shell is mostly OEM-even the bias ply tires/16wheels etc. And that's how I like it. I've only owned it and its very rusted "brother" the 49 you can just barely see behind it for about two years.

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/p...edited-1-1.jpg

I've been taking things off the 49 and putting them on the 50-including the camper shell and the OEM tube radio etc to make the 48 complete. And the previous owner only made one significant mod in it and that was installing a early 50's Lincoln rear end and a 57 312ci Y block--How bad can that be? I like it just like it is and only plan to maintain it. But its brother the "badly" rusted heap from a cotton field in Georgia many decades ago will probably go under my very sharp knife. It wouldn't be impossible to make a stocker out of it, but eveythings badly rusted-and I'll likely get creative, but to plan to hopefully keep its nice flathead six running gear assembly. Everything else is up for reconsideration.

Tom

 

Newbie here, By definition, I'm on the darkside.
500 ci. caddy, th400, 9 in ford rearend. Power disc brakes, toyota power steering, GM tilt column, radial tires and A/C.
But the body is bone stock. Even steel rims and ford dog dish caps.

Now our 28 sedan is pure darkside - fenderless, chop top, filled roof, drop axel, ................. makes the 54 F100 look like a restoration.

 

Welcome to the board! Another 500 caddy, geesh, run for the hills!!! J/K, there's another on here with a 500 caddy also. He like to smoke tires....showoff. Again, welcome.

 

Actually, I'm an old fart, way past the smoking tires stage (OK, maybe a rare flashback), but mainly I wanted a truck that would haul anything and pull a loaded car trailer. If it's got a hitch on it, this beast will pull it.

 

Welcome oldguy829, you'll have to post some pictures of your 54 and that pure darkside 28 sedan

 

I'll take a stab at posting pics.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...29/profile.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...ndtires006.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...ndtires003.jpg

The 28 still needs glass and interior, but it's driveable as is.

 

Definetly better with a lug wrench than a computer. Tried to post a pic and got a message a moderator would have to do it. So, i'm trying again.



If this doesn't work, I'll have to go read the instruction. (usually a last resort)