No, this is an old one that is sitting over at my Grandpa's.

-Jake

 

Hey Jake,

Not sure where your thoughts are regarding this project, but I stumbled across some info regarding a '4wd Conversion'. This guy breaks down the main things that you would have to deal with if you decided to try and convert your 2wd to 4wd. Personally, I think the body swap would be the way to go, but as stated before, it's your baby!!

"From what I ran in to on my swap (73 cc 2wd frame) I had to use the spring hangers off a Highboy truck. All the holes already exist for the front hangers, but the rear shackles need the large hole as well as all 3 small holes cut in to your 2wd frame. The 79 hangers mount completely different.

Your cross member will be an issue. I enitially thought I had room after cutting the front lip off the 2wd member, (using the Highboy springs) but then the Cummins went in, and she shrunk. The weight of a gasser might not bottom out setting still, but I wouldnt try it as even a small bump would cause interference. Just cut the entire middle out of the cross member, and cut the lips that hang down flush to the bottom of the frame rails. This leaves the 2wd engine mout pads so you can still use the stock 2wd mounts. However- you WILL need to add a cross member brace or you will have a LOT of frame flex. To the point of being un stable. I placed a cross member below my radiator to substitute.

The hardest obstacle to overcome when retaining the 2wd frame is steering box location. 2wd steering box locates behind axle. 4wd in front. I measured 3 times before boring holes in my frame to mount a 78/79 ps box to the 2wd frame, but its doable. You will have to "full box" the frame behind the 4wd box as well, or your gonna rip the frame right at the rear bolt holes of the box.

Another thing to remember when/ if you do carry through with this swap- when the box moves forward, you will have to fab a bracket to hold the firewall end of the column still. With the 2wd box, it is only 3 inches away from the cab and it holds the column still. 4wd box has a long shaft between it and the column thus Ford put a bracket at the firewall on 4wd columns. You can swap in a 4wd column with the firewall brace but I wanted to keep my tilt column.

Last issue I can think of- Tranny cross member... Our cc frames (until late 77 on the 250's) are narrow. Like the high boys. So if you run a married T case, your not gonna find a "direct bolt in" cross member. If you run a divorced case- your still gonna have some cross member issues as only 2 out of all those holes will lign up 100%.

If I had it to do over- I would stab the 79 frame section to the 2wd frame. Especially if you have a knowledgable fab worker. I honestly did it the hard way cause some good ol boys round here told me It cant be done. LOL

Well, all that said- here's the disclaimer: This info is just what I have observed from 20 yrs of tinkering. I'm sure someone knows something different, or knows this guy that knows this guy... but That's what worked for me on my daily driver. And I'm hard on it. And still breathing..."

 

I was gonna attempt this same project in a sense but came up with some new plans for my "things". I had a 78 4x4 frame to work with though and a 67 2wd truck. Since non of the body lined up so well to the frame I was gonna build a body lift into whatever mounts I had to make. As for the 2" issue I was either gonna split the difference, 1" forward in back and 1" back in front and I figured with the lift and bigger tires, no one would really be able to tell unless they stared at for awhile or I was just gonna plain and simple hack 2" outta the frame and fish plate it back together. Now I don't mind fabing driveshafts, braces, crossmembers, motor mounts, etc. so the rest of it (it was gonna get a 460, manual and mated case) was gonna be easy enough after that. Also if you wanted to salvage your rear brakes from your 2wd, just switch everything to your 4x4, they both use a 60 rear and I know brakes aren't the funnest thing to switch, so I would have personally used the 2wd rear-end, yanked the axles and put in whatever gears matched the front-end.

 

Well I have now seen in person what a 67-72 body looks like on a 73-79 frame. I had to look at it for awhile before I noticed the rear axle being two inches farther back that it should be. I knew something was up when it had the two speed transfer case and none of the bed bolts lined up. Those three things were the only tip offs that it wasn't original. So, I'm still toying with the idea.

-Jake

 

Yeh Jake that truck had more questions then answers for sure. Definitly not original but the front end sure was. The tape measure doesnt lie. Still kind off curious about the engine. Didnt have any oil according to the dipstick. Ill have to see what Randy comes up with. Nice meeting you at the sale. I will pay a visit someday an you will have to give me a ride. Good Luck an keep us posted on what you decide to do.

 

Jake, did you check out the truck that Randy bought??

 

Yeh Jake an I both checked that truck out at the sale. Kind off a puzzler though. Pieced together an such. Had very nice tires though. Be nice to find anm all origianal like new which Im sure is impossible.

 

found out the motor does turn over so its not locked up,i know the guy who built it so now just have to find him and pick his mind,it was a divorce deal and his wife got it,it came from rockville, his wife owned Jane's Tavern in rockville,did find out the frame & some 4x4 parts is a 75 by the serial #

 

Pat - the one that Randy bought it the one that I was all excited to buy until I realized what I was looking at and the fact that I have one rotting away over at my grandfather's!!!

Randy - What all are you going to get rid of off that pickup? I still need a tailgate. Did it have all of the letters for the hood?

-Jake

 

If I can find a disk brake front end for a reasonable price, I've convinced myself it's a done deal!!!!

-Jake

 

Hope you find one Jake. You made a good descision. Keep us posted on what you find.

 

I'm doing the same with mine Jake, I think Randy has one that I'm going to rob the disc brakes, power steering, and power brake booster off of.

 

building a truck is fun, still working on my crawler. Their is a wealth of knowledge out on the net. Not sure what tcase came in the highboys, whether married or divorced. put some leaf springs under the front, find a d44 from a mid 70's. before they went to coils, and their are ways to do a disc brake conversion using chevy knuckles, ford rotors, with chevy calipers. I have about every manufacture on my crawler.

I have humvee parts, chevy parts, rockwell, ford, ranging from 1967 to 1998.

It's only metal, nothing a torch and welder can't do.

 

Interesting. The highboys were a divorced transfer case with the NP203 or NP205. The front leaf springs were the same from 73-79 on the F-250's. The arch was the only thing that changed. This leads me to believe that a later (76-79) axle with disk brakes would be a direct bolt on. How big of a deal is it to put the Chevy knuckles and all that junk on?

-Jake