Hello Gentlemen,
I just bought a 1953 F-600 that was a tank truck for a local fire department. The tank was removed when I got the truck. It has about 15,000 original miles on it. In planning what to do with it, I'm thinking about finding another cab and stretching it to a 4 door then adding a bed, making it a 4-door dually, keeping the original 20-inch wheels.

I'm attaching before and after rough photo edited images of what it might look like. I would try to keep it somewhat stock looking; maybe what it might have looked like had Ol Henry Ford made it originally. I realize the rear doors are slightly longer than what another pair of doors would add (that's part of why I said it's a rough photo edit).

Any thoughts or suggestions???

Also, this truck has a 2-speed rear end. Can anybody tell me what the rear end ratios might be?



Obviously, no color applied yet !

 

I like the bed!!

awesome idea, go for it!

My opinion is to not make the rear doors too long, it makes it look too limo-ish. Take a look at 57-79 factory crew cabs, and you will notice that the rear doors are slightly less long than the fronts.

try editing the photo so that the rear doors are 3 or 4 inches shorter than the fronts, add a "b" pillar (section of body between the front and rear doors, spacing them apart) of 4 inches or so, and try to use the same glass in the front and rear doors (excluding the vent window). This method still retains the cab size you have in the mock-up, it just gets rid of the excessively huge rear "minivan" window. Then you can re-use all of the door hardware from a front door.

just my opinion.

Given that you need room for hinges, a sizeable b pillar is needed anyway. you can keep the front doors stock by retaining the back section of the door jamb intact, and just extending it out from there. Take a look at some photos of how the rear doors work in a 73-79 crew cab.

 

I want one

 

First, welcome to the group. Glad to have another big guy hanging around.

Great idea for the truck. I like the bed too. As you get into the project, if you are wanting to keep the 20" wheel look, you'll need to look closely at your wheels to see if they are safe to use. The one on the right rear, however, looks like it's a "widow maker". Here are some past threads that discuss truck wheels that will help you know what you're dealing with. Stu

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...dowmakers.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...ew-22-5-a.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...xperience.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...8-f-135-a.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...ml#post5470496

 

Ford did not offer a factory Crew Cab until midyear 1965.

The early 1965 Crews were made by Crown Coach. These truck have exposed rear door hinges, the upper rear door frames have a different shape than the 1965 (& 1966) factory Crews.

The factory 1965 Crews also have hidden rear door hinges. All Crews previous to midyear 1965 were conversions.
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v8steel: Welcome to FTE

1953/55 F600 w/a 2 Speed Rear Axle: 5.83-1/8.11-1 / or: 6.33-1/8.81-1 / or: 6.50-1/9.40-1.

The actual specific to this truck axle ratios will be stamped on the Rating Plate, which is located on the inside of the glove box door, or on the A pillar.

 

Its certainly a doable project, it just takes time and a lot of planning and prep. I am building a 1952 F-3 extended cab (non-4 door, although I have thought of going with a 3rd door on the drivers side). I split the cab and frame and added 20 inches.

 

Morning.

Great idea but I do agree with 78 f800 about the doors other then making them shorter the rest is good. Welcome to FTE.

Chuck

 

I'll take it just as you "shopped" it - the wider rear doors will give me more flexibility.
Can you have it ready by April?
Oh welcome to FTE

 

Nice project! Has anybody every married two cabs together with the rear one facing the rear? This would give you instant suicide doors on the rear and make the finished cab perfectly semetrical.
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Jag

PS: My attempt at a scetch is not working. Those are supposed to bedouble doors that open in opposite directions.

 

I'm debating something similiar to my F-600 (lol we both have low mile, faded red and bed less F-600s...). Couple guys on here have done extended and crew cabs, from what I've gathered it is a lot of work, but if done right a beautiful thing.

Ironically I've been debating something similar with a bed as well, espcially with the duallys on it, you wouldn't have to really trim up the fenders. From what I've seen you can use a late model S-10 bed with a little trimming on the bottom to make such a bed... but be warned, you're going to get some crap if you tell anyone what it came from! lol...





As far as the gearing goes, I believe there is more than one option, if I remember right the id tag in the door should tell you what you have. Mine are something like 5.89 and 8.90 or something.

 

Thought you might like to see these:

 

Crew cabs manufactured from 57-64 were uniformly built in a factory by hand, but looked like they would have come that way from ford. Its such a subtle distinction, i didn't bother to mention it.
I'm trying to tell the guy how to build a factory looking cab, barring technicalities.
He did state that he wanted it to look like it was a factory style crew cab, so all of you who like the stretched look are talking about somthing else. A cab build from 2 cabs back to back sure wont look factory either.
People build wacky stretched vehicles all of the time (look in magazines), but to see a body built to appear original-priceless.

 

s-10 bed? It needs some different taillights-it just screams '90's.

 

I agree change the tail lights and it is a great start to a cool bed. I say if you have the fab ability go for the crew cab. But be very honest with your self if you do not have the ability or the funds to pay some one who does then figure out a different option for the truck. I have seen so many projects get started then junked because people get in over their heads and mess things up beyond feasible repair.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

 

Its nice to see more guys are interested in doing crew cab trucks.The past few years Ive been gathering parts to do a 1955 f-750 big job crew cab pickup on a 06 f-450 frame hope to start the project this summer.I would like to find out more on Howe you altered the picture of the f-650 to make it a crew cab.Keep on trucking