Nice project there. Your pics are making me think about building a classic 4x4 sometime in the near future.

not out of the 49 though

 

Keep the pics coming. Thats a damn good looking truck. Most of us can only hope we can find one that nice and wish the one we are working on was.

 

thanks ill post some more tomorrow.... oh and i was wondering if anyone knew where i could find door locks for the truck??

 

Numberdummy will have that info. Maybe he will jump in soon. He is our resident parts guru.

 

That says it is 4x4 as far as I can tell. Numberdummy will straighten out anything I've screwed up.

3 spd trans
Rear axle 3.89 ratio
Front axle 3.92 ratio

 

i found the ratio plates on the axels and the rear had a 3.70 and the front had a 3.92 ratio on it..

 

That seem like a pretty big spread for a 4X4 to me. That seems like a lot.

 

which is what i was thinking but i heard something about there being a gear reduction in the transfer case to compensate for the difference... could there be one? would it help if it pulled the numbers off the tag on the transfer case

 

Anything is possible. What's the T case ya got and numbers on it? Maybe someone will step in. T cases I have worked with are a point or two off faster on the front. never seen one that far out. But hey I aint to old to learn. Just found out ya can cook beans without farts in them.

 

The transfer case is a dana spicer the serial is T186502 the g/m(whatever that is??) 300205 3 and the model number is 24

 

Your transfer case, if original, should be a Dana (Spicer) Model 24, used in F100-F250 from 1959 (I don't know if M-H used this case in 57-58) until 1965 (Dana 21 single speed until 1972?)in F100, and at least until 1972 in the F250s. It's not original if it is not a 24.

The transfer case is a simple two speed gear driven case, it would not have any gear reduction to make up for mismatched axles. Some newer (late 50s-60s) front ends are slightly higher geared than the rear to "pull" the vehicle in traction-deficit situations so the rear doesn't steer or push the vehicle in less than desirable directions. By slightly, we're talking 1 or 2 hundredths, not 2 or 3 tenths- ie a front may be 4.09:1 and a rear 4.10:1, or a front of 4.10:1 and rear 4.11:1.

Your front end should be a Dana (Spicer 44) with closed knuckles (the universal joint is in a housing). If it is an open knuckle, it is NOT original. Standard ratio should be 3.92:1, I believe.

I am not an expert and don't mean to sound like one, but I have crawled under many, many vintage 4x4s, both factory-born and those built by backyard Bubbas fueled by Budweiser. Take what you can from this. Yes, I know VIN numbers have a story, but original 4x4 chassis find their way under different bodies.

Look carefully at any and all crossmembers, they should not appear to be hacked, butchered, cut with hacksaws ( factory shears don't leave really sharp edges), or torches! In most cases, crossmembers should be riveted to the frame. Grade 5 or 8 bolts should bump your BS meter needle. Granted, a factory crossmember may have had to be removed and then put back in place with bolts, but not likely, especially if the frame does not appear to be damaged or "restored".

Any use of square tubing or channel iron for crossmembers or mounts of any sort, be it linkages, leaf springs, axles, etc, run away if you want original!

Front leaf springs of late 50s to early 60s 4x4s usually were thin and of around 8-10 leaves. They were positively arched. Wide springs with few leaves, and especially if they are negatively arched like those of the later 70s suggest tampering. The leaf spring mounts should be mostly if not all riveted. I've seen factory combinations of both. All bolts would seem iffy to me. Mounts should appear to be cast or stamped, not welded or have the appearance of being "shaped" with a club.

With the exception of Jeeps, I can't think off the top of my head if any 4X4 of this era didn't have a divorce mount transfer case. Look at the propeller shaft between the transmission and transfer and the front propeller shaft to see if they have been homebuilt.

And finally look carefully at the steering box mounting and linkage. There should be no welds or other molestation by someone eager to make something fit where it normally wouldn't.

Any monkey business listed above, especially in combinations, should cause your BS meter to read BROWN!!

I don't know if this brand of rambling is of use to you, but there it is.

 

I looked up a picture of the Dana u listed and it looks just like the one thats under the truck right now... but the only thing that seems odd to me is the difference in the gear ratios it seems rather large to me but then again I dont know much about ratios and such and the transfer case is a model 24

 

Providing your pickup is an original 4X4, it could be that the original rearend was swapped out for one reason or another in its long journey to your driveway.

 

is there any way i could check if the ratio in the rear is completely wrong and/or what it should be??

 

I would think that is gonna buck jump and hop with that gear spread. And eat something running in 4X on hard ground. Ya should only be a point or two off.