Good Afternoon peeps !
I figured i should begin a thread for my 1961 Ford F-100 4x4 conversion flareside (step-side) longbed.

When i get a chance, i will add some more information and photos.


Above is my 1961 Ford F-100 4x4 pickup un-restored. It is one which was converted by a specialty company, which i can never remember the name, but there is a big brass tag showing all info.
I like the light blue color.


above: photo of driver's side front with Braden pto winch and winch bumper. built Ford-tough
This pickup is powered by the 292 V-8 engine and 4-speed manual trans and 2-speed divorced t-case.
This pickup will crawl slower than a turtle. LoL
I purchased this pickup from the son of the original owneer and still have the original pink slip in his name. hahahaha I keep it as a mimento of sorts. I think I purchased this pickup in 1992. yep.


Above is a web-find screen shot of the super expensive power steering ford Boxes.
I do not use those in my power steering conversions, but I use commonly available PS boxes out of two-wheel drive pickups because they are cheap ($40each) and readily available. Of course you do understand i do make my own box-to-frame brackets.


above: you are looking at a 1991 Ford F-150 2wd Corporate PS box attached with my home-made bracket which does unbolt from the chassis too. This is on my '77 F-350 Crew pickup, but would be identical to the install in the '61 Ford F-100, or near similar. (so this is an example of what's to become).

 

Is the front from a later year? 65 maybe?
my 61

 

Grille is a 66 in 1st photo 2d is a 61.

 

Yes,
I believe the front wrap and grill are from a '66 along with the inner fenders which do not match up correctly to the 61 cab. Therefore, i have just last week found a '64 front-wrap donor vehicle with leaf spring front suspension in 2wd configuration. I am hoping the '64 inner fender's will match up to the '61 cab at the firewall.
The '64 donor vehicle is a short bed 2wd with a clear title and the driver's door Vin plate number matches the number stamped in the frame (things i never was concerned about until the last few years while trying to title some rigs I had bought with no papers except a bill of sale). Here in California, DMV can be a real PIA.

Back to my light blue '61: In all the years I've owned the pickup, I have probably only put 1k miles on it because it has been sitting patiently waiting for attention.
The longest trip I have driven the pickup was when i moved from the Scramento River Valley over across the mountains to the Pacific Coast. I towed a box trailer full of engines and transmissions and transfer cases.
The trailer, which is a '47 model, is rated for 2k lbs payload, and i was there. The 292 engine ran wonderful and I had no problems climbing and descending the steep mountain grades.
My wife gave this pickup to my youngest daughter 20-years ago, so i claim title, but ultimately, it will go to her if she ever gets the gumption to restore it, which hasn't happened yet. Life gets in the way of many dreams.

I have not come across a clean '61 grill yet.
A question: do the front wrap components interchange between 61 to 64 pickups ?

 

I think the 61 and 62 were the same body but the 62 grille had a big cross where the 61 says F O R D, changed some in 63 to 66 to a more level body line where the 61,62 was slanted down from front to back