Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

Everyone here would like to show off their creations to their fellow 73-79 owners. And we would like to see these projects for ideas and inspiration :-), without looking thru a ton of posts about a new brushguard on a Superduty. By making the announcements here we can all see when someone has a new project completed by looking for the colored Icon :-)

This anchored topic is for the announcement of Completed 73-79 Truck Major Restoration and Modification Projects only. Please limit it to major projects, a new set of wheels or a chrome do-dad etc, while fun, wouldn't constitute a major restoration or modification.

Please limit your posts to announcements only, do NOT post replies in this topic. Use private email, messages, or post comments in the user's Gallery. Comments here will be deleted, but if they get to be a problem I will have to lock this topic and take posts by appointment only. Replies and comments in this topic would destroy the usefulness of the new message icon and would make the topic way too lengthy.

Please place your project photo's in your Gallery. Limit your teaser picture, if any, to less than 10K (some of us have dialup). Post a short description of your project please.

Put as much info on materials, parts, and techniques used as you can in your post for others to learn from. We realize that project trucks may never be complete but if the majority of the planned project has been completed please post. Please do not post wish or to do lists.

Put as many helpful links to suppliers, inspirations, and how-to info as you can in.

Thanks for using FTE! :-X25

Check out the Completed projects in 67-72 forum

-Your Forum Moderator

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

Blue and White 1973 Super Camper Special off frame resto...new glass...new glass rubber and door channel...new interior including paint...crate engine swap 390 C.I.D...K&N cold air intake...Alum intake manifold and new Carb...Hooker Headers...Corvette chrome exhaust tips. I would post some pictures in the Picture Gallery but it won't let me in!

Advance Auto Parts in Kansas City/Overland Park came though with a lot of nice parts.

Ebay was a good source of hard to find items.

http://motorhaven.autoanything.com/ has some hard to find NEW replacement items at reasonable prices.

Special thanks to Shawnee Mission Ford Body and Paint Shop (Stuart is the man!) in Shawnee, KS

Uncle Jim (the Caddy Man) tracked down many parts from the junk yards in Virginia Beach, VA

If you are interested I can email some pictures. I get stopped everywhere I go...every time I drive SCS with questions as to what year is it and does it run as good as it looks.

Frank Austenfeld
-email removed- please use PM or the built in email function.

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

If I did this right, there should be some pictures in my gallery of my power steering conversion that I completed in the fall of 2002. Major kudos to my big brother for letting me use his shop and tools. The conversion as I did it would have been much more difficult without the use of his shop and tools.

The pictures and text in the gallery show and describe how I did the conversion. I made a one mistake along the way that's worth mentioning. My biggest mistake was not having the correct pitman arm that goes with the 77.5-79 F-250 4x4 gearbox. I did not have that pitman arm when I trial fitted the gearbox. I used one from a 78 Bronco. I eventually found the correct pitman arm. When I installed it, I found out that the F-250 pitman arm tightened further up the sector shaft. This took away the precious little clearance between the top of the pitman arm and the bottom of the frame. I had to grind on the top of the pitman arm, oval the bolt holes in the frame, and grind on the frame slightly to create enough clearance between the top of the pitman arm and the bottom of the frame.

The conversion works very well, and I am glad I did it. Would I do it again? Not even if my wife asked me.:D

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

I got to roll my '79 F250 4X4 Dream Truck out of the paint shop and I was on the road. Looked incredible, Dark Jade Green & Silver, 6" lift Lariat with a custom built Rebco welded steel box with provision for two 35" spares built in on the port and stbd. sides.
Seemed like it was running poorly and took it into a little garage here in Powell River, BC. and the mechanic there (a good one) found a vacuum leak, set the choke up properly and lubed the shift linkage so that it is smooth as a peeled egg now.
The dual 2 1/2" pipes into the Dyanmax cans is just fine with very little restriction and not a lot of noise.
It's a long ways from asking questions on the "Old" FTE and getting my digest back with a ton of info. Thanks to all, and now it's tailligh, side light and driving light installation.

Pat Patrick

Post script: This is a down to the frame, sandblast, replace rivets and back up, making almost everything that I touched new if it wasn't really, really good. I used a '79 Frame, transfer case. front diff and steering. The rest came from a donor '78 Lariat 2WD. Whew!! What a project and it's still not done yet. Lighting, aluminum trim (1/8" marine checker plate) to go on the travelled surfaces of the fenders and wheel wells and a few other trick mods to come yet.
Talk to ya'
Pat

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

77 shortbed 71 model 351C 11.5:1 comp 5.12 isky cam weiand intake/carter carb/aussie style "quench heads"/hooker headers/2.5" pipes & SINGLE chamber flowmasters (nasty sounding little things)/np 435 4 spd/centerforce dual friction clutch/rebuilt trans & t case courtesy of rockland gear....3.55 gears (stock) fresh paint....weird color...flips between a dark maroon to copper...all new rubbers & weatherstrippng...protofab bumpers on the way...will have new pics soon but will need someone to pull them off of my webpage & post them here for me if they would..(webtv cant do stuff like that)..one before pic is on my webpage..link on my profile ...
thanks to Gear/Protofab4x4...www.protofab4x4.com & my good friend Dave Walters for the paint &everyone on these forums for the good info...you guys rock

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

Pretty much done for the winter. Next winter I'll start again. The frame and driveline from the cab back has been restored. Some pictures are in my gallery

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

I hope this counts as a major modification (it sure was alot of work)

converted a 78 F150 from a column shifted 3 speed to a floorshifted 4OD.

truck was originally a 3 speed with a bolted yoke and a 2 piece driveshaft. I put in a clark 4 speed overdrive transmission. This transmission uses a slip yoke and is about a foot longer than the 3 speed, so i used a one piece driveshaft. I used a new steering column from another truck to get rid of the shift linkage.

this started out as a simple starter replacement job. then I noticed the flywheel ring rear needed to be replaced and since i had to pull the flywheel anyways, I got a case of the "Might as wells" :-X04

cost for this little project:

junkyard transmission rebuilt $670
flywheel resurfaced and ringgear $75
clutch and pressure plate $175
driveshaft fabricated and balanced $300

http://hometown.aol.com/moparmage/private/column.jpg

http://hometown.aol.com/moparmage/private/shift.jpg

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

Pics of my completed Drum to Disc change over and Power-asist to '79 power steering box.

http://onlinerock.com/clubs/rr1ggf//ford1.jpg

http://onlinerock.com/clubs/rr1ggf//ford2.jpg

http://onlinerock.com/clubs/rr1ggf//ford3.jpg

http://onlinerock.com/clubs/rr1ggf//ford4.jpg

http://onlinerock.com/clubs/rr1ggf//ford5.jpg

http://onlinerock.com/clubs/rr1ggf//ford6.jpg

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

Well, I finally got my gallery the way I like it. I will take some pictures on the interior when I get the seat back in. All I need to do is re-install my freshly reupholstered seat and finish up the tailgate and it will be done, after almost 2 years. This truck was a learning experience for me. I didn't know anything about body work before this project, but my dad taught me. It was a lot of fun working on it with him. I am going to keep this truck till the day I die.

Lenny

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

I have owned my 76 F250 Highboy for the last 10 years. I am the 2nd owner but could never justify the cost of restoring it, although I've always wanted to. So I did.

All minor dents and dings were removed. New two tone paint with black pinstripes. I kept the original Saddle color because of the cost of changing colors but added the white. All the chrome is new all the way down to the door handles and rain gutters. The only thing I kept was the Body side mouldings (expensive to replace). A 4" lift on top of the factory high boy lift was added. This evens out the rake original by the factory. New springs in front and an add a leaf in back. New shocks, mud flaps, tinted rear slider, rear bumper and heavy duty hitch.

A new canopy and fender flares with matiching paint. Interior is new with new carpet, sound deadner, heat shield, door panels, floor mats, seat vinyl, and speakers. New wheels (16x10) Ultra 164's and 37" SSR Super Swampers. Spray in bed liner makes the bed look new.

New transmission, carberator, Flex plate and motor mounts. Of course many parts have been improved or replaced over the 10 years. The block was replaced by the original owner in 1991. Heads rebuilt, new radiator, brakes, bearings, part time kit (original full time 4wheel drive), starter, alternator, etc. etc. etc.
I'm sure I have over $20,000 invested. Not sure I would invest the money again, but it sure was fun.

The pictures tell the story... See what you think

Click on Viewers Gallery then 76 Money Pit

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

new cab corners, fender patch panels, shaved the indent from where the cab meets the roof, fresh candy apple red paint, rock gaurded, black alloy rims with chrome center caps and acorn nuts. will have pics soon. need them to be devoloped. im proud of my "new" old truck

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

Just finished my motor last night its a 400. Pics will be up soon.
Great oil pressure 80/50 with a standard pump. The motor has 60 miles on it now and its better than my expectaions.

.020 over flat tops
Crane powermax cam, lifters, and springs and lifters
Heads all new, stock
Block .010/.010
headers Duals 2 1/2 all the way
Elderbrock double roller timing set, intake sp2p and a 1406 carb
K&N 14 By 6 air filter
Taylor Wires
Accel super coil
Centerforce dual friction clutch
Elderbrock chrome
Motorhaven bolt kit

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

Just got my 1974 on the road after going through almost all of the mechanicals. Still more to come though...

http://fordsix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4823

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

For those of you who might be interested in doing it yourself someday...

Removed non working links.

The rear disc portion is forthcoming...

Completed Major Restoration & Modification Projects, Announce only NO replies
 

Been finished for a while, but just now got my pics and my gallery up to speed. Check it out and LMK what you think. I still have to add the "before" pictures. It was half restoration, half beautification. Anyone can email me with replies or questions thru the system email.

Thanks.

JJ