Projects '60 F100 Daily Driver Project.

My old parts hauler ('04 Ranger) ended up with one of those pre-programmed electrical gremlins in the PATS (factory anti-theft system) system and I wasn't about to chunk down the $2300 that Ford told me it would take to fix their proprietary, late model garbage.

So, I went Craigslist and Offerup surfing for several weeks, looking for a replacement to no avail, when this fell in my lap. All it cost was an old Harley I had laying around. Okay, well not so old (2014) but I still think I made out pretty good at the end of the day.



The interior isn't bad at all. Not what I want, but not bad.





This truck is definitely Driver Quality and will probably never see the show circuit. It's a solid, old, honest truck. The paint is okay but the bodywork is shit.

There is no guessing where the bondo is as you can see islands of it down the side of the truck under the paint.

The odd thing is the paint. Looks almost like an industrial painter was pretending to be a bodyman. So, you have this decent, well laid paint over the whole truck (which was white from the factory). Up under the bed rails, in every recess, under the hood. And it's well done. No runs but there is orange peel.

Some stuff was done and appears to be done right. New glass and seals throughout, power windows and the vent wings have been deleted.

The PO also had one of those Painless wiring harnesses installed on the truck.

I honestly think these trucks came off the assembly line with roten cab corners, so it's no surprise that this truck wasn't immune. They're crusty on the inner and outer panels and will probably be the first bit of bodywork I do on this thing. Also, there is a spot on the left front of the cab, behind the fender that is looking a bit swiss cheesy and the drip rails are blistering a little. Other than that, this little truck is as clean underneath as it is up top.



I'm not real happy with the ride height and will be addressing that issue early on, but for now, I'm going through the truck to make sure everything is safe and road worthy.

Under the hood is exactly what you'd expect from a semi-neglected, driver. Dirty and a bit unkempt looking.

Late model 351 with great compression and no blowby, Edelbrock 4bbl... standard fare. The 3spd auto shifts great and looks to be fairly new.



It came with a whole large manila envelope with every receipt, as well as, operating manuals for everything done to the truck dating back as far as 2008.



Just finished new brake hoses and wheel cylinders all around, replaced battery cables and fixed a few leaks. Adjusted the timing and the idle air mixture and a tune up with new plugs, wires (not pictured)... yatta-yatta.

Next on the list was the gas tank. At some point, one of the PO's removed the tank from behind the seat, shaved the filler neck hole, and committed this atrocity:



Yup, almost a foot of bed is eaten up by this eye scab and as you can see from the plumbing, this thing was hastily installed.

The vent hose exits on the back side of the tank and terminates on the bed floor. So, when you fill it all the way up and drive, the sloshing makes it spill out the vent onto the bed floor. No bueno.

Also, exposure to Cali's high UV had rotted the exposed rubber hose which went all the way to the fuel filter and on to the carb. Not a stitch of metal line to be found.

The sending unit, being up top and out in the open, allowed the wire jacket to get all crusty and there was about 2 inches of bare wire showing. No wonder the gauge wasn't reading right.

So, I bought this '65 mustang gas tank, sender, and a recessed fuel cap. And that install is happening as we speak.



I'm doing this one on a budget to save my marriage and partially because my funds will be donated by my military disability pension.

This is my first build thread on the HAMB. I look forward to any comments, pointers, criticisms, or whatever else. From what I've been reading over the last several years, I'm in the best place with the best people.

Thanks

--Doc

 

That's awesome. Good trade.

 

Cool truck...Cali it’s whole life? Man mine came from Sacto and you couldn’t find a spot of rust, Swiss cheese, etc on it...hell the interior looks comfy...what about flat sanding it and rubbing it out? Cool Slots!

 

that truck is beauty eh . good score

 

"I honestly think these trucks came off the assembly line with roten cab corners, so it's no surprise that this truck wasn't immune. They're crusty on the inner and outer panels and will probably be the first bit of bodywork I do on this thing."

Very nice looking truck. Do you really want to open this can of worms?

 

"I'm not real happy with the ride height..."
Agreed, a little "applied slammage" will go a long way.

 

Nice truck. HRP

 

Good looking truck! Looking forward to seeing what you do with it! I do like the stance OahuEli put on it though...

 

Most underrated in the f series body styles. I'm gonna going to be looking for a 57-60 next spring.
Great looking pickup.

 

Dad had a 60 when I was in high school, it was a short bed six cylinder. Was only a "teenager" while he had it. I had a similar 59 for a while. Tough old beasts.

 

I had a ‘58. Nice truck, yours is about a thousand times nicer.

 

Pretty Sharp! Don't be so critical of the old Girl, she made it this far and it seems that she has been loved. Looking forward to the attitude adjustment, I think that should be enough.

 

Great potential.
Thanks for posting a well documented build thread.

 

Thank you all!

I've been lurking around here for 10 years. 10 years, 2 threads. And one was my "welcome new member" thread. It's feels kinda weird being on this side of a project thread.

I can't say where it originated from but I do know it's been here for at least 11 years. I thought about wet sanding and buffing, but I'm almost half afraid that a polish would only tend to put neon signs around the shoddy bodywork.

No, but it's eventually gonna open itself up. Those worms look a little impatient. Might set on it for a season or two then start the tear down and cutting.

Now we're talkin! That's awesome, thank you! Total slammage is gonna have to wait for the immediate future. For now it might just be some leaf work and a pinion angle shift. Having said that, I'm not opposed to c-notching, air, new front clip...

Looks like I'm gonna be hauling too and from Pamona and burning down the classifieds for a while to gather parts. But, at the end of the day, I still need a truck as a daily, so it might not get too crazy. All I know now, is my nose wants to bleed just looking at all that open fender well.

Again, thanks guys for the kind words and warm welcome!!!

Okay, I gotta get off my lazy arse and get out to the shop. See you guys in a bit.

 

One quick note:

I worked for a man named Marvin that turned out to be like a second father. Hell, I consider his daughter my sister. She runs the shop now.

He taught me so much and was an absolute inspiration. In the 12 years I worked for him (way back in the day), he tried to teach me everything he knew.

Sadly, he passed away in 2011. I was thinking of doing a little door letter in homage to a great, unselfish man with unmatched knowledge, who was generous with what he knew. Who I am today is due in part to his influence.

Hahaha... maybe the lettering will divert your eye from the bondo in the doors.

I dunno. I'm on the fence. We'll see.

 

Just my opinion and it doesn't mean much, but, to me, those trucks are just that, trucks. Lowering them with C-notches, etc., changes them into strange looking coupes with large trunks. They just never fit the bill for being hot rod material to me. Don't get me wrong, I have always liked them, just not as a rod.

 

Love the truck!
My dad had a ‘63 for a while but he sold it before we finished it. I love amp of the late 50’s to early 60’s style. They’re cool trucks and you can do almost anything to them.

If you’re going to use it as a truck then some bigger tires would fill up the wheel wells without affecting usability. Not brodozer big but more sidewall than you have.


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Well... there has been a little progress. I fixed a laundry list of "little things", and went around the truck tightening screws and nuts, removing residuals from a thousand changes over the last 60 years.

I also got the fuel tank all buttoned up.

Working under the guise of "do no further harm", I welded up a frame that bolts to the trucks frame. Made a little roll pan to cover the gap behind the license plate. Totally reversible, leaving the parts reusable.

The long term goal will be to remount this thing on the top of the frame when I take the bed off to notch the frame (if I lower it) and do cab corners. Works for now and even the gas gauge reads right.

Hangs down a bit, I've got a rear bumper on order. It'll kinda hide the tank from the rear once it's on. Probably not how some of you guys would have done it, but it solves an immediate problem.





Also did a little clean up inside and addressed an "ugly faceplate" issue.

'Seems, at some point, someone got REAL happy with an angle grinder and tried to remove the engine through the radio hole in the dash. At least that's what it looks like. That hole is cavernous and unnecessary.

But, at some point, someone took the time to make a really nice plate to cover said hole that would accept a normal size stereo. The plate had a nice rounded cut out to clear the cigarette lighter and soft edges all around... laser straight... over all, a nice fix for that dumpster fire. Then... THEN, someone came along, did god knows what in the dash, and when they reinstalled everything, put the plate on upside down.

It was also painted flat black and didn't match the interior. So, I cleaned it up, painted it and mounted it the correct way. Looks better. 'Still not happy about that hole though.




In other news: I won a freak ebay auction for the correct steering wheel for the truck. I may or may not put it in... we'll see.

I've been looking at tires. I want something that will fill the fender well a little more, yet still afford me the option of lowering the truck without many clearance issues.

After digging through numerous threads here and elsewhere, I think I may have nailed down the tire sizes I think would fit the bill. (ignore the default wheel illustration)



I'd really like some feedback on this because I'm still uncertain as to which way I should go. So, please, feel free to post up some pics of your 57-60 F100 wheel and tire combos and maybe include some info like ride height and wheel specs... etc. It would really help a lot.

I'd love to eventually move past these slots into a nice set of color matched steelies with caps and rings. And, since the wife won't let me skip a mortgage payment, looks like I'm gonna have to squirrel away some cash, so I have enough time to pick wisely.

Well, thats all I've got today. I have a three day weekend this weekend, so we'll see what kind of trouble I can get into in the shop.

 

Ummm the slots are killer...everyone has the “steel wheel hubcap deal”...hell I’d put a wood bumper and the front and make it look like it should be pushing a FED up to the line at Lions...don’t lose those slots so fast...

 

Coker G78x15 bias on stock steelies. Flipped rear, small notch with 3 leaves removed. Mono front springs with a sid dropped stock axle. Driven every day, use it to haul still too.

 

Good look'in old truck!
Ain't nothing worng with nice look'in 20 footer. I like the paint........I like the interior......I like the gas tank(paint it bedliner black and it will disappear...almost)....I like the dash (the whole interior, really)...leave the steering wheel.
You bitch a lot...........enjoy the old girl.
6sally6

 

This is my dad’s ‘63, I do t know if the wheel openings are different,
235/75r15 I believe. Stock ride height.



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Looks like a great little truck.

 

I’m sorry....I could see this as a parts hauler from the mid 60’s...these trucks are easy to lower..I’d do that before I bought tires...a friend texted me a 59 he’s looking at today..I sent this pic to him and said this is what it could look like...

 

slots !!! drop... 2 x 8 on the front bumper about 24 inches wide

 

Lowering a little, not slammed, will be the nice moderate solution. Going a lot lower will be tough on the front end without creating bump steer. I like the slots on there, kind of nice change that brings back 70's vibe. Have fun with the truck.

 

Yeah, Don't get me wrong, I really do dig the slots. I'm just shootin' ideas around and seein' what sticks.
I really appreciate the guidance and suggestions, guys. The slots are stayin'.

So what's the consensus on raised white letter tires?

My uncle had about a 64 Econoline in the early 70's that I used to play in as a kid. All shag carpet and bean bag chairs along with the dank smell of stale weed smoke and spilt beer permeating from the upholstery. That thing had slots with tires that had RWL's, a nice rake and just looked sooo bitchin'. 'Cried the day he wrapped it around a pole.

 

"All I know now, is my nose wants to bleed just looking at all that open fender well."

Nothing a set of fenderwell headers wouldn't cure......

 

Put me in the keep the slots camp as well. I'd also keep the superior 500 wheel. Nice truck!