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Projects 57 F100 project.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by NITMARE, Sep 8, 2009.

  1. NITMARE
    Joined: Feb 8, 2009
    Posts: 73

    NITMARE
    Member

    Yeah dude when I bought this thing I was all about dropped axles and air ride and full interior work etc, etc....but fuck it I have 3 other current projects and it's always like 2-3 years before I can drive anything cause I'm doing it all the big money way.

    Once I did some research and found out I can get the look I want and drive it with a little extra work and less cash I was all over it. Sure it's gonna ride rough and be a lil rough around the edges but it's still going to look badass and be a blast to drive...
     
  2. FoMoCoPower
    Joined: Feb 2, 2007
    Posts: 2,490

    FoMoCoPower
    Member

    FYI....flip your rear spring hangers in the back,you`ll thank me later.
     
  3. NITMARE
    Joined: Feb 8, 2009
    Posts: 73

    NITMARE
    Member

    Flip it how so and what's the advantage?
     
  4. Shifty Shifterton
    Joined: Oct 1, 2006
    Posts: 4,964

    Shifty Shifterton
    Member

    Looking good! Lemme guess, with those explorer wheels you were concerned about rear blowouts causing rollover and wanted to lower the center of gravity :)

    Just a friendly jab, it's really coming along nicely which is good since it looks like you're racing the weather too. Good luck with it.
     
  5. NITMARE
    Joined: Feb 8, 2009
    Posts: 73

    NITMARE
    Member

    Hey now. I even stopped a guy that lives on my street with an older F-150 on steelies with bald tires a straight up trade just to unload these things and he wouldn't take it.

    If the garage wasn't full of other projects the weather wouldn't be an issue but it definitely is.
     
  6. FoMoCoPower
    Joined: Feb 2, 2007
    Posts: 2,490

    FoMoCoPower
    Member

    Flip the rear hanger and it will raise the ass end back up about 1.5"-2" making it completely not neccessary to notch the frame.
     
  7. NITMARE
    Joined: Feb 8, 2009
    Posts: 73

    NITMARE
    Member

    Ahh, I gotcha. Thanks for the input!
     
  8. mkn8632
    Joined: Aug 7, 2008
    Posts: 23

    mkn8632
    Member
    from Chicago IL

    Looking good, Looks like you have been busy!
     
  9. nvr2lo
    Joined: Sep 18, 2005
    Posts: 104

    nvr2lo
    Member

    I wanted to do this to my wifes 1960 F100. My question is I have 2x4 1/4 inch wall rec tubing. It is about as wide as the leaf spring but sits almost two inches above the axle if I were goining to notch out the center and slide it over the axle in between the bolt holes. Would that cause any issues? :confused:
     
  10. LEE 01
    Joined: Mar 27, 2007
    Posts: 111

    LEE 01
    Member
    from illinois

    Looking good. Yours is coming along a lot faster than my truck. Mine pretty much looks the same as when you came to get the motor. I don't have a lot time to get it back together. Motor looks good, let me know how it goes.
     
  11. NITMARE
    Joined: Feb 8, 2009
    Posts: 73

    NITMARE
    Member

    Yeah, it probably wouldn't work. Even with notch I have there isn't TONS of room at almost full compression. At full it does hit but that would be one helluva bump....I would just save the headache and pick up some 2x2 man.

    Yeah I've been busy! After seeing how low yours sat in the rear I had to get mine flipped. Get that thing done, it's a clean ride.
     
  12. thishero
    Joined: Mar 12, 2009
    Posts: 149

    thishero
    Member

    I just finished getting my front and rear ends lowered. Flipped the rear end and c-notched the frame. As for the front it has a 3" drop axle with 3" lowering mono leaf springs. Replaced the kingpin's and bearing, painted it up and now I move onto putting in a Toyota power steering box...
     

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  13. Mart
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 4,893

    Mart
    Member

    Nice score. The 57-on series is one of my favourites.. I had a 58.. it ran great with a 292.
    Re the lowering.. My truck was at one time lowered like yours. The previous owner raised it back up to stock height after driving it and experiencing very bad bump steer. The bump steer was also commented on by someone who drove it before he bought it.
    I only drove it stock height and it steered beautiful.
    Jason aka Killer posted pics of a truck he lowered like yours, but he raised the steering box above the frame rail to counter the bump steer problem. You might care to follow this route, as you have the front end all stripped down.
    If you connect the steering and bounce the front end up and down with no shocks (you have to stand on the frame rails and get a rhythm going..) you will see if either the wheels or the steering wheel is trying to turn. This should give you a forewarning of potential bump steer issues.
    Anyway, great score for what you paid.
     
  14. NITMARE
    Joined: Feb 8, 2009
    Posts: 73

    NITMARE
    Member

    Nice man! The Toyota box is definitely on my to do list also

    Thanks for the info....I went ahead and shortened up the steering arm so that it sits level. I am going to see what happens like it is. It seems to be a hit or miss thing. Some guys say they've driven them as is for years without an issue and some say they can't even go around the block without hellacious bump steer. Time will tell I suppose.
     
  15. NITMARE
    Joined: Feb 8, 2009
    Posts: 73

    NITMARE
    Member

    Got the truck more or less ready to go just before the snow flies and I put her away. The majority of the mechanical work is done. I am just waiting on the driveshaft to get back to me so I can take her for a drive. The drop is complete though. Ended up being a total of roughly 4 1/2 inches up front and 6-7 inches out back all with simple axle flipping and frame notches. I was able to reutilize the stock rear shock mounts simply mounted a little differently and use the shocks the truck had on it. For the front I had to order some Bilsteins that were the appropriate shorter length.

    The 'lil 272 is buttoned up and ready to run but has some major plans in it for this winter. Going to be getting a Tri Power intake and a pair of small turbo's mounted up 50's style. Going to keep it a simple street cruiser so I will be running low boost and pump gas. I'm not trying to make her faster...just cooler.

    Anyway here is a pic of the truck sitting on the ground with the sheetmetal all buttoned back up and the the new steelies and rubber. They just simple black the way I bought them but will be getting a color change with the rest of the truck this winter. This is a bad small pic but I will get some good ones up soon. The rear tire is a little photo shopped since I was messing with it trying to get a feel for how a bigger tire would look.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2009
  16. Nice progress on your truck. Good score. 57's are cool, Dean Moon liked them, well, almost. His was a 58-9....
    [​IMG]
     
  17. 100% Matt
    Joined: Aug 7, 2006
    Posts: 2,747

    100% Matt
    Member

    What size tires are you running? The truck looks awesome!
     
  18. chaddilac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,021

    chaddilac
    Member


    that's a '60... still cool though!!
     
  19. NITMARE
    Joined: Feb 8, 2009
    Posts: 73

    NITMARE
    Member

    That thing is killer!

    Those are 235 /75/R15's all around. Probably gonna go to a 205/75/R15 on the front though. I'm thinking that if I crank the wheel and hit a bump at the same time I'm gonna be into the fender.
     
  20. 100% Matt
    Joined: Aug 7, 2006
    Posts: 2,747

    100% Matt
    Member

    Those are 235 /75/R15's all around. Probably gonna go to a 205/75/R15 on the front though. I'm thinking that if I crank the wheel and hit a bump at the same time I'm gonna be into the fender.[/QUOTE]


    I'm running 205 in the front and 235's in the rear. My truck was lowered 4.5" in the front and 6" in the rear. Even though my truck is level it appears to be tail dragging. The pic on my profile is an old photoshop. I would prolly do 215s in the front. Ill get some decent pix of my truck so you can see the difference.
     
  21. Kustom Chief
    Joined: Sep 21, 2003
    Posts: 778

    Kustom Chief
    Member

    And to think I paid almost that much for my 57 grill. I still need the internal pieces, headlight buckets, etc. to make it work. Great truck. Mine started as a 6 banger also and is still mutating. Anyone have the inner pieces besides the grill for a 57?

    Larry
     
  22. NITMARE
    Joined: Feb 8, 2009
    Posts: 73

    NITMARE
    Member

    Awesome, thanks for the input!

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2009
  23. thishero
    Joined: Mar 12, 2009
    Posts: 149

    thishero
    Member

    Curios, with all these tire sizes being thrown out, is everyone mounting them on the standard 8" rim? or running different width rims?

    Thanks,
    Steve in Modesto
     
  24. Standard rims are not 8" wide. At least mine aren't.
     
  25. FoMoCoPower
    Joined: Feb 2, 2007
    Posts: 2,490

    FoMoCoPower
    Member

    Standard size wheel on these trucks was only 5.5" or 6" wide. Some later,much later...4x4`s and Bronco`s came with 8"`s though.
     
  26. 100% Matt
    Joined: Aug 7, 2006
    Posts: 2,747

    100% Matt
    Member

    Hard to tell with the angle. But I feel like 215's would look better than 205's
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  27. thishero
    Joined: Mar 12, 2009
    Posts: 149

    thishero
    Member

    Maybe I was thinking of running 8" rims, and that's where I got the number. However, with the different width tires, you're still running the stock rim width, front and back?
     
  28. 100% Matt
    Joined: Aug 7, 2006
    Posts: 2,747

    100% Matt
    Member

  29. 100% Matt
    Joined: Aug 7, 2006
    Posts: 2,747

    100% Matt
    Member

    Here is a better pic. Unfortunately my rear air shocks don't wanna hold air. Usually I run them at 80psi which brings the rear up almost 2 inches. I think I'm gonna add a 2" drop axle in the not so distant future
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  30. smarg
    Joined: Nov 18, 2008
    Posts: 1,069

    smarg
    Member

    Looks good, just make sure there is three pedals and no one will give you a hard time.
     

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