1966 Ford F100 build

Seeing all these build threads on here gave me the bug to start my own. I bought this truck from a buddy for $600 and drove it home with barely any brakes. It started life as a bone stock 1966 Ford F100 with custom cab doors. The engine was a 400m with a 3 speed with blown out synchros( sorry I don't have any pics of the truck when i started, must have got lost when i moved)

 

I first started to do the airbags on it using the stock I-beam front suspension with parts from airbagit, what a joke! It didnt lower the truck at all, and came with no instructions and barely fit. Needless to say, I had to go a different route

 

Front clip from a 1979 Firebird, Hated to put GM into my Ford but the price was right!

 

I took the Firebird front clip, and having already measured the wheelbase and angles, cut the lower portion in half at the right width so it would slide into the waiting frame. I then proceeded to weld the perimeter of the clip to the inside and edges of the old frame. I then did some boxing in around the body mount since i had to clearance it some to get the right wheelbase

 

I then cut the bottom of the old frame and bent it up to meet the clip and welded it in. After which I boxed everything with plate that had a window cut into it so that i could plug weld the boxing plate to the clip as well

 

I then did some heavy cleaning, painting and rebuilding of the clip and installed the air ride tech firbird suspension, along with all new balljoints, bushings and brakes for the front end

 

Heres how she sat with the new front clip

 

from the side

 

NOT BAD! kinda digging it.

 

Just noticed how bad those welds look in the picture, believe me the whole thing welded up way cleaner then that picture!

 

I forgive you in regards to the gm clip in a Ford, but I totally understand, unless you have money falling out of you tailpipes, price dictates. Very nice ride and work, can't wait to see it finished. When you get it done swing over to Kentucky and we'll take a spin in it. Later.

 

With the clip all done I decided to try to figure out a way to make the 400m fit the firebird clip, after a while I decided to trade the motor for a kick ass 1970 ct70 Honda trailbike! Now I was in need for a motor. It just so happens my wifes uncle had his motor and tranny rebuilt about 10 years earlier for his 1978 c10 truck but he never got around to putting it in. So we agreed on a price for a 350 smallblock with a mild cam and noisy geardrive, and a turbo 350 with a shift kit for $800 still in the build bag sitting in my in-laws garage, another Chevy in a Ford but the price was right!

 

With a little help from the brother in-law, I got all the goodies on the motor

and the tranny bolted up

 

prettty cool if you ask me!

 

well this just got ugly!!!
nah just playing! it's all good as long as your having fun!

 

Thanks guys, just trying to remember all the stuff I did, still a little embarrassed about having a Chevy powered Ford!

 

Had to cut a section of the firewall and the transmission hump to stuff this setup in

 

here's what I came up with for the transmission hump

 

Heres what I came up with for hooking the stock steering shaft to the firebirds power steering box

A co-worker was part of the crew that decommissioned the U.S.S. Nautalis, the first nuclear US submarine and he gave me these u joints that were off of the front hatch....pretty bitchin if you ask me.......but i wasn't too keen on the setup, pretty sloppy and real big so i went to a flaming river setup, but these are definitely going on a future project....too cool to leave on a shelf!!!

 

For the rear suspension I decided to go with a triangulated 4 bar. On the bottom outside bars i reused the stock leaf spring front bracket, just cut down and moved up on the frame

 

I welded the top bars brackets to the 9" and the whole setup looks like this

 

I didn't mention that this is the first project I have ever built and I learned how to weld on this truck.....and I still need lots of practice!!!! I was scared to death to cut the front and rear up but decided I have to learn somehow and what better way then on a $600 truck!!!

 

Definitely have dry tailpipes here, this has been a total budget build , Heard they have some bad ass shows in Kentucky!!

 

Some days its fun!!!! and you can definitly tell the difference between where i started to learn how to weld and my recent welds

 

Decided to go with a different look in the engine bay, got rid of that stamped steel china brand valve covers....Oh and I threw a Ford racing breather on it just to piss off my chevy loving brother in-law!!!

 

trucks gonna be bad ass, and you cant go wrong with the chevy stuff.

 

I gues I can be thankfull you didnt put it on a S10 frame!

I see your going super low with it I guess Ill subscribe to see what ya do with the body