Some of you know that after I sold my '42 Pickup a few years ago I spent the next couple of years looking for a replacement. I focused my attention on panels and sedan deliveries but couldn't find anything that suited me or that I could afford. I then found this '51 F1 in NC and was immediately attracted to it. The Wifey and I took a 4 hour ride south about this time last year and found a super-solid west coast pickup that had been modified with upgraded suspension, brakes, 350/350, a Chrysler 9 1/4" rear end, gauges, Walker radiator and wheels and tires. The owners had bought it a few years earlier thinking that a hot rod truck would be fun to own. They found it to be hot, loud and always needing some sort of attention so it sat most of the time unfortunately. The truck needed some TLC that the current owner just wasn't willing or able to give it. The bed wood had gotten weathered and even rotten in one spot. It also needed exhaust, wiring, brake, and carburetor work. A deal was struck and this F1 came home with us just about one year ago. I've spent the past year working on other (home improvement) projects so the poor truck has continued to sit. I hate to be redundant since I posted some pics in a thread last year but I've finally gotten to the place where it's time to get busy on this truck so this will give me a chance to post what's going on just in case anybody cares. Here's a couple of shots from when I brought it home last year. More to come.
So my original intent was to fix a few what needed to be fixed and drive but there are a few things that just bug me. -The too wide Chrysler 9 1/4" rear end was one thing. I like a wheel on the rear that has a fairly deep dish from the viewed side. The width of the rear end made it impossible to put on a wider wheel/rubber unless all of the offset was on the back side. The rear end measured 66" from drum to drum and a stock 9" ford from a F100 up to 1972 is 61". I also learned from you guys that the F100 rear should be a bolt in affair. -The 350/350 combo. No hate mail please but I'm not a Chevy guy. I fully understand why so many rodders run them but I tend to follow the beat of a different drummer. The tranny wasn't working properly either. 'Nuff said. -The brakes are SO SENSITIVE a light touch was enough to fling passengers into the windshield! -Whoever did the wiring (new harness) could've and should've done a much better job. No loom. No grommets. Sloppy routing. -The builder set up the original three on the tree shifter to shift the auto trans. Kind of cool I thought but actually kind of dangerous since there is no reverse lock-out and no indicator of any sort. You just feel the detents in the tranny and think to yourself "ok, reverse, neutral, drive..etc.". -Bed wood replacement. -Battery relocation: The battery sits on a home built support under the hood that is just in a bad spot and take sup too much room. So that was the main gripes but hey, we can fix this, right? Here we go! Down into the swirling black hole of a full blown project!
So now it's time to make a plan right? Everybody knows that any successful project starts with a good plan! -Remove bed, remove old bed wood and replace with new. -While bed is off install new '70 mustang 20 gallon tank between rear frame rails. Ditch the in-cab tank. -Remove the Mopar 9 1/4" -Rebuild '71 F100 9" rear. New 31 spline 3:25 posi diff, axles and brakes and install. All parts ordered as of yesterday! -Remove front clip -Yank 350/350 and sell to another hot rodder -Replace engine and trans with '69 351 Windsor and C6. Scored a smoking good deal on a fresh '69 351. -Fix/replace skanky wiring -Fix brakes (remove booster?) -New exhaust -New wheel/tire combo (style TBD) -Add A/C. Yes, I'm a Wuss ok! Let's just establish that right off the bat. I'd like a little comfort please. Pic of blasted, primed and disassembled 9" rear end and bed wood laid out ready for stain.
So the Wifey and I head down to the shop this morning early to remove the old bed wood. I got the F1 up in the air so I could get my fat belly under it while the Wifey got in the bed to hold down those pesky carriage bolts while I took off the nuts from below. Well, the best laid plans.......... About 80% of the bolts simply spun in place! Dang! About that time my buddy and his nephew, known to me as "Cabbage Head" and "Whiney" came by to work on Cabbage Head's Model A chassis that I have stored at my place. Cabbage says "just take the bed off, you'll need to anyway to install the gas tank and it'll make it easier to install the rear end too". Hmmm. Makes sense. It didn't take long to remove the bed bolts, fender to running board bolts and disconnect the wiring. The three of us lifted off the bed and stood it up on end to make the job of removing the bed wood easier.
The Torque Thrusts look great on your truck Charley! I can't decide between steelies/caps or Torque Thrusts. They both look great IMHO.
Well the bed wood is out! This turned out to be a MUCH bigger job than anticipated. My 22 gallon Mustang gas tank from "Tanks" showed up so I got busy removing the rear frame crossmember to make room for the tank. Those 10 rivets were equally a PITA! Off to the fab shop tomorrow to make a custom frame/tank mount for the new gas tank.
I have missed my '32 pickup and miss not having a hot rod pickup so I have been looking at F-1's myself. that's why I have posted my '57 Shasta on the market. HRP
I did this one back in the 80s. it had a 351 Winsor in it. The color's off in the picture it was a dark maroon.
My 51 in front of the 1875 SP Railroad Depot I helped restore - 51 original steel, drives nice, no side windows yet
Bed - small lights in roll work in parallel with stock lights, all 4 lights do tail, brake, and turn, helps visibility at night
6” rims, 235/70 r 15. Rear is a 9” Ford approx. 61” wms to wms. I originally had 8” rims but they rubbed when carrying a load. I f I ever do it over I would size the rear to run the 8.5” wide rims. The offset looks much better.
Having removed the frame cross-member to make way for the new fuel tank I welded the crossmember back in flush at the rear of the frame. Third pic shows how much I needed to remove of the lower frame rail flange on each side to make clearance for the fuel tank.
9 1/4" Mopar rear end is out. Time to get the 9" unit put together and installed! Free to a good home - Chrysler 9 1/4" 12 bolt rear end. Just got to come to my place and pick it up.
One step forward and two back! Got the parts in and assembled the F100 9" rear. 3:25 31 spline trac-loc and all new brakes. Was ready to install when I noticed one leaf in the left hand pack was broken and upon closer inspection found ample slop in the bushings and pins. So new Posies springs on order along with new pins and bushings.
Posies springs, shackle kit, Rebuilt rear end and 22 gallon mustang tank all installed. Now to get the bed rehab finished so I can get it remounted and move on to the next thing.
The Jalopy Journal
