Ok,preparing to start working on my `58 F100...need a couple questions answered with honest opinions! 1.Should I loose the front bumper and fill in the gravel pan? 2.What taillight lenses from other vehicles fit the stock openings on the styleside bed? I saw a set on a truck at a show a couple months back,but forgot to taske a pic and could not find the owner to ask.I believe they were off of an early `60`s GM,but not sure? 3.Easiest/cheapest way to effectively lower the rear 3"-4"?
1. keep bumper...move it closer to the body, about 3 inches. Awsome! big difference. 2. Don't know 3. 3-4 inches, flip axel, or take out every other leaf starting with the shortest one.
I know on my '60 f100 it was a bitch to lower that truck. Loose the front bumper, they look so damn kool without that abtrusive anchor! Post some pics of your truck, one of my favorite bodys. I was going to put '59 Impala tail lights in mine but never got around to it.
Just getting started on mine, as well...so: thus far... 1. YES! 2. I don't know, but...I can tell you '59 Caddy's are too small for the stock opening, though it is a flat, square, area that they occupy...on the bed, and should be very easy to change entirely to accept whatever taillight/s you like...I have not gotten there yet... 3. Lowering the rear? If I did that I couldn't fit my 30" slicks, so ??? I will assume blocks/springs would be cheapest/easiest...???
I think the tail lights in my 59 are from a 63 impala (they were on the truck when I bought it). If this doesn't sound correct let me know and I will double check with a friend who gave me a spare set of lenses he had left over.
1. Move closer and shave bolt heads. 2. 63 Corvair Spyder. Bolt right in, hard to find! 3. Axel on top of springs. Lowers rear about 6". Knock rivites out of rear shakle mount and flip it over. This raises it about 2" giving you a perfect 4" drop. Remove some springs for softer ride and a little more drop.
I like the front bumper, but it hangs way out there, so suck it in a couple inches. My buddy has the Corvair lights on his and they look good. "Axel on top of springs. Lowers rear about 6". Knock rivites out of rear shakle mount and flip it over. This raises it about 2" giving you a perfect 4" drop. Remove some springs for softer ride and a little more drop." Thats how this one is done... but you have to do the front spring hanger as well...
1.I tucked mine back 3" and love it. Removing and filling is cool too. 2.Don't know 3.Dearch and remove leafs. I spent the $ and got 6" monos. Later,Bill
That is exactly how I want my '60 to sit. Haven't lowered mine yet though. So anyway ... I think you should get a 59-60 bumper and tuck it in an inch or two. The 57-58 bumper is a lot more square.
Here are a couple pictures of my 60. The corvair tailights are a little hard to see but hopefully it will help. This was the my first build , senior in high school. 390 with a C-6 check out that red velvet diamond tuck interior. That was 1980, ya 27 years ago. Nobody fixed these trucks up back then. I finished a 59 in 87 that was real radical. Chopped top, LTD subframe, shaved handles and chrome, frenched 39 Ford bluedot tailights, one piece door glass more.. Sold the truck and last I heard it was in the Roanoke VA. area. Still have a heart for these trucks just no desire to build anymore of them. They are starting to get a lot more popular these days.
The 50 Pontiac tail lights will work. You can use just the lense itself, not the whole assembly. And I you shouldn't have to trim them at all. I have a set a guy gave me for a 50 that already have blue dots in them. Unibodyguy
first and foremost it's your truck so do what you want . opinions are like a--holes every one's got one and the only one that really count's is yours . every one else has made the lowering part easy for you , so nothing there for me to say . i had a 55 that went through some major changes as far as frame's , body eyc. as the other's who hang out over on fte know , and i will not do it again . takes lot's of time and eventually lot's of the green stuff . my beater 53 is gonna stay quasi- stock and the same for my 49 . lot's easier to deal with then . so that's what i gotta say , just my arsinion .
1.) I ran my '60 without the front bumper for quite a while, but now I like the extra chrome in front. Like others have said, get a '59-'60 bumper for the '58 (don't forget to grab the brackets, too!) and move it towards the body about 2 1/2". The '57-'58's have to much painted area below the grill bar and need some chrome to even out their "face". 2.) I have seen the '50 Pontiac lenses and they fit, and look pretty good with the chrome trim ring, but that's really just a matter of taste. Curious about the Corvair lights, as my uncle has piles of them. And, FYI, the '63 Spyder tail lights are the same as the garden variety Monza, aren't too scarce. 3.) If you are willing to drop a few bucks for new dropped springs, that is a pretty easy swap that requires virtually no perimeter fabrication work, unless the drop makes you bottom out, then a C-notch is in order. My 2 cents...I continue to be surprised by how many folks are picking these trucks up nowadays... BRT
when tucking the front bumper back 2 to 3 inches, do you cut the frame move it back 3 inches, then weld it back on? Thanks
on my 60 the brackets bolt to the side of the frame rail, and there is a bolt that goes through the bottom of a trapazoid shapped bracket on the bottom of the bumper itself. The side brackets have to be fabed or lengthened due to the downward bend in the frame right where you will mount after you shorten for exposed rail. then i just cut off the bottom trapizoid bracket, you could probally bend it downward too, but i got impatiant and couldn't get it at the right angle. so your side brackets bolt to your frame no welding needed if you drill new holes.
I did no welding. I removed the bumper, measured back 3 inches on each of the 8 holes (2 ea on the side and 2 ea on the bottom), redrilled new holes, then measured 3" back from the front of the frame and removed that section. Bolted bumper back on. Done! 3" puts the bumper really really close to the turn signal lenses on a 57-58. Hope this helps. Later,Bill
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