I'm not very hip on the 223's so I didn't even give it a second thought but I'll definitely look into this. I'll be pulling it soon to degrease and paint it so I'll look for numbers. Thanks for the tip.
I totally wore myself out this weekend working on the '56. I think I went through almost 3 cut off wheels cutting off bolts to get the bed off. I finally got it removed and soaked the rear of the frame down with oven cleaner and then pressure washed it a couple times. The frame looks great, minor surface rust in areas but theres a lot of the original paint too. I am going to scuff it up a little bit and then paint it with the por-15 chassis coat. Then I'll do the same with the front end and underneath the cab. I'll try to post some photos tonight after work.
Well looks like I'll be getting a 352 to rebuild and use. Does anyone know if Ill have much difficulty mating the 352 to the 4 speed?
nice find. solid old truck. just a thought, a 292 or 312 y block would be cool in there, they're good enigines and nobody ever uses them.
you'd have to ask the ford gurus, but, a Y block may bolt up to your trans as is. thats what they had in 56
Check the front spring hangers on the rear. This is one place they can have hidden rust. Nice truck. Did you check out the Ford truck Enthusasits site? There is a lot of good cheap tech on their.
Cool! A flying truck! I read about those when I was a kid! Nice starter project. Keep us posted on the progress.
yeah I had a 292 in the '60 f100 I just sold. I really liked it, but Im trying to be a little more frugal on this build. Building the y cost me an arm and a leg.
I have been on FTE but I havent posted anything on there regarding this truck yet. I looked pretty close at the front hangers on the rear when I had the bed off and everything seems really solid. Of course, Ill find out for sure if I take them off.
Nice score Mr Harvard. There should be plenty of guys out your way with doors if you dont want to fix yours. I am on FTE with the same username. Lots of good specific info there as well as here. I may have missed it in the reading the thread what are your plans for the truck? Do you plan to travel or just scoot around say a 50-100 mile radius of your home?
Honestly when I started selling my '60 the plan was to buy a 50s cruiser for the family. Then this truck came up and I couldn't pass on it. So, the basic plan is to make it a pretty clean, well running fun truck, get it driving by spring and take it to the Nor Cal shows and then sell it.
A 352 should bolt right in if you can find the right combinations of motor mounts. A Y-block would be cool but they are hard to find reasonable. 352's weren't a popular motor but they did make up to 360 hp from the factory & 4 speeds bolt right up as well as T-85 overdrives. A pure stock truck 352 is pretty wimpy though. If it's a later model 6 it may be a 300. That would be really cool. You've got the makings of a real nice ride there.
Thanks Customline. I thought about running the 6 at first, and we did get it running. Im just afraid of dumping money into an engine that sat for 25 years and then have it blow up on me. Mid-Fifty makes a cross member for 352-390s that I am looking at, but Im not sure if the 352 and the 4 speed have the same bolt pattern.
Finally got a chance to work on my truck this weekend. The frame was power washed and I was able to get the axle and leaf springs out.
Painted everything with Por-15. When I get back into it I am going to go back over it with the chassis top coat.
Thanks, Im pretty happy with it so far. Next Im pulling off the front clip and taking the 223 and 4sp out. Ill be washing and painting the front portion of the frame. Then tackling the cab.
I think the 352 is a cool idea. I really like y-blocks but the fe is a cool engine, and the 352 gets overlooked far to often.. oh I like 56 ford trucks. Here's my 56 f-series
The 352 just got back from getting baked at the engine shop. looks like it needs to get bored to 60 over.
Got a chance to work on the '56 this weekend, but didn't get too much done. I took my rear leafs apart and had the main eyes reversed. I only had time to get one of the leaf packs cleaned and painted, we also chisled the rivets off the front hangers on the rear, they're getting flipped upside down and raised to the top of the frame. I think I'll also be getting some extended "Y" Hangers. I took an hour or so to scrape old grease and dirt off the Dana, but I didn't have a chance to de-grease and power wash it yet. It needs the front seal replaced and probably the bearings and axle seals too. Sorry for the pics, instagram!
I love this truck! If you look at my build thread I have the 223 inline 6 I just cleaned painted rebuilt top end redid engine bay and I love the 223! What exactly are your plans? I hope you don't paint it and you drop it with some nice wide white walls make the interior and the engine bay Beautiful and people will think it's an old truck and when you open the hood BAAAAM clean as a whistle! You rewiring it? If so I just did a rewire with speedway 12 circuit 12v kit for like 150 bucks and it worked great!
Great truck! I want a 56 really bad. Missed out on a super clean Nevada truck a few months ago. Watching your progress
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