Projects My 1955 f100

Here's the back story:

I was the first out of 3 children (I'm the youngest) to graduate from High School. My two older sisters, while very intelligent, ended up making some poor choices, and dropped out, although they have both earned their GED (which I think is a lot harder anyway). All three of us had a Mustang for our first car. I know, that's not very HAMBish, but bear with me. For me, it was a little 1980 four cylinder, manual trans notchback. I loved that thing. I drove the hell out of it, and ended up blowing the motor in it. Well, that's where my fascination with cars began.

Me being the master manipulator that I was, I convinced my parents that since I was their only child to graduate, that I should get a graduation present. I loved my Mustang, but I wanted something classic. After looking at a few different cars and trucks from the 50's, we found a 1955 ford F100. It wasn't in the greatest shape and needed a new motor and transmission, but I fell in love with it right away. The next day we were towing it home. That was 1999

Being a teenage girl, my dad was the type that he would be the one to fix everything on my car for me. Once we got it home, I had no idea what to do with it. My dad was always working or off helping family so I started doing the onlything I knew how to do, tearing it apart. After a few days, I managed to get the front body panels off to where you could access the motor.

My dad realized he wasn't going to have time to help me put a motor and trans in it so he traded a 1980's toyota pickup to a friend in exchange for him supplying the motor and trans, and installing it. This friend had to tow it to his house a hundred or two miles away. That was in 2000.

Well, I'm not sure exactly what happened, but this friend kinda just disappeared for a long time. I heard that he was going though some really rough things, but never knew what happened, and never saw my 55 again.

Fast forward to last year (2012). This friend resurfaced and wants to make things right. He never was able to put the motor and trans in, but at least I now knew he didn't just sell it or something. Well, he has now hauled it back up here to his shop that is about 20 or so miles away. He sometimes works for 18+ hours a day 6-7 days a week, so progress has been slow. In fact, apart from finding a motor and trans for it, I'm not sure if he has done any work yet.

The original motor I wanted was a 302. Well, I wanted a 460 fully built, but I do need to consider gas mileage, and the price of upkeep. Well, he has been looking for a suitable motor and trans, and came across a 1953 truck with a 351 cleveland. He thinks that it should be a fairly easy swap into my truck, plus the 53 has some good donor body parts.

And that's where we are now. He doesn't think he has to work the next few weekends, so he will be working on getting the motor and trans installed. I keep bugging him to let me come help, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to. Even if I did, the most complicated auto work I have done is replacing a thermostat in a ford tempo, so I know it would be more of a hassle to have me there. I want to learn though, so I'll keep bugging him until he agrees to let me go.

Hopefully, this weekend, I should be able to see my truck for the first time in about 13 years. I'm definitely taking pics that I'll post.

Obviously, as you can tell, I have next to no mechanical aptitude. In spite of that, I plan on doing as much as I can by myself. The one major exception will be when it comes to welding a critical piece such as the frame or something. I don't want to take a risk when it comes to safety.

Now for a couple questions for all of you.

1. After it is up and running, I really want to lower it. I've read a bunch of options and what I have come up with is that if I can find a cheap donor car, dropping in a jag IFS and IRS will be one of my most economical choices. I think I can find someone to help out with the welding. I've read a bunch of threads where people can find a suitable donor car for a few hundred dollars. Other than that, what unexpected expenses would I run into using those? The other option in my price range (cheap as possible) is to put in some mono leafs, but where this is going to be my daily driver, I get concerned about the safety of those. Are there any other options that I'm missing as far as cheap, and fairly easy? I can't bring myself to cut up a mustang II for the font end.

2. Where this is going to be a daily driver, reliability is one of the main things I am going for at first. With that in mind, I'm thinking of rewiring it. If I remember right, the wiring it had was original. I'm fairly good at following directions, but is this something that is beyond what a novice would be able to do on their own? Are there kits specifically for the mid fifties f100's or should I just go with a universal kit?

3. Is there any thing else, generally speaking, that I should be looking into early on in this build? Brakes seem obvious to me, but I think that what I need to do there will depend on if I change to a different front end and/or rear end, right?

Sorry for the long post. I have read a lot on builds like this, but some things just don't make sense yet, and probably wont until I'm actually doing it.

 

Thought of another question. I'm probably going to attempt to rebuild the engine. Now, don't laugh at me, but I'm really not sure what I'm doing. I've read a bunch of articles about rebuilding an engine, but was wondering if anyone knew of a definitive, newbie friendly, rebuild guide? The one's I've read all have slight differences, or are not very newbie friendly.

 

If you want Jag Suspension its best to do it now, while its being built.

But you cant do it yourself, and you are depending on a guy who can disappear for a couple of years.

So maybe you shouldnt complicate the project, to make sure it gets done.

Wiring is easy to some, and not so easy to others.

Get a kit for a couple of hundred bucks and see in which catagory you are...

Not sure if you should try to rebuild a engine as a first project.
Unless you have an experienced person to guide you through it.

 

You have a good point about not complicating it. Is their a simpler way to get a decent stance?

When picking a wiring harness, is there anything in particular I need to look for? I mean, Summit Racing has a cheap universal kit, would that work? I don't plan on changing the steering column to a GM style. When actually doing it, I know it would be a good idea to change the grommets for anywhere the wires pass through, but is there anything else I'm not thinking of?

Thanks for the advice about the rebuild. I'm probably getting ahead of myself, but I'm getting really excited and want to make sure that I do as much by myself as possible. I'll hold off on it for now.

I really appreciate the advice. I know it can be frustrating when someone has so many questions, so I'm grateful you took the time to reply.

 

There are a couple of us here in the UC that have F100s and there are even more who are building / have built cars. I'm know most of us would be willing to help / give you advise.

Have you drug it home yet or is it still at the guy's house? If you want I could look it over for you. I'm no expert but I have owned several of them.

WIRING - if you want something that looks factory (cloth covered) and only has the original functions there is a kit from Mid-Fifty. That's what I have in my truck. I also had a Ron Francis kit in my '56 F100. Using a kit is fairly easy and I think anyone who can read directions should be able to do it.

SUSPENSION - I agree with metal shapes in that if you're going to change it do it now before you rebuild / reinstall your motor. If you're going to do anything other that rebuild the stock suspension the motor and front sheet metal will be coming off. There are several "kits" to switch over to IFS and there is also the option of pulling a clip out of a junkyard, rebuilding it and installing it. If you want to go with a more original set up you could install a dropped axle (that's what I have). There are kits to put disc brakes on them too, and a master cylinder upgrade is easy.

There are also lowering springs (front and rear) and you can flip the axle (rear) to get it lower.

MOTOR - I'm not sure if you're talking about the original or the 302, 351, or 460 that you spoke about. If it is any of the latter you will need new mounts and a different trans. You will also need a different driveline, and I would suggest picking up a new rear-end if you're going to that much trouble. Try to match the lug pattern front and rear so you only need one spare.

"Dependability" as a driver is matter of opinion. These cars were daily drivers - 60 years ago. They are still good daily drivers today. The only difference is you are sharing the road with people that do not understand that they don't function like their 2013 whatever.

 

All of the above suggestions are very good.
If you dont have the skills and want to keep it simpler look at the Mid Fifty catalog.
Get it running and change things as time goes by,so you can enjoy it.
Theres nothing wrong with the orginal suspension and it is easy to work on and change.
If you have your heart set on a independent ,then as everyone suggested do it now.
Go on line to Mid Fifty and look at their catalog. They are a wealth of knowledge.
Ive built several with the I beam ,but I also like them. The independent will out handle them thru the corners ect.
Hope this helps. Most of all have fun with it.

 

"When picking a wiring harness, is there anything in particular I need to look for?"


I've installed several, and they arent that different.

And they all come with good instructions (and the one time I needed it, a good Phone Tech Line.
I wanted to make a change to the charging system...)

There is one that has the instructions written kinda as a cartoon.

But there is also one ( maybe its the same, cant remember ) that has the function of each wire written in the isulation of that wire.

Its really pretty simple.

Just be methodical.

And between the instructions, the tech lines and the HAMB, you should be able to do it.


As long as you remember that a bad short in your wiring can burn your truck down...

 

I'd be really grateful for any advice that you could provide. I haven't brought it home yet. He is still working on installing the 351 and trans in it. When I get it home, I would love if you could look it over and give some advice.

I'm not too worried about it looking stock. If that's what I wanted, I would have kept the original 6 cyl and trans in it. I'll look into the Ron Francis kits.

I've thought about a dropped axle but I don't want to deal with the bump steer. I'll probably get some lowering springs. It is seeming the cheapest and most newbie friendly way to go.

I'm having a 351 with an auto trans installed. I figured that I'd have to get a new driveline put in, but that's not too bad. Isn't there a place in Lehi that does it? If not, then I know my Dad has to know someone.

Basically, I want a vehicle that I'm not worried about constantly breaking down. I'm used to driving older vehicles and how you have to adjust your driving for the people around. Most of the things I've had have been 70's or earlier. I haven't driven anything this old so I'm sure there will be more things to get used to, but it's worth it to drive a classic around.

 

I would do it now, but I won't really have a shot until the guy puts in the motor and trans. If I were to throw another project in there, I'd probably never get it back.

Mid fifty's catalog has become my nightly reading! I'm learning a lot!

As much as I would love to have a little race truck to show the young import boys what a real rod can do, that is going to have to be down the line for a bit. I'm going to do what you suggested and just get it running and do little things at a time.

Ist it possible to NOT have fun with it?

 

It's good to know that they aren't that different. Is there a major difference in quality? I want something that will stand the test of time.

The one that is labelled on the wires seems like the way to go for me. I would love to think something like that is idiot proof, but I would probably be the one that would prove that definition wrong.

I would cry if I burnt it down! I'll be sure to take my time and be methodical as I can.