This is my first classic build. It was my grandfathers truck that he used for construction. He parked it in 1984. That is where it sat untill I pulled it out back in June 2011. Here are some picks of day 1 untill now. Grandpa working with the truck This is my grandfather with my moms 2 older sisters This is where it sat since 1984 (the year I was born) Moving Day Begining the project Pulling the cab off with the help from friends and family
Cool truck. My grandfather bought my F1 brand new in '51, so I can relate to your story. I would suggest keeping the original frame and just updating the front end and rear end, or at least the brakes. Less "hacking up" a nice original truck, if you will. I welded in an IFS kit on my frame, back before I found the HAMB, now I sort of wish i would have left it alone. Oh well.
I'd keep the original frame and rework it rather than trying to make an S10 fit. Nice start for a project.
s 10 frame will be a mistake!!! HUGE!!! there are tons of update you can do to the original frame I know its your truck but dont fubar it by putting it on a chevy frame
I agree, that is a cool story and a cool truck! Is there any way to convince you to keep the original frame under it? Was it originally yellow?
hey brother. Cool truck I was wandering when you was going to start a thread. I agree with these guys,keep the original frame and update the suspension. When I bought my truck it came with the volare ifs,it looks like it was a good installation but im not too happy about it. I bought another frame to start from the ground up. I was looking at the jag ifs,looks pretty straight forward. If you do end up doing the s10 conversion,I suggest try to find that article on a 1951 ford f1 to s10swap. its the same truck basically. good luck keep us updated it.
There is a bunch of stuff on the HAMB about putting Jag IFS in F100s. Here is a good link: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=451036&highlight=jag+ifs When i read that thread it made me want to buy an F100 just to do the jag install.
Do your homework, an S10 is pretty narrow for an F1. I hacked the crap out of an F1 a couple years ago, didn't really like the finished product so traded it for a project model A. Then found another F1 to build traditional style. I'm very happy with the 2nd F1. The other upside with the stock frame is your project will be on the road MUCH sooner.
I would agree with the folks telling you to keep the stock frame. You can clip the front end if you want independent front suspension and a late modle rear end is a piece of cake. All of the upgrades to the stock frame will take less time that a frame swap plus I do not think a S-10 is the right size for a F-1.
I got 51 F1 panel TOOK IT TO "JERRY DAWSON" BUILDER of DAWSON DEMON 200mph + HOT ROD, he put a volarie frt under panel trk , he narrowed rearend and tubbed it, thought that was real cool untill I found out what 15 x15 wheels and tires cost
Thanks for the advise guys I have not made up my mind yet im pulling the cab off the s10 this weekend and taking measurements. I may just clip the stock frame with the s10. I will let you know. I have been playing with the s10 and will post some pics of that.
+1 for Not switching the frame. They're too narrow. I doubt if the S-10 front clip would be any good either. Good start for a project.
i have an f1 with a stock (but sub-framed) frame. if your sure that the track width is the same then i would maybe say go for it. putting a mII under these things is not cheap, but on the other hand i hear they go in pretty damn easy (i have a production Malibu front clip which is NOT the way to go, TOTAL pain in the ass). one thing you will have to think about is stuff like cab supports, running board supports, and especially the radiator support, which bolts to the frame and actually dictates how all the front sheet-metal goes together. to me it seems like much more measuring and bs just to make the s10 frame work. lets put it this way, if i ever do another project like i did, im just saying screw it and MII'ing the damn thing. just thought id way some pros and cons for ya man. good luck on the build!
Why not do something really crazy.......like using the original frame and a stock or dropped axle? You wouldn't have to worry about it fitting.....
Where are you measuring? Im just finishing a F1. S10 was too narrow, went with a nova clip. Easy as far as clips go and the track width is right.
If the upper and lower aprons are still bolted to the fenders, pressure is probably holding the grill in. There's a little flange on the grill, outside of the headlights, that needs to clear the fenders when the grill is pulled out. For me it was all about position. That's a real nice looking body from your grandpa. I'm not trying to discourage your build, just trying to help you end up with something you'll like. I have a '48 F1 and a 1997 S10 2WD (all years of 2WD S10's are the same width). Just went out and measured both from outside of the tire, to outside of the other tire. F1 is 67-1/2" S10 is 65" BUT The F1 has 5-1/2" rims with 3-3/4 backspace. (1/2" wider than stock) (1-3/4 positive offset) stock offset would be 1-1/4 positive The S10 has 8" rims with a 3-3/4" backspace (1" wider than stock) (4-1/4 positive offset) stock offset would be 3-1/4 positive The 8" wide wheels on the S10 have an additional 2-1/4" per side the F1 wheels don't have, so you'd need to deduct 4-1/2" from the S10 measurements. We'd now have: S10= 60-1/2" F1=67-1/2 Also deduct 1" for the 1/2" wider wheels on my F1. Now we have: S10=60-1/2" F1=66-1/2" total difference is 6" My crude math tells me, to get the same overall width from the S10 to match the F1 wearing stock 5" wheels, you'll need a 10" wide wheel with 6-1/4" positive offset. That would be using the industry standard 3-3/4 to 3-7/8" backspace. Would look kinda road racerish. Rear axle also has a 6" difference: wheel mounting surface to wheeel mounting surface: 2WD S10 = 54-1/2" (4WD S10 = 58-1/2") F1 = 60-1/2" I'd measure between the tires on the S10 axle and make sure the 49" wide F1 bed will fit without using mini-tubs. Here's all the S10 dimensions anyone could need: http://www.gmupfitter.com/publicat/p..._Truck_pgs.pdf Lots of it is metric. Divide mm by 25.4 to get inches. Here's a closed but good thread on the HAMB: Definitive S-10 Frame Swap Vehicle List: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=274702 Please read more before hackin' on G-pa's truck. Did you get rid of the original frame on the rolldeck? If I was deadset on using the S10 because I had it, I'd consider some way of widening it 4" in the front. Then use a 4X4 rear axle. Now you're down to using an 8" wide wheel. other options: 8" wheels with a 2" backspace. (6" positive offset!!) wheel spacers (I'm not a fan of those) 2" longer tubular A-arms (spendy!) I kinda remember a 2" longer Ford lower A-arm that bolts up, maybe Crown Vic? search....
My '52 F1 has a front clip from a GM G Body (Monte Carlo/Regal/Cutlass) that was in the truck when I bought it. I'm satisfied with it now, but I did have to go through quite a bit of time and expense to get the ride and ride height the way I wanted it. If I had it to do over again, I'd probably just do an aftermarket Mustang II IFS and be done with it. What seems to be cheap on the front side rarely turns out to be cheap in the end. That being said, if I was determined to do a junkyard IFS swap, I would probably go with the Jag. The guys that have done it swear by it. -DV
You can have the orignal axle droped, if that's not enough they also sell slick lowered springs. Frame swaps are a pain in the ass!
...here's a 48 Ford I built a few years ago using a 72 Nova front clip; worked out real well, sits, rides nice, no fender scraping ...replaced rear springs with mid 70's Ford or Chevy shortbed leaf springs and hangers; just remove old and bolt on newer ones, rearend goes on top of leafs with lowering blocks if needed. (has anyone ever seen this truck?, it went up around the Detroit area)
here are some threads for you to look at http://fordification.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=61554 http://www.fordification.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=37897 http://www.team321.com/truckirs/TEAM321TruckIRSInstall.html your frame rails should be 34 inches apart ford truck I have herd that the clip from a volare /aspen /from the 80s is a good swap the 03 and up crown vic/ marquis/ town car may work for you too also here is a cool way to add a independant rear to your f 1
Im going to use the s10 frame... I will post pics as I go. This time of year is hard to get out in the garage...
I've done the swap many many times, but man I wouldn't even think about fucking up my grandpas old truck.
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