Hey gang, I finally found it after 6 years of scouring Craigslist. Friday evening I was scrolling through California's Craigslist regions looking for cars like I always do. I have like 10 searches I usually do for different cars every week. One of those is "Ford Unibody". I've dreamed of having a short bed unibody with a big back window someday. I don't think I've ever seen one come up that hasn't been restored or with a $30k sticker... But I found an ad that was a bit light on details but the asking price was pretty damn good! The truck was a farm truck for many years up in the Selma area of California. It's completely original - Paint, Motor (223CI), Trans(3 speed on column), and has been sitting in a field up there since 92(the last sticker on the plate). Out of the DMV system, no title but has paperwork back to the last registered owner. After a phone call with the seller, My brother in law and I drove up a truck and trailer to get it. After getting it home, it's everything I've dreamed of. Just bone stock, and not messed with. No one added a stupid column off a 86 Taurus, or put in a bench seat from the 92 Arrowstar in the back lot. The only through rust is at the bottom of the tailgate where they usually show issues. The body is straight as an arrow, and the original paint is patina'd beautifully. There's no place for that sneaky Bondo to hide. My ultimate plans are to build a period-correct mild custom. It's so original, I'd feel guilty going nuts on it. I want to lower it 2" maybe do some wide whites. For the few missing pieces on the truck, I'm buying either used or NOS parts. The first order of business is to get it to be a dependable driver. It actually runs and drives! The guys I got it from said he put new points, plugs, battery, cleaned the tank and carb, and a new master cylinder on it. It's fine, but it definitely needs a solid going through. Here's how I found her.
Welcome to the club. I would suggest you join www.slick60s.com Best site on the internet for 61-66 Ford truck info and help. SPark
Nice! Took me a while to get my 223 running well. But it's much improved and starting to grow on me now. A Pertronix ignition really helps. Check the front cab mounts they are another main rust spot on these trucks. But they make replacements and it's not too bad a job.
Thanks for the tip. I'm trying to get it running well enough to get it to the shop. I have a guy that's going to help me with the things that are over my head. Will definitely have him take a look to make sure the cab mounts are good.
Nice find, seems most unibody trucks I see are long beds. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Okay, so first order of business has been to just get it running and driving safely. It runs now, and I've driven it around the block a couple times, but it needs some work. So first order of business is to flush fluids. So I changed the engine oil, which was pretty damn dirty. Next I drained the radiator and cut off the old hoses that were melted on. The fluid in the radiator was pretty damn gross too This was how bad the fluids were I also spent a few hours inside the cab vacuuming dirt and spider webs out and scrubbing the dirt and grime out with Mr. Clean magic erasers. It's looking much much better now, and I don't feel dirty getting into it. The seat cover and foam are brand new. That was the one thing the guy I got it from did on the inside. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Man that interior is in pretty good shape. I love the red and white seat! Looks like the horn ring and ignition switch bezel are missing or are they just not installed? I think I may have an extra ignition switch bezel stashed somewhere.
I have the ignition bezel. It's not hooked up for some reason. I'm tryed to get it the other jight, but it was more of a pain than I anticipated. I haven't gotten back to it yet. That's cool of you to offer though! It was missing the horn button/ring, the glovebox knob, radio, and a window crank knob, and hubcaps. I found a used horn button on eBay. No ring yet. I also grabbed these beat up hubcaps. I think they will match the patina look good. I'm thinking about getting solid steel wheels, painted white, add the hubcaps I bought, and some meatier back wall tires. Lowered about 2". Thoughts? Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Fantastic start for a Uni! I have a good friend with a big glass shortbed. We had great fun putting it back on the road a few years ago. One of my favorite projects! You can see it in the background in my avatar... They get really rusty at the torsion box between cab and bed in this part of the country. Be sure to look over that area well as you stamp out the little rust you might have.
A .long time ago, I did work on one of these trucks that was both chopped and channeled. It looked great. Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I think lowered 2” would be great. Check out Nostalgia Sid’s. Sid is the man for lowering these trucks. https://droppedaxles.com/ford-dropped-axles-0#1961-64%20Ford%20F-100%20Pickup%20Axle There are two versions of wheels for the 60’s F-100. The innie and the outtie. Yours would have had the innies from the factory. The difference is how the hub caps attach, inside the raised ridge or outside the raised ridge. Those look like outtie caps. But I could be wrong.
That’s awesome dude! Thanks for the tip about the torsion box! I’ll be sure to check it out. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Oh man, good catch! I haven’t pulled off the caps that are currently on the truck off yet. Fingers crossed these ones I bought fit. If not, I’ll have to rip the others off soon and see. I’ll check out Sid’s too! Thanks for the tip! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
It’s been awhile, but it’s update time! I decided to call in the big guns to get this gal cruising down PCH this summer. I called a local car builder and solid dude to help me just give the truck a solid tune up and to get it running and driving safely. - New electronic distributor - New coil - Bought a Rebuilt water pump - A shit load of new gaskets - New fuel sender & fuel pump - New thermostat - New dual master cylinder - New brake lines - New wheel cylinders - New brake hoses - New tires Cooper trendsetter 215/75 After all this work, she is running like a champ now, and cool too. I drove for about 30 minutes this evening and the the temp hung around 160. It drives 1000x better now. So pumped to be able to cruise this around this summer. This little clothing line pin was holding on a hose when I bought it, we decided to leave it for good luck. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.[/QUOTE] Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Check out some of Jay Leno’s original and unrestored videos to see how they detail the engine bay and vehicle to maintain the patina. Love the clothespin clamp. I would have left it in there too. Great truck!
Your truck is super cool! I have a big soft spot for that body style, my first truck that I bought was a 1966 F-100. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
@54 ford coupe has it... that clothespin was probably there to "fix" vapor lock. I can remember my grandpa (not the hot rodder one) using them on his cars... sometimes he would have 5 or 6 lined up on a line. I was tempted as a teenager to hang a pair of underwear on his fuel line with them, but wisdom kicked in.
Cool truck. Those brake lines hanging off the MC, especially the one with the switch on it look prone to vibration and cracking.
My old F100....now 2Bubbas...and the Uni in my neighborhood...love those old Ford trucks...drive past this Uni on the way home everyday