I've been looking for a certain model pickup for a while and found a smoking deal... but it's a factory 4X4. I don't want a 4X4. What kind of work would I be looking at to convert it to 2WD stock 2WD stance or lower? Is it worth my time (and money)?
Is it a stock 4x4 or a later model frame swap? I gotta think a stock 4x4 is a kinda rare truck - if stock and your intent on a conversion look not only at the springs, but the hangers as well - a stock or dropped front axle or convert to jag or crown vic IFS.....I guess if its a later model frame swap the springs, hangars and front suspension could be sourced from a like year donor....Then you get into removing the transfercase and reworking or replacing the trans and driveshaft......
Factory 4x4 or dealer installed napco kit? Either way cool trucks, slow, rough ride, but will climb mountains,,,love em.
That comes under the heading of too damned rare and hard to find to hack up. Around here you could throw in too expensive too as the local Ford 4x4 brigade love them.
It is factory 4X4 with a 312 (did they offer that?. Sounds pretty rare and probably I'd get bad juju for tryin to change it.
Pretty easy to find a low cost 57-60 with a hacked out body that you can salvage the frame from. I'd work with that and sell your 4x4 chassis to someone who'd appreciate it. There is a guy up in the Brentwood area that has a bunch of f100 stuff.
I kick myself for missing out on a '59 Ford 4x4 over a year ago. I didn't have enough money for what they were asking, but it was a very good deal. I tracked them down this summer and asked about it because they had told me they decided to keep it, turns out they sold it to someone in New Mexico. My buddy just bought a 58 and a 60. I don't know what specific body style you're looking for but 2wds in various configurations are a dime a dozen, 4x4s are hard to find.
Rare as hens teeth. Ford did not sell anything but military vehicles that were 4x4 until '59 Napco or Sears ( which I think were NAPCO) conversions were what was available to the public at least as far as I know.
As for changes it is easy, loose the transfer case, build a new driveshaft. Remove the front drive unit and install an axle, loose a little arch in the springs and move the old rear to the top of the springs. Depending on offset you may need to find a 2 wheel drive rear end. By the way I wouldn't think that a 4WD would be much in demand in the bay area.
X2... I have converted trucks to 4x4s, and the process is the same, just reversed. I haven't followed the 4x4 market for awhile, but the early factory Napco 4x4s were highly prized and fetched a premium dollar. Bob
Besides Napco, Marmon-Herrington and American-Coleman also did conversions to 4WD. Keep in mind that not all 4x4 trucks were ordered from the factory in those days; many were purchased as 2WD and then converted by the dealer or the owner. Are these rare? Absolutely, as most were bought by commercial users and saw hard use, not many survived. Plus the added cost limited their appeal to 'must have' customers. Are they desirable? Whole 'nother question... To hard-core truck collectors, probably, but as vehicles they're rather crude. It will depend on the GVW; Napco did many 1/2T conversions, Marmon-Herrington also but they were better known for their bigger conversions. American-Coleman did only 1T or larger. Of the three, only Marmon-Herrington survives today, specializing in 1.5T and larger trucks. Napco was most closely associated with GM, Marmon-Herrington with Ford. Napco went out of business shortly after GM redesigned the '60 trucks that used a GM-built 4WD system and the Napco system was no longer an easy swap.
You could always go O/T and put it on a crown victoria chassis and sell your 4x4 chassis for more than enough to buy an old cop car. They drive really well when you get them done and not that hard to do if you have welding skills.
In my part of the country a dealer or Napco 4x4 would bring good money.....way more than a standard 2wd which are a dime a dozen. If you bought the 4x4, you'd probably need to buy a 2wd parts truck as well. So why not just buy a nice complete 2wd from the start?
'59 was the first year for factory 4x4. The truck is much more valuable in it's stock condition. '57-'60 trucks are not hard to find. You can probably sell the 4wd for plenty of money to buy a 2wd.
I've had a lot of those trucks both 2 wheel and 4 wheels drive. Ford started producing factory 4x4 in 1959, prior to that it would have been a Napco or Marmon Harrington To answer your question, removing the front axle, springs and transfer case, and replacing with 2 wheel drive parts, along with a different drive shaft that goes strait to the rear end, should be all that is different. The cab will have gussets at the bottom on the B pillar in the door jam area that only 4x4's had, but that would not hurt anything to leave them.
Another thing - a 4WD half ton pickup built 60 years ago was in all likelihood run hard with little repair other than keeping it running. You may run into loose crossmembers, spring perches, cracks, welds, body mounts beaten out, and several other things not usually found in a 2WD.
It's my understanding that the 312 was never offered in pickups. 292 would be the top of the line engine.
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