Anybody do a frame swap on a 56 f-100? What kind of frame and engine did you use?Any input will be appreciated.
'88 short s-10 frame under a '53. Same truck basically. The short S truck and the first gen F100 had almost the same wheel base (within about a quarter inch if I recall).
You might look at a Dodge Dakota frame too. Wheelbase is 1/2" different when you take into consideration the 1 1/2" stretch that you need to do to a 56 to center the front wheels in the fender opening. I've got one that I'm trying this on, but it's on the back burner right now. Kinda got hung up on repairing rusted out front cab mounts and installing patch panels in the cab. Anyway, I cut the rear cab mount out of the Dakota cab and I'm using it as the rear cab mout on the 56. I'm going to have to install cab mounts on the frame, but it looks pretty simple. Using the stock Dakota gas tank and fuel lines. I'm going to cut the frame horns off of the Dakota frame in front of the crossmember and use the 56 frame from there out. That way I can use the stock 56 radiator support, doghouse mount and bumper. Also gonna try to "adapt" the 56 bed sides to the Dakota steel floor. I'm moving the rear springs under the framerails so that I can run a 10" wheel and keep it inside the wheel wells. I'll take care of the 1/2 wb differance when I do this. I'm setting the truck up so that the bottom of the running boards are 8" off the ground, you could go a lot lower if you wanted. Sock is 11 or 12 inch clearance. I can post some pictures if you want to see them. I'm going to run a 350 and 700R4 for dependability and cost. I've got a Granada rearend to put under it. So there's something for everyone, Ford sheetmetal. Dodge chassis and Chevy running gear. I hope this makes a little sense, I haven't had my coffee yet. Larry T
The one I got is a 1992 model. It came with six lug wheels, but the earlier Dakota's used 5 X 4 1/2 wheel pattern. I bought a new set of early rotors for my project and they just bolt on. They'll match the Granada (narrower than the Dakota) rearend that I'm gonna run. Off the top of my head, the stock wheelbase on the 56 Ford is 100" and the Dakota is 102". The Dakota frame sits 6" closer to the ground than the 56, so I'm gonna have to run a body lift on it to get the stance I'm looking for. I'm gonna use it for a shop/tow vehicle if I ever get it finished, so it's not gonna be slammed. In all honesty, it'd probably be a lot easier to run one of El Polacko's crossmember kits if you had a good frame to put it on. My has been hacked, whacked, and cracked so..... Here's a couple of pictures of the stock Dakota frame and the rear body mount I cut out of the Dakota. You can see the stock gas tank on the inside of the drivers frame rail.
I'll second LarryT. If you have a decent native frame, I'd build off of it. I've seen frames go across uPaY for a bill or two. So far I plan a MII ifs front, '97-'01 explorer rear axle (disc brakes & good width) My kid brother is a chassis/suspension design engineer and I have a mind to get him involved in a scratch built suspension. I hear ppl down the ifs kits. I'm gonna get him to give a professional opinion and go from there. I'm chasing a couple parts trucks right now thru an ol' codger I know. If he comes thru, I'd have a frame available. That's a big IF right now, though.
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