Hey crew cab junkies. I sold my white 73 cc last year and am looking to build another one now. I've purchased three trucks recently and I'm not sure which way to go with the combination of all three trucks. I like the 73-79 trucks but I know the 67-72 trucks are even more rare... and I like them just as well. I will be building a crew cab short bed 4x4 with a cummins in it. Here are the three trucks I have to start combining. Should I build a 70 crew cab or a 79 crew cab? Here are the pictures of what I have to work with.
1970 F350 crew cab - cab and chassis - all original
1979 F250 (short bed) 4x4
1969 F100 SWB 2wd
I could use the 79 chassis and combine it with the 70 cab and 69 bed. That way I would have power disc brakes, power steering, dual fuel tanks, etc with the older body style. I'd like to hear your thoughts on which way would be best. Resale value always plays a role too.
Completely your call... But your resale value is not going to be anywhere near what all 3 of those trucks will bring you individually. The standard cab bump is a short bed which is in higher demand than the long beds. The bumpside crew cab is, well, a bumpside crew cab and it is DRW as well! And I am not up on the dent crew market, but I would imagine that it is probably decent as well. If you take all 3 of those truck and make one, it still is not going to bring as much as those 3 individually would.
Me personally, I would take the bump crew and convert it to a 4X4, however, you are dealing with a DRW truck. It should already have front discs, doesnt it? If not, they are available as they were an option and they still make the DRW truck front rotors. A bumpside long bed is easy enough to come by as the long bed trucks are a dime a dozen and litter the junkyards. Power steering and power breaks are an easy enough upgrade. Then you still have the dent crew to do whatever with (sell) and a short bed bump that you could sell as well. But your plan of dropping the bump crew cab and bump bed on the dent 4x4 frame is a lot less work.
So again, it is completely your call. The trucks belong to you and it sounds like you pretty much already have a plan that seems pretty sound.
We'll I wouldn't say I haven't completely made up my mind yet. I did score a wrecked common rail cummins truck today that will make a good engine donor. Yesterday I was leaning more towards the 1970. Today I'm leaning more towards the 79. If I went that direction I could pass the 70 on to someone else in one piece.
I'm a little partial to the 67-72 but love a nice dentside also. If I was weighing the options you have I'd be throwing the 70 on the 79 frame. 4wd is there along with ps, pb and disks up front. The 70 body on there with no heater box issues with the turbo/turbos on a cummins. I had the same situation as you I had my 70 and then picked up a 77.5 4x4 crew that was pretty cherry. I didn't have it in me to tear the 77 up to just put under my 70, ended up building them both...slowly, then ended up trading the 77 to a close friend that is finishing it about the same rate I'm taking on the 70.
Haha well all I have to say is I hope you don't change your mind like I do daily so u can get a decision made. Then I can watch another build!
This common rail engine coming with a frame? I smell another option!
Well I acquired yet another truck that puts me where I need to be now. I did some trading... copper 79 crew for this 1970 highboy crew. Its a project that was started by someone else but never finished. All the parts are there minus the motor and tranny (and headliner). The best part is there is no rust or scale anywhere on the entire truck. All of the body parts are original and very straight. It just needs paint. I also got a good deal on a wrecked 2wd 2004 dodge with a cummins and an NV5600 tranny. Let the fun begin.
I really wish ford had done the crew cab drip rails on the back door like you have in your photoshop. That is the one thing I dislike about the crews is how the drip rails go all the way around the back and above the rear window. It would look so much cleaner if they had done them like they did the standard cab and how you have them on your photoshop. Of course the drip rail above the front door would not come down like that, but aside from that, I like the way it looks!
