1970 F100 CV/Thunderbird

[elgemcdlf]

I am finishing up the CV install and hoping to get the Thunderbird IRS under it before spring. Here is my project after "defarming" her and a few mods. Off came the big truck mirrors, step bumper and receiver hitch. In the shot as all blue the front coils were heated to lower the nose a bit. Yep messed up camber but wasn't driving it much so it didn't matter. I wanted to see the stance. I am hoping to keep that rake when the suspension and tires are done. Currently sports a 302/C6 with plans for a 460/C6 next year. I opted for a '67 grille. Currently has tilt steering, power windows (out of a 1990 F150), shaved door handles, tinted windows, peep mirrors & an almost complete CV IFS.

[elgemcdlf]

Got some better pics. Still none from the phone but I promise they are coming.







Here is the '67 grille with the verticals painted black. Kind of gives it a tube grille look.




Before we get started this little 302 is not staying. Hopefully next year she will be sporting a fresh injected 460.
Left side motor mount installed. Difficult to see but the lower portion of the stock mount was cut off and a plate welded to it. Mounted in the CV crossmember original motor mount hole.


Right side without the motor mount installed yet.

[fbomb100]

looking good so far

[FORDification]

I see the 'before' and 'after' shots...do you have any 'during' shots?

[elgemcdlf]

I have some during pics but they are currently "stuck" in a phone. Working on getting a memory stick to retrieve them. Once I have them I will post them. I did the CV with engine in and doghouse on. Hindsight says pull the engine. The extra time doing so will greatly lessen your overall time of the install. I am not building a show truck here. When I bought it the plan was to build a nice street truck that would be a daily driver. I try to keep it driveable as much as possible.

I plan on cutting fender scoops in the front fenders, '67 bed, custom (oval) marker lights, putting in a section of cowl grate to eliminate the wipers, adding the "hump" from the hood on the existing hump to form a very subtle cowl induction hood (this part is as bad as chopping a top), dash from a '61-'66 series F100 with a cluster from a '65/'66 custom cab, rolled pan, inside handle for the tailgate, sink the taillights 1", front bumper from LMC with the built in fog lights (rectangular), the hood badges are leaving in favor of a set from a 1960 F100 (they look like arrows, much "lighter" looking) & last but not least an oval back window with cab rework. Paint will be a blend from black on the bottom up gold on top. On top of that will be a transparent Sapphire Blue painted until it gets just the right color. This will create a darker to lighter from bottom to top effect. When that is finished I plan on masking off a set of flames and using more transparent Sapphire Blue doing 3 color flames. Something like 6 more coats for the very front then maybe 4 in the midsection and 2 on the tips. Very subtle flames. Wheels are planned as solid reverse types with trim rings and center caps (script letter FORD) painted to match the truck.

I am hoping when it is finished looking at it just sitting one might wonder with exception of suspension work if Ford built some limited production pickup in '70 that has never been heard of. I don't know if I can post information about vendors here so I haven't but for anyone with a '53 and up F series truck I know a guy in NV that runs a salvage yard. Very reasonable prices. Example: I bought both front fenders from him for $40.00 each. Used Ford fenders. He is where I will be getting my '67 bed. $550.00 with good straight tailgate. If memory serves me correct inner fenders for $15.00 each. Core support $125.00.


If it is acceptable to post his contact info here I will so others can benefit.

[elgemcdlf]

I guess I will start a step by step on this in hopes it adds to the already thread on the '72 http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... 22&t=37897 that was done with a CV IFS.

First thing I did was mark the fenders for the centerline of the existing front hub. The way I did this was to take a straight piece of steel with a level on it and line up on the center of the front hub, rotate until the level was good and mark the fenders. If the doghouse is off marking the frame would work equally as well. Then came tearing out the old suspension. This is the worst part of the job although hand drilling 4 holes 3/4"D on your back under a truck isn't much fun either.

I started by cutting out all the rivets involved until the only piece left was the front crossmember. The crossmember is welded in. I cut it off even with the rails leaving just the very end inside the frame itself. The piece left is 3 sided and there is an open spot in the upper corners. I cut into 3 pieces (both sides and the top). The sides I beat with a hefty hammer and the welds gave way. The top I delicately sliced the weld with the flaming wrench along the top of the rail maintaining the rail. Used a long prybar to work it free. Drivers side has a boxed section for the steering box that needed cut into a bit. Same process for removing the stub of the crossmember though. A note here on the steering box. I was not able to get my steering box out until the crossmember was cut out. Remember though the engine is still hanging there in the middle of the engine compartment.

Best to make at least the portion of the mount for the rear of the lower control arms that the control arm bolts to before installing the suspension. Gussets can be fabbed later. Ok now we strip everything we don't need from the new suspension. I am not hooking up antilock so out that harness came from each wheel. The brake lines were cut in spots so out they came. I took out the nylon alignment pieces as well (more holes to drill!). Slide the unit under the truck lining up the centerline on the fender with the centerline of the hub using the same process as when making the mark. Check to verify this is where you want it. Might even put a wheel on to make sure this is the placement you desire in your wheel opening. Mark two of your holes on one of the rails and start drilling. I did the left rail first and placed the holes in the center of the rail. With those holes done I ran the bolts down through the bottom of the rail and through the crossmember to help better hold that side in place.

I moved the right side around until it was in the same location as the left, marked my holes and drilled. I started out trying to get the entire unit in correct alignment before drilling and most likely due to equipment and how I was doing this it seemed very difficult. Worked way easier doing it one side at a time. I then ran the crossmember up to the frame with all 4 bolts running down to help align into place. Works pretty well once all 4 holes are drilled. There are upper supports for the strut towers that go over the top of the rail. I put them on and marked my rails for drilling. Drilled those 4 holes. I had the frame section from the CV that housed the spacers so I didn't have to build any. I cut them out of the frame pieces and cut them off to correct length for the inside of the frame rails. This left the nut piece that I placed on top of the rail. You could just as easily drill the upper hole larger to slide them through and weld them in as in the CV.

Now we bolt it up just like in the CV. At this point I went ahead and lined up the anti-sway bar , drilled and bolted in place. Mounting the brake hoses will require either a bracket or spacing away from the rail. If you bolt direct to the rail you will not have enough hose to make full turns. I mounted in the existing holes from the original brake hose brackets and used spacers on the bolt. Motor mounts. Since I am planning a 460 swap next year I scabbed mine in. Used the original mounts, cut off the bottoms and welded a 1/4" plate to them. Drilled a hole utilizing the CV crossmember as the 3rd point for the motor mount pinning.

Steering hoses. If at all possible get the ends that go in the rack. My front end did not come with them so I went searching the local junkyards. I merged the old to the new. The other small issue would be the bolt that holds them in.

Have more pics to post. We put in a set of 1 1/2" dropped springs from Eaton Detroit Springs & cut the fenders to add fender scoops. When we did the suspension swap the truck rode very hard up front. With the new springs it rides much better. I even called Eaton Detroit and told them! I would highly recommend the swap to anyone. Most I know say it is way too much work for them. I don't think it was that bad but it was work. All well worth it though. We are now setting our sights to the truck IRS mount kit and getting the rear suspension done.

[elgemcdlf]

Well this weekend I got my lower control arm mounts fabbed and if all goes well I will have them welded in tomorrow night after work. The suspension I bought was missing the left brake hose and bolt. I ordered them last week and they should be in this evening. By this weekend I am hoping to have the brakes finished, control arm mounts finished, both motor mounts in & power steering hoses installed. All that will be left is to connect the column to the rack & test drive.

[fbomb100]

I know u got to get a memory stick for your phone ,,,but

[elgemcdlf]

Well we have the pics out of the phone and now are working on the correct adapter to get them into the computer. Ain't modern technology grand?

[48prerunner]

I just email the pics from my phone to myself. If your phone has texting on it just put your email address in as a contact.

[fbomb100]

Ain't modern technology grand?

...some times nope!!!

[elgemcdlf]

Finally more pics. The blue '68 belonged to a friend of mine & is all stock. These pics are before the dropped springs. Yes I used pallets to block it up and a forklift to handle the lifting work. Have more pics coming of the fender scoops and the drop springs. We also got rid of the wipers. Welded in a portion of the factory grate. I took 2 leaves out of the rear which dropped it 3". Poor thing had a 7 1/2" rake. Hopefully the rear suspension will go in soon. Heart attack slowed me down a bit.

Oh yes we lost the seal in the left end of the rack so before I even get the rear end in I need to fix the front!

[elgemcdlf]

Fender Mods

Cutting up the original fender to check shape


I had a local metal shop (Metal Arc Inc, Indianapolis, IN) build the boxes, cut the fenders & weld in the boxes. All the pics have no bondo!

[elgemcdlf]

Pics of the truck before the drop springs. Rear with stock springs.





In this pic you can see the holes from the wipers. Later pics those holes disappear.







Another shot that shows the wiper holes in the cowl.

[elgemcdlf]

Drop springs in!

The blue '68 is all stock.