New F100 Projects

[cyque]

Hello all, I'm new to the board, kinda. I signed up a while back, but haven't visited much. I'm getting prepped to start on a couple of 72 f100 projects so I thought I'd post about them. It's a bit of a long story, but you are not required to read it all, there will not be any quizzes at the end.

My grandfather purchased a brand new 1972 F100 Custom long bed red with a white top and never had a day of trouble out of this truck in 22 years. In 1994, Hurricane Opal came through and a tree blew down and a limb hit the top of the truck causing significant damage. My grandfather took a hammer, beat the top of the cab back out enough to close the door, and continued to drive the truck until he was physically unable to do so.

Just before he passed away (around 2002), he sold the truck to my older brother who took the truck apart, cleaned and painted the frame and ran out of money. He then sold it to my younger brother who put it back together and had the engine (302) and transmission (automatic) rebuilt. My brother then hit a financial hard spot and sold it back to my older brother who eventually (reluctantly) sold it to me. They kept passing it between themselves and didn't want to sell it to me because they know that they'd be out of luck because I'll never sell it back to them. I've had it for 6 years or so and it has pretty much just been sitting. It runs and drives pretty well, but needs a little TLC to get back to being an every day type drivers.

My younger brother came across a great perfect condition 72 shortbed and ended up purchasing it (referred to as the "brown truck"). I then talked him out of it as it had everything I needed to fix my grandfather's truck. However, the truck was just too good to tear apart so I sold it to a guy I knew. I traded around and picked up a 72 Ranger that had been wrecked but had a perfect long bed and cab, but the cab was a little different than my grandfathers ( rear cargo light, trim holes, nothing major, but different). I finally decided I just have the brown truck back and the guy I sold it to said he just used it to pull his boat, so get him a good running truck and he'd trade regardless of what it looked like.

About that time, I found a 75 F100 that had about 60K original miles on it (if I recall correctly, it was low miles). The fuel pump had gone out and the farmer that owned it left it in the pasture and his cows decided to use it as a scratching post. You couldn't find a spot that didn't have a dent in it. A guy pulled it out of the pasture, fixed the fuel pump, and had it for sale. I paid $600 for it and traded it off to get the brown truck back. I ended up trading the engine and tranny off as I didn't need them as all I needed were body parts.

I almost immediately regretted trading them off, but it was too late. So, I'm sitting here a couple of years after all that trading with the blue LWB, my grandfathers red LWB, and a brown SWB. If I had another engine and tranny, I could make two complete trucks out of it. So, the guy that had the old farmers truck ending up owing me a little, and I took the black truck back on trade. I'm yet to go get it, but It's mine and the previous owner has only driven it a few hundred miles so it should be in solid running shape.

[cyque]

Project #1: I'm going to take the blue ranger cab and put it on the SWB frame and use the 75 f100 running gear. I'm thinking of doing a shop truck theme, and below is a rough mockup using a pic I found online:



I'm going to lower it (not this low, this is low budget). I'm going to flip the real leaf spring mounts and cut some coils. Probably won't have big wheels, but it looks good in the rendering. One of my trucks has 15" sawblades on it, probably end up with those for now.

Question: What goodies can I get off the 75 that would add to this build?

One of my brothers added power disc brakes to the front of my grandfather's truck, thinking of putting it back stock and using those on this shop truck, but just a thought at this point.

[basketcase0302]

Cool story, ready for the quiz!

One of my brothers added power disc brakes to the front of my grandfather's truck, thinking of putting it back stock and using those on this shop truck, but just a thought at this point.

The disc conversion really isn't that hard and the dent parts to do so are readily available:
http://www.fordification.com/tech/discbrakes01.htm

[elgemcdlf]

The '75 is equipped with pwr discs and steering will swap right into the '72. If you are wanting to take the LWB back to drums you could use those parts as well. I have read the '73-'79 seat is a direct bolt in and a better seat. More foam. I can not personally confirm that but have heard it from multiple sources. The windshields are the same. To give your project a little bit different look especially if you do not have a good hood the hood from the '75 will bolt on. I am mixed on thoughts concerning appearance when this swap is done. I have seen pics of a couple trucks. I believe the tailgates are the same or at least interchangeable.

Not knowing how deep you want to get I believe the dash can be swapped into the '72 if that be a desire. For the most part the trucks are pretty close to the same truck. Frame changes behind the cab, wheelbase, etc. The physical parts from teh cab forward should be an almost bolt in.