1972 F250 *Conglomerate* Build

[WitchyPsycho2]

Hello all!
Decided to call it the Conglomerate! Changed my mind again.
My truck turns into a pretty long story but it has been really fun.
First Things first:
1972 Ford F250 4X4
NP435
Dana 24
Not Sure 360 or 390 (Gonna find out when I tear the motor down)

Basically I bought the truck last October for $1,000 in Port Orchard WA and from the get go its been a small but enjoyable nightmare. Had to get towed from the place I bought to the nearest parts store put a starter in the truck, solenoid, and throttle springs (pinky toe and it was on the floor ) I drove it back to ellensburg where I reside and managed to drop the intermediate shaft on the side of I-90 and by the time I stopped had a glorious half mile hike to find the driveshaft.

From there when I got home realized even more issues, Cracked exhaust manifolds, corroded alternator, bad waterpump, radiator that finally sealed with an entire tube of jb weld. Found new manifolds on ebay replaced them only broke one bolt. The last bolt.... Replaced the aforementioned parts good to go except the exhaust I had on there was just destroyed. Someone had used the aluminum putty stuff instead of exhaust donuts so that went to scrap.

Fast forward to January got brand new exhaust, Dynomax VT mufflers (awesome mufflers btw) and started to drive the truck finally.

Month later bent a pushrod.... ... Pulled the rocker arm and had two other destroyed pushrods with missing ball ends. Got new rods threw it back together drove it to get the carb tuned at my buddys place and ran like complete garbage, just terrible. Wiped the cam. At least two lobes I havent pulled the motor apart yet.

Truck has sat for the last two months.

Well two weeks ago I picked up a 72 F100 (360, Comfort Package, no ac, Cruise-O-Matic trans) that runs amazing has all the original documentation (the window sticker, owners manual, and warranty card) One family truck 108k miles. Just amazing vehicle.

SO I started stripping down the entire F-250 and Im almost done with it to do a Body swap from the F100. Im taking literally everything from the f100 except the frame and front spindles for my F-250. (well not the axle buddy needed that)

And thats where I sit right now on my truck. I have a bunch of pictures of the Current f250 and where Im at on it. Basically I need to take the parking brake assembly out and the drivers vent and the wiring harness and its stripped minus glass, doors, and trim.

Heres the photobucket album: http://s860.photobucket.com/user/Witchy ... 50%20Build

Thanks for looking!

[sargentrs]

Ahhh...the joys of owning a "classic". Have you named him/her yet?

[Madman]

How about "The Boat"....sounds like everytime you turn around you are "Bustin' out another thousand!".....

Good luck with your project. I am overhauling a 70 F250 4x4, so if you have any questions feel free to contact me....I was stationed across the bay there in the 90's (BTW)!

[popeyes71]

Looks like a nice solid truck especially if you can work out all the gremlins. Sorry but I dont feel so bad any more because I had a pretty similar experience with my Highboy. I thought I was purchaseing a farely solid truck but things started going south real fast and I ended up doing a complete overhaul of the truck. I ended up putting all this money into the truck that I was not planning on putting much into. Oh well, I still like the old girl, shes a great old work horse. Enjoy your truck

[WitchyPsycho2]

I havent named the truck yet. I havent really driven it enough yet to get a good name for it since it's been parked for most of the last 6 months. Im not keeping the cab and bed that you see.

The bed has some solid cancer around the edges but otherwise is totally solid, I dont have access to a decent welder around here so I cant fix it. The cab has rust on the top. Hasnt had a headliner in god knows how long so water collected and there are holes.

I dont have any pictures of my parts truck, but im putting its cab, bed, front clip, and motor on the f250 frame. I cant bring myself to break it up, and a two wheel drive half ton pickup is useless around here to do much at all.

[WitchyPsycho2]

.



Anyone want an ac unit? I have the compressor and condenser as well.



Thanks for looking!

[Madman]

Looks like an fairly typical starting point for a lot of us after 40 years of service...good luck with it!

[Mancar1]

Have fun. The end result will be great.
I was stationed at Pier 90/91 at Seattle on USS Higbee back in 73-77.

[WitchyPsycho2]

Have fun. The end result will be great.
I was stationed at Pier 90/91 at Seattle on USS Higbee back in 73-77.

Nice! Thank you for the support everyone!

I just discovered a rotted cab mount on my parts truck....

Pulled my other engine apart..... Well its definately a 390 but bored .60 over and so fresh you can still see the cross hatching in the cylinders.

Why did the cam have to disintegrate on me??


Hopefully my parts truck core support bolts will cooperate.Been soaking with PB Blaster for two weeks now.

I made a bet with the guy who's shop i'm doing all this at. Running and legal (well except combined VIN stuff I might have to do.) by the end of june. Winner gets a case of there favorite beer.
Two months left!

[WitchyPsycho2]

Well this just derailed quickly.

After discovering the cab mount being rusted out I went underneath the truck for some screwdriver tests.........

Major support brace didnt even pass the finger test... Rusted completely out.


Well. New plan. Since my parts truck is super clean on the inside Im going to take all of its goodies and put them on the old truck. Sad to not keep this thing together since its so nice. But what can you do?

Borrowing a 2000 psi pressure washer this weekend to clean the frame and cab of the truck, since I know this one isnt to rusty. Well there are some holes in the roof corners...

At least my parts truck gave me a new front clip, bed, interior, wiring harness, non-ac heater, bench, and engine.

[WitchyPsycho2]

Went out to the truck today did some final disassembly of the interior, finished getting the stubborn core support bolts out and basically prepped everything to be pressure washed next weekend. Since im doing this on Agriculture land something happened (no water coming in) to the catchment pond so we couldnt turn on the pumps to use the pressure washer. Next weekend hopefully the pond will be full.

Found some rust holes in the cab, all in the corners where water sits in the various drain areas. no big deal. the big one hides under a quarter panel so jb weld it is.


Did more dissassembly on the motor i wiped a cam out on. Turns out it is bored .60 over. Everything is super clean, heads are in great shape pretty happy about that. just gotta get new bearings, rings. gaskets, etc and throw it back together.

Anyone have a suggestion on camshaft? Im not looking for raw power, I want to be able to cruise around the mountains, do a little towing if neccessary, and if I feel the need for some extra throttle something that wont bog horribly.

Parts truck clogged a fuel filter on me so I replaced it and have decided the factory fuel pump, filter setup completely blows. Not at all easy to fix on the side of the road. When I rebuild the motor im going electric for my sanity.

Other than that next week I start taking apart the parts truck to put in my f250.

[WitchyPsycho2]

Hello again,
I had a question about the radiator core support bolts. I lack the funds to buy the kits from the bronco graveyard and with my polyurethane body mounts i have new bushings anyway.

Does anyone know what the length of the bolt is? I had to torch one and the other snapped in half.

What is a good replacement for the sleeve that goes through the mount or does anyone know the size of the sleeve?

Im a little stuck at this point and havent pulled the bolts off my parts truck yet and Im hoping they come off I dont want to torch or sawzall any more bolts if I dont have to.

Thanks!

[WitchyPsycho2]

Well finally got the parts truck out to where Im working on everything at. Started taking the dash apart, trying not to break anything.

The last week has been insane at school and being a Music Education major certainly doesnt help me any.

Got the motor I wiped the cam in taken apart further. Who ever rebuilt the motor put a double roller in it.
Cant wait to rebuild it and throw it in the truck.

Here are some pictures of the parts truck











Thats all original paperwork!
Heres the extent of the tear down I have started on this truck so far.



I really dont want to tear it all down, but it will completely rust out within the next 10 years. Im literally taking everything form this truck except the cab, front windshield, frame, and front spindles. If anyone wants whats left when Im done Ill sell everything left over for $150. The cab needs an underside but the frame is solid and the front spindles are in good shape.

Thanks for looking!

[Ranchero50]

Your project looks good. Per the bolts I just measured what I needed and got some from Tractor Supply, I think 3/8 or 7/16 (Been awhile). A long #2 Phillips screwdriver make a good measuring stick. Just add an inch for the lock nut.

[WitchyPsycho2]

Finally made more progress on the trucks. Finals took all my time last few weeks but time to get it driveable.

I tore the front clip off the parts truck. Boy was it bad. Snapped a couple dozen bolts all told. Had to cut pieces off. Just terrible. Lot tougher than my f250.
Pictures:





http://s860.photobucket.com/user/Witchy ... ort=3&o=14



PIle O' Parts

And Started Putting the F100 wiring harness in!



All Told im happy with the progress. I have to torch the last core support bolt off again.

I get my clutch Wednesday and we are swapping the motor into my f250 this weekend and should be on the road again this weekend. I have ten days to get her driving so I can make it to a camp i teach at.