Hackster's 1968 f100 CV Swap

[Ozblitz]

Sean, love the builds,both of them! You actually inspired me to get a bump. I found one, wrecked, but I already have a frame, front clip and 5.0 w/ t5. Now comes the hard part, getting to building. I wanted to ask, whats the best way to get the frame rivets out and cutting off the main front eng. crossmember?
I ground 2 rivets in the rear absolutely flat and can see the small outline of rivet, but man those things wont knock out? Did you have to heat the frame to pop them out?

Thanks
OZ

[hackster]

Sean, love the builds,both of them! You actually inspired me to get a bump. I found one, wrecked, but I already have a frame, front clip and 5.0 w/ t5. Now comes the hard part, getting to building. I wanted to ask, whats the best way to get the frame rivets out and cutting off the main front eng. crossmember?
I ground 2 rivets in the rear absolutely flat and can see the small outline of rivet, but man those things wont knock out? Did you have to heat the frame to pop them out?

Thanks
OZ

Thanks man!!! That is awesome you rounded up a truck, they are getting hard to find.

Most of the time on the rivets, I use a flap disc to grind the head off and I take a sharp punch and drive it out the backside. Some of them are easy others are not. If it holds a bracket to the frame, grind the head off and knock the bracket off, then grind the stub down to the frame and hammer it out. Once you do a few of them you will get the hang of it, they are a pain in the rear. I have ground off hundreds of them at this point.

Start a build thread, I want to follow along.

Sean

[biggene]

Sean,

i just finished up the entire thread and I have to say this truck is definitely an inspiration. I like the build you are working on now, because my ideas are the same, patina'd truck with new running gear underneath, but I have to say this thread makes me want to build a cover truck myself. Thanks for the excellent documentation and inspiration sir!!

[HOWELL]

Nice work on both of these trucks. Care to share what you did on the power steering lines for this one?

[Monkey-1]

Sean,
Just read this whole thread front to back. Amazing work as usual.

[hackster]

Sean,

i just finished up the entire thread and I have to say this truck is definitely an inspiration. I like the build you are working on now, because my ideas are the same, patina'd truck with new running gear underneath, but I have to say this thread makes me want to build a cover truck myself. Thanks for the excellent documentation and inspiration sir!!

Thank you and I never set out to build a magazine truck.....I think I was in the right place at the right time. The chassis work and fab work on the beater are a little better than on the white truck, but the exterior finish on the white truck is pretty rad. Thank you for following along and providing some feedback, I always appreciate it.

Nice work on both of these trucks. Care to share what you did on the power steering lines for this one?

Thank you, It was super easy actually. The line size off of the GM pump and the line size on the Crown Vic Pressure line from the pump are the same OD. I took one of them to my local Swagelok dealer and picked up a union (Its what they call it) and a guage and installed it. Never a leak or drop of fluid, the line will fail long before the connection fails. They are rated to 3,000 psi and are extremely sano looking.

Sean,
Just read this whole thread front to back. Amazing work as usual.

Thank you!!!

Appreciate all of the kind words fellas. My plan if it works out this summer is to let the wife drive the white truck to a few car shows and cruise inn's the truck is super sorted out and very easy to drive with a little training about low cars and turning radius type stuff. Would be fun to get both trucks out and about this summer.

I am guessing this truck will likely get sold though =O

[hackster]

In light of the crazy nice weather we are having I busted this old girl out of the garage and drove it to work today. Had to do way more running around than I anticipated and it was awesome.

Fantastic weather, windows down, radio up, boost, maybe some burnouts and blowoff valves will make any day better.



Happy Monday.

Sean

[jason83744]

Hey hackster.

What color did you paint the truck? Looks amazing. And what volor did you powdercoat the grill wnd bumpers?

[hackster]

Hey hackster.

What color did you paint the truck? Looks amazing. And what volor did you powdercoat the grill wnd bumpers?

Thank you, Truck is the OEM color of Whibledon White #2 (The number 2 is important in there just FYI.)

The bumpers are a two stage powder coat. Prisma Chrome base with a clear over the top. They dont look anything like chrome in person, a nice silver finish all around.

Sean

[ek9beezler]

Hey Hackster,

Thank you for all of this great info and what an amazing build. I'm in the process of mating a 5.3 LM7 to my CV swap in my 1966 F100. I'm hoping you could give some general info on how you setup the GM wiring harness to work with the OEM gauges. Also what did you use for a trans crossmember? Thanks.

[ckcorder]

Hey Hackster,

Thank you for all of this great info and what an amazing build. I'm in the process of mating a 5.3 LM7 to my CV swap in my 1966 F100. I'm hoping you could give some general info on how you setup the GM wiring harness to work with the OEM gauges. Also what did you use for a trans crossmember? Thanks.

Hey EK9,

check out LT1Swap.com - all of the info is there for all of your wiring needs with this swap!

I put in am LQ9 in my truck and I used the stock trans crossmember and chopped/cut/welded it to fit - its actually very easy.

[ek9beezler]

Thanks CK, I'll check it out.

[ckcorder]

Thanks CK, I'll check it out.

It's a pretty complex project for sure and sometimes the site isn't that clear. If have specific questions feel free to let me know.

[Notanotherc10]

Just to let you know I love both of your f100 builds. I just acquired a 67 that I am going to do some mods to. I have a question for you if you don't mind. On the FR500 wheels that you had on there was the backspacing stock for a mustang or specced for your truck? I am doing the cv front and 82 rear swap/flip just trying to see if I get some wheels from a mustang if the backspacing is correct to fit like yours. I know someone with some for sale, 9's and 10.5's but I think they're 18's. Thanks in advance.

[SATURN5]

FR500 wheels aren't available in custom backspacing unless you have them modified.

10.5's are all 17". 10.0 are 18" The only backspacing choices are dependent on model year. 98-04 and 05-current.