mY 1970 f100

[Madsen1970F100]

Some have told me this truck has too much rust and should be a good parts truck. I am not so convinced. Decided to start from the front and work my way back with the disassembly. Figure I'll replace what can't be salvaged and just hope I don't find anything too terrible. Let me know what you think.

[Madsen1970F100]

some more pics.....how does one know when the chasis is too far gone? It feels solid but has rust on most of it, guessing its just surface rust? However, this is my first restoration since I was a kid so I am new to the idea and would love some feedback.

[Caseys71]

Good looking truck! Looks like your not wasting any time at all tearing into the new project. IMO your truck doesn't have too much rust at all, the people that have been telling you that should see my truck . As for your question about chassis rust, I highly doubt your chassis is "too far gone" the frames on our trucks are pretty thick and it would take a heck of a lot for them to deteriorate bad enough to be inoperable. Almost every older vehicle you look at will have surface-rust on the chassis but for the most part that is usually about as bad as the chassis rust gets. With that said a guy up the road from me was trying to sell a '77 High-boy and the frame on it was rusted out just about everywhere. The truck was jacked up about 8" from stock height so you could easily see the chassis and it just looked horrible as soon as I saw that I got back in the truck and drove away . Good luck on your truck man, and I will be looking forward to the next update!

**Edit: Also I see that you are a new member! So , to the best darn 67-72 F100 site on the net, from NC!

[hazelnut]

Who ever told you that your truck had to much rust on it didnt know what they were talking about, For 40 years old i think your truck looks very good and wouldnt be very hard to fix up, youve got some surface rust but that no biggie to fix and a little rot hole thats easy to patch. How are the cab mounts, floor boards, inner fenders, rad support and rear cab corners ? Lot of stuff is reproduced. Theres people on here that wish they could find a truck in your condition, Its a lot of work to recondition a truck but its a lot easyer when its in good conditon like yours. Youll find lots of good help here when you need it.

[Madsen1970F100]

I still need to get floor covering off cab to really see whats there but from underneath it looks solid. FDefinitely no holes. The rad support looks pretty good, just surface rust as far as I can tell. Rear cab corners are solid. My biggest problem is the bed. I see there are replacement sections but pretty much the entire 4x8 section needs replacing. see photos. Just working my way from front to back.

[Madsen1970F100]

OK, got front quarters down to metal, mostly, still have more to do but here are some shots from today. Lots of fun this is......not. Anyone know where to get some panels to weld in where I have bad rust spots?

[basketcase0302]

Madsen,
to Fordification, you'll love it here. Really good to see someone else save one of our trucks from the boneyard!
Where are you located? Might want to add that to your "signature" at the bottom of your posts. This might help some folks here-to help locate another bed for your truck, (if you don't decide to replace the entire floor section of it).
You might want to PM our member Fordman for those patch panel fender sections you need or look here first:
http://www.fordification.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=11
Several of our vendors sell patch panels:
http://www.fordification.com/links.htm

[bluemoose]

Madsen,

I think that truck has waaay too much rust. Just give me your address and I will come and dispose of it for you.

Moose

[Madsen1970F100]

Ok, and then there were two. Side by side they look like twins. The "donor" is a 1971 with a 360. The hood, bed, doors, quarters and windshield are definite keepers. The engine was "rebuilt" but not sure how well that was done. The transmission doesn't seem to go into gear properly. Might just be a linkage issue with the column but not really a concern. The engine starts and sounds good but blows a lot of smoke, like its burning oil, not much a rebuild but at least there are a lot of good body parts. The cab is a complete mess and rusted out quite a bit. The chasis is about same condition as the 1970 so at this moment (subject to change) I am going to build on the 1970 chasis. Probably still get motor rebuilt but might stick with the 302 if transmission doesn't match up. I presume they are different tranny's? Given I have 302 in the 1970?

Paid $714 for the 1971 donor and they even delivered to the house....70+ miles away.....!

Anyway, here are more pictures..... Once I put together 1 truck I'll need to unload all those "rusty parts"!!! I am in RIchmond, Virginia.....

[Madsen1970F100]

more pics.......anyone has advice of where to start, I am happy to hear it.....in the short time I have been on this forum, I have definitely learned a lot and heard from many helpful people. THanks!!!

Fordifiction rocks!!!

[Caseys71]

, Your donor looks to be in great shape! As for transmissions the differences between the one behind the 302 and the one behind the 360 is just the bell-housing as far as I know, that and you may need to shorten/lengthen your drive-shaft and/or move/swap transmission cross-member based on what transmission you have in each truck, if they are both the same transmission I think you would be okay by just swapping bell-housings on the transmission based on which engine you were mating it up to (if you use the transmission out of the 360 powered truck behind your 302 use the 302 bell-housing and vise-versa and as long as they are the same transmission the bell-housings would mount the same way). As for where to start that is entirely up to you, if it were me I'd keep working my way back on your '70 and pulling parts from the donor as you find the need too, then put your parts from the '70 on the donor then when you are done you can scrap the '71 and re-coup some of your money that or part it out. As for what is next to the A/C compressor I'm thinking it is a power-steering cooler based on it's location and size.

[67mann]

, As for what is next to the A/C compressor I'm thinking it is a power-steering cooler based on it's location and size.

And I really wish I'd had what you have for a start----both very nice trucks and should make One Great truck

[blackford72]

Have you tried LMC Truck? They have most of the parts you need.

[Madsen1970F100]

OK, got most of front body off to prepare to pull engine. Pleasantly suprised to find that bolts came out pretty easily overall. A couple of stubborn ones and a couple broke off but overall not bad. No idea if I can figure out how to put it bak together but time will tell. Pulling the engine, then pull off the bed, then the cab, etc. etc. Anyone know if I can use same radiator for 360 that I had on for the 302? IT was relatively new, just wondering.

[Caseys71]

OK, got most of front body off to prepare to pull engine. Pleasantly suprised to find that bolts came out pretty easily overall. A couple of stubborn ones and a couple broke off but overall not bad. No idea if I can figure out how to put it bak together but time will tell. Pulling the engine, then pull off the bed, then the cab, etc. etc. Anyone know if I can use same radiator for 360 that I had on for the 302? IT was relatively new, just wondering.

If it's the same size it would be a bolt in, but there were quite a few dimensions of radiators offered in our trucks. Other than that you're moving right along on tearing that thing down!