1956 ford f-100 MAKE OVER

[don long]

I've been very disappointed that since I've gotten older that I couldn't drive my lil red pickup any longer.
It is an original non molested pickup with the old straight 6 motor backed up with the old 4 speed granny gear transmission.

At the first of the year I took some old corvette suspension off the shelf and started cleaning it up getting it ready for polish. I ground off all the casting edges and smoothed out each piece before polishing each piece.
Thinking that the truck needs some love and upgrading. I have had a nice newly rebuilt 429 ford motor sitting around for the past 10 years waiting patiently to be put into the truck so that I could drive it again (can't get my foot up high enough to hit the clutch pedal)
with the suspension all polished up I went out to a place that sells all the bracketry for the suspension transplant. That's where this project stalled out until the first of this month when I had the "Pick-ups unlimited over for a tour.
I ran into an old friend that day that builds 1956 ford pickups for his business and he agreed that I need to get back on my truck project.
The truck went to his garage last week and today I stopped by to see the progress

My Truck



The Corvette suspension before clean up


After clean up before polish


after polish


That was the first of this year

 

[don long]

The truck has been out 1 week so today I went over to see the progress



Sure doesn't look like the same truck. But I couldn't be happier Unless I was 15 years younger and doing the work myself.

 

[jack stand]

Good for you man! Don't look back and hang out at your buddies shop while it's getting the attention.
Watching is dam near doing.

 

[M.Brane]

Good to see the old girl getting a refresh.

 

[zanyad]

hubba hubba

 

[Swanny1953]

Subscribed to ride along on another fantastic Don Long project!!
Those C4 bits look terrific. Now I have to decide if I have the inclination to try doing that with the suspension on my '57 Cameo!

 

[drivesitfar]

So you’re putting the 429 into this awesome old truck and giving it an automatic transmission instead of manual?

This could probably burn rubber just going to the store.

I’m all in for this rebuild and looks like you found the right guy to get it done.

Good luck as always!!

 

[rattle_snake]

Don,

Beyond the suspension and drivetrain, do you plan to 'resto-mod' other aspects of the truck? Interior, A/C and such?

 

[The Cobbler]

another great project to keep up with

 

[larry4406]

Awesome!

Don you have fires burning on all fronts it seems! Hard to keep track of all your projects.

 

[mike93lx]

Damn, that's a pretty truck.

 

[don long]

Don,

Beyond the suspension and drivetrain, do you plan to 'resto-mod' other aspects of the truck? Interior, A/C and such?

Who ME??? Oh yes the plan is to give it a big window in the rear, it had A/C from when I drove the beauty back in 2000-2005 I had a nice custom interior with Lexus power seats but all that needs to change when I cut the back panel out of it

 

[Two Door]

Is the big window a reproduction item or a NOS one stashed in someone's attic (maybe yours? )?

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

"......with the suspension all polished up I went out to a place that sells all the bracketry for the suspension transplant...."

Don,
Any chance this ^^^ was Flat Out Engineering? If so, that's the IFS crossmember I used in my '55 Chevy truck. IFS totally changed the driving experience wit this era straight axle suspension.
When I built my truck I already had a never installed Fatman Fabrications Mustang II IFS kit but the installer - who works on this projects all the time - recommended I use the Corvette suspension. He said it's a much stronger system. Since I'd waited all my life to build just one truck I sold the other kit and used the FlatOut cross member.

I didn't install Corvette IRS though because I told myself there was a chance I'd tow 2 Jet Ski's after retirement. I over built my truck, sold the JetSki's and never did it. Now I kinda wish I had.

Can't wait watch your truck's restomod.

 

[don long]

yes Dan. It is a flat out system. I know Donnie the owner and his is the best corvette system around

 

[bugnut]

Don, can see the smile on your face from here, drive it like you're 16 again!

 

[jbmatth]

This is going to be another I have to follow along with, they are such cool looking trucks. It'll be a fun driver and I'm sure will turn a lot of heads once it receives the Don Long treatment.

JB

 

[don long]

Is the big window a reproduction item or a NOS one stashed in someone's attic (maybe yours? )?

I bought the big window conversion kit several years ago for another 56 p/u that I had. I sold the truck to make more room in the Big Party Garage but kept the kit. I hope it's all there still.

 

[Two Door]

I bought the big window conversion kit several years ago for another 56 p/u that I had. I sold the truck to make more room in the Big Party Garage but kept the kit. I hope it's all there still.

Interesting. I never would have guessed such a thing existed.

 

[Jayman17]

I love '55 and '56 year trucks, both Ford and Chevy. They are such a cool looking truck imo. I will be watching Don! Have you chosen a color yet?

 

[rharman]

My dad had a '56 F100. I learned to drive in that truck. It was a year younger than me. Three on the tree!

 

[drivesitfar]

1956 was a very good year!! It looked awesome before you decided to take it up a few notches. Good luck!!

 

[SRU1436]

My dad had a 56 f100 too. 56 is my favorite year. Looking forward to watching the progress.

 

[PugetDude]

Subscribed for another Don Long ride-along.

 

[willymakeit]

The flat out is a good system. Considered it for my 56 but I have a Jag xkj suspension also, so Im going to use it.
I really didn't want coilovers with a vette suspension is the only reason.

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

I have installed the "Flat out on my 56. I have a Jag front IFS and the truck is air bagged.
I chose to weld it in instead of bolting it in. I also changed a few things as well. Here are some pictures of my truck.

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

More pics.
I just wanted to contribute to your thread, thank you Don!

 

[BSWS]

That's already a nice truck but after seeing your other projects I'm sure it will be amazing soon. I've always liked the 56 best, not just because I was born that year, they made some nice improvements from the 53. Then came the 57, couldn't they have eased into the boxy design a little more gradually? I had a 60, I don't hate them but they're no 56.

 

[don long]

That's already a nice truck but after seeing your other projects I'm sure it will be amazing soon. I've always liked the 56 best, not just because I was born that year, they made some nice improvements from the 53. Then came the 57, couldn't they have eased into the boxy design a little more gradually? I had a 60, I don't hate them but they're no 56.

BSWS
The only reason to overhaul this truck was because at my age it is too hard to lift my left leg high enough quick enough to make driving it safe so as long as I have the 429 motor already and also the corvette suspension there is no reason to let the truck sit because I can't drive it!!!

 

[don long]

I took the 429 motor over to the truck shop last week and went by today for a progress report and was very pleased with what I saw

The motor is mounted to the frame along with the rac & pinion steering


and the 3rd member is hanging from the frame



The other mounts are on the frame waiting to be welded up.
What could be better.
I was handed a list of parts needed so I left, bought the parts and brought them all back

 

[ambenz]

Gosh, that frame looks pretty flimsy with those open gussets and THAT TORQUE MONSTER attached to it. I suppose most people can't afford a Art Mossison chassis... Sooooo....worried about give? I see stainless steel bracing in that builds future...cool build...guess a 56 has to be in the mix of all your cool rides. Still green with envy over here,,,,LOL!

 

[BSWS]

BSWS
The only reason to overhaul this truck was because at my age it is too hard to lift my left leg high enough quick enough to make driving it safe so as long as I have the 429 motor already and also the corvette suspension there is no reason to let the truck sit because I can't drive it!!!

That sounds like a good reason to me.

 

[don long]

Gosh, that frame looks pretty flimsy with those open gussets and THAT TORQUE MONSTER attached to it. I suppose most people can't afford a Art Mossison chassis... Sooooo....worried about give? I see stainless steel bracing in that builds future...cool build...guess a 56 has to be in the mix of all your cool rides. Still green with envy over here,,,,LOL!

This is the X member that the motor is sitting on

 

[LXCam]

Any plans on boxing the frame Don?

And as always, I can’t wait to see your finished project.

 

[Modern Garage]

I just finished tuning up a black '56 Big Window that belongs to a friend. His has Corvette rear and a Malibu front with disc brakes, and a Chev 327 4BBL/ Automatic. It was built in the 80's or 90's with a Turbo 400 trans and a few years ago he paid someone to put in a Turbo 200R4 for the overdrive. Don't know who did it but I had to spend a couple of hours finishing that job too.
The engine is all stock from 1966 or so with points and Q-jet carb. About ten years ago I was working on it for him and found the choke cable (converted to manual like so many) adjusted wrong so the secondaries were always locked out. I reset the choke cable correctly and took a drive - all good. I told the owner when he picked it up. "I've never touched the choke cable." The secondaries had been locked out for as long as he had owned the truck! On the way home he stopped in an abandoned mall parking lot and did burnouts for twenty minutes because he couldn't believe how much power I had just found for him.
Joe

 

[pelletman]

We have a 53, following.

 

[Blackbyrd]

F100 is on my build one list. This one looks great!

 

[don long]

Headers will be here in the morning so another visit to my truck is coming

 

[don long]

Took the Headers over to the 56 this morning and was nicely surprised with his progress.
The fenders are back on the truck for centering the front Wheels to the wheel openings. The headers will be installed then the motor mounts will be welded in place. The back suspension mounts are all welded and looking great. Hopefully the frame will be ready for powder coating by the end of this week

 

[larry4406]

This portion of the frame looks overly notched! Any concern or is it just front sheet metal support forward of the notch?