Another 55 F100 build-Long Term

[drewski]

I was initially going to post this build on the Hamb site, but decided that it's not exactly traditional and I'm not above using late model parts in my build. I don't consider myself a ford guy, or a gm guy, or mopar. I'm just a car guy. I tend to use gm power trains mainly because I'm more familiar with them. I would have preferred to use a 354 or a 392 hemi in this build, but I had a newly built 400 sbc sitting on the stand at the time, so it will be gm powered. I'm not a catalog builder, so a lot of my parts come from the salvage yards from different brands of cars. So Ford guys don't beat me up too bad......after all I'm building a custom.

This build thread will cover a number of years that I've had this truck. It has haunted my garage for over 20 years.

I first acquired this truck back in the mid 80's

I traded a 75 Vega sedan delivery for it. I had dropped a 350/350 engine/trans in the Vega and was using it as a daily drive

In hindsight I really got screwed in the trade when I discovered how butchered up the F100 was. After looking at all the problems that it had I decided that I would do all of the custom touches to it that I had always wanted to try. I figured it wouldn't have been a big loss if I really screwed it up.

The first thing I did was ****** out the 302 and the c4 and proceed to replace the frame graft that had been badly installed. I used a 70 chevelle frame clip to replace the botched frame section. The chevelle clips were popular to use in the 70-80's on F100s.

While I was working on the frame, my wife stripped the paint off the cab and front fenders.

After I got the frame back together I started the first custom modification, chopping the top. I initially was shooting for a 5 1/2" chop but decided on 6".

So a little off the top.


Top back on..........



Unfortunately I don't have photos of the the entire chop. We did video tape it, but that tape as of yet has not been located. Keep in mind this work was done in the 80's.....before digital cameras and I was still playing with a commodore 64 computer. I'll post more as I get my photos sorted out again.

Drew

 

[charger891]

Man, your truck has come a long way! are you painting it this year?

 

[z28snksknr]

Both of you guys continue to inspire me on my '54. The more I can see how someone who's been through the gauntlet with one of these trucks can turn things around, the more confidence I have with mine.

 

[Dadstoy]

Built my Ford truck pretty much the same route. Chevy drive train. And the wife did most of the paint removal also. Your truck is looking good.

 

[drewski]

Man, your truck has come a long way! are you painting it this year?

Gil, I've had the truck so long, it should have been finished a looooong time ago.
I can't say that I did very much to it during the first 10-15 years other than the chop and frame section. I had other projects in the works and I didn't feel driven to work on it.

I'm still on the fence on whether I'm going to paint it or leave it in suede. I've done the car show thing for too long and I don't want another garage queen. Shiny paint doesn't trip my trigger any more like it did years ago. I just want to drive it and have fun.

How is your truck coming along?

Drew

 

[rickairmedic]

Drew and Gil keep it up and I am going to have to drag my 62 F100 Uni back into the garage .


Rick

 

[drewski]

Fast forward to about 2006, I had worked on the truck whenever I didn't have anything else going on. Over the years I had installed the engine and trans, tilt steering column and done a few body mods such as a frenched antenna, and removed the vent in the passenger side cowl.



Unfortunately, if I made photos of the body mods, I've not been able to find them.

Also during those years I decided not to use the original front sheet metal or the bed since they were in such poor condition. I secured a one piece fiberglass front end and after pricing new reproduction beds, I decided that I could probably build it myself for less money.(More effort, but cheaper)

Quick run to my metal supplier got me 2 4x8 sheets of 14 ga steel, a length of 2x2 14 ga, 1x2 14 ga, 1x1 14 ga, and length of 1 1/8" dia tubing. Around $200 or so for the steel.(before the big price increases we've seen in recent years)

I decided what dimensions I wanted to use, did some very technical drawings to go by (that would be freehand sketches on a legal pad) cut out the side panels, and had a local sheet metal shop bend the angles for me. Since I was building the bed from scratch, I decided to incorporate all the custom touches that were floating around in my head.

A little mock up after getting the bed sides back from the sheet metal shop.



I welded up a framework for the floor using the 1 inch square tubing and welded the sides to the framework. I welded the 1 1/8" tubing to the bed sides to create the roll at the top. For the front of the bed, I welded up a framework that has a 1x2 joining the bedsides at the top and is open in the area below. I've got a piece of stainless that will fit inside the framework. I might even polish it.....



Drew

 

[brianh]

Very nice I am looking forward to seeing more

 

[charger891]

Gil, I've had the truck so long, it should have been finished a looooong time ago.
I can't say that I did very much to it during the first 10-15 years other than the chop and frame section. I had other projects in the works and I didn't feel driven to work on it.

I'm still on the fence on whether I'm going to paint it or leave it in suede. I've done the car show thing for too long and I don't want another garage queen. Shiny paint doesn't trip my trigger any more like it did years ago. I just want to drive it and have fun.

How is your truck coming along?

Drew

need a break from the truck, was hoping to get the body work done this summer and in primer but every time i look at it i come up with new mods

 

[drewski]

need a break from the truck, was hoping to get the body work done this summer and in primer but every time i look at it i come up with new mods

Yeah, I know what you mean by the mods. When I first got this truck, I was just going to drive it. Then I saw so much wrong with it, that I got a little crazy on the mods and it's still happening. I "will" be completely in primer this summer, and maybe at a driver stage. I made a lot of progress this past winter and I hope I can keep it going into the summer. Now if I don't get too many "Honey Do" things from the wife, maybe I'll make it.

To those of you that have seen these build photos elsewhere, I apologize. I've had a few GJ members ask me to post this build. I also think people on this site are a little more tolerant of mongrel builds like this. Once I get it up to date there will be some "new photos".


Moving along on the photos................

Since I wanted to be able to run wide tires and rims, I cut a radius in the bed sides and used a trailer fender cut in half to make the wheel tubs.

Since I wanted to run a rear roll pan, I built a feature into the lower stake pocket that would drop down even with the bottom of the fenders and contour to the back of the fende


I closed the end at the bed roll, but left the hole since I intend to run led lights there.


I added a bracket at the lower part of the stake pocket that would allow me to bolt on the roll pan.



At the forward stake pocket I added a small piece of tubing to use as a conduit to hide the wires for the light at the rear.



On to the roll pan next.

Drew

 

[jktruck150]

Looking good man!

 

[NASTYZEN]

cool build. Your a patient man,and the results are reflecting that.Gonna look great.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Such an awesome project, too bad it's powered by a SBC. But hey I'm a Ford guy, it's your project and it does happen all the time.

Keep this thread updated as I love the fab work.

 

[jwillis]

Wow!! This is so cool. I hope you don't mind me drooling all over your work. Nice job, guys!!

 

[Crazy Car Guy]

Such an awesome project, too bad it's powered by a SBC. But hey I'm a Ford guy, it's your project and it does happen all the time.

Keep this thread updated as I love the fab work.

+1 Ford guy myself

 

[4StarCstms]

Not a fan of the dime a dozen everybody does em motor, but hey, your more than making up for it with the metal work. Amazing - keep em coming!

 

[drewski]

Roll pan fabrication started out with me not knowing what I really wanted to end up with. I actually built 2 roll pans, one to experiment on and one that I figured I would finally us

I spent a little time nosing around in a chrome shop for big rig trucks and found some glass cab clearance lens with stainless bezels that I thought might make neat tail l


I installed one of the lights and threw 12 volts to it for effect.



So at this stage I have not made a decision on the second roll pan regarding tail lights. Any suggestions on the second pan?



Also finally got the bed smoothed and in epoxy primer.



Next project....build a tailgate.

Drew

 

[drewski]

Not a fan of the dime a dozen everybody does em motor, but hey, your more than making up for it with the metal work. Amazing - keep em coming!

I understand the feeling about the power train choice, but it is one of economics. I had the engine built already for another project that got sold before I installed it. Wish I could zip back in time and bring back one of the old 392 hemis that I had back in the 60's. They were a dime a dozen then and really pricey now.

I'm not very loyal to brands on this build. The roof skin is from a plymouth station wagon, roll pan made from modesty panels from a mayline drafting table, seats will be from a chrysler product, Mustang rear springs and hangers, Chevelle frame clip, Olds steering column and you get the picture. If I think it can be used, I'll try it. (I am keeping a builder's log so that I will know what part I used in case I need a replacement.)

Drew

 

[MartyO]

I love this project!

 

[drewski]

The original tailgate wasn't worth using and I wanted something different anyway. I fashioned a frame from 1 1/4" tubing and 1x2.



I made patterns to decide how I wanted the features of the tailgate to look

I tacked in some small diameter rod to form character lines in the gat

A bunch of welding and grinding and was ready hinge the tailgate. A trip to the local tractor supply and located some bushings to pivot the gate


A lot of smoothing and priming and blocking.


This is where I'm gonna get called a cheap ***. To latch the tailgate I went back to the 80's trick of using seat belt buckles. I wanted to be able to slam the gate shut and it will be positioned and locked.

Drew

 

[von zipper]

Like the seat belt trick!!!

 

[tonydanzah]

how would the seatbelt trip hold up to a northern winter?

 

[Call me the Breeze]

Mad skills! Awesome work!

 

[drewski]

how would the seatbelt trip hold up to a northern winter?

I can only say that I looked at a lot of belts in some old salvage yards and the type that I used appear to have held up well exposed to the weather. The truck that I pulled those out of had no doors or windows and they look good. There was no sign of rust or pitting on any part of the buckle. The type that I used were Ford. I think they were used in the 70's and 80's.

Drew

 

[OccupantRJ]

I understand the feeling about the power train choice, but it is one of economics. I had the engine built already for another project that got sold before I installed it. Wish I could zip back in time and bring back one of the old 392 hemis that I had back in the 60's. They were a dime a dozen then and really pricey now.

I'm not very loyal to brands on this build. The roof skin is from a plymouth station wagon, roll pan made from modesty panels from a mayline drafting table, seats will be from a chrysler product, Mustang rear springs and hangers, Chevelle frame clip, Olds steering column and you get the picture. If I think it can be used, I'll try it. (I am keeping a builder's log so that I will know what part I used in case I need a replacement.)

Drew

Drew, that's the same way I build a car or motorcycle. It's the true hot rod way.

 

[drewski]

Drew, that's the same way I build a car or motorcycle. It's the true hot rod way.

Thanks for that comment. There didn't seem to be much interest in this build when I first posted it. I thought it might be because of the lack of pedigree. It's truly a blend of everything. Being retired I don't have unlimited funds to spend on my projects.

Drew

 

[OccupantRJ]

Thanks for that comment. There didn't seem to be much interest in this build when I first posted it. I thought it might be because of the lack of pedigree. It's truly a blend of everything. Being retired I don't have unlimited funds to spend on my projects.

Drew

Anyone with money can buy what they want. Not many can BUILD what they want. Obviously you can. Keep up the great fab work. I really like the bed build. I spent over 6 years continious to build my 40 Ford truck, lost my home and shop in a flood, and lost all of my build pictures. That was 11 years ago, and I have just recently got back into a workshop of my own again. Projects are starting to float through my head once more. You are doing a fine job.

 

[Nighttrain]

Very nice work. I hope to be as half as good as you are in the fab work one day.

 

[copterdoctor]

very nice build.... subscribing to this thread....
I'm building a 46' ford truck... and it's going on...... a...... chevy s10 chassis..... lol
I don't consider it a rat, but it's somewhere close to one I suppose...
I just don't have the cashflow for a full resto... and it's helping me have some shop time with my son away from all the girls...
I'll post pics in the next few days... nowhere even close to as far along as yours though...

and I agree, the fab work you're doing is phenomenal

 

[DrunkSmurf]

Beautiful project and I believe pedigree is often overrated...lol

I'm honestly tired of seeing super nice trucks at shows and in magazines where all the work was farmed out to various shops and the owner just shows up to turn the key.

It's refreshing to see someone actually building something (and building it well) in their garage and getting back to the true roots of making something "theirs" with 1off fab/mod ideas.

Keep up the great work and I'll be looking forward to your updates.

 

[Beaumont67]

Beautiful project and I believe pedigree is often overrated...lol

I'm honestly tired of seeing super nice trucks at shows and in magazines where all the work was farmed out to various shops and the owner just shows up to turn the key.

It's refreshing to see someone actually building something (and building it well) in their garage and getting back to the true roots of making something "theirs" with 1off fab/mod ideas.

Keep up the great work and I'll be looking forward to your updates.

I couldn't agree more - than the BIG $$ trophy farmed-out build makes it to the floors of the B-J Auction...and the seller is practically crying at the sale price he just received...won't even cover much more than the paint job &/or engine cost to build...lol

Drew - amazing auto body fab work...this build is most interesting to follow...w/creative features & spending material dollars very wisely - making more with less outlay, for a solid truck when finished.

------------------------------------------------
Beaumont { :>)) www.petperfectexpress.com
1965 Malibu S/S, 1966 Beaumont Custom original paint, 1967 Beaumont Custom, 1967 Beaumont Custom original paint, 1967 Beaumont 396-350HP Sport Deluxe M21-411's - SOLD 1970 Judge

 

[drewski]

Next project was running boards. I had originally purchased fiberglass running boards, but decided that the look of the ribbed boards didn't go with the style of my build. So plan B was to try and build a board that would have a smoother look.

Using masonite and wood, I mocked up the shape I wanted.

Transferred the shape of the pattern to my metal blanks.


Lots of cutting, welding and grinding

I had decided to exit the exhaust through the running board, so I fabbed a ring that would be used to form the character of the exhaust opening.

I had to extend the bottom edge of the board to make the exit point look correct. If I had this to do over I would have incorporated the extra material in my board blanks to avoid the extra welding.



Lots of smoothing, priming, and blocking.



It was a bunch of work, but cheap to build and not like everybody else.

Drew

 

[70chevellegsp]

WOW! Not only to the fab work but to your vision. Physically making something from nothing is a skill most of us would love to have, but being able to mentally make something from nothing is a whole different level. Beautiful work!

 

[nperkins]

Those exhaust holes are sick!!!

 

[SHELLFISH]

Very nice fab work on the truck!
I liked the seat belt latches for the tail gate too!
Also very nice work on the running boards with exhaust outlet.

 

[theroyz71]

Fantastic build. You sir, are a craftsman.

 

[wrigh003]

I'm diggin' it. "Traditional hot rod" (big air quotes) or not, what you're doing lives up to the spirit of hot rodding a lot better than some guy who is crying over not beiing able to find the "right" antique Offenhauser carb to go on his flathead/satin-paint/pinstriped/32Ford.

 

[charger891]

Drew,your making me Sick!!! its a sickness to get my **** in gear and get my truck done!! awesome work!! cant wait to see it in paint!

 

[drewski]

Drew,your making me Sick!!! its a sickness to get my **** in gear and get my truck done!! awesome work!! cant wait to see it in paint!

Gil, I think you've got an edge on me. You've got some things taken care of that I haven't even started on yet. I'm working on it though. I'm doing some of that stuff that's not too exciting right now. Like sandblasting hinges, running board brackets, trying to decide how to build my column drop, installing swing pedal for brakes and standing around scratching my head a lot.
So much to do yet!!

Come on Gil. Post up some photos.....helps to see other people doing some welding and grinding.

Drew

 

[Travisnd]

Extremely impressive work!!!!