Another 55 F100 build-Long Term

[drewski]

Good to see progress....and that it's under power now..

That old barn siding sure looks nice all cleaned up!

I must admit, hearing it run really helps to get back in the garage and work toward that first drive in a looooong time. The barn wood was another one of my budget approaches on this build.....I had it, so I used it. It did turn out better than I expected.

I just found your thread this morning and haven't moved from my computer
I have not only read but studied this build closely.
All I can say is "WOW" and thank you. I have a 1950 cab over build that I have lacked motivation to work on (Been finding smaller projects to keep me busy) until now.
Your work and skills are the best, and when I read that you are my age it made me feel much more like hitting it harder.
Again thank you for the inspiration and sharing this fine truck with us "wanabes"

Don

Don, I've followed your build and believe me I understand the motivation thing on these builds. I've taken time out to renovate a kitchen including building all of the cabinets, spent several years touring around the country on a motorcycle, did a lot of camping and the truck has always been there to work on when I got back and wanted a little garage time.

My truck is just a budget build that I work on when I get a few extra dollars and I move a little further along toward a day that I'll drive it. Hopefully it will be before I start the worm farm.

Many of this type of topic got moved to fabrication a long time ago. How we missed yours I do not know . Still it looks like the move of the topic will make for some motivation not just for you. Nice to read it is moving along.

Thanks and thanks again for the move.

Nice ride ! how long did it take to cut across the top of the 53" windshield ?

It took about an hour, but I was being very careful and taking my time. I figure if I can cut a glass that is nearly 60 years old, surely I can cut a new one. We shall see. The new glass is patiently waiting in the shop.

Drew

 

[Rookie2]

wear a dust mask, glass is hard on your throat and lungs. water or not.

 

[stikman56]

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 driver.

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

Lookin' good! This is my '56 that I did a complete on, started at 18, was 30 when I finally finished it. Did all my own work, except chrome of course,and stitching of the upholstery. Truck never left my garage during the build.
To me, there's just nothing like an effie.

 

[Sgreve32x]

Very nice pay off.

 

[drewski]

Lookin' good! This is my '56 that I did a complete on, started at 18, was 30 when I finally finished it. Did all my own work, except chrome of course,and stitching of the upholstery. Truck never left my garage during the build.
To me, there's just nothing like an effie.

Your 56 is a beautiful truck and my favorite year. It's very satisfying knowing that you did all your own work even though it can stretch out for years.

If my truck had been a 56, the chop would have never happened.

Drew

 

[stikman56]

Your 56 is a beautiful truck and my favorite year. It's very satisfying knowing that you did all your own work even though it can stretch out for years.

If my truck had been a 56, the chop would have never happened.

Drew

Thank you. I agree with you on that. The chop looks right on a '53-'55, but horrible on a '56. That's gonna be a really nice truck, for sure.

 

[stikman56]

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 skinned it with 16 ga. steel.

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 gate.

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 on.

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

Your metal work is fantastic on this.

 

[Duke55]

Drew, I have been waiting a long time to see you post again. I am glad you a making progress and your build was moved to the fab section, it is well deserved and long over due. As usual you have done very impressive outside the box work. You are a better guy than I am because I wouldn't justify to anyone chopping your truck. I have a couple of mods on my truck that I have done that feel right and no one can change that. I look forward to seeing your truck on the road and hopefully we can cross paths someday.

 

[drewski]

Drew, I have been waiting a long time to see you post again. I am glad you a making progress and your build was moved to the fab section, it is well deserved and long over due. As usual you have done very impressive outside the box work. You are a better guy than I am because I wouldn't justify to anyone chopping your truck. I have a couple of mods on my truck that I have done that feel right and no one can change that. I look forward to seeing your truck on the road and hopefully we can cross paths someday.

I think custom vehicles must be a passion with the Duke families. My brothers all had custom vehicles back in the 50's and I guess it rubbed off on me. This truck is the first one that I have taken the liberty to try anything my heart desires and it's been fun. I guess the fact that it was a piece of junk from the start is my justification for changing so much.

Did you make it to the Western Nationals with your truck? Been wondering how that went.

Drew

 

[Duke55]

I did take the truck to the western nationals. My family and I had a good time (very relaxing car show compared to the fathers day show I did). I wouldn't of ever guessed it but when you go to a show like that and are surrounded by people with the very similar interests and vehicles it is more of a people event than a truck event. It was cool to see that many f100 together but it will be the people that will likely bring me back next year.

 

[cokeb5]

I'm planning on getting back to work on my 56 budget build
and was curios what vehicle your swinging brake pedel came from?

Craig

sorry drew just found the answer in post #46

 

[drewski]

Re: Finally!!! Its Alive.

Last weekend, after bleeding brakes, and topping fluids, I finally started my truck and drove it from the garage under its own power for the first time since I got it 27 years ago. I've still got a ton of things to do, but this is a real kick in the pants to get busy. Other than a few leaks that required tightening some fittings everything seems to be doing what it should.

Of course my wife required a photo shoot

 

[slickgt1]

I read the whole thing just now. wow, amazing. I hope one day to gather enough balls to start a project like this. Congrats on driving it.

 

[stinkity stoink]

awesome!!! Good for you and great job. I love it! This truck is well done.

 

[impala4speed]

I have been following your build and for whatever reason have neglected to comment until now. What a great looking truck! I really like everything you've done. Great work and craftsmanship.

 

[Duke55]

Hell ya looking good and I know it felt even better.

 

[56rpm]

I may have missed it, but did you or do you plan on painting it? As started many times, you do fantastic work. Wish I had the balls to try a chop. I've had one big window, my first vehicle, a small window 55 and 56, but never a small window THAT small I really like the tail gate hinge idea. Congrats on a cool rod.

Bob

 

[drewski]

I may have missed it, but did you or do you plan on painting it? As started many times, you do fantastic work. Wish I had the balls to try a chop. I've had one big window, my first vehicle, a small window 55 and 56, but never a small window THAT small I really like the tail gate hinge idea. Congrats on a cool rod.

Bob

Bob, I may eventually get around to painting it, but my main goal is to get it to where I can jump in and drive. I'm after the fun factor more than the shine.
Thanks for the positive comments.

Drew

 

[Duke55]

Drew,

When I saw you posted I was excited to see the latest progress. Any updates?

 

[drewski]

Drew,

When I saw you posted I was excited to see the latest progress. Any updates?

Royce, not much to report. Still dealing with some family issues that seem to never go away.

I haven't solved the windshield problem that we had talked about.....yet. I have been spending some time trying to decide what I'm going to do with the side glass. I would like to go with one piece, but I really don't know if I want to cut the top hinge pocket and straighten out the top of the door where the glass comes through. Really looking at the fastest way to get it weather tight and ready for some time on the road.

Drew

 

[Duke55]

Drew,

I really like how my side windows turned out. I used the one piece glass weather stripping so it looks really clean. If you did it this way you would not need to cut the window channel or the hinge pocket and in my opinion it looks really good. I would gladly make you the divider bars to help the cause if needed.

 

[drewski]

I've been going back in your thread looking at how you did your glass and that may well be the way I go. Hoping to have a solution before May rolls around. The F100 Supernationals and the Nashville Goodguys event will be within 30 miles of each other on the same weekend and I would like to make it to both.

Drew

 

[Duke55]

Just let me know if I can help. Wish I could make it to the super nats but don't think the family is up for that trip yet.

 

[tlmartin84]

Drewski,

Any updates?

 

[pelletman]

Awesome work! Hope you update this post soon

 

[drewski]

Been sidetracked on a dozen other issues the last couple years and I picked up a 73 Corvette project that I really didn't need.