Chopped 55 f100

[drewski]

I'm glad I ask about how you straightened the window channel. You did the inner part in a way that I had never considered.

I appreciate you taking the time to dig up photos and show me what you did.

And yeah....I can see why you might have some concerns regarding your glass.

Again.......thanks

Drew

 

[geologist]

That's a pretty cool truck. I lost my Dad suddenly too -- he was 61. I'm presently trying to hunt down an old jeep scrambler we built together years ago.

 

[Duke55]

Installed the primed tonneau cover, running boards and hood. This is the first time in my life this truck has been put together and in more or less one color. I didn't really touch it for the next few weeks because it was nice to see it together.

Then I picked up another lathe, so that set me back another week. Its a Hardinge HC Chucker with a CNC retrofit kit on it. This will be fun we I get some more time to play with it.

This weekend, I decided it was time to get after it so I started tearing it down.

Made a simple rotisserie with two HF engine stands

 

[AXracer]

Very nice work! Here's a thought (and a project for your new lathe): how about installing a spring loaded rear guide wheel inside the door near the top of the window opening that would ride on the edge of the glass so it would guide the glass in and out as well as keeping it from rattling or jumping out of the channel when in the down position. Could be a nylon or HMW plastic wheel turned with a groove to go over the edge of the glass on an arm pivoted off a bracket bolted to the inside of the door frame above the latch. I can do you a sketch if you are confused by my description. A simple but effective solution.

 

[J king]

That's a good idea.i like it!

 

[Kurn]

Wow.And it's cool that the truck has always been a custom.I remember seeing those grills and canted lights (telling my age here).It was a fairly cheap mod,and it really caught on.So much that one of the "options" on the AMT '53 kit was just such a grill.

 

[JonBoehman]

Is that a triangulated 4 link set up or a standard? I am considering doing the triangulated kit from Paul Hortons "Welder Series" custom supplies. Just curious if you had a better view showing your setup?

 

[Tunajoe]

Sick build!

Love it!

 

[toolman1967]

Very cool build. Cant wait to see the finished truck.



Tim the Toolman

 

[wrigh003]

Way, way cool. The big louvers on the tonneau are a neat idea, and different (any pics of how you did that?). I'd be scared to have those stack tips like that, ball covering them or not- but I like them. I just have little kids all over the place, so don't mind me. I'd be tempted to put flaps on them, but I have just always liked those.

Trailer puller/DD is wicked neat too.

 

[Duke55]

Thanks for the posts. I have been a slacker when it comes to keeping my posts up to date (the new photoshop ***** - need to find something else). On the plus side I have made good progress on the truck. A few things that have been done that are not in the pictures are: Cab has been primed inside and out (ready for final water sand), stacks and headlight bezels have been chromed, inside of front and rear fenders have been lined with spray in bedliner, and all air, fuel and brake lines have been routed.

Finished boxing the frame and notching the underside of the frame for clearance for the stacks.


Primed and painted frame


Painted suspension parts and assembled




Air lines plumbed






Very last minute change to color scheme (11 pm night before spraying) - painted top silver and bottom black.




4 coats HOK Candy Brandywine (KBC01) and 5 coats of clear over the entire thing.






Painted the underside of the tonneau cover yesterday


Painted top side of tonneau cover today (will color sand and buff tomorrow).

 

[930dreamer]

I like both of the Fords, nice work.

 

[Duke55]

Very nice work! Here's a thought (and a project for your new lathe): how about installing a spring loaded rear guide wheel inside the door near the top of the window opening that would ride on the edge of the glass so it would guide the glass in and out as well as keeping it from rattling or jumping out of the channel when in the down position. Could be a nylon or HMW plastic wheel turned with a groove to go over the edge of the glass on an arm pivoted off a bracket bolted to the inside of the door frame above the latch. I can do you a sketch if you are confused by my description. A simple but effective solution.

I like the idea but the problem is not when the window is rolled down. There is about 3 inches of full width parallel window that is engaged with the channel at all times near the bottom of the window. The support increases as the window rolls down since the 3" section is engaged and distance at which the window contacts the anti rattle weather stripping is increasing. The issue is when the window is just about to engage with the channels in the full up position. At that point the window is only being supported by the 3" inside the channel at the bottom of the window (inside the door).

 

[Duke55]

Is that a triangulated 4 link set up or a standard? I am considering doing the triangulated kit from Paul Hortons "Welder Series" custom supplies. Just curious if you had a better view showing your setup?

Yes it is a triangulated 4 link. Let me know if the latest posts (today) don't show what you need. I used the factory upper mounting tabs that came on the 93 8.8 Mustang rear end I am using and fab'd lower mounts. The links where custom from suicide doors except for the ends on the upper links I fab'd.

 

[Duke55]

Way, way cool. The big louvers on the tonneau are a neat idea, and different (any pics of how you did that?). I'd be scared to have those stack tips like that, ball covering them or not- but I like them. I just have little kids all over the place, so don't mind me. I'd be tempted to put flaps on them, but I have just always liked those.

Trailer puller/DD is wicked neat too.

Stacks scare me but after I did it I just couldn't get myself to remove the tips. I will come up with something that looks good and is safer for the little ones. As far as pressing the louvers, in my first post I posted a link to a previous forum I had posted too and there are pictures of the dies and process.

 

[e-tek]

You've got two of the coolest trucks I've seen for a while! I'd even pay $$ for the Ford with the Cummins! Thanks for posting - subscribed.

 

[arrowhead]

Awesome build! You really did a great job intergrating modern tech but keeping that '60 custom vibe. Your Dad and Grandpa would be proud.

I dig the pointed dust caps on the wheels (look like Boss 338s?) Did you make or buy?

 

[Duke55]

Awesome build! You really did a great job intergrating modern tech but keeping that '60 custom vibe. Your Dad and Grandpa would be proud.

I dig the pointed dust caps on the wheels (look like Boss 338s?) Did you make or buy?

They are Boss 338's. I made the caps out of bar stock aluminum on the lathe.

 

[e-tek]

Where was the truck painted? Looks incredible.

 

[nissan_crawler]

This has to be one of the best builds I've seen, and I don't even like Fords. Awesome job!

I usually realllyyy hate stacks on old trucks, those look perfect. I never thought I would have liked that many louvers on a bed cover either, but again, looks great!

 

[JonBoehman]

Did you get the rear axle out of a mustang? If so what was the track width. I am asking because I was going to pull one from an Exploder sport model due to them having the same track width as the F100 as well as the limited slip and 3:73.

 

[03protege]

That is so awesome, I love what you did with the bed.

Oddly enough I actually like those stacks, that's a first.

 

[oilslick]

Awesome work, your talent is simply making me aware of my lack there of! Love your trucks!

 

[Duke55]

Where was the truck painted? Looks incredible.

Painted in the shop I built behind my house. The shop is 44' wide by 32' deep. Has two 10x10' and one 12x10' overhead doors and is divided into two work bays and 15x26' paint booth.

 

[Duke55]

Did you get the rear axle out of a mustang? If so what was the track width. I am asking because I was going to pull one from an Exploder sport model due to them having the same track width as the F100 as well as the limited slip and 3:73.

Rear axle is out of a 92 mustang. I will have to measure the width but I know it is at least a couple of inches wider than the factory axle (I had to compensate with wheel offset)

 

[Stevie-Ray]

No only do I love Fords and own only them, but the F100 from that era is my absolute favorite hot rod. This will be one of the nicest examples I've yet seen as well.

 

[Duke55]

Set the tonneau cover on the bed and lucky it matches very good (thought for sure I was going to regret painting the bed and tonneau on different days). I cannot believe how much better it looks with paint. The cover is set on a couple of inches back so I can grab onto it to remove it (just checking to see if the color matches)







After playing with the cover, I water sanded the cab inside and out over the weekend so it is now ready for paint. Forgot to take a picture of the sanded cab, but it sanded out flawlessly.

On Sunday I painted the running boards (should of painted more but I was tired from sanding the ceiling inside the cab - that thing is a **** kicker)



Also finished fabricating the floor to the bed. I am leaning towards not putting the floor in initially. I don't plan to use the bed, I like the look and access to the air ride without the floor and I am not a big fan of diamond plate aluminum. Figure I can always install later if I decide I want a floor. Worst part is figuring out were to store it.



Today, I removed the tonneau cover and installed all the cover hardware. Hopefully, I can find some help tomorrow to completely install the cover.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

This is my daily driver and trailer puller. It is a 78 F250 with a 1996 Cummins diesel, HTT stainless turbo, 5" exhaust, Billet ATS 47RH trans, 5 disk TC, 241DHD transfer case and white/gold pearl tri-coat paint.

Royce,
I am a Chevy guy to the bone.... I have a '55 Chevy big window short bed I am resto-modding and an '08 Chevy 3500 crew ...so you and I have a lot in common.... but as much as I love my Chevies, I LOVE this truck. It is flat kickass beautiful.

 

[Duke55]

Took the week off and did a bunch of painting

















Installed tonneau cover with linear actuators





Played around with the metal roller I built. Rolled 1" aluminum bar stock to 14" diameter. Thinking about making my own billet half wrap steering wheel.

 

[54FordPanel]

Holy ****......that's awesome.

How did you punch those louvers? Huge machine?

 

[Duke55]

Holy ****......that's awesome.

How did you punch those louvers? Huge machine?

Built male and female louver dies







Then I used a 200 ton 12' press brake - way overkill. I only needed a 5' 20 ton press but I used what I could find locally.

 

[54FordPanel]

Even more impressive. Did you punch the louvers, then bend the radius?

 

[Duke55]

Even more impressive. Did you punch the louvers, then bend the radius?

Punched all the louvers then wrapped the sheet around the square tubing frame. The cover is welded all the way around so I could grind/shape a nice rounded edge. Luckily, it did not kink at each louver as I expected.

 

[iajonesy]

Holy **** on a cracker!!!!! That thing is so laser straight it's like glass only smoother. I'll send my 56 Chevy p/u to you for body and paint if you want to take some more vacation time. That is just awesome,Royce. What is the paint code and manufacturer? Your Dad would be so proud of you. Keep up the good work.

Mike

 

[Backyard builder]

Great work, love the truck. Can't wait to get my shop done so I can start on my truck.... I'm really motivated watching your build.

 

[Duke55]

Holy **** on a cracker!!!!! That thing is so laser straight it's like glass only smoother. I'll send my 56 Chevy p/u to you for body and paint if you want to take some more vacation time. That is just awesome,Royce. What is the paint code and manufacturer? Your Dad would be so proud of you. Keep up the good work.

Mike

Paint code is House of Kolor KBC01 brandywine candy base coat over a silver or black base.

 

[colt zantop]

wow....killer work so far!

 

[willymakeit]

You need to make the run to Branson next year for the Show Me F100 show. That has turned out nice. Congrats and I can appreciate your hard work.

 

[Duke55]

Painted under the hood and front valance today.

 

[Duke55]

You need to make the run to Branson next year for the Show Me F100 show. That has turned out nice. Congrats and I can appreciate your hard work.

How many trucks show up to that show? I do have a lot of family in the Springfield area (i don't know them but my dad would take my grandpa their every couple of years to visit).