Fopar's 72 F-250 project

[Fopar]

Also going to use panles from a 67 to fix it so the bed will have a more smooth look to it. I picked these corner post up from a junk yard for $10 ea.

 

[Fopar]

Cut out my patch panel and then cut out the damaged panel on the truck.

 

[Fopar]

Clamped in the new patch and then started tacking it in.

 

[Fopar]

So after a ton of spot welds it is done.

 

[Fopar]

Now I get to start the drivers side

 

[Fopar]

well working on blowing the budget... lol been watching this truck on craigslist and finally went over and checked it out. $600.00 is a bit more than what I wanted to spend but it's very solid, only surface rust. The bed has some big dents but the tail gate is straight. It's a 1969 camper special with the dual battery set up.

 

[Fopar]

 

[Fopar]

The guy said that it is a 360 (rebuilt 40,000 miles ago) with a manual 4 speed trany but this thing has some serious power more like my friends 390 so I'm not sure if it really is a 360 or not.


The list of parts that I needed from this truck are:

Cab
Windshield
Inner fender (passenger side)
Tail gate
Hood
Wanted a 67-69 grill and I should be able to fix this one

Bonus is a very strong engine yet to be determined 360 or 390

So in the end I think it was worth the $600

Oh and it drives nice so I have a truck again for the time being and it is great to drive a bump again!!!!

 

[Fopar]

I finally finished welding away at the bed seem on the passenger side so I got out my grinder and went at it smoothing all the welds then pulled out the metal filler and went to town spreading it on.

 

[Fopar]

It's a great product that I've used on other projects and it holds up very well and is very metal like once it hardens. Also a very good way to smooth out spot welds on sheet metal.

Almost looks like metal to.

 

[Fopar]

had a spot of rust that was a little worse then I first thought so I cut it out and welded in a patch.

The ruffed in body work is done around the seem, so that should do for now. I kinda find myself bouncing around on this project but it keeps it interesting for now....

 

[stansgray03]

Nice skills you have, your truck is looking better all the time. :rockon:

 

[6pakattack]

Lots of potential in that 250 !!! Especialy with that 460 in, dayummmmmm !!:rockon:

 

[Fopar]

Not been able to work on it much but I did get some work in today (sorry no new pic's yet) I pulled the front end apart for what feels like the hundredth time. Glad there’s not much to these old trucks, makes mock-up a lot easier. I cut out the Lincoln motor mounts that I had welded in (not in the correct location) going to try to use 73 460 truck mounts because the 2002 frame is the same width as the 67-72 frames in the front. I also pulled the steering shaft off of the 02 cab, it has a nice slip shaft with knuckles at each end. It's a little long but looks like it can be easily modified, so that should really tighten up the steering for the truck combined with the 02’s steering box. Anyway just a quick update, hope to have pic's soon of the steering and engine progress....

 

[Fopar]

Ok so here are the pic's as promised... I got the 460 engine mounts onto the engine and then lowered it into the truck and it looks to be a very close fit for being 30 years apart. With some modifications I think I can make them work.

Drivers side:

Passenger side:

 

[Fopar]

The passenger side is sitting a little low so it's a bit off. I will have to build a spacer to lift it up on that side. Also will need to build a platform for the lower part to sit on as each side is hanging out with nothing to sit on.

 

[Fopar]

As for the steering shaft I was able to get that cut down to a workable size. The stock length was 33" fully extended and just over 24" completely compressed, and the distance from the steering box to the bottom of the steering column was 22". So to make it work I chopped it down.


The top linkage is from the 77 Lincoln, the center part is the steering column shaft from the 02 and the lower slip shaft is also from the 02

I cut the welds that held the lower shaft in the tube and then slid them apart.

 

[Fopar]

I then chopped 5" off the shaft, cleaned it up and then slid it back together.

After that I marked the other end and then cut it of and also made relief cuts to the one end.

 

[Fopar]

with an additional 5" marked I cut it off and also pressed the relief cuts together so that the small end would slid into the tube end. Then just welded it up.

 

[Fopar]