Rusty 63 F100 + 04 CV PI

[Rusty 63]

Collecting dust as I spend every free moment with my baby boys - older now 2 yrs & younger now 7 months old... most of my progress has been theoretical…LOL

[HiBoy63]

Life happens enjoy those boys they are grown up and gone before you realize it. My 63 was still sitting there waiting for me over 20 years later. It was a little worse for wear but still there.

[Rusty 63]

Just posted a pic of the vin tag from what may be my body donor on the FB page. An anyone decipher it? Thanks!

[Rusty 63]

PROGRESS!!!

Okay so here are the rear control arm mounting plates as delivered from dave@truckirs.com - he'd already designed the mounting plates, I had him design & cut up the additional brackets to facilitate attaching them to the frame. The #5 dice-face is for a family of fat plug welds.



I got the front end back up into rough position (funny how things don't fit quite the way you remember after a few years...)



Here's one of the plates laying in position with the bracket vertical:

I like this way for the lack of interference with any of the control arm mounting bolts...

And laying horizontal:


Which way looks stronger? I like the horizontal for the larger contact area with the plates, but I'll need to notch the bracket (you can see my mark) to clear the nut/bolt that it runs across. [Looking at the pictures I'm thinking I should spin the bracket so the "5" is to the rear & all the holes should catch the frame rail]

Also, I noticed that due to the way the bottom of the 63 rails are shaped, when the cross member is pulled up tight to the frame, the rear control arm plates won't fit (without notching them or the frame rail for clearance), so I'm considering a spacer/shim between the rear cross member and frame rail. We have some fat steel 2" & 3" washers for hurricane tie-down & such that should work fine for that.

Thoughts, suggestions, and advice are welcome. Thanks!!

[MadMaxetc]

When you hit a bump the lower A-Arm will want to move back and inward. So I would vote for #2 and a plate in front. It also wouldn't hurt to put a triangle gusset or 2 on the inside OR box the frame.

[Rusty 63]

Thanks Dan!

I was planning to box the inside of the framerail & carry that right down to the plate. Also thought about the piece under the framerail. I guess a triangle gusset would be a good addition.

[marcfridge]

In case you never got you VIN question answered, LMC Truck catalog has a chart in the front that decodes the VIN.

[Rusty 63]

Starting to consider getting back on my truck... found a trans hump from a 4-spd that would help clear the fat automatic w/o making a patchwork quilt of the floor... but the guy has it advertised as a '64 -- but the pic shows a cab with 65/66 "steps"...

Question: will the hump from a late cab fit the floor of an early cab?

Also, other than radiator brackets (which won't matter to me with the CV radiator) -- will a 65/66 core support fit a '63?

[kstones63]

We purchased what was supposed to be a 64 4 speed cover and it came as a 65/66 4 speed cover. It will sit on top of the factory floor if you only need height clearance. If you need side clearance, it won't help.
The guy that we bought this one from made it right and sent us the correct one, then he sent me a UPS tag when he sold that one and I sent it out to somebody else.
I haven't installed this in Nick's 63 uni yet so I can't tell you how more clearance that we will get but it appears to be quite a bit more side clearance.

Kevin

[Rusty 63]

Kevin:

Thanks!! IIRC, the CV tans was just kissing the floor when I jacked up the tailshaft close to where I thought it needed to sit (w/o breaking out the angle finder). I had a baby (then a 2nd) before I got around to cutting the floor & fitting the trans cross member, LOL So, if it'll give me a couple inches in height, I think that'd be fine.

[Rusty 63]

Re-reading that -- are you saying the early hump is wider?

[kstones63]

The early hump is wider than the 65/66. The 65/66 trans cover will sit on top of the factory hump. The 64 cover sits flat on the floor after the original hump is removed. I haven't cut out Nick's floor yet but that is the way that it appears.

Kevin

[Rusty 63]

Kevin:

So I could conceivably lay the late hump on the floor, trace it, cut an inch or so inside the lines (whatever the width of the flange would be), and I ought to be good? (In theory)

[kstones63]

Kevin:

So I could conceivably lay the late hump on the floor, trace it, cut an inch or so inside the lines (whatever the width of the flange would be), and I ought to be good? (In theory)

In theory, that is the way that it appeared to be on Nick's truck. I decided not to go that way and did get the early 4 speed removable hump. We have 1 electrical plug on the side of the trans that is hitting the side of the factory tunnel. I need as much clearance as I can get for the 4R100 Lincoln trans. It is really large.

Kevin

[Rusty 63]

Thanks!! I think I'll keep my eye out for an early hump to be safe. I'm using the '04 CV trans -- it isn't small either...