my '66 stepside upgrade

Hurk · Post by **Hurk** » November 28, 2009, 7:58 pm

Are you in Camden county? Nice truck that 302 will be awesome looks like it too. I got a 460 in mine and I can't wait to get it on the road.

flyingv · Post by **flyingv** » November 29, 2009, 8:50 am

sorry guys, after I posted the pics, I had to leave and didn't get back until really late last night.

ICEMAN6166-i would gladly work outside in your so called "colder months". must be like 50* outside there.

LOL, yeah I guess my idea of cold and yours are entirely two different things! I don't think I could handle your kind of cold.

jammck66-flying v, how was it to pull the 300? I am planning on maybe doing that today myself here, so just wondering if you ran into any problems..

It was very easy. No problems at all. I don't have an engine hoist, so I am using a chain hoist. Just unhooked everything, tied a chain "sling" to the engine, lifted it, and pulled the truck out from under the motor. I pulled the motor and transmission out together. it was easy.

Hurk-Are you in Camden county? Nice truck that 302 will be awesome looks like it too. I got a 460 in mine and I can't wait to get it on the road.

No, I'm in the "other" Hazlehurst which is about 60 miles north of Waycross. I didn't know until just a few months ago that there actually was a Hazlehurst near Woodbine. Yeah I got a good deal on the 302. I was hesitant about replacing the 300 cause it runs good, but I have been wanting a v-8. Your 460 should set you back into the seat!!

flyingv · Post by **flyingv** » January 19, 2010, 8:24 pm

I got a little more done to the truck. Got the bed removed, tank removed, done a little more sanding on the cab floor. I want to remove the cab from the frame next. The cab mount bolts are giving me a fit. I'll get'em out somehow. Been buying parts for the truck and equipment for use, on the truck. I used a chain hoist to lift the bed, and then pulled the truck out from underneath it.

jwh f-100 · Post by **jwh f-100** » January 20, 2010, 6:34 am

Looks great, keep the pics coming..

Try this on your cab mount bolts.. http://fordtruk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4779

coledaddy541 · Post by **coledaddy541** » February 23, 2010, 7:19 pm

Great work V, I'm in Carrollton now, but grew up in Baxley, spent my time on the Altamaha and cruising between hardees and dairy queen on "the strip". Awesome progress on the truck, keep the picks coming!

flyingv · Post by **flyingv** » March 26, 2010, 2:27 pm

well I got a little more done. I'm glad the weather is warming up and drying out, being that I have to work on the truck outside. I bought a couple of 2000lbs strength straps, and rigged up some "catches" that would hook underneath the flange at the rear of the cab, and used bolts wedged into the cab mount access at the front. Run the straps to the chain hoist and pulled it right up. Easy as pie! I've got new frame/body bushings, brake shoes, wheel cylinders, bearings, shocks ready to be installed. I've got some por-15 chassis paint to paint the frame with. I have to do some patching at the frame horns first where the radiator mounts rusted out. But.........that's where I'm at.

flyingv · Post by **flyingv** » March 27, 2010, 5:55 pm

Cut out the bad section of the frame where the radiator support bolts down. It was rusted out on both sides. Welded in metal pieces and ground down. My dad who was an excellent welder would scoff at what I've done. But, it passed the ball peen hammer test!

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » March 27, 2010, 10:46 pm

great progress man. i'd like to take mine down that far one day and do everything right.

61 Merc · Post by **61 Merc** » March 27, 2010, 11:03 pm

Looks like a good job to me, keep us posted on your progress.

Dean

flyingv · Post by **flyingv** » March 28, 2010, 7:39 am

Thanks guys. I'm not the type that wants to take every single bolt off, but I did want to start from the frame and work up. It's gonna be a slow process. Just hope I can get it all back together!

kstones63 · Post by **kstones63** » March 28, 2010, 10:08 pm

Take lots of pictures as you go along. It will help when you get ready to reassemble. I have referred back to mine many times in the process.
Isn't it a lot of fun doing tear down and assembly?

Kevin

1965fordf100 · Post by **1965fordf100** » March 28, 2010, 11:21 pm

I feel ya on hopin you can get it all back together, lol...i've taken tons of pics like kstone said, hopefully they come in handy...
Everything is lookin good!

flyingv · Post by **flyingv** » March 29, 2010, 7:18 pm

1965fordf100 ----I feel ya on hopin you can get it all back together, lol...i've taken tons of pics like kstone said, hopefully they come in handy...
Everything is lookin good!

kstones63---Take lots of pictures as you go along. It will help when you get ready to reassemble. I have referred back to mine many times in the process.
Isn't it a lot of fun doing tear down and assembly?

Thanks guys. I have been taking photos, but probably not near enough. It is fun tearing it down, just wish I had more time to spend on it.

flyingv · Post by **flyingv** » April 1, 2010, 7:37 pm

To start with, I was gonna just replace the radius arm bushings, but the kit I bought had the bushings for the I-beam pivot points, so I figured I might as well go for it. I had bought new coil springs and I guessed it would be easier to replace those with everything out of the way. Wasn't as bad s I thought it might have been. Pictures are not really well lit.

flyingv · Post by **flyingv** » April 5, 2010, 8:40 pm

Got home after being gone all weekend and removed the rear axle and leaf springs. I was able to remove all the u-bolt nuts except 1. It's not coming off, so I have soaked it with penetrating oil and will try to get it off the axle tomorrow evening. Now I can start cleaning the frame and get it painted.

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » April 6, 2010, 2:35 am

Good progress and great pic`s!, are you going to sand blast the chassis or Gerni it?

flyingv · Post by **flyingv** » April 6, 2010, 3:49 pm

Thanks Alan, I'm not gonna sandblast. I'm just going to remove the loose stuff, and clean, prep, and paint with the POR15 coating. I'm not building a trailer queen, so it doesn't have to be perfect. My original intentions were NEVER going to take me this far into rebuilding the truck, but one thing led to another and here I am!

slickmainer · Post by **slickmainer** » April 6, 2010, 4:25 pm

flyingv wrote:My original intentions were NEVER going to take me this far into rebuilding the truck, but one thing led to another and here I am!

Famous last words.

flyingv · Post by **flyingv** » May 4, 2010, 9:22 pm

bought one of the cheap pressure pot sand blasters to clean the smaller parts with. It works a lot better than I thought it would. I also found out that I can use bagged sand used for play areas from Lowe's at 2.89 for 50 lbs. I do have to sift it with a screen first, but it works pretty good. I've been blasting a lot of the smaller parts. Here's a before and after shot of the hood hinges.
before

after

and here is what can happen if your blasting with a short sleeve shirt and accidentally blow sand across your arm. Stings like crazy!! I'm wearing filters and a hood, guess my brain cells didn't tell me to use a little common sense and put some sleeves on. I'll have them on next time!

flyingv · Post by **flyingv** » May 30, 2010, 11:58 pm

Got my gasoline tank installed today. I used a 16 gal. mustang tank bought new with the sending unit included. Made a frame out of 1'' tubing. I didn't have a good way to miter the corners of the 1" steel, so I just welded it together after squaring it up. I'm planning on sealing the ends with something ( thinking about just screwing a 1" outside corner brace to each corner). I then bolted the whole thing to the truck frame after a little trim work and drilling. I'll be taking it all back off for paint. It's not perfect but I think it'll be ok.
Test fitting the 1" frame.

upside down view after being bolted in.

right side up view. should have plenty of room to adapt filler hose.

my '66 stepside upgrade

cab removed from frame

repaired frame horn rust-out