1st truck, 1st ford, 1st build

quietwyatt · Post by **quietwyatt** » September 2, 2010, 10:15 am

DO NOT PUSH THE RED BUTTON W/ THE "S" ON IT !!!!!
It will turn your truck into a sleeper.

japedo · Post by **japedo** » September 2, 2010, 1:10 pm

hahahaha, thanks for the warning, wouldn't want that to happen.!

But seriously though, was a push button start an option? or is it for something else?

I read somewhere that someone had a factory start button on a 55 f100.

THAnks

Japedo

Max · Post by **Max** » September 2, 2010, 1:38 pm

If it looks factory, please post a pic of it (hope I didn't miss one already posted). I've never seen that before in a Slick.

japedo · Post by **japedo** » September 2, 2010, 1:41 pm

Max wrote:If it looks factory, please post a pic of it (hope I didn't miss one already posted). I've never seen that before in a Slick.

Max, look on page two of this thread. I posted a picture of the inside of the cab before I brought it home. You can see the button in this picture and it does look factory. It is the button just to the left of the steering column.

Maybe I have an odd duck here, thanks for helping me figure it out.

Japedo

Max · Post by **Max** » September 2, 2010, 1:49 pm

Ok I see it. Just because I've never seen one doesn't mean diddly either. There were so many options on these trucks coming off of the line and even more dealer installed options after that.

You just have to figure out the direction you're going to take in restoring it.

japedo · Post by **japedo** » September 2, 2010, 1:56 pm

Max wrote:Ok I see it. Just because I've never seen one doesn't mean diddly either. There were so many options on these trucks coming off of the line and even more dealer installed options after that.

You just have to figure out the direction you're going to take in restoring it.

Cool, one of those things eh. Could of been installed by some random guy. Or it could have been a factory option. Either way I am going to keep the S button and wire it to a new ignition switch.

A friend of mine has a 04 dodge SRT-10 Viper truck with a push button start. Im gonna tell him dodge just copied it off my slick, that will get him going

However I think a 460 may be in order to beat him up the strip. lol

THanks for looking at the pic and your opinion there max.

Japedo

Michelle · Post by **Michelle** » September 2, 2010, 3:44 pm

The S button is where the cigratte lighter is normally placed. Not a stock item. The last year Ford trucks used a started button was in the 1955 models.

japedo · Post by **japedo** » September 2, 2010, 5:25 pm

Michelle wrote:The S button is where the cigratte lighter is normally placed. Not a stock item. The last year Ford trucks used a started button was in the 1955 models.

THanks michelle, this is all new knowledge to me. Like the title says, this is my first ford. BUt I am quickly learning thanks to places like this.

Zero progress on the truck today, at work.... BUt hope to have a productive weekend.
I am really excited to start the crown vic rolling chassis segment of this build. I have the option of a 88 Crown vic with EFI 5.0 engine and AOD transmission. Also a 93 crown vic with a 4.6 and AODE transmission.

I am leaning towards the 88 with the non electronic overdrive transmission, and from what I understand it will mate with a 351W and various other ford engines in the small block range.
I am able to get either of these cars on trade for my old 66 frame, and whats left of my 64 donor truck. "of course I am keeping both 9" diffs"

I started this project trying to keep it cheap without cutting corners. And with the deal I have on a crown vic chassis, and what I have allready got into this project I should have a rolling chassis with a solid cab on it sometime before the end of the month. With a totall of 600$ invested, which includes the complete 64 I baught for the short box. Not to mention power steering, power assist brakes, disc brakes and tons of other goodies I will keep from the crown vic. Engine accessories etc.

Once everything is mocked up and the bolts line up, everything will come apart to be sand blasted, primed and painted. I am unsure yet if I will farm out the sand blasting, or rent a large blaster. Leaning towards renting a blaster and keeping this build 100% my own work.

Sorry for the blabbing, just here at work and unable to work on the truck, so now you atleast know a bit more about what I have been planning the last month or two.

should be the recipe for a low quick handeling slick.

Japedo

61 Merc · Post by **61 Merc** » September 3, 2010, 1:34 am

Welcome to the site, and I see your build is going strong. Either of the frames mentioned would work good, and would give you an option for the engine, personnaly I would go with the 5.0L and AOD. I will be doing my uni with an 88 frame and then swap the 5.0 for the 5.8 that is in it now.

I just looked at a short uni that is sitting on a 87 LTD frame while I was down at Slick Stock. The person you want to get some pictures of the swap is Foodstick, as he has been working on it. I do have a few pictures of his setup that I will post in a few days when I get home.

As for a blaster, consider using soda instead of sand, otherwise you may be opening more holes that need to be filled.

Dean

japedo · Post by **japedo** » September 3, 2010, 5:57 am

61 Merc wrote:Welcome to the site, and I see your build is going strong. Either of the frames mentioned would work good, and would give you an option for the engine, personnaly I would go with the 5.0L and AOD. I will be doing my uni with an 88 frame and then swap the 5.0 for the 5.8 that is in it now.

I just looked at a short uni that is sitting on a 87 LTD frame while I was down at Slick Stock. The person you want to get some pictures of the swap is Foodstick, as he has been working on it. I do have a few pictures of his setup that I will post in a few days when I get home.

As for a blaster, consider using soda instead of sand, otherwise you may be opening more holes that need to be filled.

Dean

Thanks for the info there Dean, I was leaning towards the 88 and have even heard that the older ones had stronger frames maybe? But it doesnt matter it is getting braced anyway.
Love to see some pictures, ill search foodstick on the site and see what I can find there. I have only been able to find a couple pictures through the search method so far.
But I am going to try and bring the 88 home tomorrow and start stripping it.
I'll consider the soda for blasting it, but I have really been trying to cut all steel out that is questionable. But I assume there will be a surprise or two.

Hope to have a couple more pics up here soon.

japedo

japedo · Post by **japedo** » September 5, 2010, 9:26 pm

I did some welding today on the floor pans from the bottom side. So now the floors are stitch welded in on both sides.

Decided to tackle rebuilding the lip that was at the bottom of the firewall. As you can see in the picture, these pieces are just sitting there . still needing more holes for plug welds and some bending.

THose pieces welded in, and to each other.

A picture of both sides repaired with what I hope will work for mounting my cab mounts when they arrive.

The crown vic I will be using is a 95, as it has the best frame out of 4 in the local junkyard. My neighbor who has it is supposed to bring it down anytime, just kind of waiting there.

thanks

japedo · Post by **japedo** » September 9, 2010, 9:04 pm

I was still waiting for my neighbor to bring me the crown vic, so I just called him up and asked if I could tow it here with my car. He didn't seem to care, so I drove up there this afternoon with the station wagon and towed it the 1km home. The thing actually has pretty shiny paint for a junk yard car.

Also noticed this truck that just showed up at thee junk yard yesterday i believe. The valve cover on the engine still had the factory sticker on it that said 351M and it has a column shift automatic.

Worked on the crown vic with the help of a good friend and got it tore apart some tonight. Probably wont be long getting it down to a chassis.

THe next picture will be a bare chassis.

THanks, japedo

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » September 9, 2010, 9:22 pm

Progress is always good... keep those pics coming....

japedo · Post by **japedo** » September 9, 2010, 9:29 pm

Anthony wrote:Progress is always good... keep those pics coming....

Thanks Anthony, i'll keep the pictures coming. But I won't bore you to much with crown vic teardown pics.

Japedo

Spanky · Post by **Spanky** » September 9, 2010, 10:18 pm

Welcome from Houston ,Texas!

Wow looks like you've been really busy! It's lookin great! Thanks for the pictures nice to see the progress.

Rusty 63 · Post by **Rusty 63** » September 10, 2010, 4:14 am

japedo wrote:
Anthony wrote:Progress is always good... keep those pics coming....

Thanks Anthony, i'll keep the pictures coming. But I won't bore you to much with crown vic teardown pics.

Japedo

Hey! I resemble that remark! LOL It took a LOT of work to strip my Vic, and I wasn't trying to get to a bare frame. Good luck - looking good!

japedo · Post by **japedo** » September 10, 2010, 5:45 am

Rusty63, There is alot to taking the crown vic apart in comparison to our trucks! But as I am not saving any of the body stuff, certain things are just getting cut apart to save time. Looks like I may need the use of a tractor or something to lift the body off once it's unbolted.

Now that I have the car in the garage and coming apart I have had a better chance to check the frame out. So far everything looks great, however there is quite a buildup of oil and dirt on the frame. My brother in law works for a rental company and I am going to see about getting an industrial pressure washer to blast the chassis with.

Japedo

japedo · Post by **japedo** » September 15, 2010, 8:48 pm

Made some good progress today, pulled the body of the vic off gently with the jeep

Pressure washed the chassis and brought it in the garage, no chassis damage or serious rust found, seems really solid.

Set the cab on.

THen the box!

Actually starting to look like a truck. I just roughly set things on there, need to do a bunch of adjusting and measuring before figureing out mounts.

.

As you can see the box bed is very rusty and I did a 2 minute cut job on it so I could set it on. Need to build a floor for it, with the hump to clear the suspension.

Was quite a long day today working on the truck and I deffinently couldn't have got much done without my buddy mark helping me lift the cab, box, and such.

THis picture gives you an idea of what I will be cutting off the rear of the chassis. And of course building a new cross member.

THanks folks,

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » September 15, 2010, 8:58 pm

sweet! gonna ride like a cadillac when it's done.

japedo · Post by **japedo** » September 15, 2010, 9:26 pm

ezernut9mm wrote:sweet! gonna ride like a cadillac when it's done.

CAn't wait to see how it rides. Funny thing is I didn't drive it before so i'll have nothing to compare it to. lol