I'll start a little build thread for my 66' Ford F100. These are a couple pictures of the truck the first time I met the truck truck, I bought it off Kijiji when I was overseas working. I had a car hauler company deliver it to a friends auto shop where it sat for a couple weeks and had a safety check done.
I drove it around for 3 weeks in October. It ran perfectly, and drove just like it was supposed to. I was expecting it to be a bit thirsty for fuel but it was ridiculous, something like 22-30L/100km. I don't have a problem burning lots of gas as long as it come with big HP. Not the case here with a brand new holley 2 barrel and I guess stock internals it was a bit of a dog. The books say 172hp at the crank. I took it to the city dump and weighed it 4050lbs with me (200) and 50lbs in the box. Empty truck is about 3800lbs
Here is my plan for the truck over the winter I'm changing out the suspension, steering, brakes (keeping the rear drums for now), installing a computerized turbo diesel 4 cylinder and a 5 speed manual transmission. I have lots of work ahead of me but I think it's totally do-able thanks to my job and understanding wife.
This is a 2010 crown vic police interceptor front suspension (175k) I picked up at the wrecker for $500 including a set of 17" steel wheels. I had them cut the frame of the car because I needed the crush tubes from in the frame. I welded two cross members between so I could do some measurements without the suspension attached.
I cut/drilled/hammered the original "twin I beam" suspension out of the truck. I chose to put a 5/8" plate under the frame rather then spacers above frame welded in crunch tubes from the CV, control arm plate mounts welded to the frame then the frame was boxed and POR15 painted, Anti sway bar mounted. I now have a complete factory suspension system with 11.5" twin piston disk brakes, rack & pinion power steering. I did buy a handful of things from Summit to make it work 2 special steering adapter U joints some DD shaft and a power brake booster kit.
Here is where it's going to go sideways for the purest classic car types. The first thing I did when I took the truck off the road was pull the 352FE & 3 speed auto and sold them for $650. I bought a VW 1.9L TDI with Toyota 5 speed trans, adapter, clutch, computer and harness for what I got for the Ford engine. I ordered a big turbo from Europe for $1000 and with larger injector nozzles 3" exhaust and a custom tune it should make 190-200hp and 300lb/ft. Not a ton of power but more then most all 80's and 90's V8 engines available in 1/2 tons. Lots of these are used in VW camper vans and are fine pushing a 5000lb vehicle down the road. My truck should end up at about 3500lbs and I'd like to see 7-9L/100km.
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Old school with a modern twist, my 66' F100 project.
In September, I hauled a mid 80s Mercedes with a four cylinder diesel from Timmins to Alberta for a fellow. He installed the engine in a Model A panel and he tells me it is a hauler. I keep hearing of others who are going the four cylinder route, especially with diesels. I think it is a great alternative. I have a diesel in my F250 and my wife has a diesel in her Grand Cherokee. Great power and great mileage.
I really like the idea of the Crown Vic front suspension. I first read about the use of this unit several years ago and it's ease of installation, especially in pickups. Back in 61, I installed a 53 Chev front suspension in a Model A and subsequently have used Corvair and Pacer units. All worked well, handled like a dream and a most comfortable ride, of coarse that was long before the Crown Vic.
Pat thanks for posting the build for us to see and great pictures. Looks like it is coming along great. With the spacer flat under the frame and the CV clip under that, does it get the caster close enough so it can be adjusted within spec's ? (just ask'in) TMJ
Pat thanks for posting the build for us to see and great pictures. Looks like it is coming along great. With the spacer flat under the frame and the CV clip under that, does it get the caster close enough so it can be adjusted within spec's ? (just ask'in) TMJ
I'm not sure how the caster or any other alignment stuff will work out. I mounted everything as close as I could to the way it was on the crown vic. If the alignment shop tells me it needs to be moved I'll bust out the cutoff wheel and the welder.
Supernash wrote:
WOW ! That's a perfect truck in the pics. Wondering why you'd change it so much from original ?
I'm not being sarcastic, in any way. I just don't understand some things, is all.
I guess the simple answer is because I can. But that's not really a good enough reason to chop up a nice old truck. I bought the truck because I want to drive it, as in put 10 or 15,000km on it next summer and do the same the year after and the next. Driving a manual drum brake, manual steering vehicle may be some peoples idea of fun but it's not mine. I wouldn't dare drive the truck down the 400 to the airport for work. I looked into putting disk brakes and power steering but that would have cost more then $1000 in parts. Lowering beams are another $5-600 and I'll still have marginal handlin. The crown vic front end should solve all that for $700. I'm sure the engine choice will drive lots of people crazy (that's partly the reason I'm doing it) I'd love to put a Ford Coyote 5.0 in there but being they are so new (2011-2016) they are really expensive to buy and install.
I will ill say that the engine install isn't going to require ANY cutting of any body part. Everything will bolt into existing holes so when I find a crashed 2011-> 5.0 6 speed mustang I'll put in motor that hotrod guys will approve of.
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Old school with a modern twist, my 66' F100 project.
WOW ! That's a perfect truck in the pics. Wondering why you'd change it so much from original ?
I'm not being sarcastic, in any way. I just don't understand some things, is all.
Several years ago I had a real nice '67 F100,red on red standard everything. It was my daily driver. I would drive it across town and I was worn out,it was not a leisurely drive at all. I would do the upgrade too. IMO TMJ
