New guy from Kansas

[KansasPipefitter]

Hi.
Let me give you my quick history so you all know how lost I am in this Ford world.
I am a Chevy man. Have been for years and probably always will be at heart.
I've owned a few Ford trucks in my distant past, mostly 70-72. None of them where much account, just clunkers I bought cheap that got me around. I drove these in my teens and my early 20's...I was hard on vehicles. Those trucks were tough.
Later in my adult and more mature years I drove all GMs. This 20 year streak ended last year when I picked up a 04 Ranger cheap. I need something economical for my 100 mile round trip commute to work each day & the Ranger has been great.
I have been fortunate to aquire a '55 1st series 5 window Chevy truck with plans to do a frame-up resto-rod. This is where my troubles start. I have two teenage daughters, one of which starts college in January. The 55 is on the back burner.
I need a cheap project to keep me content for the next 5-6 years.
I have a 99 blazer that my daughter drove for a while but has been sitting for a while. This turd will not keep me content. It needs to go. After fooling with Craigslist I have discovered it is hard to give these things away...funny that they where worth their weight in gold when I was looking to buy one.
I swapped the Craigslist listing to "Barter" from "For Sale" & got a hit a couple days ago. It was a classic Craigslist response: "My mother-in-law's Dad give her a 'ole truck to trade for somtin better than her Datsun to drive"...holy **** she's driving a Datsun! He said "I'm purty sure its an old Chevy". At this point I gotta travel the 60 miles if for nothin else to meet folks who still have a moving Datsun.
After several miles of gravel road and another half a mile of mud driveway, I pull up on the entire clan waiting for me. I wasn't out of that Blazer for more than 10 seconds before it was full of hillbillies boogying down the drive for a test drive. This left me alone with Grandpa, the owner of the mystery truck. He led me behind the barn to his pride and joy. What I was told was an old chevy was a 67 short-wide bed F100. It was parked in 1981 due to a knock in the 300-6. Grandpa bought it in 1968 and used for a "goin-ta-town" truck.
After looking it over I felt that it was in fairly decent shape. It has 66,000 miles on it. The paint is hidden behind alot of dirt and mold. It appears to only have a few spot of rust on the body. The bed floor is very solid as are the floor boards and cab mounts.
Of course I believe there is no way that the old relic is worth as much as my Blazer. The problem is, Grandpa ain't parting with any more junk and Mom-in-law ain't got no money. What to do, what to do.
I gotta admit, even though its a damn Ford, it is oozing cool. If it where a 68 Chevy in that condition I would be hoppin out of my britches to get the trade done. I have no idea the value of this thing. I finally did what any moron of my caliber would do, I talked myself into it.
It ain't a Dodge and it was built in my country. That year of Ford truck is in my opinion the best looking year of all. As little as I like to admit it, it appeals to me more than a 67 chevy. I can always put a small block chevy in it...OK, bad joke! I do not believe in Mixed-Make Truck Builds. That ole girl has grand-kids to haul around, she needs something safer than a B2000!
Done.
Son-in-law drops it off tonight.
I intend to ease this project along slowly. Get some tires on it, go through the brakes and front end. I'll try to salvage the origional 6 banger, I believe it was one of Fords best engines ever. I really think this one needs to stay fairly stock to keep its coolness and not rob the kid's college money.
I promise to you all it will stay all FoMoCo if I can get a little advice on occassion. It is impossible to hurt my feelings and I really treasure advice from folks who have "been there, done that".
I will get photos up after delivery tonight.
I intend to post updates as I go along. I'm typically very honest about my screw-ups and typically have alot of them; it should be fun.

Here are some photos of where it sat: http://s1322.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 1439244502

[Cipher43]

from Iowa. You came to the right spot for answers.

[1970FordTK]

Welcome from North Carolina.

[fireguywtc]

from Texas!

[Kurt Combs]

from northern California.

[KansasPipefitter]

I put some photos of the truck on photobucket:
http://s1322.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 1439244502
They are of the truck in its resting place for the last 31 years.
I have it home and cleaned up a bit, more photos to follow.

[Cipher43]

Looks like a good starting point for sure.

[Mancar1]

from Northern Ca

[KansasPipefitter]

Just added a bunch more pictures of my new prize (junk). It's gonna be fun. This body style really is growing on me. I've also noticed that these Fords seem to have alot more room than the 67-72 GMs...I'm a big fat guy...this is cool.

http://s1322.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 9102676476

[Cipher43]

Looks like it cleaned up nice and should be a great starting place for your project! Gotta agree with ya on the 67-72 GM room too.

[wndsofchng06]

welcome from NC. I ditched my 67 C10 for a 72 f100.... definitely more room and heavier suspension for loading it down!

[sargentrs]

from Georgia! The bed floor looks to be in great shape. Glad to see you came to you senses