1972 Styleside SWB Parts Hauler

[Maximus]

Hey everyone, I posted a quick intro in the welcome mat, but for those who don't wander to those parts ill recap.
I am a classic car fan, not specifically loyal to "only one brand" I own both GM and FoMoCo classics and this f100 has immediately grown on me.
its a very original truck from the California plant, and its body shows with original paint (with exception to a terrible repaint on the hood and top half of front fenders) and almost zero rust. There is a little rust on the passenger side drip rail, but none in the door. the short story of how I ended up with this truck was I own a 1987 f250 with a 460 and a c6. I dont use this truck often (who could afford to!!) but when i do it kills me, i mean i have to put gas in it just to go to the store and back... the 6mpg isnt cutting it. so I have been on the lookout for any shortbed fleetside truck I can use as a 'parts hauler' so I can dump the gas hog. my only real requirement was it be pre-smog (1975 or older in California) after about a month of lookin this truck showed up. Clean well taken care of truck that was triven into a ditch and had its crossmember destroyed in the process. The truck still runs and drives down the road fine, but the crossmember is mangled beyond repair. because of this I got the truck for a fair price and have been enjoying it farting around town while I try and figure out how to repair the damaged crossmember. (the idiot tow company also tweaked the rear leaf springs yanking the truck out sideways by the rear axle to get it out of the ditch, instead of trying to hook up to the reciever in the barden bumper and at least pull it out by the frame... anyways, here it is.

1972 Ford F100 Styleside Short Wheelbase Pickup
Crate 4.9L I6 with 32,000 miles (Electric fuel pump, MSD ignition, MSD Coil, Dual Header, glass packs... yea, its a bad little I6 ...)
3 on the Tree
all original 4-wheel drum brakes













heres a shot of the banged up crossmember. Does anyone who has done a Crown Vic swap still have their crossmember? I almost want to do the crown vic swap but if i swap the suspension i will also install a 4.6 and AOD, but the engine has a brand new carb and the 30k mile I6 starts and runs like a sewing machine its hard to justify ripping it out. If someone has the stripped down crossmember from a swap they performed, id be very interested in getting that scrap iron out of your yard for a fair price!

[GHOST]

to the family from south Texas... the truck looks great... good luck and keep posting pictures..

[Alstoyz]

Where are you located? I've got a couple of parts trucks that have good cross members & rear leaf springs.?.?

[Maximus]

Bay area, CA. I figure if i can track down a crossmember online it wouldn't be too expensive to ship. the main thing is im looking for someone who already yanked one off (without trashing it of course) so all the labor of ripping off the rivits wouldnt be an issue... the springs and i-beams I can probably grab at my local pick-n-pull. I just dont think they will allow me to show up with a torch kit! heh... but if you have a crossmember avail, PM me

you have 4 bumps, AND parts trucks!? you lined your priorities up correctly!

[Alstoyz]

The bumps are an addiction for me... I would own more if I had the space, and the funds!!! I have a frame I'm about to cut up & haul to the metal recyclers. Man if you were a little closer, I could hook you up.?.?

[Maximus]

i know! texas is just a little to far ... but if you have any desire to box up the xmember, let me know. it shouldnt be more than like $30 to ship, and id pay you for your troubles...

[popeyes71]

You mentioned your in the Bay Area, Pick and Pull has several of these trucks in there yards, you could go and get what you need there.? Just a thought.

[Maximus]

You mentioned your in the Bay Area, Pick and Pull has several of these trucks in there yards, you could go and get what you need there.? Just a thought.

I will probably use pick-n-pull to replace my i-beams (will use later axles and spindles to upgrade to disc brakes while im at it) and I can get rear leafs from pick n pull as well, but the main part i need is the front crossmember. The reason I cant go to pick n pull is that the crossmember is riveted to the frame, and I dont have any portable tool that can cut the rivits. I usually use a oxy acetylene torch and they simply would probably call the cops if i tried to drag the tanks into pick n pull ...

Anyone know what color paint my truck is? its a copper metallic but theres no stamp on the VIN Data Tag...

[Maximus]

Not much to report, other than I finally tracked down a set of 94-96 F150/Bronco Aluminum rims.
Found several older sets with rivets but was really holding out for a set of these. I think they are the nicest looking OEM 5X5.5 rims made.
Here they are on the truck, center caps are in the mail...
If anyone wants to know what a set of 94-96 Aluminum F150 rims looks like on a shortbed bump see below:

Before


After

[Alstoyz]

KOOL BEANZ!!!

I'm planning on going to my bone yard 2morrow and cutting up an old frame. I should have the bracket if you're still in need of the one for the passenger side.?.?

[Maximus]

Yes sirrr, I looked at the passenger side bracket while I had the rim off and it's toast!
Thanks

[sargentrs]

I'm thinking "Hot Ginger" or "Sequoia Brown"? http://www.fordification.com/library/ma ... ewsIndex=1 Great truck!

[Maximus]

I think your spot on with the Hot Ginger,
Paint on some 72 broncos looks to be a solid match. Thanks!

[elgemcdlf]

You might want to ditch the crossmember replacement idea & swap in a CV IFS. I know you talk about cutting out the rivets BUT the crossmember is also welded to the rails. The portion of rail where the steering box mounts is boxed & welded to the crossmember as well. Yes it can be done. What did a frame shop say about straightening what you have? You might be surprised. You can use a sawsall at Pull A Part. If you are serious about replacing the crossmember just cut the rails off in front & behind the unit & cut out the welds & rivets when you get home. Since you plan on swapping in later beams to get disc brakes why not take it all in 1 shot from that donor truck?

Just some thoughts. By the way looks like a great start.

[Maximus]

Thanks for the ideas, going into this project my main goal was to put together an honest little work truck. I've spent the last 10 years building a complete hot rod truck from the frame up and simply don't want to start another major project like that. I plan on keeping it a 3TT and a 6 cylinder so the idea of using a CV front end was scratched early. I already did decide though that replacing the cross member was more than I wanted to do, the only major damage is to the smaller bracket in the passenger side that holds the rear ibeam pivot. I will be cutting the rivets and replacing this mount. The brakes were all rebuilt and the drums work great, so probably won't spend the money on all of those parts at this time either, but it's not out of the question as a later project.

This trucks just gonna be what it left the factory as, and I'll tell ya it runs and drives great as is and I've already made like 5 trips to the hardware store and hauled some straw in the back.

I spent so much time and money making my 55' chevy pickup handle, stop, and go like a more modern sports car that when I drive it it just doesn't have some of that old charm that a putty little 1970's 6-banger has.

If I didn't already have a hot rod truck though, this would make one hell of a sleeper!...