new member longtime bump owner

[stinger40]

Hello from the suburbs of San Diego. I am a longtime bump owner, had my 1970 F250 4x4 for 29 years. My dad owns an F250 bump and so does my brother. We have always called them "inneys" and "outteys" so the terms "dents" and "bumps" when I first saw them on this web site were amusing, not too far from the family terms for these trucks.

When I got my truck it was a tired old farm truck from Montana that someone had brought down with then when they moved to San Diego. They had purchased a 390 long block for it but never installed it, then lost interest and put it up for sale. It had a 1967 cab on it, I am sure they told me when I bought the truck why the original cab wasn't in place but I can't remember what the story was. The truck was complete, straight, and pretty much rust free and with decent older paint, two tone red and white. Front end was closed knuckle with drum brakes. 4 speed manual transmission, divorced transfer case. It had a giant home-made cattle-pusher front bumper welded right to the frame on the front and 4 amber running lights on the top of the cab, and twin CB whip antennas on each side of the cab. I got the truck for $1800. I had the rear axle rebuilt (carrier bearings were shot, the ring gear could be moved side to side a quarter inch), and checked all the bearings in the transfer case and transmission and put new seals in all, and all new u-joints. Went through the brakes, new brake hoses. New windshield to replace the cracked on it came with. Cut the bumper off the front and mounted a new bumper with home-made brackets. Put all new mounts for the engine, transmission, and transfer case. New bushings for the leaf springs, those were all shot. Put the long block in it, and got it on the road.

It didn't take me long to realize the truck was not easy to drive, or maybe I was too used to driving cars with power everything. It was hard to stop with the manual drum brakes and the manual steering was really difficult to park with. My brother has discs and power steering in his F250, my dad has manual steering and drums in his. After driving my dads and my brothers trucks, and mine, I knew I wanted to upgrade to discs and power steering for mine.

Within 3 or 4 years I purchased a 1977 (or so) disc brake open knuckle F250 Dana 44 front end and 1977 F250 power steering box and swapped those onto my truck along with a power brake booster/master cylinder/proportioning valve. Those changes made a huge difference in how the truck drives! Otherwise the truck is fairly stock. I added an aux gas tank. At one point about 25 years ago I removed the running lights from the top of the cab, welded those holes shut, and got the truck painted all white.

Recently I replaced the power brake booster and master cylinder. I have also been living with a super slow leak in the radiator for way too long, I finally got that fixed.

I have a rebuilt 460 with a stroker crank and a new NV4500 5 speed overdrive transmission that I am going to put into it one of these days.
But for now the old 390 is working ok.

My current project is a 1966 mustang that I am doing a resto-mod of. Got some other old Fords laying around for future projects, including a 1940 truck project that has not got off the ground yet. I have a fairly complete shop and enjoy fabricating things for my cars. I am not a great welder but I am getting better. My daytime job that pays the bills is in electronics.

[lennyp]

from Massachusetts.

[popeyes71]

from the Bay Area! You will enjoy driving the truck even more when you have a chance to install that overdrive in your truck! It will make freeway driving a lot nicer. Again, welcome and enjoy!

[Jacksdad]

from...San Diego

[pawpaws67]

from just a little ways north of you.

[Manny]

Welcome from the other side of the country in Georgia!!! Very cool story, and sounds like you have a pile of good stuff there!!!!

[59yblockf100]

from far northern ca,

[Lone Ranger]

Welcome from Michigan great story!

[crazyhorse]

Mr Stinger, to the best site period.

Hope you like it here.

Pull up a chair and stay awhile.

[Ohiotinkerer]

from Ohio

Mine was also manual steering and brakes and now has P/S and will have P/B this spring - best money I ever spent............

[1guydude]

Heyo!
Welcome from the north side of the west coast.
Wa state! Enjoy ur stay.
D

[Twisted_Steel]

from Central North Carolina.

[Bullitt74]

from Alberta!