67-72 frame information

[billabongo]

Ok, so i am in the process of tearing down my 72 f-250 camper special 2wd. I have removed the entire front clip down to the frame and removed the rear bed. Now I have some interesting discoverys... ok my truck is supposed to be a 131" wheelbase, auto trans and 390 with the explorer option.

I am finding some very odd things with my frame, which makes me belive it may NOT be a 67-72 frame.. Not to sure... the big things that make little since to me is that my frame has a bracket for the pivot ball for a manual trans, but is auto, it looks like it may be original but hard to tell, my cab and front core support have a 1 inch rubber bushing installed (not original) ontop of the original mounts. The truck has a 460 conversion, so i don't know if it has anything to do with it.

Also my front axle has dual shocks on both sides.. Is this normal for the 72? I thought it was only on later 73 up series.

I am more confused now than ever..anyone with info on how to determine if this is the correct frame or has any specifics to determine what year fran this could be would be helpful.

Thanks all

[FORDification]

Your truck has obviously gone through some changes in it's life. No 2WD trucks ever came with dual shocks from the factory. The fact that it's got a 460 in it shows there's been an engine swap, so whoever dropped that in with the automatic simply left the clutch bracket on the frame when he removed the original engine and transmission. You say it's supposed to be an automatic from the factory....does your VIN tag on the door show that? If so, then your truck has apparently gone through at least one other transmission swap, since it wouldn't have come from the factory with the clutch bracket, meaning somebody installed it at some point.

The factory used thin metal shims on top of the radiator support bushings to get the front-end sheetmetal to line up with the cab, if needed. It's very possible a previous owner had the front end apart and just used more rubber instead of steel shims to line up the body parts.

To find out for sure if the frame is a '67-'72, just compare the framerail width in the front with the back. The '73-'79 trucks had framerails which were 4 inches wider in the back vs. the front.

A lot of things have happened to these trucks over the past three decades, so I wouldn't be surprised by anything you find.

[billabongo]

Yes, my vin states it was a auto c-6 and should never have a manual.. another odd thing i have noticed is the steering columm has been replaced to, it has the cruise control switches on the steering pad, looks to be a late 78-79 or possibly 80's, but mates up to the steering box and looks factory

Also my front end has dual piston disc brakes, don't know if it matters..


I know that the cab and front clip should have the large wafer washers to align the body... but it has none anywhere just literally 1 inch rubber spacers that have completely deteriated over time and the body was bouncing up in down on top of the old body busings.

crazy...

i will check the the rear frame width... but i remember nothing odd about the mounting, and all the original bed holes are used..

[FORDification]

The '73-'79 steering columns are a direct bolt-in, they're the same length. There are a couple minor wiring changes to make though, since the flasher switch is column-mounted. I've got a '79 tilt column with the cruise controls on the wheel too, just not hooked up to anything. That'll be my next junkyard score, I hope.

Yep, sounds like someone else was doing a little fixing up on that truck at some point.

If the bed hasn't been redrilled for the wider frame, then it's the stock frame. And all F250s had dual-piston calipers.