easy restro not looking so easy..(maybe)

[Pipes71]

Ok..I been working on my 1968 swb f100, figuring I'd do a quick clean up of the frame and suspension before putting it back to get all the body work done and having it painted..First thing I ran into was the 2 inches of bondo on the driverside of the bed where it looks like the P.O hit a pole and slit the bump side seam..so I got a new used bedside coming and figured while I was waiting I'd strip the frame and paint it real pretty..so thats down..so while I am stil lwaiting I decide to yank the front end off and get ready to remove the 460 so I can detai lthe frame and engine compartment..when I took off the radiator support I noticed it was shimed up by about 1 inch with washers on the passanger side. So once I got everything off I noticed it looks like the truck was hit in the front. The pass. side frame rail has what looks liek a spilt about two inches from the crossmember and was welded up kinda crappy. the bottom of the frame rail is pushed out. There are also a bunch of humps on the frame where it looks like it buckled. Driver side has some bucks in it and the bumper hole in the frame it ripped through. Now I need to figure out if it can be fixed.. though it looks really crappy now..or I can get a deal where I could get my hands on a 79 F350 2wd..dually..that had a tow truck body on the back..The 79 comes with cab, front end, a 390, 4 speed..(no clue if it runs)power steering,power brakes and all chasis/suspension. Now the truck will be used to haul my bikes and a trailor with my mustang, so I wouldnt mind the 350 chasis.. for towing.. Anyway..does anyone see any problems with the 68 body on the 79 350?..the owner thinks the frame in the back is narrower then a 79 150 so maybe that wil lhelp with the bed?..anyway any thoughts would be welcome..

[Pipes71]

Thanks, I was really only debating using the f350 chasis cause its pretty much free.. and thought it would be kinda neat to instead of having the dually rim to have one big wheel in the back..(with some mods to the stock 6 ft bed from my 68 ).. plus the free part and the power brakes and steering caught my eye as well.. ah well I'm gonna look around a bit more before I take it or not...

[averagef250]

If a frame can be bent it can be unbent. I've been paid big $$$ to bring my tools to a wrecked late model diesel truck that couldn't be moved and repair the frame onsite.

No frame rack necessary. A factory shop manual, tape measure, torch, portapower, hi-lift and welder is all a guy needs.

If mountains were made of iron you could move them with an oxy rosebud. Heat is amazing.

[71 LONG BED]

The dentside F350 frame is the same as a bumpside. The F100, F150, and F250 dentsides get wider in the back, not the F350's. You should be able to put the bumpside body right on. The chassis is a little longer though, I think about 2 inches. Someone corect me if I'm wrong.

[Pipes71]

Thats pretty much what my buddy was saying , He thought it was because the truck had dually wheels on it that it was narrower. which is why I thought it might be easier to put the bed on.. plus he mentioned that he had to redrill the cab to bolt the dent side on..but the cab was from a 4x4 and not a f350. As far as cutting the frame..he mentioned he had to cut 6 inches off to get the tow truck body on it flip them upside down them reweld them.. not sure how much he actually cut off..but figured I could weld a box section on the back.. He gave up on the tow truck deal because he bought a (gasp) an old chevy tow truck.. so the bed is off and he was thinking of junkin the f350..descions descions.....