1951 F16

[kb426]

I'm starting a thread even though I'm not sure where it will end up. I just thought this would easier for the followers and avoiders. Step 1 on the front suspension. I removed this from the crown vic chassis that provided the drivetrain for the 72 F100. It sure was easy with the body off.

[jaybee]

Old Crown Vics will never die, eventually they'll all live under old pickup trucks.

[kb426]

O&S accomplished a little this afternoon. The front clip is disassembled. The cab is on the cab cart. The left fender extension was folded under about 120 degrees. The front valance was around 90 degrees. They are starting to look like usable parts. I knocked out the dents on the fenders some. It's better than it was.

[chimp koose]

That cab looks pretty solid.

[idrivejunk]

[idrivejunk]

Maybe I am just lazy for thinking about bed so much but...

Have you given any thought to what kind of bed or box to use?

I assume Pontiac powerplants and metalflake like on a bass boat are out?  :?:  

[kb426]

I have thought about that. I found a source for a perimeter bed that is priced lower than Mack Hills but still with quality. I looked at a modern approach such as how the chevy's used a late model stepside on the ad series. I have come to no conclusion yet. I don't want a flat bed, though. I have seen several and that doesn't work for me.

[idrivejunk]

Hmm. I wonder if a Splash bed is anywhere near within range. The look would probably polarize you or I at a glance in a quick photo edit. I woulda said Flareside but that brings the 92-5 to my mind. Is there any pics of like a 98 model narrow bed on an F? In my mind's eye Splash and Lightning beds both have potential.

"Perimeter" bed... is that plain pickup bed? And would you use 48 style bed or pockets if that.

Stake bed, flat? Nah. I admit that yesterday when I got home, I had been thinking and wondering on the look of F6 wheels on Panther ride height... (which does look cool) and stared at an early stage photo edit from the F1 job. I had devised a way to add a pack of kool to the profile that was real subtle. Anyway I wondered what if a guy sectioned the cherry F6 cab down the center to widen it and kept overall truck width? Or if he widened only the roof (insert ditch). But I didn't go farther with that, thought it silly.

Since I was right there though, I tried extending the cab just ever so slightly in case that was a thing, and then I tried one piece side glass with window bottom moved down to belt line. No sir, you don't want no part of them two ideas.

Heres a freshy though, or maybe not so... been seeing stuff about coupe and roadster pickups and I wonder if theres anything that could look good, bend up easy, and be a fleetside look using oh, say 48ish coupe rear fenders and with the profile of a panel wagon but sans roof above belt and aft of cab.

Theres always that- if its under the sun, its been done - factor. And like you said, things available that are found will guide the plan. Plus you done this a time or two.

[kb426]

I looked at the splash bed 1st. I wasn't happy were my mind was picturing that. The later model flaresides are full of angles instead of radiuses. I looked at a 2000 flareside. An enlarged splash is the thought that came to mind. If I had access to panel truck sides, I would try to adapt them like a cameo. I think that would make an interesting unit but I wouldn't cut the height at the door beltline. I would lower it so it didn't look like a panel with the top removed. A forward slanting tailgate would make that look panelish rather than the vertical gate on a cameo. I doubt that I will find a panel with the top smashed or something like that for a donor though. If I was to get real industrious, I could use flat metal that had been slightly rolled and adapt parts of the fenders to create the reveal of a panel. Time to quit thinking.

[enjenjo]

How about a 49 to 61 Studebaker bed? You could modify F1 fiberglass fenders to fit it.

I happen to know where there is a nice one.  And a guy with a trailer to haul it.

[kb426]

That's a very interesting thought. I will see what's available and probably find that to be a determining factor in the decision.

[idrivejunk]

A 48 bed is serving as a scrap bin behind the shop.  

KB your thoughts conjure beginnings of visuals in my mind and I gotta say ask yourself if it is the bed rail style which kills jollies about late model bedsides. Like if you could have them but beneath a pair of any old stepside's rolled bed side tops (" rails" )

The reason I mentioned 48-back car fenders is their shape and lip... believably similar if proportions also work. For use with fabbed (outer?) bedsides, to create a medium width bed that would have skinny wheelwell intrusions on the bed floor. Then the fenders stick out but only car much. Like 10th gen fullsize narrow beds.

Hey wait. Looking at gens to be sure I was on the same page about years, there was a pic of a 97-04 long bed. Those skins as outer bedsides on a narrow bed, topped with rolled rails which cast shadow over where they meet, and some car fenders. Wonder how that will sound in the morning. Point being those bedsides ought to be a dime to give a dozen away and if the lip area is trashed, so what? The gentle roundness of them seems like a fit at a glance.

If you plasma cut a pair off a longbed at molding and rail to get at the juicy center... theres probably enough steel with the nice curve and you could cut vertically over the wheel to adjust length then bend new lip to suit, for an integrated 50s car quarter panel ( or Cameo truck) style.

It follows that if for example you were to use 10th gen scraps, the same gen salvage gate could work into that also. Upright or with Camino angle.

What rail I saw in the outside rearview would be real important to me ifituz mine. Maybe that comes from being a muscle era coupe guy but keeping mirror adjustment to frequently admire the flanks for a re-grin is part of my essence. For what its worth, not much... the 60-96 bedside top rail shapes would be my second choice after earlier rolled rails. On the F6, if doing a wider bed. Ah, bedtime at last.  

[kb426]

Good point about bed rails. Lots on contemplation ahead.

[idrivejunk]

It often takes several paragraphs to produce a nugget worthy of pondering.

I just measured specimens of the new and old, just steps away with tape in hand... theres enough vertical expanse (around 22") on the bedsides I mentioned, above the body line. Thats as tall as the vertical part of F1 sides. I just wanted to qwik chek if that was viable and it appears so. Imagination required.

[jaybee]

Lotta good thoughts there. I'd totally forgotten about the Ranger Splash. For a time it was the style to use a midsize pickup bed with old style fenders spliced on the outside. I quite liked that look and as long as you don't paint it seafoam green with salmon and red pinstripes I don't think it has to look dated. The Cameo style is always going to get second looks, it's just so cool. I've always loved the looks of the Studebaker pickups, too.