Truckstang's Build Thread! - 1968 F100

[Spidey2011]

So this is my build thread.

Awhile back I decided that I wanted an old truck I could turn into a hot rod. Was talking to a guy about a 71 C10 for awhile, but when I actually showed up with cash in hand, he decided he didn't want to sell it. Soooo, I decided to go find me an old farmer that might be willing to sell one of his trucks. Found this beauty sitting in a field rotting away, so I decided to rescue it. $1500 later I was driving it home.

When I bought it, it had a 390 in it, and my plans were to just build that up. Unfortunately, I toasted that engine in 3 days. Lol. So then I remembered that my bro had a 78 F150 with a 390 in it. Offered him $800 for the whole truck and he said haul it off. Lol.

So I start tearing that engine down and I found out something interesting about that 390. It was actually a 351w out of a 1970 Mustang. Bored .060 over, ported heads, keith black dished pistons, and god only knows what other go fast goodies were hiding in the bottom end. Lol.

Took 4 of us about a week from the time we started to the time it fired up for the first time. Had nothing but a set of hand tools and a forklift. Lol.

Still needs the timing adjusted and the carb tuned (and the driveshaft put back in. Long story. Lol), but I kinda stalled out on it right now. Running low on time and money at the moment. Haha. Hopefully get that stuff taken care of in the next few weeks and then I can focus on swapping the power brakes over.

Current specs:
Engine: 351W
Trans: T18 - 4 speed manual
Rear axle: D60 3.54 gears with a locker

Planned Mods:
Power Brakes
33.0/14.5R-15 Hoosier Drag Radials
5 speed manual racing trans with ratchet shifter (undecided on which model. Leaning towards a T5)
And eventually, a 502.

And now the pics! Had a bunch more, but my buddy decided to be an ass jack, so I'm prolly not gonna get all the pics his wife took through the whole process. Lol.


This is how I found it.



A bunch of pics I took over the next few days.








The Ol' 390 that was in it.



A couple interior shots (Yes, that faded red shift boot is long gone. Lol)



The beginnings of the swap.


Yep. It's done.
Of those two good cylinders, one had a huge chunk missing from the piston. Lol.



Starting to tear into the 351


Yep. That says 351. Lol.


Everything is so clean...



Cleaned some carbon off the pistons. Yep that says 060.


The 351 out and on it's way to be pressure washed.



The bottom end. Everything in this engine was just SOOOO clean.



390, comin out!



And the 351 as it was being painted.








Trans about to get hooked up


Just a mean looking pic of the engine and trans waiting to get dropped in.


Shiny.




Most recent pics, taken this afternoon.





Should get an opportunity to work on it again this weekend, since I have 5 days off. Main projects are getting the driveshaft back in, cleaning up the wiring, adjusting the carb and timing (if I can figure that out. lol), and removing that damn grill guard. Lol. Might repaint the grill and bumper if I have enough time. Either way, more pics will follow next week.

[djfllmn]

uh...why you no clean and repaint engine bay when the engine was out? youre gonna be kicking yourself later

[sole]

Ewwwww you out the manifolds back on it how dare you

Sent from my iPhone 5 using FRF App

[Spidey2011]

Originally Posted by djfllmn

uh...why you no clean and repaint engine bay when the engine was out? youre gonna be kicking yourself later

Bcuz no time. Only had the shop for so long. It's gonna come back out when I get a new trans anyway, so I'll pressure wash the crap out of it and repaint everything then.

Originally Posted by sole

Ewwwww you out the manifolds back on it how dare you

Sent from my iPhone 5 using FRF App

New headers will be going on along with full exhaust. Those are just there for now until I can get new ones. Budget swap, man. Lol.

[djfllmn]

ah didnt realize you were doing a trans swap too

[Spidey2011]

Originally Posted by djfllmn

ah didnt realize you were doing a trans swap too

Yep. No way is that stock T18 gonna last with the power that 351w will put out. The one in the donor truck was already pretty bad, which is why I kept the original one that was in the f100.

[djfllmn]

what are you going to be going with?

[Spidey2011]

Originally Posted by djfllmn

what are you going to be going with?

Not sure yet. Been looking at some T5's, and I'm liking what I see. The price isn't too bad, and they're good for a little bit more than that engine should produce. Plus clutchless upshifting.

[RagerTom]

Devin........ Oh a trans! I thought you said tranny. My bad.


Please change your name to ol'redder now. You even painted the fan red! Lol.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

[Spidey2011]

Originally Posted by RagerTom

Devin........ Oh a trans! I thought you said tranny. My bad.


Please change your name to ol'redder now. You even painted the fan red! Lol.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

I'll jump right on that.

[1994xltHolton]

Truck is gonna be sweet when its done

[low2.3]

Needs nitrous lol

[Spidey2011]

Originally Posted by low2.3

Needs nitrous lol

I agree 100%. And it will get it eventually.

[03DJ]

Subscribed.

[Spidey2011]

Got it running better. Still needs some adjusting, but it's good enough to drive now. Driveshaft and exhaust go in tonight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rMUCP0kJYE