My Long Term Project

[ChopTop79]

Good Evening Ladies and Gents.
The truck is a 1979 Ford 1/2 ton long wheel base 2WD. I purchased the truck when I was 14 from an old farmer for 400 dollars (CDN). The truck really was not rusted all that bad on the body but the frame was in very poor shape. I then bought a second truck as a donor for a few parts, and managed to find an almost rust free frame for my base. My goals for the truck are pretty big and I know I'll realize them someday, I'm just not sure when. I currently have a few mods done to it. I have the roof chopped 2 1/2 inches in the rear and 2 3/4 inches in the front, the truck has a 1972 Crown Victoria IFS grafted onto the frame, and the tailights and stake holes are filled. I have not worked on the truck for about 6 years due to going back to school and now trying to pay for it. My shopping list right now inculdes a 4 link rear suspension, wheels and tires so the suspension can be properly set up, a different dash (was never a fan of the 73-79 dash) and some pieces to start finishing up the exterior of the truck.

A few pictures to get you started on what I'm up against.

when I got her home

going into storage

as it sits now

few pictures from along the way

beside dads 75 for roof comparison

Fresh after the chop and prime

the frame before IFS

Edited the code from another forum, hope that this works. I can't tell if the pictures work or not while at the office

All questions and comments welcome.

-TAG

 

[Blade]

it looks great! looks like ya got a great project!

 

[LEB Ben]

The pics work. And I must say, looks like one helluva project. Not gonna lie, I always loooooooooved the chopped look on 2wd dents. She really doesn't look too bad, a little body work and some paint and she'll be a good driver. But most importantly, current drive train specs and future plans for the drive train.

 

[ChopTop79]

The pics work. And I must say, looks like one helluva project. Not gonna lie, I always loooooooooved the chopped look on 2wd dents. She really doesn't look too bad, a little body work and some paint and she'll be a good driver. But most importantly, current drive train specs and future plans for the drive train.

I've always tried to find pictures of dents with a chopped top and only found one that was a dually with a 7th gen box and it made me want to cry. Do you have any links or pictures of dents chopped? I would love to see them.

current drive train is what ever I choose to pull it around with haha. I have a 351W and all the parts to build it and I'll run that for a year or two and then switch to fuel injected I think. When I'm home from work tonight I'll put a complete list of ideas up.

 

[LEB Ben]

Sorry man...no pics...cuz you're right, you don't see it that often.

As for the 351W...STROKE IT...haha. Again, an awesome and unique build.

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

408 stroker or bigger.

 

[m78]

Nice project & welcome to FTF
Can't wait to see paint and glass in that thing

Nice view in a couple of those pics, where you located ?

Also noticed a wood garage floor, Don't dee many of them.

 

[ChopTop79]

Bay Fortune
Prince Edward Island
Canada

wooden floors don't sweat it lets the air go through and keeps the condensation and such down. I'm not sure if you can see it or not in there but there is a 1928 Ford Model A 2 door sedan on the wall (chopped 3 inches) awaiting it's time in the garage.

 

[bucks77ford]

Very cool project you have going there.

 

[ChopTop79]

Future Plans

in random order
rollpan on the rear and I"m not quite sure what I'll run for taillights yet but they'll most likely be in the rollpan.
I'm looking to smooth out some of the tailgate but not all of it, the handle will be shaved.
The truck will basically sit at the stance it's in above where it's going into storage. looking on running some fairly fat tires on the rear but I'm having a difficult time finding what I want. I'm planning on running 17" X 9.5 on the rear and 17" by 8 on the front. I'm going to be running Torq Thrust II's which I know are over done but they were just becoming popular when I bought this truck and they have always been apart of my vision.
The rear suspension will be a 4-link rear suspension by fat man fab with a z bar. running coilovers.
I have the 9" out of a 72 Country Squire wagon under the rear and it is a little shorter than the truck 9" that was in there so I can run fat tires and still tuck them into my wheel wells. I plan on swapping out the rear drums for rear discs as well.
The truck will have a solid back window but I may have a trick or two up my sleeve for the back window in the truck. drip rails will be shaved and the side glass will be one piece windows. I've also always wanted to have suicide doors on my truck and though I have been rethinking it lately, it's what I've always wanted so it is a good chance it will happen. I may mock it up when I get back home before making my decision.
side markers are going to be set in and flush mounted to the body inside the dent.
buying a new grille shell and running a billet grill. I'm not sure if I want to go with the 4mm or the 8mm bar grille though, if anyone is running one throw up some pictures.
The dash is going to be swapped out for a 57 - 60 dash which I'm sure will take a lot of modification and it may not even look right when I get it in there but I'm going to give it a shot. I always liked a bench seat so I think I'll keep away from the bucket seat idea even though they are more comfortable.
Engine will be a 351 Windsor that will have a descent amount of power but nothing crazy, mated to a C6 or a C4 I'm not sure which yet.
the column will be replaced with a billet one and I'll be moving to a automatic floor shift because it's what I grew up loving about my father's 47 so I wanted to incorporate it into my project.

So I have a lot of ideas as you can see, my father and I combined have the skills to get the job done, it's just the funds and the time holding us back. I'm extremely picky and my father is worse so it will be done right in time. I have a vision in my head and a lot of things this project has to have because they mean something to me. That being said all questions comments and insults are all welcome. I take criticism quite well and everything will be taken into consideration but ultimately it's me who makes the decisions on this project. I won't be starting on this truck for about another year but the parts ordering is going to start very soon and I'll update as they come. I'll also be jumping in here from time to time to run new ideas past the members or to ask for new ideas.

Take care and enjoy my project as it SLOWLY unfolds.

-TAG

 

[LEB Ben]

Man that really sounds like one hell of an untertaking...but it'll be awesome. And it sounds like you're battling the age old problem of time and money...don't worry it'll get there. Just remember if you get sick of, step back for a while. It sounds like you'll never get rid of it, but weirder things have happened when guys get fed up with a build taking too long or not going right. Good luck and I look forward to coming posts.

 

[ChopTop79]

oh she's mine for life. I've already told myself and everyone around me if money troubles come up and it's on the road then I'll pull it off the road but never sell it. I would sell all my other toys first. This truck means a lot to me for a lot of reasons. It will be finished I'm just not sure when. I'm hoping for 5 years down the road, it would be less but I'm looking into buying a house next year so that should slow it down some haha.

 

[ChopTop79]

Small update on this project. While they are not everyones cup of tea I always wanted this truck to have suicide doors, it's how I always pictured it. So I have placed an order with SuicideDoors.com for hinges and door poppers. The next purchase I make will be the 4-link rear suspension from Fatman Fabrications, then wheels, and a grille. then I feel like I'll have enough goodies to dive back into this project hardcore and get it a little closer to completion when I go back home.

 

[fordrka1975]

Keep up the good work, you 'll never regret it. Randy.

 

[ChopTop79]

Just ordered the 4-link for the truck from fatman's. Hopefully getting the tires soon. Anyone have any experience with Toyo Proxes ST II?

 

[ChopTop79]

Ordered my tires today for the truck, hopefully can find out what back spacing I need for my wheels now.

Running 285/60-17 on the rear and 235/55-17 on the front. hopefully it will give me the stance I'm looking for.

 

[bendog]

Sweet, build. Ordering parts makes it mighty hard to keep your hands off of a project, any progress, or pics?
I'm very interested in the one piece side windows in particular. While I was building mine, I wanted badly to convert to one piece side glass. It seemed fairly straight forward. The problem I found was the impossibility of cutting tempered glass, as my thought was to find a donor with side glass of the right curve and thickness, big enough to trim down, and have it cut to fit into my modded doors. Along with the obvious mods to the doors, I planned on reinforcing the part the window rolls down into, holding the door glass wipers, as this area occasionally fails (pulls apart) in factory configuration. Have you given it much thought?

 

[ChopTop79]

Sorry for the late response. There is a company in the calafornia (the name escapes me right now) that said they'll do my side glass for me. I just do a cardboard cut out of the shape I want and have to do some measurements and they'll make my side windows. As for progress, no there won't be any progress for quite some time since I'm away from home working and won't be able to dive back into this project until I go home. I am contemplating wheels right now and I'm looking for some ideas. I love the look of Torq Thrust II's and honestly can't find anything else that I like that are in the sizes I want. I've decided to give my 15" wheels to my father for our project 1928 Model A or a future product yet to be named. I'm going to go with the painted torq thrust II's. CL205's I believe. It will give the truck a little more attitude I think and will give me the look I'm going for. Anyone have any comments or other suggestions for wheels? I'm running 17 X 8 on the front and 17X9.5 on the rear.

 

[5.0Flareside]

go 17x10 on the rear. and stay with the 17x8 on the front.

what size tire you gonna run front and rear?

 

[ChopTop79]

they generally don't come 17X10 in the rear. usually only 9.5 ( I think they are made this way for Mustang clearances.

Tires are 285/60-17 in the rear and 235/55-17 in the front.