Hackster's 1968 f100 CV Swap

[hackster]

Sean,

Holy crap man, that's an awesome project! Don't worry about the brand loyalty stuff. I'm definitely a Ford guy but hey - that's Hotrodding, and cool is cool. Just don't have Aaron splash a big bowtie down the side, and we're all good!

Your fab work is great. To have that much design freedom on a project has got to feel great, and to have that much help from your buddies?? Wow - how many of you are married? And thank you very much for sharing this with the bump crowd. Just because many of us don't comment as much as other boards, don't think we're not enjoying the hell out of your updates.

I've never torn down a mirror, but someone here may be able to help. Maybe post a pic of the mirror so everyone can see which type of mirror you're struggling with (there were a few on these trucks)

Keep it up, man - can't wait to see more!

Tyler

Wow, thank you for the very kind words. I am not much worried about the chevy stuff on a ford, should be interesting to see peoples reaction though when I pop the hood and there is no carb'd small block ford in there. It is not going to be flashy by any means, super understated and low key. I do on occasion wonder if I should keep updating this thread as it doesn't get a lot of feedback. Ill keep updating it as I go along.

I have a few good friends that like cars as much as I do, I am pretty fortunate in that right, some single, some married, just a few with kids that are allowed to come and play still.

Ill take a shot of the mirror. I have no idea what I am going to do with it. I broke the original one, have a brand new chrome one from LMC truck in the box on my work bench but am afraid to tear it apart. Might just end up with a chrome mirror on it for now.

Read through this whole thread this afternoon. Fun watching what the more talented among us can do with parts and tools and skills (oh and forgot imagination). I would just be happy to make my 71 look somewhat like it did when it left the factory and run about the same. In my world imagination is going with two-tone vs. one color (:
Obviously the Corvette engine has changed a lot since the 1972 454 I had as a senior in high school.
Looking forward to see what the truck looks like when it is all together.
Did not recall much discussion about the interior. Anything special going on there?

I have learned a lot by building and selling cars, I think I have always had a pretty good eye for what looks tasteful and have never had a problem selling a car when its finished up. My shop is super basic tools and not that big. I am looking forward to seeing what it looks like when it is all together too =) Shouldn't be too long now till its in one piece and on the road.

Interior.........Well, I go back and forth. I saw 5.0coupe's interior with the recovered bench seat and in all black and it looked really good so I ordered up a LMC Seat cover and its in the garage. I have all brand new parts and pieces for the doors, sill's and new black carpet. I feel like that is one area that this truck needs to stand out. I really want to do a set of early mustang buckets that will sit just below the body line on the back of the cab and then build a center console that flows between the seats and up to the bottom of the dash. Either is going to be Red upholstery or something super subtle, like a dark peanut butter leather or something. European influence is what I would go for if I go tan. If it goes red, it will be early corvette convertible esque.

Thanks again guys for the compliments, I appreciate them.

Sean

[sargentrs]

Haven't replied much on your thread cuz it's so far over my head and beyond my skills. However, I greatly admire the work you've done. Excellent design and Fab work. Sounds like we're finally hitting some common ground on that interior. Looking forward to seeing what you wind up with. Keep posting updates while I sit back in awe.

[Calfdemon]

Don't take the lack of feedback to mean that no one is looking, watching, and admiring... Most of the build threads are like that with only a few replies here and there, but if you look at your view counts on the thread, that is the gauge to see how much it is being looked at. I also have not commented on your build, but I am there looking every time it is updated.

[Coupe5oh]

I dig it too! Very cool build, I just have a bad habit of lurking and not posting. Keep up the good work, I've been following since you started the thread.

[hackster]

Well look at that, there are a bunch of guys following along. In that case...

Took a spin out to Aarons today to check out the progress, while its going a little slower than I was hoping (not complaining at all), his work is exactly what we discussed when he originally met with me, if not better.

He understands what I am looking for, not crazy show car with everything shaved and smoothed. A nice good quality paint job but not crazy flat. I think he is nailing it so far.

They finished up all the prep and shot the paint on the bed earlier today. Seam sealer looks great, like factory, bed rails are very clean and straight, even inside the box. Body work looks great as well. Paint is single stage PPG, with enough on to color sand it flat.











Monday is going to be color sanding and buffing on the bed, he is hoping that they can get it out to get the bed line ex'd. Its going to be under the rails all the way around, front lip and tailgate as well.

Super excited to see it moving along.

Sean

[hackster]

As the weeks have turned into months, I patiently (actually not at all patiently) await the truck to come back from the painter. He is still working on it, but its still got weeks of work left to go. The good news is that he is doing a great job!! He gets it.

Trying to figure out the wheel and tire situation and not having a ton of luck with that so far. Trying to find a happy medium between spending $3,000 on wheels and $6,500 on wheels... I really want some Forgelines, but just cannot justify the price. Rushforths are right up there, but the 8 week lead time is hard to swallow for me.

Going to work on getting the methanol injection parts here in the next few days so when the truck does come back, its all ready to go in.

Sean

[hackster]

Stopped by Aarons after a round trip to eastern oregon for work today....that was fun :emb:

He has made some damn good progress the last few weeks. Cab and doors got body work all finished up, primed, sealed and painted. Cab and doors still need the color sanding and the entire truck needs buffing.







Hood, inner door panels, front fenders and all the little stuff will get worked on next.

I also got the wing windows totally rebuilt and all new window and door gaskets, felts and track rubbers. Aaron started putting that stuff together as he has done it hundreds of times and is more comfortable working around the fresh paint than I am.





Him and Chris are doing great work, and I am super stoked to get the truck back in a few weeks.

Sean

[Mancar1]

[sargentrs]

Looking great!

[hackster]

Ordered wheels on Wednesday of last week. Decided after all to go with the Rushforth Rated X. 20x8.5 up front and 20x10.5 out back. Thinking of running 265 up front and 315 out back.

Truck is coming along good, really good actually. Made it out there with a truck load of parts today to get installed. Aaron was there and he gave me a hand for a few hours and we shot the **** a bunch too.

Truck is pretty much all assembled after today minus a hood, hood latch, spray in bedliner, windshield and passenger door seal.

Got the rear bumper, front bumper, grille and headlights installed today. Front sheetmetal is on, still needs more alignment but looks awesome. All the stainless fasteners, powdercoated bits and pieces and fresh paint.

One thing I have noticed is that I may need to relocate the rear mount for the lower control arm and pull the frontend back a little, might have put that mount a little far forward and could not really notice it without the front fenders on it.

Here is a few of the not greatest photos....













Now the rear bumper.....this will not stay on as it looks terrible in my opinion. Ill need to build something or get a bumper that fits like it should, heck even a roll pan would look better.



Plan is to get the truck on the road in a couple weeks.

Sean

[Alstoyz]

LOOK'N GOOD!!!

[jthulan]

Still following along, not hating, not judging, just enjoying the build of a nice truck. I am anxious to see the grill and bumpers in the sunlight with the white paint. Nice truck.

[hackster]

Just talked to Aaron and the truck did not make it to get the spray in bed liner this week, it is going in on Monday at 10 am for the liner.

Hood still needs to have the bodywork done on it, primed prepped and painted. He said the hood will be finished up by the end of next week, then they will align the frontend.

The bummer part about this is that I have a week of vacation scheduled for next week to try and get the truck finished up for some summer fun, I will not see the truck at home until the third or fourth day of vacation....I'm not mad at all, just a little dissapointed.....

Sean

[hackster]

Well,

Its not quite done at the painter, but done enough that Aaron let me have it back for a week to get some work on it.

Still needs the front sheetmetal aligned and a few other odds and ends like the hood but they got the bedliner done today and it turned out awesome.

So I have a lot left to do but hope that I can get a good chunk of if done this week.

Here are some pics of the old girl back in my garage, did a little cleanining after they dropped it off.

Sean













Very happy with the work Aaron and Chris are doing on the truck. I cannot wait until it all comes together. Wheels should be here before GoodGuys.

Sean

[cole71]

Very nice work!