'72 F100 Project Beginings and New to Forum

[truckguy]

Welcome to the site and it sounds like a cool project. A 73-79 front I-beams with fit on our trucks.
Kyle

[Finleyphoto]

I think your 3.00:1 rear end is too high a ratio, plus the tall tires will make it worse.

Even with a fire-breathin' 460...

Maybe a 3.25 or 3.55.

If you're doing an overdrive and you don't care about mileage, most rodders and even the Lincoln Navigators are going with 3.73's

Although, I will say I don't like the way Mom's Gator "over-revs" when you romp on the gas.

3.55 sounds about right!


Dennis

[Finleyphoto]

When I was a kid, Dad had a 1976 Ninety-Eight Oldsmobile with a 455 V8, 4Bbl QuadraJet and a 2.73 rear end.

It was a DAWG...! This thing couldn't catch a fat kid on a bicycle!

Plenty of power on tap. Just wouln't go through that rear axle.

Great mileage, and after an hour or so at WOT it would do 150 MPH.

Too many people overlook the rear axle ratio and don't understand how the chioce of gears effect the performance.


Dennis

[SebringSixSpeed]

First let me say welcome to the forum. Sounds like you have a lot of ambition for this project. However, don't fool yourself into thinking that your going to outrun a modern Corvette on a budget. Even if you put a blower or turbo on a 460 you are not going to be able to put the power to the ground without tubbing the rear end and using some seriously wide drag tires. And that's when you start breaking axles, u-joints, and transmissions because the tires won't let go. All of the weight in our trucks is on the front end and the rear tires will easily spin even with the 17x8.5s you want. Modern Corvettes have a nearly 50/50 weight distribution, traction control, 12" wide rear tires, a huge weight advantage over an early 70's pickup (at least 1000 lbs), and anywere from 345 to 505 hp stock depending on year and model. Most people who drive Corvettes won't race you anyway and if they did they would probably be the ones laughing.

I'm not trying to knock your enthusiasum, just be aware of what you're up against and plan accordingly.

[basketcase0302]

Cole,

from Florida!

Great to see such inspiration in a young man here on fordification!
You're in the right place, that's for sure. A lot of folks here with a lot of expierence to help out!
When Sebringsixspeed says:

All of the weight in our trucks is on the front end and the rear tires will easily spin even with the 17x8.5s you want.

he's not just kidding. I've got many years driving a Ford truck, (some with some beefed up 302's). Keeping the ponies to the ground is a task in our trucks, (because of the light rear ends).
Build it for the drag strip and it won't corner on the street well, (positive rear-end with a spool or locker is the key to the strip).
And vice-versa...built for the street/won't launch at the strip well.
I think most here will agree that our twin I-Beams front suspensions will take just about anything you can throw at them. chevy and dodge have tried unsucessfully to copy this for many years and still continues to fail in that effort.
Maybe it's just my "die-hard" loyalty to our trucks, but I'd leave the twin beam alone. There's a lot of tweaking that can be done to it if you want!

Jeff

[69F110]

Cole,

Welcome! We do have a welcome mat under the forum index where you can introduce yourself to everybody in one central location...

At least you have a plan!

[cole]

I can drive the truck now. The front end likes roll in corners; but it feels solid. Usually when driving agressivley it just feels like the kick panel of the opposite side of the corner is gonna hit the pavement.

I was actually considering buying my old truck back from my dad. It's a '72 F100 LWB 2WD with '79 disk's, 400M and C6. I'm not sure yet though. Mine isn't gonna be tore down until my dad finish's his shop.

The offers are true. I had my black '72 for 1 week and I got 4 offers for $5,000 and one for $6,000. But there's too much sentimental value to sell her.

[basketcase0302]

cole,

Here you go.
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... hp?t=26754
Can't wait till i get my hands on a 460.

Jeff

[cole]

So as my truck sits it's a long bed. But as most agree short-bed step side is where it's at, at least, my father and I think so. Say I could get my hands on a 61-66 SWB frame or a 73-79 SWB frame. How much fab work would throwing the bumpside cab onto that frame be? Also, could I possibly use a SWB bumpside F250 frame? Or a 4 wheel drive frame?

[FORDification]

There's no such thing as a SWB F250.