68 f100 ranger

[Davidhud29]

This one was at SEMA and at the GNRS. I think it used to be a 1973 F100

If I had started this build totally myself; I would have been real tempted to go topless as well. The bed on this one just doesn't look right with the truck to me. The front end doesn't match the body right either for some reason. I think it's the lights. I don't know, just not crazy about the later models with the inset sides like that. I had a '74, same body as this one. That's where the 390 in this came from. I gave that truck to my dad years ago. I had bought a Mustang and wasn't using the truck, and he needed some wheels. He had the motor rebuilt, then totaled the thing a few weeks later.

 

[Flipper_1938]

If I had started this build totally myself; I would have been real tempted to go topless as well. The bed on this one just doesn't look right with the truck to me. The front end doesn't match the body right either for some reason. I think it's the lights. I don't know, just not crazy about the later models with the inset sides like that. I had a '74, same body as this one. That's where the 390 in this came from. I gave that truck to my dad years ago. I had bought a Mustang and wasn't using the truck, and he needed some wheels. He had the motor rebuilt, then totaled the thing a few weeks later.

It looks like they tried to make a 30's rod out of a 70's truck. Yours is cooler in that you are keeping it recognizeable as a 60's truck.

What are your plans for the grill shell (and/or hood)? Are you going to section the F100 hood and leading edge of the fenders down to a 30's size grill shell?

 

[Sam_Fear]

I think your way better off keeping the top - much cooler looking as a chop top. It works well with the boxiness of it all. Only thing I might have done different is narrow the body by 6"-10".....maybe....

I'm curious about the front end too. Seems like its a trouble spot for these kinds of builds.

 

[Davidhud29]

I think your way better off keeping the top - much cooler looking as a chop top. It works well with the boxiness of it all. Only thing I might have done different is narrow the body by 6"-10".....maybe....

I'm curious about the front end too. Seems like its a trouble spot for these kinds of builds.

I just did some rough measurements in the dark and raining but....
Looks like 6 1/2" chop and narrowed 23". I know the pic.s don't show it real well. Remember though this is a full size pickup cut to fit the small ranger clip. I think the front tires actually stick out wider than the cab now. will take some comparison photos (using my dads stock truck) with tape measure in place asap. My dad did most of that part of the body fab work without me, so I don't even know the exact measurements. I know he has 2 plastic racing buckets he bought for seats and they barely fit with the tranny tunnel in the middle.
The front end will have a grille. It is an old Ford grille not sure what year exactly. I have the mounts in for it, headers are made and seat bolts in place. I will take more pic.s of it's present setup with seats, grille and gas tank.
The orange truck was definitely narrowed too. Look how close the seats are. I have an 82 or 84 Ford van out back. The seats were the low back captain chairs. He was going to use those for seats. They are to wide to fit....

 

[Sam_Fear]

I guess the chop and Ranger front make it look wider than it is. Scratch what I said before - it's narrowed well enough, just hard to get a grip on it in the pics. That's cool that the front wheels stick out farther than the cab. Your Dad really had this thing figured out.

 

[Davidhud29]

 

[Davidhud29]

 

[Davidhud29]

And here is my dad's driver. This is to help show what the truck started as. This isn't the exact same truck just the same year and etc. This is the one he bought the parts truck for in the first place. Of course, as you can see, he still hasn't bothered to put any of the trim back on or anything else. His motto is kinda

"If it ain't broke don't fix it, and if it does brake, we'll see how long we can survive without having to do anything to it, I mean what difference does it really make anyway, I'm tired, I think I'll take a nap."

Ok, maybe not exactly his motto. But you get what I'm saying.

 

[39chev]

Man I love the Checker board on the firewall and the red grill lookin good.

 

[Davidhud29]

Man I love the Checker board on the firewall and the red grill lookin good.

Thanks. I'm thinking of bringing the checkerboard around the sides in flames. Paint it black and stripe the flame edges in red to offset from the black body color.

 

[hillbillysurf]

CQQL Pick-um-up !!!! I'm not a Ford man, but I do like it,, a little burned out on the 50's Chevy cabs myself. Cool to see something different,, and I like the fact it still has enough features of the original truck to know where it came from ! Not real sure about the grille / headlights in pic ?? Be cool if maybe do something with the original grill and part of original hood ? Just thinking out loud. Good job overall !

 

[Sam_Fear]

It isn't just your build, it's a problem with all the wide body open wheels.

I kinda agree with Hillbillysurf - the lights and the grill just don't seem to quite match the body. Not sure what would be better though. It just seems like the low wide roof is more like the shape of a 51 Merc rather than a 32 Ford. Maybe get rid of the verticle shell and use something wide - like the grill of a 52 F1 with double the teeth.... Dunno....

 

[Davidhud29]

Yeah grille choice on this is kinda tough. The stock grilles don't offer up much. They could be cut down and made to work, I guess the hood could to. But I just don't really like that idea either. I'll probably stick with what I got. At least until I change it [

 

[hillbillysurf]

Here's a couple examples of using parts of hoods / grilles, ect. I think it really shows off the the coolness of the build as a whole. Like Sam said, some of the earlier Fords PU's with metal grilles could be some killer donors. Not trying to take over your cool build at all,, you've come too far with your cool " one of a kind " truck to throw anything on it now. Even th Suburban in the pic,,, I think he could have cut down the center of the 60's Chev hood and made a killer hood for it. Just two cents,,, for free !!!

 

[pegasus]

very nice but the distributor on that engine is on the worng end...jk

 

[Davidhud29]

The grille on the sub looks like it should be in front of the shocks instead of behind. Maybe not. Still looks pretty cool. I really like the chevy though, that's killer. Ya'll got me thinking now. I still don't think I want a hood or fenders.

But I still have the grille, and it might be gettin' some later.......[

And I have the hood still, But I just don't see it going on the truck.

 

[Sam_Fear]

The shocks are definitely in the wrong place. They need to be out of the way from the grill - or at least out from infront of the headlights! I like the bumperettes on the last one. Something similar might work well on your horns.

That is a good start to a grill on the Sub - horizontal squarishness matches the squareish body of the rest of the vehicle. I wouldn't bother with the 68 grill, start looking at front ends 66 and earlier - even look at Ford cars too. You might find a few pieces that will really work well for ya. The front of a 61-66 F100 is about the same style as that Sub shell was made from. Add in the middle a cut down 51 Ford grill and you'd have the Ford version of it. Maybe add in the top part of a 59-60 hood somehow to get the big FORD name out front.

You got some time to scrounge for parts and pieces like that aren't too rare and are still fairly cheap.

 

[hillbillysurf]

Hey,,,That's what we're here for,,, to get you thinking !! I agree with you on the Sub grille behind the shocks. Sam has some good ideas on styling something with that ole dirty word "Ford" on it. If I find anything else that might flip yer lid ,, I'll post. Her's a couple more pics of the Killer Chev.

 

[rat-n-tat]

that truck is wicked.. i like the way it all flows

 

[Thunder1]

Hey,,,That's what we're here for,,, to get you thinking !! I agree with you on the Sub grille behind the shocks. Sam has some good ideas on styling something with that ole dirty word "Ford" on it. If I find anything else that might flip yer lid ,, I'll post. Her's a couple more pics of the Killer Chev.

I like em all just the way they are! Extremely cool builds that I hadn't seen before. Makes me wish I had held onto my stock grill and some front sheet metal.

T1