Another 52 Ford F1 on Explorer chassis

[machsp33d]

long story short my fiance wanted to me to build a bobber for her. I dont really want her on a bike because ya cant be too safe when it comes to others. So one day at work Im thinking maybe we should finally build a rat rod. I started thinkin of body/chassis swaps and being a ford guy I could never do a S10 swap. First I thought ranger and swap a 5.0 then I happened to remember the 5.0 explorer because of obviously the engine and the allready flipped rearend, disc brakes and easy to lower torsion bars. I did some googling and came across a few builds so the hunt began. Originally I wanted a 56 Ford but too rare and to expensive for my situation. I searched craigslist and found a local guy here with this 52 Ford F4 for sale or trade. I took a chance and offered him a trade for a dirtbike that I no longer have time to ride. He took me up on it and had it the next day. that day I put a wanted ad on craigslist for 5.0 AWD explorer and later that night I got a call from a guy few hours away who offered to deliver a 99 with 150k on it for $500. It was a little rustier than I was looking for but for the price and how too good to be true how easy this project was coming together that I couldnt pass it up. So for the past month or so I have been working on it every night after work and what little time I have on the weekends. Tonight I finally drove it up the street and figured I'd start a thread for ya'll. Please excuse my grammer/puncuation I am beat tonight and just do not care but anyways here are some pics!

Here are a few of the Craigslist ad pics...

The day after when I arrived home....The story goes some old man put it on a dually chassis and passed away while working on it....

A couple days later my buddy helped me take the body off the frame and
mached it up with the stock wheels from my 04 mach 1

The frame it came on

The explorer frame all stripped down

The body set on for first time

Lowered it with 3in auto zone block kit and flipped keys

And finally got it out on the street tonight and creeped it up the hill to show a few neighbors

 

[OffTrac]

Coolest project on this forum. Consider me a fan!

 

[Campoli]

Awesom job man looks great makes me wish I never got rid of my 71 f-100
Had a 302 hencho en mexico motor miss that old ford

 

[CodePoet]

for the love of god please do not paint that body

 

[4rd4life]

looks awesome!!

 

[OffTrac]

for the love of god please do not paint that body

+1

 

[vroomzoomboom]

+1

x2!

 

[Dave 1955]

Cool!
Love the pipe sticking out!

 

[coupenut]

Sweet

 

[08_sploder]

That is awesome man!

 

[machsp33d]

Thanks guys. Cosmetic it will stay like this with the addition of tail lights, mirrors, some kinda tonneau cover and wheels spacers. Still gotta tidy up the harness under the Hood. Finalize seat position and tranny tunnel, wire up the lights. And rest of the body mounts. Just gotta build up some more funds first tho.

 

[Mrhobby100]

you should build up the motor with some edelbrock or trick flow bling and and then mod the front end to expose the engine slightly like the real ratrods do and last but not least chop the top and get the roof real low. But still this project is rediculously cool

You got some major gears turnin in my head. (those are some rusty gears) hahaha

 

[machsp33d]

I would like to build the motor with a trick flow kit down the road but I hear the explorer computers don't do well with modification? The previous owner cut the o2 sensors to cut the cats off for scrap so I spent some time to get it running smooth again....

 

[Mrhobby100]

I would like to build the motor with a trick flow kit down the road but I hear the explorer computers don't do well with modification? The previous owner cut the o2 sensors to cut the cats off for scrap so I spent some time to get it running smooth again....

yes your right explorer computers don't like running some mods but that is untuned. Get a sct from Henson and your good to go. No matter what car you own when you start doing any kind of significant mods a tuner is always needed.

 

[woodco100]

1949 Chevy on 1998 frame

My 1949 Chevy Panel truck is on a 2nd gen frame

http://s417981418.initial-website.com/s/cc_images/cache_3121983504.jpg?t=1339708341

http://s417981418.initial-website.com/s/cc_images/cache_3121983504.jpg?t=1339708341

 

[Turdle]

My new favorite thread! True "rat rod use what you have" style does not have to be flat black.

Just curious though if the tires would work better with white walls, fat (tread) with white wall tires and those wheels. It's just--well, it's just that something there seems out of place. I like the wheels, love the truck but something between the 2 isn't blending as well as I think it could. Please do not take that as an insult. It's merely an opinion. I still love this project!!

 

[FIND]

Needs something like this

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/wvi-12-671204/overview/

Looking good by the way.

 

[angrymotors]

Excellent job man, I've got a '40 chev pickup running a 2000 explorer eng trans and tcase on 4 link 1/2 '72 F150 axles. http://s1006.photobucket.com/user/angrymotors/media/fordychev_zps1ff56db7.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

 

[51fordman88]

This is an awesome project. I would like to see more on how you mounted the bed, and how you mount the cab. I am doing the same thing to a 51 ford F1 mounting it on a 97 EX chassis. I plan on running a 302 with mustang EFI instead of the explorer efi. Then I am putting an AOD behind it. My only issue is the wheel base is 112" and the F1 is 114, so my wheels are not exactly centered. I am debating on moving the rear axle back 2" or cutting the bed and the running boards?
Yours looks good with the F4 fenders being larger opening.
More pics are better. I will try and get some of mine up there as well.

 

[51fordman88]

Just wondering if there have been any updates to your project?