1950 Ford F1 Pickup (flatbed) on 5.0L AWD 1998 Explorer Frame and Chasis

[MikeCol]

Still not a perfect gap, but way better than factory at this point. I just need to drill some bolt holes and pull it all together nice and right and this will look like a Chip Foose fender gap. BTW, yes, the F-1 emblem is upside down but that is how it was when we found the truck and I plan to leave it that way.

This is the inner fender mount to connect the Explorer inner fender arms to the cab. This picture was taken by sticking my camera under the fender and snapping a pic. The red part is the cab, the rusty part is the underside of the fender, and the green/grey is the explorer inner fender area. This is looking from the front of the truck towards the back of the truck. The multiple bolt holes in the square stock I used were every helpful to get the height adjusted correctly. I am doing rough fabrication at this point so once everything fits right, I will take it all back apart and clean up the metal cuts and weld things together to the fit and finish are nice and pretty, even under the fenders.

This is the passenger side inner fender. I need to find a smaller radiator and washer fluid reservoirs (see the white plastic reservoirs under the fender lip) to use because these are just too big to ever be used under this fender. I would need to remove the fender just to fill my washer fluid! Ideas welcome!

 

[MikeCol]

BTW, I used the square stock to make the inner fender mounts. These were nice because I was able to drill all the way through the inner fender, through the square stock, and through the cab to bolt the assembly together. After I got it done, I found I had to adjust the height so the fenders would fit right so it was nice to just unbolt the inner fender, move it down one set of holes, and remount it.

I only have the one picture of the assembly but essentially I drilled 4 holes all the way through from the inner fender through the cab. I then used two 7/16" bolts x 1/2" long to mount the inner fender to the outer square stock and a second pair of bolts 7/16" x 1.5" long to connect the outer square stock, through the inner square stock, and into the cab of the truck. It came out nice and strong but I think I will weld the two square stock pieces together and use bolts to connect to the inner fender rails and the cab to the square stock assembly with (8) 7/16"x 1/2" long bolts (which is over kill, but there are 4 holes, and the holes were 7/16" size, so that is dictating the bolt size, not the need for that much strength, and there are 4 holes on each end now, so all 8 holes will get filled with bolts).

These really are not holding anything at this point but eventually, the ABS system, electrical, ect will all hang off these arms like they did in the stock Explorer. It is not much weight, but everything was nice and strong when I finished. I plan to re-install the plastic inner fenders splash guards from the Explorer as well. I am sure there will be some work, but keeping the inner fender should allow me to re-use all the stock push locks and factory holes to mount all of that back in there.

 

[srtfanatic]

Is there a reason the pictures dont show up anymore? I'm about to begin this build and already am appreciative of the help MikeCol!

Did you ever figure out how to bypass the chip key and explorer gauges?

 

[jackie weaver]

I also am unable to see the pictures. I realize this thread is several years old.

 

[Busby1]

I’d like to see those pictures also

 

[jackie weaver]

I believe the person with that build thread stopped paying the fee to the forum so they deleted the pics

 

[410Fortune]

I have helped build a 1940 ford F1 on a 97 5.0 Chassis, I have lots of pics of that if anyone needs them
These projects are more and more common, Im considering doing one too with my dad!! Up here in North Idaho we have the "Lost in teh 50's" car show its a huge event I would love to do a 50 something Ford body on a hopped up 5.0L explorer frame

 

[CDW6212R]

I have helped build a 1940 ford F1 on a 97 5.0 Chassis, I have lots of pics of that if anyone needs them
These projects are more and more common, Im considering doing one too with my dad!! Up here in North Idaho we have the "Lost in teh 50's" car show its a huge event I would love to do a 50 something Ford body on a hopped up 5.0L explorer frame

I think if I merged an older Ford with the Explorer chassis, I'd modify the frame to allow real and common headers. If I thought the AWD TC was more compact, I'd do that with my old 72 Ranchero project. It's going to get a 2003-06 Crown Vic front frame and suspension anyway, why not hack the middle part of the frame also.

 

[410Fortune]

the awd case is pretty small compared to the others, it is about the size of the 1354 IMO
I can tell you it weighs 63#!!

Crown vics are being used for this ALOT and I see the desire, mod motor, cushy ride, full frame, but they are RWD....I cannot do RWD

 

[Shannon campos]

Following

 

[Lugnutzz]

This is looking awesome.

These Explorer frame swaps into F1 trucks are so cool. I have a 49 F1 and am planning to do this. Thanks so much