56explorer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 14, 2013
- Messages
- 182
- Reaction score
- 5
- City, State
- Arkansas
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 56 F100 Explorer (96) XLT
Hi everyone, my name's Buddy (it's my REAL name) and I joined some time back, but haven't posted anything until now. I finally have enough time, information, and drive to start posting the story of a project that I am building and if you choose to join along, give advice, keep me pumped up, or try to tear me down, I will leave that for you to decide. My posts will be about the transformations between combining a 98-01 Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer chassis and a 1956 Ford F100 body.
I know there are posts out there, I've been searching for months now, and wanted to make a build diary of my own to share for your entertainment. This may not be for everybody, but if somebody will get knowledge, enthusiasm, or enjoyment out of it, then I will be satisfied.
It's name has been christened "Jasper" named after my wife's grandfather who was a car fanatic as much as I am. Most of my cars have been named. I own "Fiona" a Green 2013 Ford Mustang Fobra GT500 right now that gets me around, but I live in Arkansas, I gotta have a truck too. I love the classics, but I am driven by modern performance and conveniences too.
So, the story really starts here... I purchased a 1956 F100 on Craigslist a few months back. It took a bit to find ANYTHING that didn't get swept up for less than $2k. I must have called within minutes of the post, because he was hammered with calls and I told him I would be honored to take it off his hands. I arrived, eyes glistening, shallow breaths, and heart pounding. There it was..... all in shambles. It took a few minutes to understand what was going on with it. It was like getting (for me as a kid) a Nintendo box at Christmas with an Atari inside. It featured an S-10 rear end, botched Camaro IFS and steering column that came out of some 70's GovermentMotors monstrosity. No Motor. No Trans. Nothing was bolted together very well, if at all. Plus there was no title.... not even a VIN plate. I'll discuss that later. He said he was pretty firm on $850, but I did manage to get him down to $800 with enough reasons. (Cash in-hand never hurts either.)
I'm a total Ford guy, been loving Ford's since I drove my first one at 11 years old (my dad needed a designated driver and I could reach the pedals when sitting on a phone book). I've owned over 40 cars and trucks, mostly Ford's. The others were just to flip or destroy in my own madness. I mainly learned to drive in a Bronco II. 1988 black and grey 4X4. It was small, agile, and went anywhere. When I ran into anything, it just kept going. I bought my very own Ford when I was 15, a 1975 F150 "Ol' Red" that would soon need a new motor and trans. A friend and I rebuilt the thing on weekends and summer before I could even drive it to school which surpassed my 17th birthday a bit. I was proud to drive that thing. Painted Fire Engine red, Ford Blue 360 V8 engine, Lincoln Continental power seats, and even a TV mounted in a custom center console box I built myself. Back in 1996 that was PURE STYLE!
I was also 17 when I got my second truck, it was my first REAL love, 1956 F100 "Older than Rust". It cost me a whole $400 and had the thing running within a matter of a couple of days. It wasn't long though before I was tearing her apart to rebuild, but I was young and dumb, didn't know what I had and sold her to a neighbor to make a quick buck. Major regret.
I've owned an Explorer in the past, 1997 Eddie Bauer V8, but the intention was to sell/trade her off, which I did for a Jeep. I loved having the Explorer in the driveway, it pulled my trailer around well, had quite the power for its size, and was easy to maneuver like the Bronco I learned to drive in. As I was leaning more and more towards keeping it, it was at that time that the deal was done and she was gone.
My wife, oh how she loves me and oh how she may never understand the things that go on in my head, but I come by it honestly..... my dad probably had a lot to do with it. I don't drink much, but it's the wild-haired, mechanically-inclined, do-it-MYSELF, sticking-to-my-guns, persistent-perpetual-motion parts of my dad that I was able to inherit..... oh yeah... and his tools.
Somehow I convinced my wife to let me build the vehicle of my dreams, but it wasn't the easiest battle. I assured her that it wouldn't take away from our bill money, won't become a pile of parts in the yard, and wouldn't take me away from the other family duties I have with three boys. That being said, I have to be thrifty, not get involved in too many other projects, and put the kids to work! I GOT THIS!!!
How will I do this, you ask? I do know that this has been done before, I am NOT the first, but my goal is to create the perfect blend of Classic looks the exterior 1956 F100 commands with modern and updated power and creature comforts inside, all while keeping costs low using a V8-powered donor Explorer or Mountaineer.
There are many things to tell and show, but they will come in time. I leave you tonight with some pics of the 1956 before it came home. This is how it looked when I got there. Come back for more real soon!
:-Buddy
I know there are posts out there, I've been searching for months now, and wanted to make a build diary of my own to share for your entertainment. This may not be for everybody, but if somebody will get knowledge, enthusiasm, or enjoyment out of it, then I will be satisfied.
It's name has been christened "Jasper" named after my wife's grandfather who was a car fanatic as much as I am. Most of my cars have been named. I own "Fiona" a Green 2013 Ford Mustang Fobra GT500 right now that gets me around, but I live in Arkansas, I gotta have a truck too. I love the classics, but I am driven by modern performance and conveniences too.
So, the story really starts here... I purchased a 1956 F100 on Craigslist a few months back. It took a bit to find ANYTHING that didn't get swept up for less than $2k. I must have called within minutes of the post, because he was hammered with calls and I told him I would be honored to take it off his hands. I arrived, eyes glistening, shallow breaths, and heart pounding. There it was..... all in shambles. It took a few minutes to understand what was going on with it. It was like getting (for me as a kid) a Nintendo box at Christmas with an Atari inside. It featured an S-10 rear end, botched Camaro IFS and steering column that came out of some 70's GovermentMotors monstrosity. No Motor. No Trans. Nothing was bolted together very well, if at all. Plus there was no title.... not even a VIN plate. I'll discuss that later. He said he was pretty firm on $850, but I did manage to get him down to $800 with enough reasons. (Cash in-hand never hurts either.)
I'm a total Ford guy, been loving Ford's since I drove my first one at 11 years old (my dad needed a designated driver and I could reach the pedals when sitting on a phone book). I've owned over 40 cars and trucks, mostly Ford's. The others were just to flip or destroy in my own madness. I mainly learned to drive in a Bronco II. 1988 black and grey 4X4. It was small, agile, and went anywhere. When I ran into anything, it just kept going. I bought my very own Ford when I was 15, a 1975 F150 "Ol' Red" that would soon need a new motor and trans. A friend and I rebuilt the thing on weekends and summer before I could even drive it to school which surpassed my 17th birthday a bit. I was proud to drive that thing. Painted Fire Engine red, Ford Blue 360 V8 engine, Lincoln Continental power seats, and even a TV mounted in a custom center console box I built myself. Back in 1996 that was PURE STYLE!
I was also 17 when I got my second truck, it was my first REAL love, 1956 F100 "Older than Rust". It cost me a whole $400 and had the thing running within a matter of a couple of days. It wasn't long though before I was tearing her apart to rebuild, but I was young and dumb, didn't know what I had and sold her to a neighbor to make a quick buck. Major regret.
I've owned an Explorer in the past, 1997 Eddie Bauer V8, but the intention was to sell/trade her off, which I did for a Jeep. I loved having the Explorer in the driveway, it pulled my trailer around well, had quite the power for its size, and was easy to maneuver like the Bronco I learned to drive in. As I was leaning more and more towards keeping it, it was at that time that the deal was done and she was gone.
My wife, oh how she loves me and oh how she may never understand the things that go on in my head, but I come by it honestly..... my dad probably had a lot to do with it. I don't drink much, but it's the wild-haired, mechanically-inclined, do-it-MYSELF, sticking-to-my-guns, persistent-perpetual-motion parts of my dad that I was able to inherit..... oh yeah... and his tools.
Somehow I convinced my wife to let me build the vehicle of my dreams, but it wasn't the easiest battle. I assured her that it wouldn't take away from our bill money, won't become a pile of parts in the yard, and wouldn't take me away from the other family duties I have with three boys. That being said, I have to be thrifty, not get involved in too many other projects, and put the kids to work! I GOT THIS!!!
How will I do this, you ask? I do know that this has been done before, I am NOT the first, but my goal is to create the perfect blend of Classic looks the exterior 1956 F100 commands with modern and updated power and creature comforts inside, all while keeping costs low using a V8-powered donor Explorer or Mountaineer.
There are many things to tell and show, but they will come in time. I leave you tonight with some pics of the 1956 before it came home. This is how it looked when I got there. Come back for more real soon!
:-Buddy