This is my first ever vehicle fixed up by my recently passed away father and I.
I have driven it in parades and weekends, and as my most dependable back up vehicle since its drivability completion in 2006/2007
This is my baby and i will describe the truck in full detail, good and bad to the best of my ability and in all honesty. If you have any questions my number is 406-670-7817 after 6:00pm-10PM Mountain
I am selling it because I am mad at it. I dont have the time or space or money to continue to do all this truck deserves.
bid to win please.
give me some flex on the pictures, ex: peep mirrors off and in garage now, big slick tires came and went, auto to 4 speed conversion photos pictured, flex fan to electric fan conversion pics.
The Good:
1972 Ford 429 thunderjet from a Thunder Bird
540 lift comp cam and lifters
double roller timing chain
standard internals with ten thou over rings
D2VE shaved heads and matching edelbrock dual plane intake
factory powered by ford valve covers powdercoated semi gloss black, and oil pan
Carter performance 750cfm
DUI HEI distributor, 10mm wires
mustang headers, 3" aluminized primered and painted exhaust with thrush mufflers
custom frame rail engine mounts
aluminum radiator and electric race fan
1960s truck 4 speed with 12" dumptruck clutch setup
2.5 ton steering box from coe 54 f600
It will do burnouts through 4th gear, and the same for donuts. Its a hot rod with a big block, its been driven how it should be driven but take comfort in the fact that it was rarely driven. And has never been down due to breakage until the heater hoses melted (read below at bottom of description)
All new chrome handles, (not wing windows)
All new windows, except Ford windshield sourced from a Texas Junkyard
vintage gauge cluster uninstalled but cleaned and pointed and at one point installed in this truck and all gauges working properly
sending unit may have given up the ghost
$800 headliner unchopped top
t handle shifter knob
cd player with 1100watt amp box behind seat 3 8" subs and two 6x9s
two more 6x9s in rear cab corners and two 6" rounds in custom kick panels.
vintage bench seat, had a burlap seat cover on it in pictures but i recently just stole it for another truck.
rubber floor matt, battery mount under passenger side hidden floor door
2002 ford mirror with compass, not wired up but wires ran through drivers a pillar and to kick panel drivers side for wiring
Truck bed of proper vintage, 3/16" bed floor installed
roll pan in rear
ford logo blinkers and blue dot ford badge tail lights
split running boards (extremely rare?? never seen another set anywhere cab parts have pin holes in them)
shaved door handles, electric door poppers inside doors, hooked to viper remote and alarm system
unhooked up due to wires becoming pinched in door jams
windshield wipers worked before i removed the 12 to 6volt reducer... yeah probably fried the motor sorry, they havent worked since
front end has a junkyard rescued not perfect chrome 1956 grille, and lower valence
new blinker light metals and lenses etc
custom all steel tilt front end, held down with rubber hood pulls
1973 ford f250 camper special ford 9" rear end, limited slip with 3.55s as i remember (27,000 mile on that truck! rusted beyond repair from field sitting duty)
skyjacker shocks in rear
its hard to pin point where all the money goes but as any hot rodder knows, its in there! I have $14,000 in receipts!!
The Not Good
It is drivable does start and run currently, but i have refused to drive it or start it again since diagnosing, story immediately below:
Around September 2012 I was driving it home from work down the highway, the heater hoses bolted to the unsecured passenger inner-fender-well worked its way to melt the hoses against the header. The coolant sprayed out over a ten mile stretch of highway unbeknownst to me and the engine was very hot and nearly out of coolant in the aluminum radiator by the time i reached my driveway. It is my honest diagnosis that one or both head gaskets have been blown (no coolant in oil) OR the piston rings in 3 cylinders have broke?
The chassis of the truck was a 1954 F-250 Long box. It is titled as such, prev owner chopped the frame straight and side by side (incorrect should have been Z cut and staggered for strength) but it was plate boxed on the inside with hideous stick welds. It has thoroughly been tested with torque and driving over 5 ish years and holds strong however-
they couldnt measure and the rear wheels are 2 inches off center towards the rear.
At first it had a small block chevy in it. Front leaf springs were removed to lower the stance a bit. I hated having a chevy in my ford so I aquired and completely rebuilt a 1972 429cui thunder-jet engine. Which after a week of driving sat the truck on the bump stops, New shocks raised the truck off the bumps, barely. It rides like hell. May as well have hydraulics in it.
Oil pan was just barely notched for custom drag link clearance, engine is set very low in the chassis for handling... riiiight. Drop axle, 4 wheel drums rebuilt. manual brakes manual steering
1973 ford camper special ford 9" rear end. Its too wide and it has the rims i ordered with proper offset for a 1970 ford 8.8" which i did away with. So on top of the axle being too wide for the truck it also has very negative offset rims which makes for quite the...1960s gasser look.
tires on all 4 corners are cracked and junk. but have been driven on above 100mph regularly. (at least you know the truck is capable of such feats)
Its a good project. I am not desperate to sell, many have told me not to even try as I will regret selling it if I do. I have two other vehicles my dad helped me work on and attain and they mean as much to me. I think I can let this one go to a good home, hopefully another father and son.
On Jan-22-13 at 22:30:10 PST, seller added the following information:Soo much stuff to list you cant get it all the first time.
all exterior bolts on engine and much of the entire truck are caphead stainless steel bolts $$$ really adds up around $300-$400
all new U joints
All new bearings for wheels
all drum brakes completely rebuilt with Napa Gold Parts
all new fuel Lines
holley blue fuel pump and regulator
drag racing power disconnect switch
gm one wire alternator
bosch iridium plugs
rear steel roll pan
drag racing blade fuse box
male spade distribution blocks for hot leads
4 point Simpson Racing 3"wide black
blue interior lights
custom glove box
pioneer stereo mp3 cd player
still has functioning heater and manual lever operated pop up air vent scoop VERY COOL!
rear window is tinted with white ford logo centered with no tint
have a couple boxes of orig pitted door handles badges etc
hood top center body line has been extended down the hood
fenders welded and reinforced to hood, nose tilts on modified factory core support
front end is easily removed through pinned tube and bar setup, two people can remove and set on ground
all frontal wires easily disconnect at distribution block mounted to front end
new headlights
all new weather seals and door rebuild kits installed
locking fuel cap
fuel tank factory- cleaned and resealed, factory mounted under drivers floor- 13 gallon?
brand new visors and visor mounts
stainless steel hex bolts installed in door latches (Philips SUCK!)
the door glass and rear is the slightly tinted version, the laminate between the glass is tinted
all new window seals
custom driveline
never been drag raced at a drag strip
On Jan-22-13 at 22:42:52 PST, seller added the following information:I forgot all about the body!
It was completely sandblasted and washed and primered in PPG DP40 Hotrod Black primer
Sheet metal work was hammer and dollied, aligned
NO CANCER on truck with exception of a hole in the Drivers rear lower cab corner which was cut out and fiberglassed.
front of the rear fenders were patched as it is a common cancer spot for these trucks as its where the running board bolts to
headlight assembly chrome grille is welded to inner core support backing
zero frame rail interference when hood is tilted up, it lifts up and away from frame, single pivot with cam effect for hinge which is 3/4" solid steel rod with tubing
front most frame cross member notched and boxed for large tall radiator but was replaced with better aluminum two core and electric fans on keyed hot power
1973 ford f-100 pickup base 6.4l no reserve!!!!!
Excellent ford pick-up for restoration
1970 f-100 custom short bed no reserve!!!!
1974 f100 short bed
1957 ford f100 pick-up resto-mod
1973 ford f100 rolling chassis 351c, 4spd, 9in, no reserve