EBEARS 53 f100 build

EBEAR

EBEAR

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
So build threads and documenting are not my strong points so I will fumble through the last 5+ years of actual off and on progress . I purchased my truck out of Washington State as an unfinished project with a c4 corvette front and rear installed using a Flat out kit . It had a 85 vette engine and 700r4 mounted but no accessories or wiring . It came with a reasonable low buck body - paint job which of course with me being an autobody guy will have to go . The original intention was a budget build using salvage parts and imagination . Thanks to my good friends on FTE with all their great ideas and my changing vision it is no longer anything that will fall into a budget build category . My as bought pics were lost to a laptop meltdown so I will start where I can .
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Some of the differences in posting on this site are causing me some grief ( don't know why I got 2 pics ) but I'll figure it out . This is the truck as purchased but without the shipper damaged hood and the miss matched steel wheel and tire combo . As I was still using the vette driveline and had none of the accessories I purchased a total loss 92 vette for all the missing parts . The vette had a second gen lt1 and a 6 sp ( probably should have stayed that direction or at least kept it for another project ) but by this time I was putting a ford in a ford and I did get pretty good money for them . So I built a 408 stroker roller cam aluminum head sbf with an AOD . Budget built gone .
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So next up was to test fit an engine-trans and make mounts . The AOD came from a crown vic with a 302 so knowing it was the same block only a little higher deck it should be good to fit things so I made my engine-trans mounts This turned out to be a huge mistake which I will discuss later . When setting engine - pinion angle I found the po had 0 pinion angle so some remanufacturing to get some angle . As I was still sort of budget I decided to make the brand new rad that came in the engine donor truck work . One of the things to be used from the parts vette was the braking system but in order the get a decent pedal placement and have a factory angle on the booster I had to make an angled plate on the firewall . One bonus was the parts vette had a PBR brake kit . Left is stock 85 vette . 85 to 92 are different spindles so a $50 dollar mount kit fixed that .
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So after setting the engine trans in , getting a decent pinion trans angle and making mounts it was time to find the placement for the booster , pedal and steering column . I knew that the deck height and width of the 351w is bigger than the 302 so I allowed for it . After finding the placement for the booster-pedal I marked and cut 3 sides of the mount area leaving the top intact so I could bend the resulting flap out at the bottom to get the vette booster at the proper angle . The previous engine pic shows a bit of the firewall mod for the booster . The pedal pic shows the pedal too low to be adjusted later but in a comfortable position . Test fit seats , pedals and column .
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They are out of a 2000 ford windstar van and were the right height , I also wanted to be able to sit a third person and have cupholders - storage so the center is out of a ford taurus . It's cloth not leather but identical color so I think I can live with it .
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The seats look like they belong in there. Just got to do the shoulder belts
 
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The shortblock came back from the machine shop with the rotating assembly installed and I proceeded to assemble the rest of the engine . This is were things went bad . When attempting to install my freshly painted 302 oil pan I discovered that this is not interchangable . No big deal right ? Well yes and the first of a related cascade of problems . 351 oil pan is 1 3/4 inches deeper and because of the already limited room over the front crossmember ( corvette rack sits on top ) I had made the engine mounts as low as possible . Is this an absolute disaster ? I didn't think so YET . So lets remake the engine mounts , oops rear of trans needs to come up the same to keep the driveshaft angle . Well now we have real issues . When I got the truck it was barely bolted together just to sell and had a huge stack of washers under the front cab mounts which I wrongly assumed was because he didn't have the proper bushings . As it turns out now the engine - trans don't clear the firewall . Now out comes the cutting tools and make some room to see what kind of mods to the firewall are needed . Wow wouldn't you know it . With the engine coming up and the cab going down my brake booster now hits the engine . This can't be moved a little because of the steering column . It needs to move about 6" to the other side of the column . Now the brake pedal is off in space . Pics of the firewall mod , new booster mounting plate and some of the mods to the brake pedal to get things into a usable place .IMG_0690.JPGIMG_0825.JPGIMG_0743.JPGIMG_0747.JPG
 
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Yes this was a few years ago now but as I progress you guys may notice that allot of my fabrication is left a little unfinished because of my having to redo so much . I will fine tune them when I'm sure they are right .
 
I can relate to all the headaches this is causing you.

In a previous build of a 56 F100, I dropped a 429 into it, supposedly lots of room somewhat. Went low like yourself.
Even with a rear sump, still had to notch the front of the pan plus take some out of the top of the crossmember for clearance.
Decided to keep the brake booster under the floor boards as I deducted there would not be any clearance to the engine and would cause a few more headaches. It kept the engine bay simpler.
 
I guess I should elaborate a little . As Rusty Olds mentioned time to sit back , but in reality I seriously contemplated selling the whole thing off . Knowing that I would certainly be out a huge amount of $ I was at a point of not really caring . But as they say time is a great healer . The biggest thing was this was not a " hey I want one of those " I have wanted one of these trucks since my early teens and realized that at some point in time there was probably going to be one in the yard . So after a lengthy hiatus on we go .
 
Been there done that lol. Rusty's advise is wise.
I learnt along time ago ,when things get tough and overwhelming its time to stop and do something else.
A solution always comes up with a different approach to the problem with a fresh pair of eyes.
Project looks good (y)
 
I walked away from my Brit hot rod project several times. It tested my ability, my patience, my marriage and bank account. Not necessarily in that order.
 
This game we play is really just an endless series of problems to be solved. I'll sleep on them and often in a semi-conscious state will find some possible solutions. So don't be afraid to take some time out in these situations. John Cleese has written some good articles on creative thinking that highlight this process.
 
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