[Just moving the thread to the correct section. Please delete the 'workshop thread]

Well we finally bit the bullet and decided to do something about the GF's 2wd, LWB f100.

So we bought a SWB 4x4 donor.

Big plan. Hopfuly it all comes together without too many dramas.

New truck is a 77 4x4 short wheel base. Comes with a 351 and 4speed. It's alot more complete than the pics show since all the panels and rad support etc are out of camera.





The 302 2wd long wheel base she has now that we'll be using as the donor.



We're looking to do a small lift of the cab to fit he 33s, then i'll make up a tube flat tray for her. Something like these I think, but with some kind of rear wheel arch/mud flap setup.

(Stolen from Pirate)






If i can get it too look a bit like the red one in design she'll be a happy camper

Picks from the first depot as it sits now. Panels are in alot better condition that I imagined so I may just flatten and paint these instead of swapping the cab with the black LWB.

Hopefully the motor is as good as claimed. If so there is actually very little work to be done.

Can't wait to start attacking it.

Well a weekend's worth and it's about read to start recieving donor parts.

Striping the wiring, lines, hoses etc...


Passenger panel has no bog so it will be getting painted and used instead of the slightly repaired black one. Also the 4x4 trans cover to save from having to cut the xfer case lever hole out.


Sits level and the spings feel great, if a little ridged.


Not much worth saving in the interior unfortunatly.


The de-cabbing process. The PO just bolted the front guards on for transport so they didn't like being lifted too much lol. I couldn't bothered taking them all off for it just o be scrapped anyway.








It's going to sit there until I know that I don't need anything else from it.


Just before firing up the 351. Started instantly, no smoke or misses and sounds the goods.


Then we just spent a bit of time on the wire-wheels cleaning up the chasis abit before a coat of black.




Next up is to hang the exhaust and weld in a bit of chasis bracing. Then we start moving parts over from the black F100.

Well another weekends worth of work done.

Got the fuel tank cleaned up, painted and installed. Moved the good rear brakes from the LWB to the SWB. Then spent the rest of the arvo.night swapping the cab over.

A few things in the cab swap slowed me right down though. Since the steering setups are so different, I had to salvage the shafts and tube from the old cab. It took a while as all the bolts were rusted to buggery.

The second hickup came just as I was lowering the cab onto the 4x4 chasis, and I noticed there was section of heavy bracing in front for the crossmember that was going to prevent the radiator (and therefore the cab) from sitting where it was supposed to. A combination of raising the radiator slightly, an oxy (until it ran out) and a 9inch sorted it fairly quickly and the cab droped right on. It was a bit of a pain adjusting it the 45mm it need to line the bolt holes up but eventually it was all on and bolted up.

After hooking the 'new' steering column up and bolting it all in place I called it a night.

Some pics.

Not sure what I was doing here. I think i was removing the old hand brake.


Running the strap under the whole cab like this just wasn't working for us and wouldn't pick the rear of the cab up.


So it was back to the old wraping the roof style. No damage so it was all good.


Making it a family affair I decided that the GF's little brother should be the one to cut the big ass brace out.


...Then he got the shits and got his old man to hit it with the oxy lol. Much faster. Until it ran out and he had to go back to grinding lol


All down and bolted in.


Thanks it for the weekend. Now ill spend the arvos hooking stuff up and start on the tray.

Just a small update this arvo.

Decided that the 33s were a little too girly. So we have decided to lift the cab as originally planned and fit in some 35s.

This is the cab at the standard hight.


These are the lifting blocks we machined up for the lift. A little overkill but i wanted to play on the lathe


The GF spent the day cleaning up the cab. She got the floor all sanded and painted and fit the dash and speedo cable back up. The bench seat is prept and being sent to Darwin to be re-spung and upholstered.

Work has also begun on the tray. We have been given the bed off a retired landcruiser firefighting unit to use as a base.



All the important clearences and measurments are spot on. We just need to spend a bit of time clearing the bar work and tanks off, and make up a flare arrangment for the rear tires as the tray is a bit narrow for the 35s. Hopefully it turns out looking alright. If not, we scrap it and start from scratch as planned.

Body is lifted. And the front 35s are fitted up and fit great.



Finally starting to look like a 4x4.

Lookin better every post. Just wonderin how your going to go with the front of the front guard and your tire when it flexes, looks pretty close in the pic. I bet there is a heap of room there though.

_________________
Energy drinks dont give you energy, they just borrow it from the future!!!!!

Looking awesome mate!!!
No doubt i'll be down in a few weeks! At this rate we'll be takin her wheelin =P

Should have is starting, stoping and steering by friday night. Still got to wait for the seat to be done and maybe finish off the tray this weekend. Not long though. This 4x4 stuff is easy.

that is some very quick progress there, and a new paint job aswell!!

Nah mate. No paint yet. The cab is just straight off the LWB she had. I'll be waiting until the first major hit befor giving it a new coat.

the lights may be hiding the imperfections but looks pretty good condition in the last pic with the 35's

nah the body is about perfect. With the exception of the passenger front guard that has a bit of crows feet coming throught the paint due to some old bog. We have the replacment guard for that but no point in just spraying one panel.

this build is taking ages.

the lwb (where the cab came from) looked in amazing condition, a very handy swapover