Newbie; '63 unibody

fordpickupman1963 · Post by **fordpickupman1963** » August 24, 2009, 3:53 am

I have a project I've had since I was 16, finally got it running reliably, but I have several questions. It's a big-back window truck btw. The handling is hard to describe, but any straight axle folks should know what I mean... It is smooth as long as the road is nice, but any major potholes; burms, etc, and even making a curve it feels like it is going to roll over, and keeping it straight in a work zone when they narrow the lane, is a pain in the rear.

How much help is putting in rear/front anti-sway bars, any advice, where I can get one, what I could modify or bolt in to work? I also am toying with the idea of lowering, and I saw one of you guys actually put the front axle on the leafs, I'm interested in that. Your site is friggin addicting! I actually have plans similar to Greg D's truck, being it's the same color and all, but don't wanta carbon copy it, just old school.

Steering/handling/ lowering questions aside I also have rear end questions. I am pretty sure I have a 9 inch rear axle, but the tag is gone, the door tag says the axle is a 13, whatever that is. But I can't be sure it wasn't swapped out sometime. I'm toying on changing the gear setup (if it's not there yet) to 3:50s, since my uncle's got a set and because I've been looking at fordsix.com's forum (also bad... I'll never get off the computer to get the truck and mustang done!!!) and it seemed those guys could get like 70 or more mph and 23 to 18 mpg. But it gets difficult to determine things since I don't know their elevation (I'm at about 5-6,000 ft.) and other factors, and some members have their motors (223s) in passenger cars.

I have a 223 with the 3 speed manual. It seems there's a huge gap between 2nd and third so I feel I gotta rev it high to get it not to bog down once I get it in 3rd, but I've heard the members there say that motor shouldn't rev much. Don't have a tach yet, but it's on my list if I am planning to rod that motor, gotta know what's going on! I got a 2bbl-4bbl intake and headers coming from Clifford, thought if the motor runs it would be cheaper to just get it to run at a comfortable 70-75 mph (maybe a pipe-dream) so I could put it on the interstate and visit my sis in Denver than to all out build a 289 or 302 (but my plans will put that one someday, right now it's on the backburner since my Mustang has a 200 that's good enough for now, but not original to the car). And I could keep it the original motor that way.

Has anyone used that setup on a 223? What was the difference like? What carb should I use? Right now the motor is running about 110-120 ibs compression on each cylinder. I've also switched to a petronix unit, I've heard mixed things, but aside from not getting the distance setting right on the first one and destroying it, the replacement one I got has worked awesome so far. It's hard to find mileage since I'm lazy and the guage broke, I fixed it with a unit from Dennis Carpenter, but after about 3 months it quit. I need to take it out to see if it's an electrical thing or if the float is bad. Alright, but roughly it gets about 15 mpg, and gets a top speed of 60 going down a hill, about 45 going up it, though it does seem that I am still maintaining speed better than cars (yeah torque) and there are things that make me wonder if my speed gauge is off or if it's just that the motor has such different characteristics than the modern motors on the road!

One guy on the fordsix site did a long trip in a slick with a similar result, 60-65 top speed with 16 mpg; and he had 4:11 or 4:56 gears. Others (though some had t-5 swaps) got like 23 mpg and got better top speeds with 3:70s or 3:50s etc. I don't know much about rear-end ratios, but I assume with the smaller numerical gears (is that a tall gear ratio? I get confused) it seems that you would loose towing power but get more off the line or top speed power? I'm only planning to use mine enough to fill the bed to move myself if I had to, (not like I need a truck, my Dad's got 3 and my uncle's got 11 and counting... OK, so half of those run.) but yeah, a couch might be the heaviest thing it'd carry, it's a half-ton for crying out loud!

Also, anyone have pics, ideas for C-notching? How much does all that lowering affect the ability to haul something like the crap you'd have in an apartment. I don't plan on hauling trailers with it you know!

Any ideas, comments, tech info etc would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you explain to me how to insert a digital pic from my computer onto the forum since I don't have a website, that would be appreciated.
-Jake

36truck · Post by **36truck** » August 24, 2009, 8:42 am

from Michigan. There's guys here that can help you with your 223 6cyl.

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » August 24, 2009, 9:12 am

from Louisiana
As far as pics go, I would recommend getting a Photobucket account (it's free) then you can show pics on the site by copying the IMG code under the share tab (after you've created your album) and then pasting it into the body of the diary.
I have a 63 Uni Long bed with a Y-block and a 223 "6" in my 64 Short Bed. The Clifford add-ons should help a lot.
If you're going to be doing a lot of freeway driving you might consider a T-5 from a Mustang. Not cheap, but a pretty easy swap and you get an overdrive. John Mummert ( http://www.ford-y-block.com/truckt5.htm ) can modify your bell for $250 and then you only have the cost of the T-5 to come up with LOL. Probably looking at $1,000 to $1,200 total, but as I understand it, makes a nice road combo. Several members have done it or have the project pending.

Falcon Interceptor · Post by **Falcon Interceptor** » August 24, 2009, 9:44 am

That's not mine but I saved some sway bar pics. click the link for a bigger shot

http://fordtruk.com/forums/album_pic.ph ... er_id=1756

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » August 24, 2009, 10:20 am

dusty54F100: Do you have the "how to" info to go with the pics?

Falcon Interceptor · Post by **Falcon Interceptor** » August 24, 2009, 11:59 am

Knew I should. Those pictures are an 93-94 Explorer 2wd sway bar.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery ... umid=17419
This looks cleaner than the bronco 2 in my opinion, but the bronco sway bar could probably be used and mounted like the above link describes.

I did a little search and came up with this about a bronco 2
http://fordtruk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1410[/b]

Bronco II 4x4 front sway bar
rear offset sway bar links from a big Bronco or F-250

And a disc brake how to just because
http://fordtruk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2647

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » August 24, 2009, 12:02 pm

Yeah, Uncle Skip's method (bronco 2 bar) is the one I did. Worked out good.

JFCDeuce · Post by **JFCDeuce** » August 24, 2009, 2:11 pm

Gritsngumbo wrote:Yeah, Uncle Skip's method (bronco 2 bar) is the one I did. Worked out good.

When I was running my straight axle Skip helped me through this set up, and it worked great, it really tightened up the front end a lot and eliminated a lot of sway. I'll add pics when I find them.

Also the T-5 Swap is definetly a good one, and you could probably get away with a 4-Cyl mustang t-5 behind a 223, even with a 4bbl and headers. If you're not abusing it it's gonna hold up. I actually drilled my own bell housing out to match the t-5 pattern... if I had access to a TIG, i could have really cleaned it up... (the biggest issue is centering the smaller flange bearing case in the large opening... (some 1/8 inch alluminum and some metal tape made it pretty close, I never felt a wobble or any noise from the input shaft)

Mine was aslo running 3x1, ana a split exhaust, and a 5.0 T-5, the .67 OD was a bit of a bear, even with with the stock 3.89 rear. I had to be at about 80 to get the power in 5th,

(I wont vouch for mileage with that set up, but it was bad (3x1 carbs with tight springs were "all on/all off") And the qay I drive that got about 10mpg around town..
Stock was always 12-16MPG, (4 speed t-98a, granny tranny)
But again driving stlye changed a bit, and certainly the drivability improves with the t-5

Your #13 rear-end should be a 4:11 if the (John's F-100 cataloge info is correct)

don morris II · Post by **don morris II** » August 24, 2009, 8:23 pm

from michigan

Post by **Greg D** » August 24, 2009, 9:32 pm

Welcome to Slick 60s.
I'm kind of flattered but I am guessing you may want your truck nicer than mine, lol.

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » August 26, 2009, 8:15 am

Welcome from West Virginia.... your in the right place for help. a bunch of great guys and gals lurk in the darkness here...... Anthony

fordpickupman1963 · September 11, 2009, 6:15 pm

thanks for the info on how to post pics, here are a few, I'll have more as my progress goes on, but I ain't rich and I got a mustang to finish too.
-Jake

fordpickupman1963 · September 11, 2009, 6:16 pm

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » September 11, 2009, 7:22 pm

O.K. pictures. Go to your photobucket account and scroll across one of your pics. A list will come up below it. Scroll down to the IMG box (should be the bottom) and left click to highlight the code, then right click and "copy". Go back to your Slick 60,s page and right click and "paste" in your post. Hope this helps..... Anthony

should come up like this....

Newbie; '63 unibody

Newbie; '63 unibody

new pics!