I'm new here and caught the F100 bug ! I'll start with a general question, what are the pros and cons between the two years?
I'm looking for a father/son project and wanted to know if one is more desirable than the other. In the long run, I would like a short bed, lowered, and big block. Nothing really extreme when it comes to suspension, IFS is not in the budget.
I found two trucks, one a 64 and the other 65. The body on the 64 is nice and straight, 302, and good stance (not sure what was used to lower it). The 65 has a 460, dream beams and shackles, need minor body work.
I personally like the front end of the 65 and it has majority details I'm interested in doing but, I'm drawn to the 64 because i believe I can get a good deal.
I vote '65/'66, but for practical reasons mostly.
Ford introduced the Twin I-beams in '65, which means the following:
1. Nothing in the '64 and earlier, straight front axle trucks interchanges with '65 and later, except for a few minor parts, such as front fenders. Ford changed nearly everything, including the frame, cab, engines, steering and suspensions. This makes alterations and upgrades more difficult and expensive.
2. However, Ford used the same design dimensions for F-100/F-250 trucks all the way up to '79, so that parts. This makes retrofitting many safety and creature comfort improvements up to '79 into our trucks quite easy, and many are almost straightforward bolt-up operations. These include power disc brakes, power steering, sway bars and many other options.
3. The same is not true for the '64 and earlier straight axle trucks, at least as far as retrofitting later factory upgrades goes.
Be careful when looking a trucks or parts, to ensure compatibility. All the '61 - '66 trucks look very much the same, but as I have noted, there are significant differences after '64.
Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good guys and gals here that like the straight axle trucks, and who know how to do fabricating, but I have very limited fabrication skills, so I look for the easier solutions.
Also note that these points apply only the the 2 wheel drive trucks. '65 and '66 4x4 trucks are a breed of their own, with some characteristics of the straight axle trucks, and some of the Twin I-beam trucks, so be sure to pin down the differences before spending time and money on solutions that may not work right.
Hope this helps.
i break it down like this....
61-64 have the better roof line imo and i always do a frontend swap ( i dont like the twin ibeam or the solid axle, both are equally bad imo)
the straight axle trucks are a bit easier to do a frontend swap on also, to cut off and such
i do like the cab floor of a 65-66 more than the earlier ones
as long as its got the 64-66 "good" bed it'll look good
I'll go against the other guys here and say I like the straight axle. Simple basic. I have had no issues with getting parts. I read the father son part and that's why I write these things. I'm just partial to the 64. Obviously the newer truck you get it's going to have improvements in ride and handeling, etc. and selling points over previous models.
They are ALL great trucks, I recommend looking for the least rust and the lowest price. A truck with no engine interior and little rust is far ahead of a driver with a bunch of rust.
So good lookin' that I've attracted an international stalker.
I just saw you're in Nor=Cal, lots of good trucks up your way. Might check with Iceman, he's clearing out his stock and might have something that you could get shipped to you.
So good lookin' that I've attracted an international stalker.
i will not get another one like im workin on now, ever! i paid 335 bux for it but the rust is overwhelming and let me tell you the rust you see is only about half of whats there... these trucks were built on LAYERS!!!!
id buy a 1500 shell from out west and pay 750 to ship it way before id buy a 700 rust bucket.... lesson learned
I agree with the two previous comments. Doesn't matter to much to me of the year. I bought a rust bucket and will be replacing everything but the hood. It was cheap at the time, but not worth the time or money I could have saved if I'd a paid more attention to find something in better condition. Engines to me are easy to find. Its the rust free body thats the challenge regardless of which year you pick.
Thanks for the feedback and it’s greatly appreciated! I totally agree with all of you who mentioned about the 'rust', I don't mess with bodywork so having a good foundation to start with is on the top of my priority list. Both of these trucks I'm inquiring have very little rust perhaps surface rust, basically nothing cancerous but, I believe the 64' is probably better out of the two. I'll have to do a little more investigation underneath to know for sure.
Who is this "ICEMAN" that some of you speak of?
Please continue to provide any additional information, I'm new to the 'slick' seen but, not new to FORD classics (mustang).
What everyone else said with one additional comment. You can easily add a 65 or 66 grill to the 64 and older. I am using a 61 upper grill on my 66 (don't like the park/TS lights). I cut the extra upper mount tabs off another grill and added them to match the bolt patern of the 61 upper grill and after that it's a bolt in deal. I am using headlights with the TS bulb in the bottom. So, you can have the 64 with a 65 or 66 grill easy enough! Althoe my favorite truck is anything Ford with a 460! IMHO!
65vinyl,
Welcome! where exactly are you in nor cal? send me a p.m. and if you are close I can show you a crash corse on what to look for.
There are a whole lot more 65-66 trucks around, I see fewer 64s but I am partial to 61 unibodies. There are a lot of pros and cons but I can show you where to look for problems that might help make up your mind.
Hey Ice, I don't remember your hair being that pink!
John
One thing I didnt see mentioned is the break between the power plants. Up to 64 from 61 the V8 was a 292 cid commonly refered to as the Y block. 65-66 was the start of the FE or big block V8 in the F models. Cid started at 352,360,390,428 these were available up throught the mid 70s and are all very interchangeable. I have read and heard that the Y blocks can be a little harder and more costly to rebuild. My personal preferance is the FE or big block as there are still alot of parts and blocks around to get rebuilt and interchange. They can be fuel thirsty but produce alot of torque and HP if set up properly. Not to say that the Y block cant do that to. I have a 63 that came with the 292 V8 that out of personal preference will be replacing with a 360 big upstroked to a 390. Other pre 65 owners and members of this group have also add various cid ford motors to these trucks pre 65 and post 65 and Im guessing as I have not done it myself but it looks to be a little easier to put various ford small and intermedate size motors into the 65-66. Maybe others that have done these changes can chime in and let you know what you might be in for if not staying with what you truck comes stock with for a motor. Welcome and good luck with it and enjoy whichever year slick you get.
Edit I went back an reread your original post and it looks like both of the trucks you are looking at have had motors put into them that did not come as a factory installed motor. I would look over closely as to how those motors were installed. If you have limited knowledge of how these are done I would try to have someone with you to take a look at how these motors and transmissions where installed if you can. If you buy one that was cobbled in and not fabbed in neat and trim you could be in for alot of headaches. Again I have not experienced what I call a butcher job myself but I have seen plenty of pix of said jobs and talked to a few who have bought someone elses problems so beware. Not trying to scare you off from the trucks just be aware.
Both early and late trucks have individual issues. Main problems with 64 and earlier, in my opinion, are the steering box and front brakes. Brakes are not to hard to cure, but steering is another issue entirely. You have a young son who will I expect be driving this truck. After setting for a while staright axle trucks tend to be squirely when you first hit the brakes, if stock. The steering is harder becasue of the small inadequate steering box. I taaught my grandson to drive in my stock 64, made him a better driver for it. I think all kids nowdays need this kind of teaching. Makes them have a better understanding of driving. You had to drive those old straight axle trucks, and be ready for sudden unexpected movements. Other than the steering and brake problems, I prefer the straight axle truck for driving. I prefer athe 65and up for ease of driving. Otherwise, I would not put a fresh young person in a high powered vehicle without some on hands training reagardless of which truck you decide on. He's a young male knothead, no matter how good or how bright . At that age you get into trouble easily. Comes with the territory.
Good luck,
Rich
1961 F350
1964 Galaxie convertable
1964 flairside, style side, and longbed
1965 Ranger, and shortbed
1966 long bed, and shortbed
A few parts trucks also
1991 Capri
2011 F250
2004 Lexus
not many of those "issues" for me to concern myself with
my thing is not 61-64 or 65/66 but 2 or 4wd.
since there is only one different 4x4 in the bunch (the 66 f100 4x4) and pretty much everything is interchangeable between the rest- i have a 292 in my 66 f250 4x4 and its hard to tell its not a factory item- i have it easy.
i collect 2wd trucks to sell parts from to get $ for the 4x4s
1966 F250 4x4
1964 Rambler Ambassador 990
Rest in peace departed Slick family members
Cam Milam
Lesley Ferguson
Steve Lopes
John Sutton
Being a long time owner/builder of these truck with and for my daughters I'll drop me 2 cents in. 65/6 definately offer the best in swap-ability parts and ease of finding them. Steering and brakes being the main issue. My youngest drives a 64 short with a 302/AOD and no power steering cause I feel too many creature comforts right away takes away from the basic lesson....nothing comes easy with out some effort. All kids want to have the cool hot ride,just like mine did. But untill they bust some knuckles and learn to deal with the frustration of really building something they won't appreciate and take care of it. My girls were asked by many young guys if they could drive their trucks... the girls would laugh ,thank them for the compliment and say NO. They earned their pride in their ride/
64 F-250 4x4 391 FT
66 F-100 4x4 352 FE
64 shortie 302/AOD
Greg,
From what I have read I am pretty sure he is looking to buy a swb. and I am keeping those.
It has been said here before, none of these trucks came with drunken monkey steering. A modern truck would be in pieces way before it took the abuse these old girls take.
I am pretty sure all of my front I beams went a good long while without king pin replacement if ever.
Either way, I have pm'd 65 vinyl mambe we can geat together and I can show him some rot spots, and things to look out for.
John
! I'll start with a general question, what are the pros and cons between the two years? 
