Been a while since I was on slick 60's, but my truck has caught my interest again so I'm back. Figured I should reintroduce myself and say hi, etc.
I'm Cal. I've got a 1962 F100 4x4 I've had about 15 years now - half my life. I was slowly working towards an 'original' buildup on it, but time and interest have had me abandon that and I'm going for a more modern buildup. Currently am mid swap on a pair of axles from a 79 f250 4x4, to be followed by a 289/cruise-o-matic donated from a 63 galaxie (not the best doner, but the parts literally fell into my lap) and crossmembers from f100.com.
Later down the road, I'll do a 351FI/aod/np208 out of a bronco, and build up some sort of power steering.
They do! The passenger side latch is a little pissy, sometimes I have to close the door 2-3 times to get it to latch, but they don't come open. Mechanically the truck is in really good shape, its missing a lot of the original interior parts but runs like a champ.
It is original as it sits, other than the wheels and tires. It was missing most of the emblems, so I just removed them all.
'62 F100 shortbed uni 4x4, 223, t98a, spicer model 24 transfercase. 28 spline 9" rear, low pinion closed knuckle dana 44 front.
I've swapped out the rear end for a full float 60 (the 9" housing cracked under the spring perch), and have disc brake high pinion 44 going under the front pretty soon. I'll swap in a 289/c4 pretty soon as I'm getting tired of no power on the highway (the 223 only has ~40k on it since rebuild, but i was never happy with it).
I haven't done anything with the frame or body mounts. There are some places on the body that show minor signs of fatigue from the offroading it has seen, but I don't do anything stupid with it - I have a jeep for that. The truck mostly gets used for longer camping trips and such, or wheeling trips that are just glorified fire roads.
Cal. Are you aware that there are only RUMOURS(none have been found) of a handful of Unibody 4x4's buit in '61, and none in '62 or '63? You mind posting up your VIN to see if we can figure out if it's a gennie? first numbers should be F11 if it's a 4x.
JC
It's a race.. Will hell freeze over or will JC finish his truck first. Stay tuned..
I won't be able to get to the VIN until this weekend, but I don't mind posting it. I keep the truck at my parents house 50 miles away (I don't live in the best neighborhood, and have limited parking on top of it).
I got the truck in 1992 from a family friend (collector) who claims to have bought the truck from the original owner in the mid 70's, although I have no way to authenticate that and don't have a way to contact the previous owner anymore. I've only seen three other unibody 4x4's, another 62, a 61, and one of unknown year that was either converted or a 250 (8 lug, dana 60's front and rear, but kingpin closed knuckle drum brake, so the front 60 was from the right era at least?).
Now you have me really curious. I'm having to stop myself from calling the insurance company to get a copy of the VIN from them now.
Even if it were a '61 4x4 it would be among the rarest of the rare. If it is a legit '62 it might be the only one in existence.. Ford scrapped the uni as a 4x4 real early in the program and went to the mis-matched box body style with them There's always been a standing joke around here and Ford Truck Enthusiasts that likens a 4x4 uni to a unicorn.
So prove them wrong! It was never say never with Ford, but I tell ya it would be super rare.
It's a race.. Will hell freeze over or will JC finish his truck first. Stay tuned..
Yeah I really want to know now. I've had people in the past tell me there was never a uni 4x4, but those same people threw out so much other info that I knew was bull that I wrote it off.
I've had several Napco enthusiests approach me thinking it was a Napco conversion, but as far as anyone has been able to tell, all of the napco's were passenger side drop with a model 23 transfercase, where mine is driverside drop with a model 24 - which was stock ford. The 4x4 shifter matches the shifter on the t98a in style and wear.. If this was converted, it was done very very early in its life. My interior was pretty shot when I got the truck, alot of the original switches are missing (if anyone wants to give me a great deal on them, i need the wipers and heater switches), but the shifters looked original and were in similar condition - so I never thought twice about them. I did a lot of mechanical and driveline work on the truck, but lost momentum before I got to the interior. A couple of years ago my dad had the seat re-done and sun visers to match, and now every time I look at it, the rest of the truck being incomplete bugs the snot out of me.
I'll try and get that VIN in the next couple days.
So I call my father, and ask him to go grab the VIN for me. He goes and gets it, and as he's reading it off asks why; so I tell him.
He responds "Oh, no, it was a dealer conversion. They told me that when I was picking it up for you.. didnt I ever tell you?"
Here's to 15 years of being in the dark. I guess maybe I assumed it was factory 4x4 as it wasn't a Napco Powerpak conversion. Dunno. Thats mildly dissapointing, but the only difference it makes to me is less guilt about pulling the original four wheel drive components off to upgrade.
If anyones interested in them, the front axle will be available in the next couple months and transfercase a few months after.
My 223 only has 40k miles on it since rebuild, but both before and after rebuild it sounds like its going to come apart at 3k. I've had it up to 3500 *maybe* five times, hauling loads uphill on the highway trying to get back into third gear.
Thats why its coming out in favour of a 289. That, and I'm tired of adjusting valves. And want more power.
Well, its still incredibly unique; I just wish I knew who did the conversion on it. Maybe its napco afterall? Maybe the parts were swapped from another 4x4 on the lot - or ordered special.
Cal,
I don't check the Western Region part of the site too often, after reading this I guess I should! What a cool truck. At least what your Dad says is probably as correct as I think documintation of 4wd Uni's could be. From what I've been able to gather, all of them that I saw were as your Dad says retro-fits at the dealer. Ford didn't even produce any factory 4wd Unibody photos. But since tha majority of the 1961 trucks in F100 especially were in Unibody form, that would pretty stand to reason since that was what the majority of what was out there. And the same with 62's like yours. If you need some interior/any other parts let me know, I'd be glad to help on what you need. And do you have the photos of the truck in your album?? Would it be possible to send me 2 direct, the one going down the hill in the desert, and the one of it all painted up in front of you house? Let me know when you get a chance I appreciate it.
not sure why i missed this when it was first posted.
very nice truck.
i would like to see underside pics.
would also like to know if the frame vin matched the body.
its fairly easy to drop a uni on a 61-66 4x4 frame so im wondering if thats what the dealer did.
only one it wont fit on is the 66 f100 4x4.
1966 F250 4x4 1964 Rambler Ambassador 990 Rest in peace departed Slick family members Cam Milam Lesley Ferguson Steve Lopes John Sutton
well i see after looking thru all your pics the way this was done.i can see the tcase mount is aftermarket not factory.i also notice the 2wd steering col/gearbox still in place.
adding the axles is easy on a leaf spring front, and the steering linkage on the 2wd and 4wd is the same.
all they did was add a front axle, tcase and lift blocks on the rear axle.
wish i had a real nice blueprint of that t case mount.
1966 F250 4x4 1964 Rambler Ambassador 990 Rest in peace departed Slick family members Cam Milam Lesley Ferguson Steve Lopes John Sutton
Geez, I don't know how I missed this thread either. Those crash pics are sure sad, but it looks like you've fixed it up nicely.
My "Slickitis" affliction began here...
66 F100 CC/65 F100 CC/66 F250 CC If it starts to rain, they'll tax the splash.
If you want to fish, they'll tax the bass.
If you plant a yard, they'll tax the grass.
If you don't play nice, they'll fine your *$#!
Somehow this thread has been updated several times and I wasn't notified.
I can get more pictures and measurements of that transfercase crossmember if you'd like. I should be at my parents (where I store the truck) Sunday, and I'll snap off a few photos of the interior as it sits. My other project (jeep) is coming to a head and its time to start working on the ford again.
