Project ' 56/Looking For Suggestions

[Mad Jack]

I have a ' 56 F100 Panel Truck, and want to bag it. I' m getting my ducks in a row here, meaning I' m not ready to start buying yet, just looking at the different possibilities. This will be a shop/support truck, so I don' t need anything super fancy, just something to get her down in the weeds, and also to level the load when I' m hauling engines and other various parts.
The truck has had the suspension modified already, with a Camaro front clip. It has a 9" rear end in it already, but I plan on building a new one, just so I know for sure what' s in there.
Currently, it' s got a small block Chevy with a 700R-4 behind the motor. This will eventually be replaced with a blown 348 Chevy and a manual trans. The reason I mention this is because of the weight difference between the two motors.
Anyway, I just was looking for suggestions...

Thanks in Advance

[darren@ridetech.com]

Jack, sounds like a pretty wicked project. I' d love to see some pics when it' s finished, I love panel trucks.

Up front you could use our CoolRide kit. It' s bolt-on except for the upper shock mount. The Shockwave would work great as well, but they cost a little more.

In the rear are you going to use the leafs or 4 link it?

[Mad Jack]

Thanks for the reply, Darren. Sorry I didn' t write back sooner, but I' ve been working furiously on my truck. Also, for whatever reason, I didn' t get an email alert that someone had responded.
I ended up going with the Air Four Link kit, and have the brackets and bars installed on the truck. I' ve just welded the brackets on the new 9" rear, and have run into a snag. The bolt-on 9" panhard bar bracket (that goes on the pumpkin) doesn' t fit any of the studs on the housing. It appears that the holes in the bracket are about 1/8" off of where they' re supposed to be. I have a couple of bare housings lying around, and tried the bracket on them, and it doesn' t fit them, either. I' d re-drill them, but I fear that I would substantially weaken the bracket. Should I ditch it, and fabricate a weld on bracket, before the rear goes off to the powder coater' s?
By the way, I decided to spring for the big deal Shockwaves front and rear. I' ll probably wind up using the Big Red stuff as well.

[darren@ridetech.com]

Jack, go to this link and click on PAN1001 and make sure your bracket looks like this. As far as I know all Ford 8 & 9" bolt patterns are the same, and we have never had this problem before.
http://www.ridetech.com/productinfo/air4link_parallel.asp

[Mad Jack]

Hi Darren.

Yep, that' s the one. I can elongate the holes with my Bridgeport. Actually, it looks like I only have to elongate one of the holes. I wish there was a pic of the bracket installed somewhere. If there is, I can' t find it.

[darren@ridetech.com]

Whoa, don' t do that yet!! Are you mounting it to the bearing support (ya know the 4 bolt hole out by the drive shaft) or the or the bolts holding the 3rd member in. It goes on two of those 4 bolts.

[Mad Jack]

Thanks for the call, Darren!!! It all makes sense now...

[Mad Jack]

Hey Darren,

Here' s a pic of my truck. At least, that' s how it' s looked ever since I bought it in ' 95. I' m hoping to have paint on it by the end of the summer.

http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/99ef0d4d/bc/Yahoo!+Photo+Album/1956+Ford+Panel+Truck.jpg?pfO74A_AaV24K36_

[darren@ridetech.com]

Jack, Yahoo won' t let me access that page, even when I am logged on.

[Mad Jack]

Send me your email addy. Mine is madjack6@ix.netcom.com

By the way, what would you recommend for hard line in the system, as far as size and material?

[Mad Jack]

Darren,

Long time, no post (issue with Norton Internet Security). Quick question: What angle should the rear shocks be at ride height? I don' t have any upper mounts at the moment, so anything' s possible.

Speaking of upper mounts, is there a part number for the mounts that come with the billet Shockwave lower rear brackets? I' ve already got those mounts, I just want the studs for the top.

The install went fairly smooth, except for two things. 1) One of the four link bars wasn' t threaded deep enough, so I had to get a tap to add a couple of threads. 2) I didn' t recieve an instruction sheet with my kit, so I had to rely on the on-line article, which states that the weld-on brackets for the rear end for my application (1956 Ford F100)were to be centered at an outside to outside measurement of 42" . I found this to be too far apart by 2" , 1" per side. Once I got these two small issues squared away, the install went right along.

So I' ve got the rear in, and the front is setting on it' s bump stops. I' m still putting the gas tank in, so it' ll be a bit longer before I can set the whole truck down, especially since I' m also welding up a bunch of " extra" holes in the rear of the frame. It' s looking like I' m going to have to use a set of tubular, narrowed control arms from Fat Man, for looks and for fender clearance. I also discovered some rot in the front lower cowls. I already had the patch panels, just in case. Unfortunately, it doesn' t look like I' ll be getting to paint any time soon.

[darren@ridetech.com]

Jack,
Normally we will mount the shocks at a 15-20 deg. angle. This will give you extra travel, and will soften up the shock a little. Those studs are part # S0001.
It' s good to hear everthing is coming along. Sorry about the shallow threads, thats not common. Keep us posted.
Later Darren

[Mad Jack]

I figured that the threads were just a minor mistake, as the other bars were all threaded deep enough and fit perfectly.

As an amateur fabricator, getting the tap was a non-issue (always want more tools!!), plus I would' ve needed it anyway. The panhard bar was way long, because my frame is boxed and notched right where the bar was mounted. So I had to cut about five inches off of it, and obviously had to re-thread the inside.

15-20 degrees, got it, thanks!!!