Lil b gets a makeover

[indybama]

I bought lil b 12 yrs ago from a buddy/brother of mine, RIP Jr. Lil b is a 84 ford f150 4x4 short bed stepside, 351w, c6 auto. Had a 3 in body lift when i got him, n added a 2 n half suspension lift. He was somebodys ol mud truck before i got it. Definantly a northern truck, as youll see in pics.

2 yrs ago i bought a 00 f350 super duty for a donor truck. 5.4 triton, 5spd, 4x4. The guy i bought it from said it would just shut off goin down the road, which is the reason it was parked. Dang thing didnt have a straight panel on it lol. I finally got a chance to start on it about 3 or 4 months ago. Had the body off n engine/trans pulled in about 6 hrs. Thankfully the only rust on the frame is surface rust.

Today i got a chance to get started tearin lil b down. The whole reason for this build is the frame. I knew it was rotted when i bought him, but didnt realize it was this bad. Ive pulled logs with it as big as the truck, romped around in fields n down dirt roads, even drove it 500 miles from my home town in IN to where i live now in AL. Everybody keeps tellin me, "u just need to junk that truck", "its not worth puttin money into". Well...would u sell/get rid of one of your kids? Lil b is family n i cant let him go. Had a guy try to buy him a few yrs ago, even offered me 2 harleys, n i wouldnt take it.

Im stoked to get more progress done, now that ive finally got started again. Already have the wheels n tires for him too lol. Just so happened to win a giveaway on custom offsets with a $15 tshirt. Got a set of 22x12 fuel wheels n 37x13.5 gladiator m/t tires. They make the 33s on lil b look tiny lol.

Thanks for checkin out the build so far. More to come as i make progress. Got alot of body work to b done, engine rebuild, n possibly a 4 inch lift...

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[ScaleLifeNewbie]

Check back in when you get them X comps mounted and some miles on them, Im in need of some new tires for my truck and really like the look of the Gladiator X Comps.


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[twade984]

Check back in when you get them X comps mounted and some miles on them, Im in need of some new tires for my truck and really like the look of the Gladiator X Comps.


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I predict they will be loud and unruly [emoji23]

That’s going to be quite the upgrade in running gear for lil b!


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[indybama]

I cant wait! Got alot of work to do though

 

[smog]

She’s got loads of character. Wild to see 22in wheels on a rig of that vintage. The first vehicle I ever bought was a 1980 f150. Also had a 351. Loved that truck

 

[ScaleLifeNewbie]

I cant wait! Got alot of work to do though

I predict they will be loud and unruly [emoji23]

That’s going to be quite the upgrade in running gear for lil b!


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Yeah I don’t doubt it lol. I’ve heard that they are a lil quieter than Mud Grapplers.

I missed it last night, but That’s awesome you won that wheel/tire combo Indy! I bought a hat to be entered in that same giveaway [emoji23]


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[indybama]

Smog, i had an 80 f150 4x4 when i was in high school. Wish id never let it go. 300 inline 6, 4spd granny, sittin on 31x10.5s. She'd go anywhere. My dad bought it from a oil rig place, he drove it for yrs. I ended up buying it from him

SLN thanks brother! I couldnt believe i won. Dont get my hopes up to much on somethin like that.

Ive got a set of the comforcer 3000 tires on my 87 f250. Theyre m/t tires. They were a lil noisy at first n had a lil bounce to them. But after 3000ish miles, theyre broke in to road use n arent that loud n ride smooth. Not had a chance to try them in the mud yet though, well clay. All we have in this part of bama is red friggin clay smh

My plan was to work on lil b saturday, but my buddy twisted my arm into meetin him at cherokee rock village instead. Had a blast with the ar45 capra, gshot, n v3 phoenix. Got a couple vids posted on my yt n more to upload. Hopefully get more work done on lil b this week. So stay tuned for updates n thanks for stoppin in

 

[indybama]

Not alot to update on. I did get the bed bolted down for now. Plan is to get the cab ready to come off the original chassis tomorrow after work

 

[indybama]

Whew, im behind on update fellas. Been workin on lil b since wed, just a few hrs a day.

Wed i worked on gettin the cab unbolted and the wiring loose from the cab. I managed to get 2 bolts to come out, 3 of them i cut after pulling the cab off. Whoever had this truck before my buddy Jr, didnt know wat they were doin. The stock body mounts werent even there, they just put a 3" lift under it with washers to somewhat pinch the edges of the holes. So when i pulled it off, the washed folded over enuf to fit thru the holes. N cut the bolts off aterwards.

Thurs i jumped back on the cab. Got real luck too. The front body mount of the 84 cab matched the front mounts of the 00 chassis n the wheel wells matched perfectly. The rear cab mounts are a different story. Ended up using some 1/4" flat stock n welded it to the crossmember. It doesnt hang over much, so im not to worried about it bending over from the weight.

Ive got to snag the front core support mounts from the old frame. The ones on the chassis come up thru the frame n are to narrow. So i cut the bolts off n ill get the other mounts done next week. Im goina have to build a custom bumper too. But, i love to fab things up n make them my own design

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[indybama]

So heres progress from today. Lil b is officially a F350!

Got to the shop around 730-8 this mornin. Done some measuring, then some thinkin, more measuring, thought about it some more, re-re measured, dang my head hurts lol, n went for it.

I ended up taking out 20 1/2" of frame rail. Went with a Z cut, its said to be a stronger joint. I wanted to have a 6" horizontal cut, but was only able to get 3 1/2". But im happy with how it turned out. I beveled the inner edge before i rolled the two halves together n clamped them. It was a pain to see wat i was doin with two cross braces right above my head, but i fed the wire to her. Went back over the outside with the edge of the grinding wheel n made a groove. Ran the cheek poker thru them n made sure they were good n clean. Shoved some more wire in the outside of the frame. Ground both sides smooth n used the sections of frame i cut out, to make some fish plate.

Got the fish plates welded to the inside, wanted a clean look on the outside of the frame. Then cut another section from the old frame sections n boxed in that section of the frame. Didnt get pics of the box weld. I done some measuring before i final welded, n the frame is perfectly square. Probably couldnt do it again if i tried lol.

Then it was time for the moment of truth... Will the bed fit? I was a bit scared i cut to much. My measurements said take out 20 5/8", but i only done 20 1/2". Glad i did too. The 5/8" wouldve give me an inch between the cab n bed for error, ive got a perfect 1 1/8" all the way across. The rear tire sits dead center of the fender.

After i get the front core support mounts done, im pullin the body back off. I want to run the cheek poker over the entire frame n give it a good coat of paint. Then ill sit the engine n trans back in, run temporary exhaust, n put the body back on. The exhaust will be redone after i get my other 351w built, but more on that later on.

Get the body back on, itll be time for body work. Really wanna get new fenders for the bed, that spare tire divet looks gawdy. Well touch more on that when the time comes.

Thats it for now, thanks a ton for checkin it out. Watch for more updates

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[Thorsteenster]

Quite the project, making short work of it.
My $.02, if it were mine, I'd keep an eye out in JYs for an OE stepside.
Doesn't look like a aftermarket/retro fit jobber due to the spare indent, any idea what it's off of?

 

[ScaleLifeNewbie]

Doesn't look like a aftermarket/retro fit jobber due to the spare indent, any idea what it's off of?

It’s gotta be off of a 60s or mid 70s. I’d have to see more pictures but that’s my guess.

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[indybama]

Not sure what the bed came off of, it was like that when i bought it. But ive got a National Parts Depot catalog on the way for 50s to late 70s ford trucks. Likely end up buyin new fenders, being as the front edge of the wheel well was cut on these. I love the look of the stepside beds, but the 80s n 90s style, like thorsteenster showed, theyre too much imo.

Is that your truck thor? Hows the top of the bed rail, slanted or flat? Mine are at about a 45° slant, but after a cetain yr they made them flat

 

[Thorsteenster]

Ha, I wish! Sorry, just a pic from the good ole interwebs.
I love the early 80s Ford trucks, growing up pops had an 84 F250HD 4by with a 351W & T18. Man I loved driving that thing, wheeling that thing, and whatever else that thing.
I was pretty sure they were flat, and found another pic showing it.
https://i.redd.it/gq4crs64bjoz.jpg

 

[indybama]

Ok, i know its been awhile, but i made some progress. Wed i pulled the body back off lil b, used the cheek poker on it n threw some paint to the frame. Fri night i started on the engine n trans mounting, i cut the engine mounts out of the old chassis n had to do some hackin on the driver side mount n just a slight cut on the pass side. Unfortunantly, i didnt get pics of all that chaos.

The trans mount from the 00 bolted right up to my 84 trans, thankfully. I used the front driveshaft as a referance for distance, n the engine settled in perfectly level. Now keep in mind, this engine is for mockup only. When tax check gets here, im building the spare 351w i have on the stand.

Today, saturday, i got to work mocking up the ps pump n alt. I kept the ps pump that was already on the 00 chassis. The water pump pulley for the 86 351w has a V belt notch n a serpintine belt notch. So i used a chunck of the frame i cut out n made a mount for the ps pump, just wish i couldve turned the mount the other way. But if id turned it the other direction, i wouldnt have been able to make a mount to adjust belt tension.

I started to mock up exhaust too, but the pipe is 3" n the manifolds are 2.5". So il have to wait until i order a set of shorty headers. Im leanin towards some flowmaster 40 series or some 2 chamber flowmonsters. But ive heard some dynomax that sound good too. Ill be runnin true duals n angle them out the corners of the bed.

Thats all ive got for now, but hope to have another update in the next few weeks. Plan is to get all the parts i need to build the engine. Thanks for checkin back in

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[indybama]

Still waitin on engine parts n yet to tear it down to have the heads resurfaced n new pistons put on the rods. But... My curiousity got the better of me today smh. I got new bolts to use for boltin the body on, which the cab got put back on today. And, well, i couldnt wait any longer, i had to get a visual. Ill have the bed back on by the weekend.

But heres the latest so far....

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[AK KRAWLER]

I understand the “not being able to wait” thing. It gets me all the time.

The last couple days, I had been wondering how things were going along on this, then BAMMMM.

Looks awesome, keep up the killer work.

 

[indybama]

Thanks AK! Got a few small things i can get done here n there. May get to tearin the engine down this weekend. Rear driveshaft needs shortened, brake lines n proportioning valve, fuel tank, wiring. Gotta cut the rear bumper off the old chassis, n get some steel plate n design a front bumper too. So much to do n not enuf money to do it as quick as i want lol

 

[indybama]

Figured id give a lil update, its been a bit. Havent got much done on lil b. Home fixes have takin priority. But im fixin to make another parts purchase soon. Im goina run an electric fuel pump, rather than the stock manual pump. Most of wat im fixin to order is plumbing parts. Fuel pump, inline fuel filter, 10an n 6 an fittings, colored vaccum line.

Ill post pics when new parts come in. Ive still got to get the fuel cell mounted n the bed, then ill build the bed floor around it

 

[indybama]

Finally got a chance to work on lil b a bit today. Been workin on the house, so he got put on the back burner. Didnt get alot done, but its progress.

Ripped the rotted bed floor out n the metal strips that hold it down. Yes, thats a stop sign post bein used as a cross brace for the bed. Went out in the junk pile n found some 3"x1/4" flat steel to make some mounting straps for the fuel cell. Ended up having to male some risers for them, they were right up against the shock bolts. So back to the junk yard again n i found some 1"x2" tubing from a headache rack that was on my supercab when we bought it.

Cleaned up the tubing n flat plate n welded them together. Layed them in the frame n sat the cell on it to mark the holes. Before u yell at me lol, yes i used some rubber strips between the cell n the plate steel. Bolted the mountin plates to the cell n tacked them to the frame. Pulled the cell off n clamped the mounts down to finish weld them. The fuel cell sits a bit higher than i wanted, but thats ok, i like where its mounted. I left a little excess stickin out in front of the fuel cell to mount or secure fuel lines, shut off valve, fuel filter, or wiring harness too.

Then i cut the shift linkage from the column where it attaches to the z bar. It was way to short to reach, after the chassis swap. Cut a piece of 1/8" flat plate to weld it back together. Not the prettiest welds, but theyll hold.

Cant wait to get started on the engine. Still have alot of parts to order yet. As for the bed floor, my dad suggested diamond plate, which i like the idea. Id also like to find somebody close, that can do some tube work, without breakin the bank. We'll see how that goes later...

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