Basketcase#16-once in a lifetime build-now gone. :-(

[basketcase0302]

Hey ya'll,

I hope everyone here on the site has been good.
Been quite awhile since I've said hi, so here goes the story...
Two L-4/L-5/S-1 lower back surgeries and not much better / loss of employment due to economy & health / and my wife of 17 years left with the mailman (well ok...not the mailman-but another man).

This will be the official Basketcase#16 (My 71' F-350 DW) quick / low budget / rattle can build thread.
My original build I wanted to do has been thrown to the wayside for another few years.
I'll keep the 460 / C-6 / NP205 / Dana HD-44 for a future build on to "Basketcase#16".
I've got to get the bump back to hauling once again and I mean really fast!

So against advice from some on here, I'll "throw" my fresh longblock 302 into the bump with the rebuilt 2WD C-6.
Yeah, I know the C-6's are infamous for being "torque robbing", but I've got to have the pulling power of the C-6 for what's about to happen to my life. And ya'll all know how dear to life I hold my 302's! I still own 3 of them.
It's for sure a timetable thing for me at this point in my life.
I got the steel framed with wood bed pulled off and sold it yesterday. My plans are to "splurge" on Basketcase#16 because she'll be my daily driver and only truck here in a few months. I've got my sights set on one of these:
http://www.alumaklm.com/9600_truck_beds.html

For now, I've got to get the rear frame area cleaned up (PO left a mess of "globber" welding). And got to get a gooseneck hitch framed in while it's just bare frame. I'll have to re-mount the rear gas tank (the Po had it mounted above the rear axle which has been hitting it when loaded down). And I also found the right rear brake line crushed (another installation thing from the PO).

I'll try to get some pictures up in the next day or so (but they aint' very pretty right now).
Edited for the link to the pictures, here is her present shape:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... t%20build/

Basketcase / Jeff

[basketcase0302]

Had a good "work day" on the bump today!
Got all but one of the "globber" welds grinded / cut with torch (then ran out of acetylene) / and "sawzalled" off the rear frame area. And got some primer on the bare areas. The most time consuming was the carrier bearing supporting brace. I had to sawzall it then torch then grind back to the frame. She'll get a new carrier bearing brace and relocated due to the C-6, (that way I'll keep my front driveshaft / and build on the "wimpy" rear driveshaft). It's all in preparation for the new receiver / spare tire mount / rear gas tank mount. I've got all the stuff from other Ford trucks I've owned through the years.
Hopefully I'll be able to chemically clean and pressure wash the rear frame area tomorrow.
She was driveable until today when I cut out the carrier bearing support.
I've got to go to storage and get the welder stuff in the next few days, (lots of welding to do on the rear frame area now to prepare her for the next year).

I know....worthless without pictures! I'll try to snap a few tomorrow after the pressure washing.

Jeff

[basketcase0302]

Hey guys,

Another good day on the bump today!
Most here don't know but I was barely able to walk a year ago due to my back issues, so any day walking is a good day to me!
Got goodies from Summit today:
Tranny cooler for the rebuilt C-6.
25 feet of new tranny line I'll have to install.
An Inland Impire 31 spline 1350 yoke for the C-6.
A hardened 1350 yoke for the rear driveshaft I'll have to build.
New crankshaft socket, (to spin the 302 during final assembly).
And a new oil pump primer, (I had used my old one as a punch).
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can001.jpg
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can011.jpg

Most of the day was finishing torching/grinding/chemically cleaning/pressure washing the rear frame area, it came out nice:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can003.jpg

It's good to see that my four 10 ply 16" Goodyear rear tires are in pretty good shape still!
Here's the "spider hitch" I cut off yesterday:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can007.jpg I've got the Class 3 receiver from my 79' that I'll incorporate into the rear frame end cap for strength.

And here's the almost broken/rusted into carrier bearing support I cut out yesterday:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can004.jpg I'll put the new "angle" support in once the engine and tranny are in, (it will have to be relocated anyway due to the extra length of the C-6).
I'll use 1/4" X 3" angle so it won't be a dirt trap like the "upside down channel was.
I got some steel ordered today from a buddy that helps me out a lot.

The inside of the rear frame area is now ready for the wire brushing/POR15/primer and rattle can. Notice how "beefy" the plating is where the frame was extended!
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can008.jpg

The outside of the rear frame area cleaned up easily, (I'd previously spent some time there a few years ago).
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can005.jpg It got hit with some rattle can today.

I paid a lot of attention to the DANA 70 rear axle today as well:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can002.jpg

I found some brake lines that I'll have to attend to, (the rubber one is pretty much shot/and the pass side hard line was crushed). Always wondered why the brakes pulled!
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can010.jpg
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can009.jpg

Hopefully next week I'll be able to get the welding done on the rear frame area.
Then I should be able to focus on finishing the longblock 302. I've got to install the oil pump/oil pump pick up & screen / oil pan / timing chain & gears / timing cover & water pump / intake manifold / valve covers / carburetor / exhaust manifolds / and flywheel.

Sorry for the lengthy posting, I'm very proud of what I'm able to do these days.

Jeff

[Caseys71]

Looks like your doing a great job so far .

[rjewkes]

Keep it up and get her done.

[Grandpas69f350]

Nice work Jeff. I will be following this project. So you are eventually converting it to 4WD?

[basketcase0302]

Thanks for the kind words guys.
Roger, yes I'll be eventually putting the 79" HD D-44 with the NP-205 and the 4WD C-6 into her.
But that's got to go on the "back burner" for awhile, (I've got to get through the "Big D" first) and move, and get a job.

Got a little bit done today before the weather turned nasty down here, (rainin' sideways).
I did get to have my fun grinding and punching out the factory rivets today. The rivets were holding an existing carrier bearing support that had not been used for many years:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can012.jpg
I also got the exhaust pulled out from the tailpipe to the cab / got the transmission crossmember unbolted / and got 4 of the 8 bolts removed from the front crossmember:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can014.jpg
I found it pretty cool how the front crossmember bolts to the radius arm brackets:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can015.jpg
And yes, that's my brake warning harness hanging down there just where it suppose to be!
Is it just the F-350's that have this type of crossmember bracket? I've read so much about other forum members here having to grind the rivets from the front crossmember to remove it?

And the ups guy brought me another part tonight:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can016.jpg
The torque converter makes the last piece of the C-6 transmission puzzle complete for me. I've had a new B & M "truck shifter" for over a year now that will shift it all into gear.
I did find some sad news on my driveshaft situation today though....I'll have to have the one complete rear shaft made and also have to replace the slip-joint and end yoke (both ends) on the front driveshaft.
But I'm gonna do it! I want a true ONE TON with all 1350 series driveline! (the front shaft has 1330 series slip joint).

Hope everybody's stayin' warm, temperature here at A.M. was 80 / then at 10 A.M. it had dropped to 60.

Jeff

[67mann]

Hope everybody's stayin' warm, temperature here at A.M. was 80 / then at 10 A.M. it had dropped to 60.
Jeff

Snowing sideways and 25 with windchill in the single digits

Trucks lookin good and good luck with those bags of rocks

[basketcase0302]

Jerry, I'm still getting ate by skeeters 14 days before Christmas...
(The "skeeter breeding" peace creek is 200 feet behind my house).

Didn't get too much done today, had too many errands to run. Did get the rear soft brake hose (where it splits to the 2 different wheels) ordered / should be at autozon on Monday. Got the front seat / shifter boot / rubber floor mat (original in very plyable good shape) pulled right before dark. The skeeters carry you away after that time here!
And fedex brought my hitch today:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can017.jpg
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can018.jpg
It's rated at 30K and the "hidden hitch" feature of it will enable me to frame it into the rear frame before the aluminum flat bed goes onto the truck. Just about all of the aluminum flat bed made nowadays' have a "trap door" framed into them for this feature, (it leaves your bed area clear of any hitch at all).
I've got the steel I need, and hopefully I'll be able to drag out the stick welder next week to get it framed in.

I found a guy that will take the NP435 off my hands, (trading his labor for the tranny tomorrow). Then I'll just have to get the engine yanked' out and I'm ready to start putting all the pieces together. It's been a real "jig-saw" puzzle as all the pieces and parts have been moved from South Florida to here / thrown into piles and buried until about a month ago.

But in the words of The Zach Brown Band...Life was good today!

Jeff

[Thunderfoot]

Jeff, your making good (Fast) progress, looking good

[FLATBEDFORD]

Welcome back. I would like to do that to mine some time. How long a bed are you gonna get? What is the wheelbase of your truck? It is not a factory long wheelbase truck is it?
Call me crazy, but I would expect more than a 302 for a big truck like that.

[basketcase0302]

Shayne, Any progress for me is good (whether it is a lot slower now or not).
Steve, Just tryin' to get the 10' X 8' bed (that will be 2 foot shorter than what she had on her). I know I'll miss that space that I had, but for the cost of aluminum...
Somewhere here on the forum I had posted the vin which showed the GVW on the truck and the wheelbase as well.
I'm not sure if it is a factory extended frame or not?
I would have to say no just because of the "wimpy" rear driveshaft I yanked out and the "fabbed" carrier bearing support I removed. Sure didn't look like anything that Ford would do from the factory!

The 302 I'm "dropping" into BC #16 is nothing special...(.030 over with a RV type can/double roller chain & sprockets/2BBL manifold w/ 2BBL Motorcraft carb). My goal for this build is fuel economy more than anything. I've got the 460/NP 205/C-6 to put in at a later date when I can financially afford it. And one of my 302's that I built years ago "spanked" all 12 chebbys at a nationally sponsored mud bog in Naples, Florida, I've still got the trophy from it. I know I won't blow past any "duperduty's" on the interstate (aint' even gonna try with worn king pins still) but the 302 should suffice for now.

I made a little more progress the past couple of days, Thank you Lord!
I got the last of the paint on the tranny crossmember and engine frame mounts, (from my 79' donor):
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can013.jpg

I also got the 3rd coat of paint, (I'm a fanatic about at least 3 coats-1 primer/2 top coat) on the 302's exhaust manifolds, (they also came from my 79' donor):
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can020.jpg
I've also got the complete dual aluminized 2 & 1/2" Flowmaster exhaust from the 79' donor w/ "H" pipe, (I sure hope they'll clear the front frame crossmember)! I will have to get 2 short pieces to "fill in" the extra length of the F-350 to the tailpipe section.

And I got the 3rd coat, (Rustoleum black stove paint) on the rebuilt C-6. The C-6 has a rebuilt "low stall" converter and an extra set of clutch packs in it, nothing fancy/but it should serve it's purpose. I found a retired Ford mechanic here locally that still loves to "tinker" with our Ford trannies. Really nice gentleman and treated me right on the price!
Here I've got the 1350 u-joint transmission yoke (someone had changed the one ton to 1330 series) and the 302-164tooth flywheel sitting on the C-6, (I've still got to clean it up and paint it). The flywheel is a donor from one of my Fords through the years, I really don't remember which one though)? CRS kicking in!
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can022.jpg
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can021.jpg

Ok, let's start framing for the 30K lb. Curt gooseneck. What's the first thing that has to go...
Had to grind the rivet and remove the rear brake line mount:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can019.jpg
Now that I have no more obstacles, let's take the 79' donors hidden receiver hitch braces and integrate them into the F-350's frame for a sub-mount of the gooseneck, (after cutting and grinding them a little to my satisfaction). They are 3/8" thick and conform to Curt's recommended sub-framing:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can024.jpg
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can023.jpg
Next is the 3/8"X2"x3" right angle for the frame of the gooseneck. I had to measure it about a dozen times just to be on the safe side! (I had to make sure the foldaway gooseneck hitch wouldn't hit the axle during suspension travel):
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can023.jpg
And yet it has to be centered above the axle, (or just forward of the axle centerline as I have) per instructions:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can026.jpg
And the height also matters in my case, (for the mounting of the aluminum flat bed above the foldaway gooseneck) so I measured it again before making these welds:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can026.jpg
And here I've finally got the Curt foldaway gooseneck hitch welded in:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can027.jpg
All primed and ready for some rustoleum gloss black rattle can:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can029.jpg

Now I'm waiting on one last piece of steel so I can frame in the rear receiver hitch, It should be here tomorrow.
Trying to finish the rear frame welding work, (I've still got to integrate the spare tire carrier under the rear receiver) by Thursday or Friday. Scheduled to pull out the tired 360 this Sunday if all goes well!

Basketcase

[basketcase0302]

Got my steel too late today to weld the receiver hitch into the frame.
But got a little more done today that I'd been putting off.

I got high heat primer on the 1350 C-6 yoke and inspection cover. Then I switched to the oil pan...
This is the 4 X 4 pan from my 76' Bronco. I'm using this 302 pan for a couple of reasons. 1) It's free /owned it since 1986! 2) I love the front drain plug (vs. the 360 plug that was right over the crossmember! 3) I believe it to have an additional quart capacity than the stock "truck" pan. 4) And it will hopefully save me some clearance issues in the future when I'm able to drop the HD D-44 into the front.
Took over 2 hours to get the 34 years of old paint off! Using the right angle "grinder" with a wire wheel, (I think I have a few new piercings now too)!
Here's the pan when starting:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can030.jpg
All the old paint off:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can031.jpg
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can033.jpg
The inside cleaned up:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can032.jpg
And the "klean strip" rust converter painted on what surface rust was left:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can034.jpg
The pan is now ready for the high heat primer tomorrow. I have some very good and visible Ford part numbers that I'll try to document tomorrow in case anyone wants them...But I would guess that this pan is also obselete?
Oil pan # DE 3075 D3UE6375(?) the last letter here is either a M or AA can't read my own writing
Dipstick base(riveted into the pan)# D3UE-6751-A2A

Basketcase

edited to add the 76' Bronco Ford part numbers

[67mann]

Glad to hear your moving along--trucks lookin good When your done(next week ) are you going to throw a dart at the map or you got a new state in mind already ---Don't come to NY unless you like OVER paying tax

[basketcase0302]

Jerry,
Thanks for the kind words man. I've been waiting to do this build for 5 years, (now I gotta' get it done too fast).
No dart throwin' for me. I'll hopefully wind up back in Chattanooga where I was born and raised. I've got two brothers in Georgia, but Georgia has breed restrictions on dogs. I'll have to find the thread on dogs here on the forum to show you guys my little girl I got for father's day, staffordshire terrier-not pit bull!

Rough day at the office for me today, but got a lot done! Had to run for high temp primer and order my heater core, (autozone called and it's here already). Hadn't had to think about a heater in the truck for many years now!
I got the receiver hitch framed in today, thank you lord!
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can035.jpg
And the massive recovery hooks for all the chebbys I see on the side of the road:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can038.jpg
I've still got to wire brush / primer / and paint it all tomorrow:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can037.jpg
But BC #16 has no more "but crack" or naked rear end:
http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff13 ... can036.jpg

Took quite awhile today for the framing as I had to grind two different pieces to fit the back receiver tube. I used a piece of 1/4" plate that my buddy Doug braked up for me for the "bumper". And a piece of 1&1/2" X 3" channel behind that to tie everything together. Shouldn't have a problem pulling anything with the receiver hitch.
I've got a little more welding to do tomorrow, (base for the "truck crane"). Then it's on it's way back to the back yard again. I have to weld under the carport where I have power, and do it quickly! The neighbors called the sheriff's department on me Monday afternoon when they saw me welding on the truck,
I live in a "Peyton Place" type neighborhood!
Really sucks when there are folks who attempt to stop a man from bettering himself!
The deputy knew he didn't have a "leg to stand on" as I'm not breaking any ordinances as long as I'm done by 6 P.M.

Basketcase