1966 F100 Short Bed Styleside Metal/Body/Paint Work

[theastronaut]

I just started another '66 F100 short bed project at the shop, this time it'll be a mild custom. I'll only be doing the metal, body, and paint work instead of a full build like the last one ('66 F100 Stock Restoration).

I'll be fixing the rust, correcting the panel fit and gaps like the last truck, shaving some items on the dash, mocking up a Vintage Air evaporator, smoothing the firewall, adding spots for A/C vents, and painting the truck.

Here is the truck. It seems to be pretty solid overall other than the bed floor and door bottoms; definitely better than the other truck we restored.

[theastronaut]

Interior pics.

[theastronaut]

Panel fitment and gaps.

[theastronaut]

First update. I took everything apart that wasn't needed to make it run. All of the small parts were bagged and labeled so reassembly will be easier. I'll drive it around to one of the rear shop stalls tomorrow and finish dissasembly.

[mongocanfly]

Looks like it'll be another good when you get done....

[Clyde65]

I am not a Ford guy in any stretch but....I prefer a truck like this one over the unibodies, they just look better imo!

FYI, favorite Ford truck is the 67 short bed

[jhrusk]

Looking forward to the perfection that's coming. 👍

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Looks like it'll be another good when you get done....

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Clyde65

I am not a Ford guy in any stretch but....I prefer a truck like this one over the unibodies, they just look better imo!

FYI, favorite Ford truck is the 67 short bed

These and '69 F100s are my favorite. Dad still has the black short bed '69 Ranger his dad bought new, its tucked away in the barn as a future project.

Originally Posted by jhrusk

Looking forward to the perfection that's coming. 👍

Thanks Jay!

[theastronaut]

Teardown is finished. I'll finish removing the seam sealer and start blasting pieces next week.

[MP&C]

That should keep you busy for a little bit.. Subscribed!

[Russell Ashley]

Your projects are always interesting, and beautiful. I've been waiting for you to start another one. I hope you document this one like you did the first 66 Ford.

[CG]

Cool truck. That's a great body style. I had a 62 Unibody.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by MP&C

That should keep you busy for a little bit.. Subscribed!

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

Your projects are always interesting, and beautiful. I've been waiting for you to start another one. I hope you document this one like you did the first 66 Ford.

Originally Posted by CG

Cool truck. That's a great body style. I had a 62 Unibody.

Thanks guys!


I have the bed floor and header panel out now, and have blasted around the peremeter to prepare for welding the new floor in. A 2008 Super Duty floor is the same dimensions so we ordered one to use, along with a new header panel and front sill from Carolina Classics. The rear sill isn't available so I'll have to repair and straighten it.






The seam sealer was difficut to remove by blasting so I used a dremel to cut it out.




New floor and header.






Edges blasted to prep for repair work and new panels.

[theastronaut]

The four corner panels were all bent and sunk in so I started straightening those this morning. This was the driver side rear panel.









I started with the flange, then used a socket and hammer to shrink the panel back flat. The socket "traps" the metal and lets the hammer push the metal into itself, shrinking the panel. The socket has to be bigger than the hammer head and you have to keep the hammer in the dead center of the socket or else you'll hit against the edge of the socket and stretch the metal. MP&C has info on this in his '55 Wagon thread.

[theastronaut]

Driver side front panel.








After:











I also made and fitted both front corners that were rusted.






Blasted and shot SPI epoxy on the two floor braces.

[MP&C]

Awesome work John!

[mongocanfly]

You make that look easy John....good work..

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by MP&C

Awesome work John!

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

You make that look easy John....good work..

Thanks guys!!


The inside of all the panels were shot with undercoating so I scraped all of it off to prep for blasting.








After:








The two center floor braces were bent so I used our tubing roller to straighten them.






They were also dented around the mounting bolt holes.




The truck was stripped and repainted at some time. The paint strips easily and quickly with a razor blade leaving a thin coat of primer and some spots of filler. I'll strip the primer/filler with a DA sander to avoid blasting and warping the bed sides.







I test fit the front header and cross brace, the filler panels I made, and the center braces.















Also cut out the rust that was on the flange that the bed floor spot welds to and welded in new metal.

[Ol Blue K20]

Subbed......I like watching your projects.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Yup, this is going to be awesome.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Subbed......I like watching your projects.

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Yup, this is going to be awesome.

Thanks for following!

I've been working on blasting the bed, inside and out and underneath, that's about 95% done. I'll work on straightening and repairing as much as I can while it's in bare metal before going back over the areas I missed with the blaster and then shooting epoxy.

The seam between the upper and lower passenger side bedsides was pretty rough so I spent extra time cleaning it out with the blaster.






The new F250 bed floor has stamping for a fifth wheel ball, and the owner wants to add a fuel tank under the bed with the filler cap in the bed floor. I'll cut out two sections and swap them to make the center smooth and have a stamped area around the filler cap.




The rear corners had back up lights added, so I straightened the area and welded up the holes.








The bedside is wavy and sunk in over the front of the wheelwell so I've started stretching the area by hammer-on dolly plannishing the area to raise the low spots.




The bottom driver side behind the wheel opening had a couple creases, dents, and a torn spot on the edge of the flange.

[mongocanfly]

looking good with the rapairs...great idea for the fuel fill switcharoo...

[Russell Ashley]

I always look forward to your updates. Always very interesting, and I like your before and after shots. I had a 65 Ford like this with the available trim, bright grill, bumpers, etc. Has the owner of this one indicated that he would like you to add this to this one? I think it's all available.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

looking good with the rapairs...great idea for the fuel fill switcharoo...

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

I always look forward to your updates. Always very interesting, and I like your before and after shots. I had a 65 Ford like this with the available trim, bright grill, bumpers, etc. Has the owner of this one indicated that he would like you to add this to this one? I think it's all available.

Yes, we'll be adding the side trim and either the polished aluminum or chrome grill.

[theastronaut]

I had seen people use Bronco wheel tubs to widen the factory tubs, and to use for trucks with raised bed floors but not for stock tub replacement so I wasn't sure that they'd work. They were only $70 shipped each so we bought one to try out and the stamping ended up being identical with only a couple details that needed attention.


The stock tubs were pretty rough so I cut them out with the plasma to get to the inner flange.






For Bronco applications they had a notch cut out for the shock mount. I welded that up since the bed floor will be welded to that area of the flange.





Test fit.







Trimming the bottom edge to match the original shape.






Couple of pinholes welded up.











There were dimples in the flange area from the original spot welds so I straightened those so the new tubs would fit flush.