1963 Futura Build-up

I know what you meant. I do have to agree, however, that the fun isn't in the stripping, and planning, and talking. It's the making a plan come together, and getting to see the forward progress that's interesting, and fun. The settlement check is supposed to be in sometime this week, so I'm getting anxious about all the prospects. The Big Job is on hold due to weather, so I understand your frustrations there. That is why I got the Falcon. Something that can be worked on inside. It will be placed on hold for a few weeks though, as we start the forward progress of our lives. When the settlement check arrives, we will buying a house with my father. We scoped out a 4 bedroom, 3 bath home on an acre, with a WAY oversized two car garage. The asking price is $110,900, and it's assesed at $174,000. It's bank owned, so I feel a little bad about taking over someone elses repo, but hey, I've never owned a house, and it's perfect. After we get settled in, I have a friend that is a contractor, and he is going to help with a nice sized shop. Then, I'll be able to get back to my Fords. I'll keep plugging away on the car until moving time, but I won't be getting so involved that I can't load it up, and move it. The real bugger is going to be moving the truck, since the Cat motor is disassembled. Oh well, I'll keep the updates coming.

A bit more was accomplished today. I managed to get the rear inner quarter panel replaced, and ready for the outer Q/P. I'll be working on the outer tomorrow. A few more pictures in my photobucket, but here are the before and afters.

I think they did put some thought into rust. The area I'm repairing does have a drain hole. The rust in this one was caused by mice. The little buggers get in there, make their nests, and after so long of them using their beds as toilets, it creates a very corrosive mess that sits and collects moisture, and eats at the metal. This was the only spot in the car with any rust damage. Now, in most cases, it's the collection of water in these areas, due to leaking gaskets, and such. The drain holes were rarely big enough, and got easily plugged up, and usually weren't low enough in the panel they planned on draining.

And still a little more progress. I'll be picking up a '63 4 speed steering column in a week or two, along with the T-5 tranny, and it's mating '93 Mustang Cobra engine. I'm also going to get a straight rear bumper, since mine is all beat up. I have been working on stitching in the rear quarter panel. It's more or less in, and I am now in the welding it up, smoothing it out stage. I'm getting a new body hammer, and dolly set on Wednesday, so that will really help out in the smoothing out the little dings, and dents areas. Especially around the quarter I've been welding in. Matching up a used quarter on an old car is a PAIN in the ARS. No two cars are absolutelt identical, so there are plenty of little fitment issues to overcome. Oh well, it will all be worth the extra effort when done. So far, I think that by the time I'm done with this quarter panel, and get it all worked over with the hammers, and dollies, it really won't need much in the way of fillers. Anyhow, 16 pictures added to the photo bucket, and here's a couple of them. You can really see the mess in the second picture. This is from trying to get the two panels to line up with eacthother, and line up with the door at the same time. I actually had to grind off the front edge of the quarter, and am rebuilding it. One panel had too much metal from the factory, and the other was tucked in real tight originally. Oh well, it's the name of the game.

While waiting on tols from the tool truck, I moved on to other parts. I started stripping the paint off the car. I got the quarter panel totally stripped, along with part of the trunk lid, the "C" pillar, and started on the left front fender, and hood. I mocked up the replacement door, and the hood, and fenders. They are held on with brightly colored zip ties right now. I also moved onto making some Craigslist deals. Will be going to get a 4 speed '63 column, a newer 5.0 block than the one I have, a T-5, a decent rear bumper, and maybe a Maverick 8" rear end the weekend of the 13th. Dave, what's the axle flange to axle flange with on the Explorer 8.8? I need a rear axle assembly no more than about 56-56.5" wide flange to flange. If the Explorer is in that range, one would work, and I won't have to keep looking for a Maverick rear end. I got more pics in the photo bucket, not enough to add them, but if you want to Dave, you can. There's a few more in there.

Thanks for the measurement Dave. That's two inches too wide. I did finally manage to track down an eight inch. I'll be picking it up in two weeks, along with the T-5, the floor shift column, and the back bumper, and the '89 5.0 Cobra motor. I'll be ordering in an aftermarket front end kit this week. Once I actually have parts on their way, it will come together alot faster. So far, the list is actually taking shape. 5.0 block, with 331 Probe stroker kit. AFR 185 heads, non-emissions. Undecided on the actual intake, but the FAST EZ EFI kit for air/fuel charge. 1 5/8 headers, long tube, with 2 1/2 collectors, and 2 1/2 pipe all the way out. Flow Master 40 or 44's for mufflers. 3.55 gears in the rear axle, with a locker. The cam will be either a COMP XFI 236, or an Extreme Energy Roller, but I want a top end peak int he 6500-6800 range. Main girdle, for stability, and rocker girdles as well. 1.6 ratio roller rockers, unless I go with a slightly smaller cam, and they will 1.7 ratio then. The whole package should be in the 450-475 HP range, whcih will be just right for a slightly upgraded T-5. I will be matching an aluminum flywheel, and light weight balancer though, because I want to take advantage of the 331s tendancy to be a fast revving rotating assembly. All and all, it will be a very aggressive sounding package, and will make one heck of a nice high way cruiser, and even make for a nice surprise at the strip on rare occasions. The interior, and exterior will look very close to stock, except for the lower more muscular stance, and a set of older style Cragars.

Might be a major plan change. I'm eyeballing a '63 Sprint that is here in Oregon. If it works out, I'll be building a "his, and hers." I'll do the Sedan, with less power, and an auto for the "hers," and the Sprint, with a all out street performance set up for the "his." I'll still be doing the 331, with T-5, but it will be in the Sprint. I'll be doing a 306 (5.0 with a .030 bore) and a C-4 in the Sedan, still doing the 8" with probably a 3.00:1 gear, and a MII kit up front. The Sprint will get a factory style front suspension, upgraded with a Shelby design (altered upper control arm position, and heavier sway bar, and different rate springs), with a disk brake conversion. The rear will get a 3.55:1 gear set, with locker. I'll finish up the '54 Big Job, and sell it, since I won't need to put but maybe $5000 into it to make it a reliable driving rig. My dad sent off the paper work, and an earnest money check today to buy the house on 1.04 acres, so things will start moving right along now. The Sprint is on ebay. I'll post the item number soon.

Check it out, here's the item number 150410311230 It's here in Oregon, and I already talked to the guy. It is a real vin accurate Sprint, so I think it will be a great project.

It's not so much that the big truck has fallen from grace, as I do want to keep it, but it is a practicality thing. I would like the 63 Sprint, but the settlement money will only go so far, if I spend, spend, spend. Of course, the priorities are first....kids dental exams, eye exams, check up for the wife, and eye, getting into the new house, etc., etc. Only because my dad is helping, is some of it coming together. Now, since I want to make sure I keep a comfortable amount in savings, it now comes down to the if you want, you have to sacrifice. I can get 53-55 Ford trucks still, almost a dime a dozen. They're everywhere, especially in this farm country. I can build another big truck, especially since two more big jobs are joining my family stable (dad is scoring two for $800). So, I gott do what I gotta do. The mistakes, and triumphs I made on this big truck, I can carry over to a new, only with fewer mistakes, less waste, and a bigger, and better finished product. With a wife, and three kids, everything I do has to be able to include them too, and we all can't fit comfortably in a day cab, that I don't want to cut the back wall out of.

You know, I happen to have an extra set of Big Job front fenders. Yeah, I can go get a 53 F-600 right now for $600. There's a 55 F-100 three doors down, I can get for $1000, a 53-55 F-100/250 ?? just out of town I can probably get for under $1000. There are around out here, and just ready to be hauled off.

They are physically wider than the smaller ones. Look at my truck pictures, and there are some frontal view shots.

Not much to report yet. Just more stripping paint, and little stuff like that. I ordered a few tools to better repair the body sections that need attention, and I got some more air tools accessories. Going up this weekend to pick up some parts, and to get that '63 Sprint. After that, I'll hold back for a spell, and get my big truck dealt with, so I can sell it, and use the money to buy more Falcon stuff. The house we were going after fell through, someone got in under us, before our earnest money got applied, and made a cash offer, that was accepted. Oh well, going keep looking.

I'm getting the '63 Sprint this weekend. I am also picking up some parts for the two.

I went to the $3000 reserve. It's complete, but disassembled. It also comes with a correct motor and trans. I think, after some work, it will be worth at least twice the purchase price, even unrestored.