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                       WELCOME,

I'd like to introduce you to my 1977 F100 short bed. It is constructed with our 16" front wheel travel kit and the 18" rear wheel travel kit featured in our catalog. The truck has been entirely reconstructed from the frame up with a race legal roll cage and full interior. This truck is driven daily and has an exceptional on road ride quality. It's handling off road is simply awesome! Custom fiberglass front fenders with larger wheel openings, drop center hood compliment the looks of this truck and provide better vision closer to the truck when you are driving. Fiberglass bedsides have a 2" flare and a larger wheel opening built in for looks and bigger tires of course. 

I first started this project with a truck that I had picked up for $400 with a little body damage and one slightly bent frame horn. We originally planned to install front and rear kits, some seats and go blast, yeah right! We got it this far let's throw a quick cage into this truck, and that's what led to it's creation ! Two years later I finally got to drive it out. Over 2000 hours of work in this one folks.

Here is the rolling chassis after painting and assembly. The frame was assembled piece by piece after all cross members were removed and painted, using Bowmalloy hardware. Every rivet was drilled out and replaced with bolts and locknuts. The steering box mounting through the frame was reworked with solid bushing stock and welded on both sides. The transmission cross member ties the radius arm pivot brackets together with the frame and is made from chrome moly tubing. The two link brackets are reinforced to a cross member as well. The front beams are one ton and specially modified to work with half ton spindles.   The rear end is 9" Ford retubed with DOM tubing and are over twice the strength of a stock housing. Then we trussed the top and back with chrome moly tubing for additional strength.

This is it ! We are finally ready to bolt the cab on. This took a lot of patience because of the six extra bushing mounts to the frame and the new urethane cab mounts. We designed this truck to be easy to work on, if it were crashed, using modular construction techniques.

This is what you can expect before the doors, sides and hood goes on. I could actually drive the truck this way if I chose to. Probably save 6 to 7 hundred pounds! This Ford is divided into 4 component sections now consisting of 1) The front suspension ,radiator and grill support. 2) The cab and interior cage with seat mounts. 3) Rear suspension and cage assembly. 4) Frame and running gear.

Features :

Front Suspension

• 16" Front Wheel Travel
• 4 shocks per wheel
• Utilizes factory power steering
• Adjustable Drag Link
• Excellent steering geometry with stock tie rods

Cab and interior

• Race legal roll cage
• Through floor pan to frame mounting
• Custom race seat mounting to the interior cage
• Firewall backbone incorporating an upper engine mount and tied into seat frame and crossmember.
• Custom shifter mounts, switch panel and console.
• Mastercraft Racing Seats for the ultimate in comfort

Rear Suspension

• 18" Rear wheel travel
• 4 shocks per wheel
• Rear cage space frame with 2 tire mounts
• Custom made progressive leaf springs
• Torque wrap up control 2 link system

Frame and Running Gear

• Thoroughly prepared frame with all rivets removed, drilled out and replaced with Grade 8 to 12 bolts and locknuts.
• 460 engine and a C6 automatic transmission
• 9" Ford rear end with DOM axle tubes, 4130 tube trussing, 4:11 gears and locker, new rotary forged axles and disc brakes. Steel braided brake hoses and stainless brake lines.
• Dual Batteries, 2 nitrogen bottles, shovel and jacks
• Aluminum radiator and custom fiberglass fan shroud. 
• Autofab Cage mounting kits with special bushing assemblies and bolt-on frame brackets.

This is a 9" Ford housing with 4130 trussing , extra capacity rear cover with a large fill cap installed. You can see the ring gear with the cap off for visual inspections !

Don't forget the Autofab 9 inch Ford skid plate for the best in protection. Price $190 includes tabs with hardware to make rear mounts with (weld on) and the front bolts onto pinion support.

Telephone

619-562-1740

FAX

619-562-6151

Postal address

10996 NORTH WOODSIDE AVE.SANTEE,CA. 92071

E-mail

General Information: john@autofab.com

Send E-mail to john@autofab.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: July 4, 2008