1975 Ford F250 Highboy Build

[Cadillacmak]

I thought I would share my ongoing build with everyone here. If you are a purest you will not be happy. And yes, it has the flat plate rear disc setup, I have already heard all about that, it basically a 1/4ton now and the brakes work great. First picture is shortly after I bought it from Machine Gun Steve (a local legend and great guy) he bought it new in 75. First was a new drivers floor board.

 

[Cadillacmak]

Next I moved on to the front end, it needed all the typical work to refresh it but I wanted disk brakes as it was 4 wheel drum. Everyone says to ditch the closed knuckle, but I like it! I read up on some old school ways to keep gear lube in it, and its light weight grease, been holding up for several years now so old school was right. Made my own bracket and coverted it to 95 F250 superduty brakes.

 

[Cadillacmak]

Spring perches were collapsed and leafs were cracking so I replaced a few things. Yes the highbar front mounts are wrong, I did this because it fit what I wanted and I wasnt looking to adjust up and down. It took a while to get the springs to sit correct so ignore those, and the shock angle it terrible, still working that solution. The reason for all of this is that when off-roading, the truck will pivot on the center of gravity now instead of the center of wheel base, in other words it clears obstacles better.

 

[Cadillacmak]

Then I built what I call the Swiss Arm bumper. Plow, front receiver and winch. Built out of stainless steel scrap that my dad had laying around. Interior didn't get much love.

 

[Cadillacmak]

The engine ran great but it needed some help, long tube headers, HEI, Shelby intake, new carb, and a better belt system added.

 

[Cadillacmak]

It was time to upgrade the rear brakes and they would not fit behind the old 16" wheels. So I made the jump that I wanted to do for a while, power steering and 2 more inches of lift. I need sway bars REALLY bad! And I need to fix the rear shock problem still. Next thing to tackle is gauges, fix the passenger floor board, install those kick panel repair patches that have been sitting in the garage, hush mat the interior, and install the new floor mat, which is also just sitting in the garage.

 

[Sean Buick 76]

Awesome!

 

[skylark]

I really like the old girl! I really like the original interior. I'd like to hear about your local legend, with a name like Machine Gun Steve there has to be a a story.

 

[Cadillacmak]

I really like the old girl! I really like the original interior. I'd like to hear about your local legend, with a name like Machine Gun Steve there has to be a a story.

Machine Gun Steve was the first know person up here to get his machine gun license (stamps). So at the range he became a bit of a celebrity and everyone wanted to shoot his guns, and of course the word spread across the town. He was also just a really good guy and did a lot for the community, a mans man that you hold in high regard. I think he moved out of state but he lived here for 30 or 40 years.