'68 Highboy.... rebounding from neglect (LS Swap and Mechanical Restoration)

[biggurn]

Ilene Update (1968 F250 4x4). Last update for this week, since I have to go back to adulting tomorrow.

Built the mounts for the new seat this morning and installed the new floor mat. I've had it warming for the last several days, it was nice and pliable but I'm not real impressed with the fit (came from LMC). Next time, I'll go with carpet like I did in the '70 F100. Hopefully, once summer rolls around and it gets good and warm, I can place some weight on it and get it to form into place better.

Glued the new door seals into place. The doors shut nice and tight now.

The wife helped me wrap up the day by applying POR15 to the inside of the front cab mounts, my sasquatch hands wouldn't fit, but her hands fit just perfectly.

[hfdco4]

Wow, lots of work done. Have you noticed any ill affects of cutting the steering arm down? I would imagine that it takes more urns on the wheel
to achieve the same turning radius. I did the 79 F250 box in my 70 and it worked out great.

[biggurn]

Wow, lots of work done. Have you noticed any ill affects of cutting the steering arm down? I would imagine that it takes more urns on the wheel
to achieve the same turning radius. I did the 79 F250 box in my 70 and it worked out great.

Lock to lock doesn't change on the box, so thats all the same. It's a small change in leverage from the box, but since I'm only running a 33x10 tire, shouldn't be an issue.

[biggurn]

Had some time this afternoon to finally work on Ilene. Engine and Transmission are back in the frame with the Camaro manifolds. I really like the fit of them. The D.S. drops out on the brake proportioning valve, but not hard to move it elsewhere, which was probably going to happen anyway as I'm changing to hydroboost brakes.

Unfortunately, the drive line shop made the O.A.L. of the drive line the C.T.C., so it's way long and will be headed back to get corrected.

Hopefully, I'll get the cab on tomorrow (and maybe the front clip?) so that I can start getting the thing wired and running!

[biggurn]

Ilene update (1968 F250 4x4): The cab is on the truck! Made an adapter for the shop crane to lift the cab up and swing it over the chassis. Now that the cab is back and the steering is hooked up, I can move it around much easier. Next up will be exhaust, power steering, and brakes.

[biggurn]

Little more work on Ilene this afternoon. Started off by plumbing in the power steering. I wanted it to have ease of part availability, so I used fittings to adapt the 3/8" tube to 3/8" NPT. This allowed me to use an off the shelf 3/8" hydraulic hose. If it ever needs replaced, it's a $15 part.

While the front clip was off, I went ahead and routed the rear chassis harness and installed a set of new sparkplugs and wires on the engine. Hooked up a couple sensors for the dash (water temp and oil pressure) while access was easy.

Then, with the help of the 2nd and 3rd Minions, we put the front clip on. Had to set the hood on and the put the '67 grill in with a couple bolts for the first look. Very happy with the direction this truck is going! As you can tell from the smile, so was the 2nd Minion!

[biggurn]

Today's work was much less exciting than the last few days: mounted the fuel tank to start the day off. Then moved the brake proportioning valve up and away from where the exhaust is going to dump now and rerouted/made new brake lines as needed. Wrapped the day up by looming and routing the front chassis harness (even hooked the horn up!). I should have all the parts to finish the brake system by the weekend. It would be nice to have stopping power as we are moving it around.

[hfdco4]

Nice progress. Looks like things are coming together very well.

[biggurn]

Nice progress. Looks like things are coming together very well.

Thanks. I had planned to have brakes and a fuel system this weekend, but we had a major snow storm with a Blizzard, leaving the three fittings I need stranded in SLC.

[biggurn]

Finally had all the fittings here to wrap up the brake system. So, this morning we installed the fittings, bench bled the master and put it all together. The brakes bled out very quickly (all new components sure make it easy).

After the brakes were done, I started on the cooling system. I'm using an aluminum 4 core radiator for a 300 I6. Should have more than enough capacity for the engine as it has nearly twice the capacity of the stock GM radiator! The lower hose is ordered, should be here next weel. The upper just required shortening up the stock GM upper hose. While fitting the radiator I made up the transmission cooler lines and routed them. I have to pull the radiator to make a fan shroud for the electric fan, but that won't take much effort.

[biggurn]

Working on Ilene today ('68 F250 4x4). Needed to come up with an airbox for the engine as I'm not a fan of cone filters. Decided to use a airbox from a '95 F150, just had to make up a new airhorn as I won't need the 5.0 MAF that was originally the airhorn.


I also discovered that a '99-ish CrownVic 2 speed fan and shroud are a perfect fit for the radiator on these trucks. It could be flipped upside down to make more room.




Finished off my afternoon by assembling the front end. Even made up a special license plate for it.

[biggurn]

Ilene update ('68 F250 4x4)
Saturday, with some Minion assistance, we installed the airbox


Decided it was time for a list of what remains to make this a driving truck.


Finished installing and routing the engine harness this afternoon (mounted the fuse block, routed the OBD2 and pedal connectors into the cab).

Modified and mounted the go pedal.


Wrapped up the day by wiring up the headlights and installing the Hella HB2 conversion lights. I'm running these on my F100 and on my last couple Jeeps and really like them.

[biggurn]

Ilene Update (1968 Ford F250 4x4) - big day for Ilene today! I plumbed in the fuel system, wired in the pump, and decided to hit the ol' key.... fired up on the first try!

https://youtu.be/QQGSbWhC6gE?si=b9UUlp2l7Ccmkebt

Since Ilene was running... I decided to install the O2 sensors, the shifter cable and the drive line... Ilene Moves Under Power

https://youtu.be/1ePzDzxMa9c?si=G4nAeFsoupc121NR

Lots more work to do, but we're getting somewhere!

[hfdco4]

Congrats man, that's a bit of great news. Now it's all the little things that take so much time.

[Jbarnes79]

Subscribed..... keep 'em coming!