Is there a better year for my 2 to 4 WD, 1967 conversion

[Black 67 F250]

Yeah...these were hobbies once upon a time. Now it's like a NEED. Smile

I need advice. I've had my 2WD 67 F250 Ranger for about 10 years now...love it...had fixed it up real nice long ago. Then drove it too much. Needs alot of work again. I live in Utah, we get snow.
Brought power steering into it from a 73 scrapyard F250, THAT saved the day and made it drivable in daily traffic....BUT I've always wanted 4WD. Part of me wants to keep it stock and clean...but the better part of me wants to drive it...and not get winter stuck in flat parking lots.

I have a 74 F250 4WD (seems like a highboy, but not sure how to tell ) Doesn't run currently but did in 2001

I just found a 69 F250 4WD in ID...that runs...it seems cheep at $700 especially when it has a clean windshield and 16 inch rims with good rubber ( I HAVE to get out of my 16.5's arg! )

Question: Am I better off seeking out the 69 or a closer year, rather than the 74 I already own, for a carriage swap?

I understand Ford widened the truck frames, (I think by 2 inches) some time in the 1970's '77? maybe)

Help....anyone......

[FORDification]

The factory Highboys (up through '77-1/2) had the same framerail spacing as our trucks...however, the wheelbase was increased by several inches right behind the cab. Therefore, while your '67 cab and front sheetmetal will bolt right up, mounting the box is different. If you center the wheelwell over the wheel, there will be a slightly larger gap between the cab and box, and if you make the cab/box gap correct, the wheel won't be exactly centered in the wheelwell. However, the amount is not much, and many folks have put the bumpside body on the dentside chassis and simply split the difference, by living with a slightly larger gap between the cab and box, and having the rear wheels slightly off-center in the wheelwell. They report it's really not noticeable.

FYI: The term 'highboy' refers to a '67 thru '77½ F250 4x4 with a 'divorced' transfer case.

[Doug Comer]

I would use the 69. Good luck, Doug

[Wes]

Well for 700 I'd buy the 69 just for the tires and wheels, But since you have a twin I beam, you could use your front coil spring set up, w/ maybe say a full size bronco axle and radius arms. Now I am not saying this can be done, or have seen it done. But I see the all the big crawlers and racers using coil spring suspensions. Either way I think your current front cross member will interfere with a mono beam axle. I will try to upload a couple pics of my 67 f250 4x4 in middle of p/s conv w/ hydroboost and engine swap.

[averagef250]

The difference is a good 3 inches in wheelbase between the bumpside and dentside highboys. I haven't tried to fit a bumpside bed on a dentside frame, but I have put an early body on a late frame with a steel flatbed. The frame length was increased in the frame area between the transfer case crossmember and the forward rear spring hanger/ e-brake cable mounting crossmember. If you swap a 205 case in an early truck with the late model 205 strut rod you need to cut down the strut a good 3.5" to make it fit.

I would buy the '69. In the end you'd have a nice truck and all the correct bumpside 4x4 parts to do the conversion correctly and a title and vin number that's correct for a 4x4.

If you go with a disc brake front axle at some point you may need your 16.5 wheels to clear the brakes. There's a fairly adequate selection of tires available in the 16.5 wheel size.

Your '74 would still come in handy for parts like power assist steering, power brakes (if it has them) and the 205 t-case.

[Doug Comer]

If you go with a disc brake front axle at some point you may need your 16.5 wheels to clear the brakes.

In my experience the 16" wheels work fine with the disc brakes. You are right, the 16.5's aren't that hard to find.
Doug