Package Deal Part IX

You know, nothing's ever easy, is it? While that can apply to practically every facet of life as we know it, in this reference it's pretty obvious that the trials and tribulations of building a truck from the ground up are very dramatic at best. To add insult to injury, we're dealing with one of the first-ever 100-percent aftermarket F-100s! Sure, there's no junkyard hopping, no classified hunting, no swap meet scouring, and especially no worrying about bringing antiquated parts back to life, which would theoretically make life easier on us, but not exactly. No, orchestrating a project of this magnitude--and remember, we're just magazine guys, not truck builders by trade--is an exhausting effort. There are no plans to follow; no guidelines other than common sense (which isn't always right on target); and no previous examples from which to emulate. Fortunately, we had the greatest resources at hand to help us through and get to this point. The manufacturers offered whatever assistance necessary each time we came to an obstacle along the way.

Don't get us wrong--this hasn't been one headache after another (at least not for everyone). Many of the obstacles were encountered due to our novice background with such an endeavor, but all have served as great learning experiences. At this point, we're pretty much wrapping up the chassis for the last time, specifically concentrating on the Smedding small-block Ford engine. In the past, we indicated that it was necessary to notch the crossmember in the Walton Fabrication chassis to accommodate the Ford front-sump oil pan--NOT TRUE! Our hastiness with the ill fit led us to do what many DIY builders might automatically do, and that's cut to make fit. Again, that's not necessary, as Milodon offers the solution in a rear-sump (sort of a dual) oil pan kit that completely alleviates any fitment issues. Walton generally uses the Ford Racing Performance Parts "engine swap" pan kits (such as the M-6675-A58), but since our Ford wasn't from Ford, we went with the Milodon application instead (which Ford actually uses in some cases). Once we figured all that out and got the new pan installed on the engine, it was clearly evident that the notching was a big waste of time. We in no way intended to compromise Walton's product, and while our quick thinking may have made it appear so, hopefully you'll see the solution's quite simple.

Moving on, the next item of business was the front drive system. As many of you know, managing multiple accessories such as an A/C compressor, power steering pump, and an alternator in a nice and tidy manner is not always as easy as it sounds. Luckily for us, Redd Machining made it simple with their Concept One serpentine pulley system. Machined from billet aluminum and fully polished, the kit was complete (including pump and compressor) with the exception of the Powermaster alternator, but, most importantly, easy to install.

Next, our ignition system was completed with an HEI unit from DUI. The one-piece (coil-in-cap) electronic distributor simply dropped in place. And with a single 12V lead, it's an easy and clean hookup, as well. Following that, our primary exhaust dilemmas were overcome with a set of Jet Hot-coated headers from good old Sanderson. The rear-dump blockhuggers pose no interference issues with the starter, steering components, or oil filter. From there, an Edelbrock electric-choke carburetor, mechanical fuel pump, and a custom air cleaner kit from K&N Engineering wrapped things up nicely. Once we get the truck situated a bit further, we'll get down to fine tuning and finalizing the remaining "loose ends" that linger.