Allan Smith
Wilcox, NE
1979 Ford F-250 Custom Crew Cab
It is a 1979 Ford F-250 Custom Crew Cab that we have nicknamed FrankenFord or Big Red 1. We started off with an off-frame restoration that turned into us fitting a 7.3L Powerstroke with drivetrain from a 1997 donor pickup. We cut the frame and married the front half of suspension and steering from the 1997 pickup. We also lowered the floorboard of the cab two inches to fit our King Ranch interior out of a 2012 Ford Expedition. I did extensive work on the wiring so that all of the King Ranch options (heated/cooled seats, etc.) were functional. We put in a Dakota Digital gauge cluster and a new after-market steering column. All the factory switches for heat/air, wipers, washer fluid, headlights, dimmer switch and dome lights are for the 1979 married into the 1997 cab harness. All connections are soldered with heat-shrink tube better than the original factory. The list of work done in the cab is so long that I am sure I have left lots of details out. The engine compartment is pretty self explanatory by looking at the pictures. We had to use the factory engine harnesses and they have all been reworked, shortened and lengthened to fit like it was made for that engine compartment. The drive-train axles are from the donor 1997 with new drive shafts, front and rear, new steering box, all new brake calipers, brake lines, and so much more; the list goes on. We basically took all the modern amenities from the 1997 and custom built them to fit in this 1979. I did all of the wiring and finishing work. All of the welding, except for the frame, was done by my co-worker, Adam. Other small work was done by additional co-workers. It was my boss's vision and we brought it to life. I just had the pickup at the Nebraska Diesel Show's Show & Shine and won First Place in the Ford Division. They did not award a Best in Show. I think we have built something that you would like to see. There is so much more to this pickup than I have detailed above.