1963 Ford F350 | Classic Survivor | 1963 Ford F350

Description

1963 Ford F350
54 years old.
No warranties expressed or implied, as is where is, I have done my best to describe the good and bad.
Clean Arkansas title in my name.
NOT restored. It HAS all of these aliments and LIKELY more that I have simply forgotten about, dents, scratches, fading, rips, tears, rust, smells, it's finicky and slow. But it is a survivor and super cool and a helluva lot of fun to drive, and that will get thumbs up and loads of rubber necking. It also gets alot of "love your truck" anytime your stopped around people.
Daily driver, so mileage will increase slightly over time. At present it has approx. 73100 on the odometer, I believe it to read correctly.
I have brought the truck up to "daily driver" status, that is not to imply it is a finished product, it could use more updates, example the gearing, it is geared really low 5.87 gears in the Dana 70 differential. It will pull anything, but not fast. There is no need to just mash the foot feed to the floor and hold it hoping to go highway speeds, it ain't going to do it. It is comfortable cruising the gravel roads around my place in the country at a breakneck pace of 35. Oh yeah it will crank up to 55, but if your like me 4000 rpm is way crazy, so no kids behind the wheel. It really needs new gearing or a modern differential with 3.73's or 4.10 gearing. But I'm happy as is. Just saying.
The engine is the Ford 223 6 cylinder, a worthy old engine, solid lifters so it needs a valve lashing every few years or so. It has some blow by as this engine has no positive crankcase ventilation PCV valve installed. I have noticed at higher RPM's and with the new oil pump installed it "burps" oil up through the filler neck. I'm going to add a stiff "brillow" pad in the oil filler neck to prevent this. The oil pressure is at 40 p.s.i. at operating rpm's with new oil pump.
Transmission is a 3 speed with a low granny gear, four forward speeds and one reverse. It shifts smoothly and as it should. Clutch is in proper working condition and feels strong.
All glass is good, no chips, no delamination.
Original AM radio is in dash, but doesn't work, I haven't looked into why. I did buy a new color matching exterior antenna, but haven't installed it. I get my music from the engine and gears.
It does need a front bumper, front frame horns have been cut off with a torch at sometime in the past, I have been debating what to replace it with and may leave it as is without. So consider the truck NOT to sell with a front bumper.
I think the truck at one point in it's life was either a wrecker or a gin pole winch truck, The front bumper being cut off I'm guessing it might have been a wrecker push bumper. And there was signs of clevis' and other anchor points welded to the bed, I cut some bracketry off to leave a more smooth bed. The bed itself is a home made unit, I'm guessing it to be 10 gauge diamond plate, plenty heavy, with one inch round bar welded to the top edges, I added the head rack after modifying it and added some matching one inch round bar as upright supports tot he rack. Looks original and solid.
At one time there was a gooseneck hitch welded to the frame rails in the center of the bed but was cut out. There is ball hitch, (non receiver)fabricated out back. Needs to be wired for trailer lights.
New updates include:
Tires:
Two front steer tires 215/85r16 Mastercraft Courser HXT commercial grade 10 ply "E" rating, American made.
Two Lug tires 215/85r16 Mastercraft Courser CXT commercial grade 10 ply "E" rating, American made.
New inner tubes and boots in all new tires at the same time. Less than 600 miles.
Note* Inner rear tires are the old 8.50 x 16 bias ply tires, old tubes and boots. They are in decent shape.
Yes this truck has the "safety wheels", not the "suicide" wheels so often talked about by today's young tire men. Yes they have dangers, yes many won't work with them because of a lack of knowledge, that is a fact. But years back all trucks used this wheel design, not that it makes it safe, just another fact. I found a reputable tire dealer here in farm country that has several older gentlemen that know exactly what they are doing with these wheels and have no issues working on and around them. Proper knowledge, equipment and skill is what is needed. Another reason a spent good money on quality American made tires and new tubes. I used to bust these down myself as a young man in the trucking business, I am no wheel expert, just saying.
4 wheel cylinders, brake shoes and springs looked like new. All new rubber brake lines and several hard brake lines replaces. New master cylinder. Brake drums looked like new and in good shape. New oil seals and bearings where required.
Carburetor rebuilt, new fuel filters installed, inline and in carb.
New Aluminum radiator, rated for up to 600 hp. Should never run hot.
New upper and lower radiator hoses and clamps.
New water pump.
New thermostat.
Complete tune up, spark plugs, cap, rotor, points, spark plug wires etc.
Oil change and cartridge oil filter. 6 qts. Shell Rotella 15w40. Grease all zerks and check grease in all gear boxes.
Dropped the pan and installed a NOS Melling U.S. made oil pump and new oil pan gasket.
New headlamps, tail lights and clearance lights all NOS U.S. made.
Installed on the steering column a new tachometer and a new 2 5/8 inch 3 gauge set under the dash, no new holes drilled.
New U.S. made seat cover goes with. I use the old one as I live on gravel road and my dogs love to go to town for ice cream daily.
New battery and battery cables.
New Moog U.S. made tie rod ends.
Jr. West coast mirrors and spot mirrors. Old used stock but matches the rest of the trucks patina.
New rubber mud flaps U.S. made.
New starter motor.
New gas cap.
I added an old 5 inch vise to truck bed, handy. U.S. made.
Fabricated on an old head rack to fit bed and added some old U.S. made spotlights.
Things that it needs:
Windshield wipers don't work, I haven't looked into it. I put RainX on the windshield, it works for now. The stainless arms are there the blades are shot.
Turn signals do not operate, I haven't looked into this as yet, other than I was going to get an old semi truck manual signal switch/lever assembly, wire that in and mount to the steering column, much cheaper than a rebuild kit. Also the emergency flashers don't work, but to be honest I'm not sure it has them, there is a knob on the dash I believe to be the emergency flasher switch at one time.
Blower fan, it does seem to passively emit heat, it blows very low, but hot, too much in summer not enough in winter.
It needs a parking brake lever boot in the floorboard and a new parking brake lining, I think a parking brake adjustment will suffice for awhile.
Horn doesn't work, it appears everything is there, I haven't looked into it. I'm guessing it is an electrical issue.
The tail light wiring is a poor job to say the least, I can't get around under the truck like I used to and it is wired up with new wiring, but far from a professional job, A young man could knock it out correctly in short order. Simple job.
The rubber floor covering is mostly there, but torn. It could be replaced.
The window felt and rubbers are 54 years old.
I know there are things I have forgotten that has been added to or upgraded on the truck, I know I would if I could take gravel roads to the west coast I would have no worries about heading out come early morning.
It is not shiny but a driver, it is so old and quirky people just love this truck. The fact it isn't shiny and it is slow makes it for me. I'm a retired truck driver of 30 years, I know road feel in the steering wheel, how these old beasts shift and brake, and I love driving this truck. I am sure if you appreciate a slow drive and allow the rat race to go past you as I, you will too.
I made a short YouTube video, but having problems getting the link to work here on Ebay.
You can go to YouTube and search 1963 Ford F350 that should bring it up. I need a larger SD card, I'll go to town and get one and make a longer video, keep watching.
Thanks for looking,
Mark