Revamped 77F150 Build Thread

**Fordguy77** · December 7th, 2011

I am finally getting around to rebuilding the 77. Literally 2 years after joining the Frontrange, and making its original build thread. I was going over the original an noticed that its far off topic now and has mixed builds of the Ol B2 project we had to scrap and even some of the ranger. So I decided that it would be best for me to redo its whole build thread, and hope one of the mods can lock out or delete the old thread as a whole. The overall Build hasn't changed, and is more of a restro than a 4x4 monster. However it will be sometime before i am able to do a real restro, so it will be getting some mods to make it more trail friendly for the time being.
Basic Outlines

Engine-
100% Rebuild from the ground up
New KB Pistons which will raise my compression from 8.4 Up to around 9.4-9.7ish. With the exception of the cam, this is probably one of the largest single improvements i can make to gain more power.
RV Based Cam
Edelbrock Intake
And a set of headers(I have some off my donor rig but they are long tube headers, and kinda defy the concept of ground clearance.)
600-650CFM Carb sitting up top. Right now i have a holley 750 and an edel 750 but imo they are just too much for what i need.
I also plan on reinstalling the AC at some point. Not anytime soon, but i would like to as this truck came with factory AC and has all the goods for it.

Drive-train
I have already rebuild the D44 Front and its solid and good to go for now.
The 9in out back needs a new gasket around the 3d member but other than that its good to go.
My 205NP was rebuilt around 500 miles ago, however it seems like shes weeping out the output shaft seal.
I also plan on running a twin stick for the 205 just for fun.
And the big one
I am swapping out the C6 in favor for a NP435. For several reasons. First and foremost, for whatever reason C6s and I just don't mix. Second I like Manuals Better. The gearing in the NP435 has better suited gearing for offraod purposes, however there are some significant gaps between gears, the Motor is more than capable of making up for, and they don't seem all that noticeable from the ones i have driven.
The Gearing For Comparison is as Follows
Gear C6 NP435
1st 2.46:1 6.68:1
2nd 1.46:1 3.34:1
3rd 1:1 1.74:1
4th n/a 1:1
Rev 2.20:1 8.26:1
The only major drawback i can think of so far, is no hydraulic clutch

The good news is i have every component needed for the swap already as i am going to part with my 79 bronco, and use it as a donor. It came from Illinois, and has the rust to prove it.

Interior
I eventually plan on re-carpeting it, and restoring it to new. But for now if i can find a seat cover to fit the bench that should do fine. I am going to swap my steering column over from the bronco into the F150 so it will look as if it came with the 4spd and not the C6. I also need to replace the headliner, and find a spot for a cb at one point.

Exterior Mods
FLATBED!!!! Well itll just look nice and add some much need ground clearance for that half of the rig. I have in the Area of a 133" wheel base, so no bed sides would be a nice thing. Im also going to dove tail the flat bed Somewhere around the center of the axle line or just behind it.
Sliders are a must as to not kill my Rockers/Doors as i do wish to restore it.
And if i get around to a nice front winch bumper.
And i need to get the drivers door painted to match the rest of the truck.

The main goal is to have it back on the trails by Christmas, so some of this stuff will be waiting for a while.
Here are a few pics of it during its life. On a side note is has BFG MTRS on it now and not the **** tires shown in the pictures.

**Fordguy77** · December 7th, 2011

I started pulling some stuff out of the engine compartment today. As well as removed both the drive-shafts. Just waiting for my dad to get home to help me get the monster of a 205NP out. Cast iron + Gear Driven= Stupid Heavy. I tried Using the transmission jack, but it doesn't go high enough and i don't feel good about how its sitting on it.
Pics of the engine compartment, and some of the donor's motor.

**Rob** · December 7th, 2011

Fordboy77 previously posted:

**scout man** · December 7th, 2011

i love that truck man. When you get this thing running we'll have to take a drive with that and my 76. Mine isnt in near as nice physical condition though.

**Michael4rnr** · December 7th, 2011

Awesome truck, my dad has a 77 f250 and we love it.

December 8th, 2011

600-650CFM Carb sitting up top. Right now i have a holley 750 and an edel 750 but imo they are just too much for what i need.
I also plan on reinstalling the AC at some point. Not anytime soon, but i would like to as this truck came with factory AC and has all the goods for it.

PM Chris (the younger) as he has a carb he is going to get rid of on his CJ when he goes to a Howell EFI and get the number off that carb. It may every well not work as my guess is that is it also a 750 and also way too much carb. Worth a shot.

Most of my 4xs have been carbed and the single biggest problem I had with the carbs was 'too much' carb. You simply don't need it. This is the biggest problem with Chris' Frank. As an aside, all of the 4xs I had with carbs, I got to work just fine, once I got it into my head that I was either going to have a wheeling 4x4 or a mall crawler 4x4.

**Clint Z** · December 8th, 2011

The sad thing with Holley carbs are that if you could cut the back half off the 750 cfm, you would be just about perfect!

They always seem to run rich.

**Fordguy77** · December 8th, 2011

Clint Z previously posted:

**Clint Z** · December 8th, 2011

BTW, what were the old tires?

**Fordguy77** · December 8th, 2011

Clint Z previously posted:

**Clint Z** · December 8th, 2011

do you still have them? i am looking for some spares for the suburban I worked on.

Thanks,

Clint

**Fordguy77** · December 8th, 2011

Clint Z previously posted:

**Clint Z** · December 8th, 2011

Not a problem, Scrat is hooking me up.

I will need to borrow the engine lift sometime.

Later, Clint

**Hypoid** · December 8th, 2011

I want to go the opposite direction with my '74. If it were an auto tranny, my Mrs could drive it...if she had too.

Let me know if you decide to get rid of the steering column, linkages, and pedal assembly for the auto tranny. I might have a 600 CFM builder carb of the 1860 flavor.

**Heather** · December 8th, 2011

Very cool, Chris. I like the yellow one in the background, too - reminds me of my grandpa's truck! Can't wait till you're wheeling again!

**Popsgarage** · December 8th, 2011

Chris and Chris, I've got a couple of 600's sitting in the garage that you guys can have. They'll need rebuilt, but they might just work for ya!

**Cr33p3r** · December 9th, 2011

Chris is that the 351M or 400M engine? On the Fords at this altitude I have found the Edelbrocks work best, once you have them dialed in you basically don't have to fart with them again unlike the Holleys always needing adjusted due to Barametric changes and the like.
If you want a Edelbrock that will work great on either of those motors or even the small blocks this one is a good to go with;

Edelbrock Carburetor - Part Number: 4506-03133034
Performer Series - 600cfm - Square-Flange - Electric Choke - w / o EGR - Includes Primary Jet-0.098 - Sec. Jet-0.095 - Metering Rod-0.075x0.047 - Dual Plane Intake - New - Endurashine
Features:
Both Timed and Full Vacuum Ports
Burnished Aluminum
Easy Tuning with 2-Piece Design
Electric Choke Installed from Factory
GM/AMC-Style Throttle Linkage
Includes PCV Outlet
Smooth Secondary Transition

And if you want the one for EGR I will have to do more research to find the info on it. Also it is nothing to change these over to manual chokes if you want to go that route too. Only other thing I could say is if you go to one of these DEFINITELY get the tune kit too! You'll be happy you did!

December 9th, 2011

Are you talking about a 'street' carb or 'off road' carb, Sean? Really easy to set up a 'street' carb. Not so easy to set up one for off road so that it works well. Sure, you can set the needles and seat to work on a level surface to perform well, but you enter an entirely different ball game setting them up so that they work well for off road. Usually, a much smaller carb works best for off road, and many times a two barrel works way better than a 4 barrel because you simply do not need all that much gas for wheeling.

There are also a lot of other things to keep in mind when you run a carb off road. You will need different needles and seats, as well as different metering rods, different springs, will probably need to block off the connecting port, add a fuel pressure regulator, and do some fine tuning on the floats. I don't know how much experience you have with carbs and wheeling, but I have spent a lot of time trying to get carbs in almost all of the 4x4s I have had, probably 90% of them with carbs, tuned to the point where they actually work well when I went off road. Street tuning is a piece of cake in comparison. Bigger isn't necessarily better, either, and what works for the street, certainly doesn't work off road.

Sure, some of that depends a lot on what kind of "wheeling" you want to do. If "wheeling" is going to consist of driving on relatively level, but bumpy trails and passes, you aren't going to have to do much more than adjust the carb for altitude and call it good. If you are going to get into harder trails where you are going to be very off camber, driving over rocks, be at relatively extreme angles or all of those at the same time, you had best install an off road "kit" and be prepared to spend a fair amount of time dicking with the carb to get it right. In fact, you will find that you will establish a rather intimate relationship with any carbed 4x4 before it is actually dialed in.

Even with the huge amount of information available on the internet and from the manufacturers about dialing in a carb for off road use, the more research you do on it, the better off you are going to be.

Luckily there is a slew of information on the internet about tuning up almost all the major brands of carbs for off road. Almost all of the big name carb companies offer an "off road kit" for their carbs to address the issues, too.

**Clint Z** · December 9th, 2011

Jonathan, if they don't need them, i will take one or both, i need to swap a 351w from FI to carb for my swap.

thanks,

Clint

**Popsgarage** · December 9th, 2011

Will bring 'em over to Pete's along with the axles as long as that's OK with Pete.

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