:: Project Expedition :: 1961 FORD UNIBODY ::
:: Scott's Rod Garage ::
This is my "Dream Car". It all started when I was building a unibody pickup for my friend Brad R. The deal was I would help him
build his '61 and I could have his "parts truck". While I was sitting there thinking about what to do next on his '61, my mind started
drifting off into LA LA LAND. I thought wouldn't this thing be cool as a extended cab or a crew cab...heck why not a Bronco /
Expedition. It could be done, It wouldn't be that complicated, well unless I wanted to go the 4 door route. I could visualize every
detail. I knew exactly what I wanted. Two door, 4 quarter windows, lift up rear window , fold down tailgate. Something that looked
like my idol Henry Ford would have built but with a little of my flair. All the modifications had to be done to look like is was sitting in
the showroom in 1961. Of coarse it would have to be slightly modernized. Air Ride, disc brakes, overdrive transmission, fuel
injection, big wheels and a killer flamin' paint job. A 410 cubic inch Mercury "fe" style engine with hilborne injection That would fill
the engine compartment nicely. Six bucket seats like out of a 65 Mustang, center console, all six side window go up or down. The
ultimate "Galliart Family Truckster" I could do it, It would take some time, but I could build it. I had a plan, a 5 year plan. Work on it
three nights a week, thats how I was doing Brads. Jenna was not even born yet. Needless to say Jenna turns 7 on Dec. 31,2008. I
have seemed tho have gotten side tracked somewhat. It rests in my dad's new shop...waiting. A few years ago, the summer after
Eddie was born I was at the Bologna Nats car show and I talked to a man that gave me some words of wisdow. He told me, he
started building his Hudson pickup when his son was just a little squirt, and things come up and time goes on. He finally finished
his truck a few years ago with the help of his son, who is about 5 years older that I am. He said he started off with the plan of
building it so he and his boy could ride around in it, and ended up having his boy help him build it and he said It was much more
fun now thatn it ever could have been then. So the way I figure it, I have say...30 more years...Sorry dad, it might be in your shop for
a while.
build his '61 and I could have his "parts truck". While I was sitting there thinking about what to do next on his '61, my mind started
drifting off into LA LA LAND. I thought wouldn't this thing be cool as a extended cab or a crew cab...heck why not a Bronco /
Expedition. It could be done, It wouldn't be that complicated, well unless I wanted to go the 4 door route. I could visualize every
detail. I knew exactly what I wanted. Two door, 4 quarter windows, lift up rear window , fold down tailgate. Something that looked
like my idol Henry Ford would have built but with a little of my flair. All the modifications had to be done to look like is was sitting in
the showroom in 1961. Of coarse it would have to be slightly modernized. Air Ride, disc brakes, overdrive transmission, fuel
injection, big wheels and a killer flamin' paint job. A 410 cubic inch Mercury "fe" style engine with hilborne injection That would fill
the engine compartment nicely. Six bucket seats like out of a 65 Mustang, center console, all six side window go up or down. The
ultimate "Galliart Family Truckster" I could do it, It would take some time, but I could build it. I had a plan, a 5 year plan. Work on it
three nights a week, thats how I was doing Brads. Jenna was not even born yet. Needless to say Jenna turns 7 on Dec. 31,2008. I
have seemed tho have gotten side tracked somewhat. It rests in my dad's new shop...waiting. A few years ago, the summer after
Eddie was born I was at the Bologna Nats car show and I talked to a man that gave me some words of wisdow. He told me, he
started building his Hudson pickup when his son was just a little squirt, and things come up and time goes on. He finally finished
his truck a few years ago with the help of his son, who is about 5 years older that I am. He said he started off with the plan of
building it so he and his boy could ride around in it, and ended up having his boy help him build it and he said It was much more
fun now thatn it ever could have been then. So the way I figure it, I have say...30 more years...Sorry dad, it might be in your shop for
a while.
Well I knew I was getting a "parts truck", I just didn't realize how few parts I was getting. Oh well some of these are goin in the
scrap pile too. These are of the day I took delivery of this old beauty. And its first night in its new home. After I put what few parts I
had together, it didn't look quite as bad. Remember, "Beauty is in the Eye of the Restorer" and if Beauty was only skin deep, This
thing will have at least 10 coats of clear...
scrap pile too. These are of the day I took delivery of this old beauty. And its first night in its new home. After I put what few parts I
had together, it didn't look quite as bad. Remember, "Beauty is in the Eye of the Restorer" and if Beauty was only skin deep, This
thing will have at least 10 coats of clear...
First I started messing around with pictures I found on the internet. Cutting and pasteing, my favorite. Then I drew my own concept.
I found Jason Rushforth on the web and talked to him about my ideas and he said he would do a concept drawing for me. Then it
became official. I had a professionally drawn plan, framed and put in the living room, my wife loves it when I do that. Let the FUN
begin. It was time to get underway, well not really, I was still working on Brads. So a few more months passed.
I found Jason Rushforth on the web and talked to him about my ideas and he said he would do a concept drawing for me. Then it
became official. I had a professionally drawn plan, framed and put in the living room, my wife loves it when I do that. Let the FUN
begin. It was time to get underway, well not really, I was still working on Brads. So a few more months passed.
While working on Brads, I working on my ideas and trying them out. If I laid the windshield back 13 degrees it would allow for a 2
inch chop in the window pillars. It looked like a great idea from the side profile, made it look Low Long & Lean, but from the front or
rear it that same 2 inch chop made it look Short & Fat. So that Idea went out the window! Brad and I bought another parts truck,
Brad took what he needed and I built a pick up box trailer out of the rest. Just for the heck of it I cut the roof off and set it on the back
of Brads '61 to get a real visualization of the plan. I would use a unibody rear cab section to build the rear body section out of. This
helped me figure out how it would all flow, and if it would all look seamless when I was done. Brads brother Brian had a spare set
of Fairlane taillights, wich will work nicely with the narrowed tailgate/ lift gate idea. They fill in the rear corners perfectly. It was like
ford meant to do that. And it had to have the F O R D in the tailgate. We Represent!
inch chop in the window pillars. It looked like a great idea from the side profile, made it look Low Long & Lean, but from the front or
rear it that same 2 inch chop made it look Short & Fat. So that Idea went out the window! Brad and I bought another parts truck,
Brad took what he needed and I built a pick up box trailer out of the rest. Just for the heck of it I cut the roof off and set it on the back
of Brads '61 to get a real visualization of the plan. I would use a unibody rear cab section to build the rear body section out of. This
helped me figure out how it would all flow, and if it would all look seamless when I was done. Brads brother Brian had a spare set
of Fairlane taillights, wich will work nicely with the narrowed tailgate/ lift gate idea. They fill in the rear corners perfectly. It was like
ford meant to do that. And it had to have the F O R D in the tailgate. We Represent!
The taillights are used but in very good condition. If you might remember from the '39 story, I have a friend Denny VZ. Well we were
walking around at the 1st Good Guys car show in Kansas City, I had heard a rumer that he had some unibody parts, So I asked
him about them. He continued to tell me that he had new fenders, and some other front end parts. I mentioned to him that I knew
he was building a '39 Ford sedan and I offered to do some work on it in exchange for the parts he had. A few weeks later he called
and we struck a deal. A gold mind for me as they were all NOS parts that were not being remanufactured. I got both front fenders,
inner fenders, a radiator support, cab steps and rockers, and a few more misc parts. The funny part of this story is He had bought
these parts new from our local Ford dealer in January of 1971, I wasn't even 2 years old, and they have been in the attic of his
garage ever since. So the '61 was put on hold to work on his '39.
walking around at the 1st Good Guys car show in Kansas City, I had heard a rumer that he had some unibody parts, So I asked
him about them. He continued to tell me that he had new fenders, and some other front end parts. I mentioned to him that I knew
he was building a '39 Ford sedan and I offered to do some work on it in exchange for the parts he had. A few weeks later he called
and we struck a deal. A gold mind for me as they were all NOS parts that were not being remanufactured. I got both front fenders,
inner fenders, a radiator support, cab steps and rockers, and a few more misc parts. The funny part of this story is He had bought
these parts new from our local Ford dealer in January of 1971, I wasn't even 2 years old, and they have been in the attic of his
garage ever since. So the '61 was put on hold to work on his '39.
In my spare time I managed to mess around with my project a little. I mocked it up in my garage. It sets nice and low. I continued
to work on my plans and kept working on projects for others.
to work on my plans and kept working on projects for others.
Working on Denny's '39 spoiled me. He had it on a roticery, so I decided to build my own. It had to be fully adjustable so I could
use it on other projects. And it had to be able to be stored in a small place, so it had to be able to be dis assembled easily. I got
some paper, pen and ruler and went to town. As usual Denny helped me out again, he had a nice set of heavy duty casters and a
foot brake. I built the whole thing for under $300 and it was a few thousand to buy a comparable one.
use it on other projects. And it had to be able to be stored in a small place, so it had to be able to be dis assembled easily. I got
some paper, pen and ruler and went to town. As usual Denny helped me out again, he had a nice set of heavy duty casters and a
foot brake. I built the whole thing for under $300 and it was a few thousand to buy a comparable one.
On a nice Saturday morning it was time to prove my worth. I moved the '61 outside and got to work. With a little help from my trust
old engine hoist I managed to get the body all mounted on the roticery and the frame lowered down away from the body. Lucky for
me my friend John L drove buy and stopped to see what I was doin'. He helped me pull the frame out from underneath, and we
stood back. It held together. I soaked in the glory of it all, and then said to John " It's Go or Blow Time" as I played wheel of fortune.
The dirt flew and it creaked and groaned, but it spun around several times and all was well. When the dust settled, John said to
me" I'm impressed", I replied "ME TOO".
old engine hoist I managed to get the body all mounted on the roticery and the frame lowered down away from the body. Lucky for
me my friend John L drove buy and stopped to see what I was doin'. He helped me pull the frame out from underneath, and we
stood back. It held together. I soaked in the glory of it all, and then said to John " It's Go or Blow Time" as I played wheel of fortune.
The dirt flew and it creaked and groaned, but it spun around several times and all was well. When the dust settled, John said to
me" I'm impressed", I replied "ME TOO".
While working on everyone else's stuff I continued to collect parts. I found a prefect rust free, straight roof panel that was with in a
1/2 inch of what I thought I would need, on this parted out '63 Galaxy wagon. I found cab mounts and floor pans on the internet. I
bought a Heidt's front mustang II crossmember, some tubular A arms for Air ride, used spindles, new bearings, and rotors. I even
found brackets to use Ford brake calipers. And I cut a big hole in the pick up box trailer too save some near perfect F O R D
lettering. Well it is time to say "To Be Continued..." for this story. My final pictures are when we loaded it up and hauled it out to my
dad's. Stay Tuned...It will be continued...someday!
1/2 inch of what I thought I would need, on this parted out '63 Galaxy wagon. I found cab mounts and floor pans on the internet. I
bought a Heidt's front mustang II crossmember, some tubular A arms for Air ride, used spindles, new bearings, and rotors. I even
found brackets to use Ford brake calipers. And I cut a big hole in the pick up box trailer too save some near perfect F O R D
lettering. Well it is time to say "To Be Continued..." for this story. My final pictures are when we loaded it up and hauled it out to my
dad's. Stay Tuned...It will be continued...someday!
