65 THRU 72 CREW CAB FRAME QUESTIONS

[jamesdfo]

**Mods: I saw no specific category where this seemed to fit, so I have posted it here, if you feel it belongs in another location, I will not be offended if you move it (but please advise me of it's new home so that I can find it:)

.
This is directed towards anyone owning a '65 thru 72 Ford (or '65 thru 68 Merc) factory built (ie: not Coachbuilt) Crewcab.

On my 1966 F250 2WD Crew with 147" WB (and BTW, it's a SWB Styleside box), the framerails have been "Fishplated" on the outside. The plate begins right behind the Radius Arm Bracket, and follows the contour of the rail all the way back to just in front of the forward Spring Hanger Bracket for the rear diff. The Fishplate is made from ONE PIECE (no splices), and has a bunch of holes drilled in it, and I'm sure there are also "reliefs" drilled on the backside to allow the plate to sit flush to the rail where ever there are rivet heads protruding where the crossmembers are riveted in.
I did find a thread on FTE where the owner showed frame pics of his 1972 F250 2WD, and the plates on his frame are very similar to what I see on my 1966....

So, my question(s) to owners of '65 thru '72 factory built (ie: not Coachbuilt) Crews are:

1) Does your truck have the fishplates? Y/N
2) If yes, what is the GVW?
3) Any chance you will share the info on your data plate with me (not expecting it on forum, by email)

I have been in touch with a fellow @ the Ford Archives, and although we are fairly certain these were factory installed, so far, we have no documentation to confirm this. If we can get some input from other Crew owners (particularly 67 thru 72 Trucks), we may have a way to confirm this.

Thanks in Advance
James

[1972hiboy]

Interesting, ill have to check next time im by my crew.....

[Ranchero50]

I wonder if Ford did this because the frames flex so much and the cab doesn't like it? My long wheel base F350 dually doesn't have fish plates but the frame is also about 2-3" taller than a smaller truck.

[1972hiboy]

Just checked my crewcab and it did not have fish plating. but like Jaime said, mine is a f350 as well but single rear wheel. The frames are taller than the f250's. I forgot to get the gvwr but ill take a look and contact you.

[guhfluh]

I saw this question asked somewhere else(Facebook?) and I may have responded there also.

I have a factory Canada built 67 F250 2wd Crew. It does not have any plating of the frame. It is a base model truck, 240ci, T18, Dana 60 3.73, manual brakes and steering, but does still have HD I-beams, leaf packs and 12x2.5 Bendix brakes.

[ok68crewcab]

I have a 1968 F350 crew cab and it does not have fish plates.

[guhfluh]

I have seen where others have shown their frames to be plated as well. I have actually been feeling like my frame could use strengthening. It seems as if there is a good amount of flex and "wobble" of the chassis when hitting bumps and just the general driving feel. I didn't want to jump to the conclusion that it was the frame before I replaced the cab bushings and checked all of the mounts, but in general, it feels to me like it is the frame.

My truck has a very low GVW for the size. I'll have to check again to be exact, but when I registered it I had to verify if it was above or below 6k. I do know that it is below 6000lb, but not sure exactly how much. I want to say it's 5900GVW. I'll check the next chance I get.

[jamesdfo]

Well, it's been AGES since I popped on here, and although I didn't get a ton of responses between all the forums I posted this on (Fordification, FTE, Slick60s, and Oldfordcrewcabs), back in (IIRC) Feb, one of the lads on FTE posted pics of a '65 Ford Factory Sales Brochure for the Crew Cabs.
I emailed the scans the fellow sent me to Keith, and the brochure is now on the site somewhere (I'm guessing fordification.info, which Keith started for info specific to the slicks)
Anyways, this document brings up a couple things....

1) Pretty much confirms that Ford DID in fact build crewcabs in-house starting in 1965 (as I had a couple guys PM me & tell me that Ford never build a crewcab until the '80's)
2) The brochure lists frame dimensions, and under the standard one, it lists an "Optional" section modulus, but does not list any larger dimensions?? So, how do you improve the section modulus of a chassis if you don't increase any of the dimensions, or thicknesses??
Well, I'm guessing the increase came from them FISHPLATING the rails, like on my 1966 F250 and a number of other truck, from 1965 thru 1972. And, a local fellow I know just drug home a '68 F250 Crew a week or two back, and it also has the Fishplates, and is a 7500# GVW (as is mine)
I think what I've found in the Factory sales literature pretty much confirms what I suspected, and that is that they were installed on the assembly line.
Just the fact that they are made from one piece, and have holes drilled to allow them to clear the rivets on the outside of the rails where the crossmembers are attached was pretty much enough for me, the Sales lit just confirmed my suspicions.....
Now, all we need is someone with a Fishplated truck that still has the buildsheet, as the fellow from the Ford Archives that was doing the research on mine was looking to see if he could find the code for this option, which would be listed on the buildsheet (also referred to as a VOI, Vehicle Order Image). but he was not successful, so we were hoping we could work it back from a buildsheet......

EDIT: 26 Mar/2018:Just found a link that will take you to the 1965 Ford Factory Built Crew Cab Sales Brochure

http://www.fordification.com/library/in ... ategory/68

Cheers!
James

[Lone Ranger]

Can we see pictures of this fish plate? I've never seen it on a ford.

[jamesdfo]

See links to pics within post #5 of thread linked below...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1424 ... tions.html

[bluef250]

My 1967 F350 crew does not have any re-enforcing - no fish plates. The gross is 8000 lbs.

When I started my search for a crew, I understood that Ford starting producing crews in house in 1968. Prior, the cab and chassis were shipped from a factory in the US to Canada where the sheet metal modifications were made and the truck finished. I understood that a left front door was cut down and used for right rear. Likewise, a right front was used for the left rear.

During my search, I looked at 2 F250 crews and if I remember correctly both had fish plates.

I have seen old Railroad 3-door crews built in the early 1960's and again if memory is correct even a late 1950's. The RR had these built for their purposes.

[jamesdfo]

BlueF250: See post # 5 in the FTE link below, it shows a couple pics of the 1965 FORD Factory Sales Brochure for Crew Cabs. Keith has .jpg's of the complete brochure, which was on the other site he started for slicks
www.fordification.info, but it has since gone MIA, and Keith has not responded to any of the emails or PM's I've sent him??

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1468 ... -beds.html

....and there would have been no reason to ship trucks from US to Ontario for conversion to Crews, as they were producing Slicks in Oakville at that time.

...as for the rear doors, using them on opposite sides make no sense, as that would leave you with the latch assembly at the front of the door?? AFAIK, they simply shortened the front, and made a new piece for the front inner structure where the hinges attach.

James

[bluef250]

James:

Most of what I posted came from other posts. The information could be right or wrong. You judge.

Sending trucks to Canada for modification would be a matter of economics and business relationships generated over the years.

Regarding the doors, on examining my truck once again, it appears that they used the front door shells each side front and back (with the back shortened), but used the panels and window regulators from opposite sides. Are the openers and window handle opposite front and back?