1973 Ford Galaxie BOSS 400 Wagon

[Chauncey]

Between a rock and a hard place right now.  Trying to make a decision.  Still haven't called on it (the wagon), which is probably a bad idea even if I don't end up getting it, but there's another possibility in the works.

Apparently the mom-in-law has been riding the pa-in-law about letting the wife and I have temporary custody of the infamous 4-door Dodge pickup you guys all seem to know about.  Rumor has it that they're becoming more and more cool with the thought of us getting it running and actually doing something with it.  If this was the case, we'd benefit in multiple ways.  1.  No initial out of pocket expenses other than money to repair it, meaning I wouldn't have to buy a car to begin with.  2.  We'll actually have something to drive to shows/cruises instead of having to borrow something from the ever gracious Les.  3.  What's cooler than a 2wd, 4dr beastly Mopar truck doing burnouts?   

From what I was told it won't take much to get it running.  It's got the original 383 back in it now, but they've also got a 4**-something that was in it before.  Word on the street is this 4** had some serious balls.  Janet says she remembers getting slammed back into the seat because of it.

So I'm sure Randy's down with this, consider his whole "Mopar or No-car" spiel, but anybody else's opinion?  I know it's ultimately my (and Toni's) decision, but I don't mind hearing people's thoughts/ideas.  Only downside to buying the wagon is it'd most likely have to be our daily driver, seeing as my car is well on it's way to the grave yard.

I don't know.  I'm feeling a little like this right now:   

[NCHKustoms]

ohh hh ,  if it was me.. id say hold off for another daily driver.. idk if an old wagon would be a god choice.. 1. rwd might be an issue in the snow. 2. if its clean.. rust and road salt. idk thats me.. id hold out for a fwd car and hope for that old pick em up! sounds coool! 

[Chauncey]

That's kinda what I'm thinkin'.  So many stupid little things.  Don't have anywhere to store it (indoors).  Road salt.  RWD on snow, and a HUGE boat to try to steer around.  Plus it's 37 years old, so... 

I don't know.  Tough call.  And I've got a '99 SHO sitting here waiting to be stripped whenever we find a new Taurus wagon to pimp out.  That'd most likely be the daily driver then.  Obviously more reliable.  Probably triple the gas mileage.  Modern creature comforts.  Yadda yadda. 

Ahh, life.  F it anywho.

[pchop]

If you end up with that truck i WILL BE SUPER JEALOUS.  That thing would be so mean slamed on the ground.  I have had dreams about that truck since I first seen it a few years ago.  You need to own it and make her low with some whitewalls and beauty rings, and leave it the color it is I love it.  Good Luck

[hillbilly les]

he speaks truth  SO DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chauncey]

Thanks for the wishes of good luck.  I'll take everything I can get.  Definitely been thinking about lowering it.  I've always dug the look of a big crew cab dually bagged and slammed on the ground.  Makes it look so much bigger.  For sure won't be cutting any of body, tho.  1, I can't imagine chopping the top on a crew cab would be much fun, especially with how crazy the doors are shaped.  And 2, I'm 6'6".  Need all the head room I can get.   

Also, from talking to Les, I'm pretty sure the spare motor is a 413.  Just sounds really familiar from talking to Janet about it before.  Possibly fix that thing up and drop it back in.  Should be able to smoke the tires like nobody's business. 

PS - PChop, would it be necessary to cut the frame apart as much as the Ford in order to get that sweet of a lower job?  Not sure if they'd be totally down with that right away.  Might have to do some mega sweet-talking.  Sorry for my lack of skillz with this stuff.  Never had a chance to really be around it and dive in.     Err, duh?  Fully prepared to learn, tho.

[Chauncey]

Gonna have to get some pics of the actual truck and start a build thread soon, hopefully!  Here's a few shots of some similar ones I found online.  It's got the straight box of the first one, and the crew cab like the second one.  I think my favorite part is the messed up look of the windows on the doors of the crew cab.  It's like the best thing they could think of at the time to make a crew cab was to just take like 2/3 of a regular cab and just add it to the back.  So sweet.





Couple more randoms:







^---- (motor swap...  )

[pchop]

Ok 1st dont be sorry you dont have the so call "skills" to do any of this.  All you need is the want to do it.  And I think there is enough of us on here that would love to give you a hand myself included.  2nd for the lowering part of your truck, you can lower it to a certin point like a few inches in the front with leafspring removal.  You can get dearch springs made which just means they make the spring flat for the must part.  Also you can have leafs made that have reversed eyelets.  Most leafspring the eyelet is above the spring and when u get tehm reversed the eyelet is below.  It lowers the mount like a inch. Then you can remove a few leaves that helps too.  The rear is a lot more simpler just do an axle flip and add blocks between the spring and axle.  A 6" block is about the most though.  you can also remove leaves too it makes for a softer ride which is nice when your trying to drink a soda.  I hope that helps do ever be affaired to ask Qs its how you learn.  Well that and trial and error.

[Farmboy]

and pchop knows all about trial and error 

[Chauncey]

Shwang dang.  Thanks man.  If we can drop it a few inches without having to butcher too much I think they'd be cool with that.  Maybe down the road we section the frame out and scrape some bumpers, but if we went that far I'd wanna do air bags or something for when I gotta get into a parking lot or something.  It'd get hung up for sure with a frame that long.  Maybe just drop the front as much as possible for now and sink the back a little to either match it or else be a little bit higher, for that sweet stance.

Also, if you (PChop) can get that woman of yours to convince my woman to come up there and hangout sometime, that'd be cool.  Preferably on a night when you've got the welder fired up because I'm really gonna need to learn that soon.  Gonna have my hands full come winter.  Big dreams in mind for that little red toot-toot car of mine.  My guess is this truck will be on hold until next summer at least.  My sights are definitely set on the Bimmer right now.  Found a few things for it that rekindled the flame.

[Krandall]

I think you need a garage....

[hillbilly les]

ahhhhh  he said toot toot

[Chauncey]

I think you need a garage....

Preaching to the choir, brother.  Don't we all...