Questions about crews

UNIFAN · Post by **UNIFAN** » February 7, 2010, 1:59 pm

I have used the search box for this with no luck. I have been looking to buy a crew for some time now and was wondering how many variations there are as far as the coach builders that manufactured them. It seems the most common is a Crown conversion. Is that the case? Just thought it would be cool to document what anybody knows to be fact. Would also like opinions as to which is assumed to be the better constructed one in its prime and which ones have held up the best in a apples to apples comparison.

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » February 7, 2010, 5:25 pm

I have a stock Ford from 65. It is very well built. The only problem I have is the rust in the usual spots and the roof has no supports.

I have the supports to go in now, I just have to do it. The roof will oil can when going over rough roads.

UNIFAN · Post by **UNIFAN** » February 8, 2010, 10:39 pm

What identifies the Ford version from others and which one runs an exposed hinge on the rear doors?

fire truck · Post by **fire truck** » February 8, 2010, 11:15 pm

The Ford has concealed hinges. Some of the conversions do too. The ford factory crews have a drip rail all the way around the cab and as 65 crew said, no roof supports. The f250 crews are short slick beds where the f350s are long wrong beds. The conversions will have frame extensions or cut down beds..LOL at very well built...

fire truck · Post by **fire truck** » February 8, 2010, 11:25 pm

Stageway, Armbruster and crown built conversions, I think all of them had exposed hinges.

Shiny · Post by **Shiny** » February 9, 2010, 2:31 am

All of the above is correct except my '66 Merc crew doesn't have an oilcan roof. It doesn't have braces either. Might be cuz theres less then 50k miles on it. My '65 Merc crew is a Crown built cab with exposed hinges.
I have a '65 Merc extracab and I'm thinking it was built by Continental Truck Bodies out of Vancouver BC. The reason is I also have a '64 GMC extracab and the building techniques and similarities are striking.

-Shiny

fire truck · Post by **fire truck** » February 9, 2010, 10:46 am

Shiny, you killing me dude! lets see the GMC! Better yet, put it on a truck and send it here, you know it wants to get maxxed out.....

Shiny · Post by **Shiny** » February 9, 2010, 11:27 am

firetruck, they seem to be all over the island here. I just passed off a Fargo Crew to a good buddy. He owns a bodyshop here and I'm building it for him and hes gonna paint my '66 Merc crew for me

It'll be slammed like my truck, they'll look like brothers from different mothers.
I'll have to get pics of all of em when they're all here. Its a Crew Breeding Farm! haha

-Shiny

fire truck · Post by **fire truck** » February 9, 2010, 1:27 pm

I wonder how bad shipping would be on a truck from there to here....I would love to find a 60's GMC crew and drop it on a modern chassis with a duramax and allison....

jwh f-100 · Post by **jwh f-100** » February 9, 2010, 1:34 pm

Armbruster had hidden hinges....

http://fordtruk.com/forums/viewtopic.ph ... ght=hinges

UNIFAN · Post by **UNIFAN** » February 9, 2010, 5:44 pm

Ok guys, from what I'm learning I think I looked at a Ford and a Crown conversion today. Want opinions on a value for the Ford. I will only be using the frame, cab, and bed sides as the rest is there but not worth using. The front floors and cab mounts will have to be replaced. The strange part is that the doors and back floor are in great conditon but where it has rust it is bad. The good side of that is that all of those parts are available. And the bed isn't a killer either as I would cut out the floor to raise the wheel wells and the floor regardless and I have plenty of fenders and hoods laying around. So, I would have to buy (find) a core support and inner fenders and buy new repop cab mounts and floor pans plus labor. What is the max this thing would be worth? Or is there a rough value that a crew is worth over a standard slick in similar condition? Thanks for the input and sorry for the book here!

36truck · Post by **36truck** » February 9, 2010, 5:48 pm

There was just a crew sold in Ga for $1500 in about your shape maybe better. Do you have any pics that would help.

fire truck · Post by **fire truck** » February 9, 2010, 6:16 pm

I paid 600 for my f350 crew...

I have about 1600 in the f250...it looks okay, but it has a lot of rot....

Oddly enough they go for cheap....

It just depends on how much you can spend and how bad you want it. IMO if a guy sat on one like that and listed it for sale (CL, ebay, ect) it could bring 3K...

fire truck · Post by **fire truck** » February 9, 2010, 6:22 pm

jwh f-100 wrote:Armbruster had hidden hinges....

http://fordtruk.com/forums/viewtopic.ph ... ght=hinges

A point of clarity...

I wasn't say all conversions had exposed hinges, I was saying they all made them. I've seen them both ways...

UNIFAN · Post by **UNIFAN** » February 9, 2010, 6:24 pm

36truck wrote:There was just a crew sold in Ga for $1500 in about your shape maybe better. Do you have any pics that would help.

I agree. I checked into the one in Ga. My opinion is that it needs about the same amount of work in the front floors of the cab but the rest of the truck looks alot better than the Ga. truck. The Ga. truck looked like it had been worked really hard where this one looks like a typical work truck that might even be wearing its original paint. Does anyone know if the Ga. truck sold? I was kinda trying to base this truck off of that one also. And, I don't have any pics of this truck as it is local (word of mouth not advertised) and I didn't take a camera for pics.

fire truck · Post by **fire truck** » February 9, 2010, 6:29 pm

So you have a Crown and a ford crew for sale near you??

UNIFAN · Post by **UNIFAN** » February 9, 2010, 7:27 pm

fire truck wrote:So you have a Crown and a ford crew for sale near you??

Yes, I looked at both of them today along with two other 66 swb slicks. All the same owner. He seems to have slickitis also! He hadn't heard of the site so I gave him an invite!

Reds Rod Shop · Post by **Reds Rod Shop** » February 9, 2010, 7:43 pm

I checked on the one in Ga. It seemed to have been rode hard and put up wet if you know what i mean. I checked the listing again yesterday and it was already sold. Red

UNIFAN · Post by **UNIFAN** » February 9, 2010, 7:59 pm

Reds Rod Shop wrote:I checked on the one in Ga. It seemed to have been rode hard and put up wet if you know what i mean. I checked the listing again yesterday and it was already sold. Red

So it seems that maybe $1500 for one in that condition is more than fair?

fire truck · Post by **fire truck** » February 9, 2010, 8:09 pm

What do you guys figure this one is worth?

[albumimg]6687[/albumimg]

[albumimg]6688[/albumimg]

It has the fuel tank moved under the bed and runs/drives reliably. 300 six 3 on the tree...