Fireball Modelworks FMR-154 F250 conversion kit compability

[Atmobil]

The F250 conversion kit looks really nice:

But can it be used on other Ford pickup kits aswell?

I have an idea of modifying the MPC 80 Bronco into a bull-nose pickup (I got several of the Bronco kits) by using bits from the AMT 73-79 F-series kits (Firestone kit and others) and think that a F250 4x4 long bed would look cool. Would it be very uncorrect to use this conversion kit?
How many generations of Ford F-series trucks does this conversion kit work on?

[leafsprings]

It is a great upgrade kit, thanks Fireball!  This  4x4 kit is correct for '67- '77 1/2  F 250's.  

Edited July 28, 2019 by leafsprings

[Atmobil]

Ok, thanks. So they changed the suspension halfway trough the 77 year?
Interesting, one learns something new eveyrday

[Fabrux]

The Bullnose F-series trucks have a completely different setup with the twin traction beams. The F-150 used coil springs while F-250 used leaf springs. The Fireball conversion kit is correct for '61-'72 F-250, as well as up to '77 Highboy F-250 trucks. The regular '73-'79 F-series had a wider frame than '72 on down.

The Bullnose Revell Bronco kits have the leaf-sprung TTB setup, even though it is not accurate for a Bronco. And not as detailed as the MPC coil spring version. Convert that setup to leaf springs and you'd be good to go.

You could also use the Revell Styleside Pickup as a starting point. Use the Bronco parts to make it a long bed.

Edited August 30, 2019 by Fabrux

[RAT-T]

3 hours ago, Fabrux said:

The Bullnose F-series trucks have a completely different setup with the twin traction beams. The F-150 used coil springs while F-250 used leaf springs. The Fireball conversion kit is correct for '61-'72 F-250, as well as up to '77 Highboy F-250 trucks. The regular '73-'79 F-series had a wider frame than '72 on down.

The Bullnose Revell Bronco kits have the leaf-sprung TTB setup, even though it is not accurate for a Bronco. And not as detailed as the MPC coil spring version. Convert that setup to leaf springs and you'd be good to go.

You could also use the Revell Styleside Pickup as a starting point. Use the Bronco parts to make it a long bed.

HI CHRIS, WHAT WERE THE HIGHBOY TRUCKS? I REMEMBER BACK IN HIGHSCHOOL SOMEONE CALLING THEM TALLBOYS. WERE THESE FACTORY LIFTED TRUCKS?

[Atmobil]

13 hours ago, Fabrux said:

The Bullnose F-series trucks have a completely different setup with the twin traction beams. The F-150 used coil springs while F-250 used leaf springs. The Fireball conversion kit is correct for '61-'72 F-250, as well as up to '77 Highboy F-250 trucks. The regular '73-'79 F-series had a wider frame than '72 on down.

The Bullnose Revell Bronco kits have the leaf-sprung TTB setup, even though it is not accurate for a Bronco. And not as detailed as the MPC coil spring version. Convert that setup to leaf springs and you'd be good to go.

You could also use the Revell Styleside Pickup as a starting point. Use the Bronco parts to make it a long bed.

Thank you for your answer.

Is this the Bronco/Styleside kits you are talking about?

I don't have that one and looking at the Ebay prices I wish they would reissue it. Getting my hands on that pickup cab would for sure make it a lot easier job.

[Fabrux]

23 hours ago, RAT-T said:

HI CHRIS, WHAT WERE THE HIGHBOY TRUCKS? I REMEMBER BACK IN HIGHSCHOOL SOMEONE CALLING THEM TALLBOYS. WERE THESE FACTORY LIFTED TRUCKS?

Check this link out for a run down on them: https://www.blueovaltrucks.com/ford_articles/the-ford-highboy-f-250/

13 hours ago, Atmobil said:

Thank you for your answer.

Is this the Bronco/Styleside kits you are talking about?

I don't have that one and looking at the Ebay prices I wish they would reissue it. Getting my hands on that pickup cab would for sure make it a lot easier job.

Yes, that's the kit I'm referring to. They have been going up in value, for sure. Depending on how comfortable you are with bodywork, you could start with the AMT 92-96 F-150 kits to get a cab and inner bed structure. You'd need to switch the front clip over from the Bronco as well as transfer the wheel arches from the Bronco to the F-150 bed.

[Atmobil]

10 hours ago, Fabrux said:

Check this link out for a run down on them: https://www.blueovaltrucks.com/ford_articles/the-ford-highboy-f-250/

Yes, that's the kit I'm referring to. They have been going up in value, for sure. Depending on how comfortable you are with bodywork, you could start with the AMT 92-96 F-150 kits to get a cab and inner bed structure. You'd need to switch the front clip over from the Bronco as well as transfer the wheel arches from the Bronco to the F-150 bed.

I was thinking of using the AMT 78/79 and the MPC Bronco because I have several of these kits and can always sacrifice a couple of them.
My plan was to cut the backwall and part of the roof of the AMT kit and splice it with the front end of the Bronco. Then I was going to make bedsides from two bronco rear ends and using the inner bed structur from the AMT kit (that I would have to rework so the wheelwells are in the correct place) but using the AMT 92-96 kit for inner bed structure is something that I have not thought of before. Is the 92-96 cab so close that it can be used as a 80-86 with just a new frontclip? That idea would possibly be easier than my plan.

[RAT-T]

14 hours ago, Fabrux said:

Check this link out for a run down on them: https://www.blueovaltrucks.com/ford_articles/the-ford-highboy-f-250/

THANKS CHRIS

[Sergey]

What have happened with Fireball Modelworks  site? Does it moved some where?

[Foxer]

http://www.fireballmodels.info/

[Tom Geiger]

For those interested, the new Oct 19 issue of Scale Auto has an article  "The History of Ford Scale Model Pickups"   by Tim Boyd.  

[Sergey]

Thank you, Mike!

[Fabrux]

On 9/1/2019 at 4:56 AM, Atmobil said:

Is the 92-96 cab so close that it can be used as a 80-86 with just a new frontclip? That idea would possibly be easier than my plan.

Well, the real trucks used the same cab from 80-96, so the kits should be really close if not the same. I know that the 1:24 kits are slightly different between '80 and '87 versions.

[Atmobil]

12 hours ago, Fabrux said:

Well, the real trucks used the same cab from 80-96, so the kits should be really close if not the same. I know that the 1:24 kits are slightly different between '80 and '87 versions.

Thats great, now I'm looking for another amt 92-96 f-series. I got the 92 long bed f150 and the flareside kit but maybe I can find a gluebomb somewhere that can be a donor. 

[mikemodeler]

Out of curiosity, has anyone put the Fireball F-250 conversion underneath the AMT 78 Ford Firestone pickup kit? I have a grille for an earlier model year that I want to combine with the kit and was going to add the 4wd conversion to build a truck a friend had back in the 70's.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Fabrux]

Sort of. I'm building a '73 F-250 service truck but I'm only using the cab from the Super Stones kit; everything else is Moebius. But, considering how well the AMT 4x4 suspension fits the Moebius frame, going the other way should fit as well. Getting the FMR-155 kit as well helps.

[mikemodeler]

9 hours ago, Fabrux said:

Sort of. I'm building a '73 F-250 service truck but I'm only using the cab from the Super Stones kit; everything else is Moebius. But, considering how well the AMT 4x4 suspension fits the Moebius frame, going the other way should fit as well. Getting the FMR-155 kit as well helps.

Thanks for the insight, I had a feeling the two kits were so close that it would work.

[Loncray]

So I just received the FMR-154X (35" Swamper tires) and FMR-155 (with a 35" Swamper and FMR-174 spare) from Fireball Modelworks and I have to say they are some of the most beautiful pieces of resin I've ever seen.  I don't know if my skills are sufficient to do them justice but I hope to try.  The instructions are - with a few read-thrus - well detailed and complete.  Can't say as they are easy but I see no difficulty in doing the steps in order.  Anyway, the wait was 38 days - not nearly as bad as it might've been - and they've arrived just in time for coronavirus teleworking.  With no desire to see Fireball overwhelmed with orders, I still encourage anyone wanting a real F-250 4x4 to get at least the FMR-154 set - you won't regret it.