Aryan's 1959 Ford Pickup

I wanted something old. I traded my S1o for Andys 59. Thanks Andy. I really like the truck.

Aryan is pretty happy with his new truck. The look on his face when we pulled up was priceless. The truck will need some work. I think what happened was the truck was mocked up and not finished. Alot of us do this this. We stick stuff on to make sure it works, fits, ect and then blow it back apart to clean, paint and put in all the way on. The truck has nothing bolted on right and there are a few bad parts. The thought of Andy driving this truck freaks me out. We pulled it off the roll back and started to park it when the rag joint broke. First 30 seconds it was here. We got it parked but this could have been bad if it broke while Andy was driving it. Even at 30 mph, no seat belt and a metal dash, you know it would have been nasty. For the ones that say hit the brakes? What brakes? It has brake fade bad even if the brakes were up to it the gas pedal is under the brake. In a stress situation I don't think you could have hit them fast enough. After looking at the rag joint we seen that the steering box was only hanging on by 1 LOOSE bolt. It was going from side to side. The tie rod end was almost off where the nut is backing off. The tie rod sleeve coupler is not on it. While your drive the wheel could toe in or out and if it went to far the it would come off the tie rod end. The pitman arm has a plate welded to it to make it longer. That has to go! There are alot of things that are great that the guy put on but nothing is put on correct or all the way. This could have been really bad if something came loose or if the rag joint would have busted while at speed. Be safe guys. I have done it too but we need to check these cars out before we start getting in them and taking off. I have been to too many funerals here lately and I'd rather you guys put me to rest, long in to the future before I go to anymore funerals.
The truck is a cool truck that will need to be gone through to double check everything. I think it will be a good learning tool for Arayn. He's like a sponge wanting to soak up everything we do. I have never seen a kid at his age with a thurst for hot rodding. I'll teach him what I can but I have a feeling he may be teaching me in a few more years.

A huge THANKS goes out to Jeff. Without his help we could have never done the trade because of the towing situation. Once again it pays to have a club with good friends that can help each other out in times of need.
The S10 on it's way to Springfield Oho

I was a little freaked out when I seen this the next morning. I thought the back seal had blew out. I already seen a 350 Chevy engine sitting in it. I touched it and seen it was red. Then I remembered Andy telling me the dipstick tube leaked. No biggie. I'll grabbed a rubber seal in a couple days. Arayn and myself went and bought the rag joint today. I'm going to do that first so I can move the truck.

Man Steve, I feel aweful. I didnt realize myself what a mess that truck was, I mean yea it had some issues but all of that...... Atleast someone has it now that knows more than a thing or two. Good luck Aryan, and I'm enjoying the S10.

No need to feel bad. I figured it was going to need some stuff. I'm just glad something didn't come loose on you while you was driving it.
I worked on it for a few hours today. When you stick custom made parts on a hot rod it's cool untill it breaks on someone else and they don't know what you did to fix it the first time. I bought a rag joint. Unbolted the column and pulled it out of the floor. Leaving one busted side on the column and the other on the gear box. I unbolted what was left on the gear box and started looking at it. It didn't look right. I gabbed the column and looked at the bottom of it. The guy had made his own rag joint. Took two and put them together and clamps one side to the cut off steering shaft. The shaft has no teeth so he solved the slipping by drilling a hole though it and the steering shaft and running a cheap bolt through it. I was really lost for a second trying to figure out what to do. I started digging for steering column but was out of stock. I talked to a few people to see if they had one. Nope! I ended up taking some of what he had done and the new one and made my own almost like he did. I got her all put back together. It will work just fine but I don't like the idea of the bolt being in there. I'm going to take it back apart and weld it on and the put the rag joint back on. I didn't have my welder here so I nursed the truck out to the property untill I can get some stuff done to it. While I was out there I fixed the carb too. It was getting less than half pedal. Even with the half pedal it will white smoke the tire off the pulling side. After the truck got going I heard the valves rattling. It's detonation chatter. Worse one I have heard yet. I thought John's Cleveland was bad. This one has it beat. I'm not sure what kind of pistons are in it but the head where just redone and I bet they milled the crap out of them. The compression is way too hi. After I get the vacuum leaks fixed and adjust the carb then I will try to let some of the timing out to see if that helps. If it does then maybe run a mix of racing fuel and 93 untill I find another engine. No way with the price of gas can anyone afford to run a hi compression engine these days if they rack up the miles like I do.

Aryan's truck is going to look awesome soon enough. We all know going in that we are going to run into issues with a older model vehicle. That's the fun in rebuilding. I'm already thinking about building a Rod next year. I've been looking at the '31 & 32 Fords Coupes. It's not going to be an overnight project, that's for sure. It's going to take me a few yrs to get what I want, to be road worthy. Although I may run it down the street a few times before it's done. 1st, I'm going to have to buy a garage to work on it in with plenty of room. Being I sold my engine lift and a few other things that I'm going to need. I might have Cornfield Customs build me a frame to start off with and go from there.

Man, am I ever glad to hear that someone knows for sure now what all that chattering is. I thought I was starting to go nuts.

CustomCabby wrote:Man, am I ever glad to hear that someone knows for sure now what all that chattering is. I thought I was starting to go nuts.

May have skated by back in the day when regular gas was leaded and was higher octane than you can buy now. Add a little 104 Octane Booster and you were good to go. With the gas they sell now even their 93 avertised is junk in hi compression engines. Get some stuff done and figure it out later which route to take.

Aryan and myself went out and worked on the truck a little. The brakes are screwy to say the least. It has brakes that will toss you through the wiindshield and the next time they hit the floor. I drove the 15 minute drive through the city and out Rt 9 stopping at stop signs, red lights and even to get gas and it stopped fine. I get to the property pull around the back and the brake pedal hit the floor. I have never seen anything like this one. It does have me scratching my head. I had to turn the truck off and coast to a stop. Not fun. Let it sit for a few minutes and they work again. I was line locking the and burning the tires slamming on the barkes. doing what I could to do it again. I gave up and started to park it next to the barn and then the brake pedal hits the floor??? make no sence. bad thing is that we may never know. I'm not one to dig through someone elses conversion so more than likely it will get replaces with what I know will work. This one will need gone through and see what the deal is. This is one of those time I wish they would have left the stock stuff alone.
Not wanting to harp on the ol 59 but that's like the wiring. The guy rewired everything! It all works. Everything! even the horn. He was so proud he put the fuse box under the hood and neatly placed all the wires really nice. No wire loom. Everything is in the open. That drives me nuts. It looks like the wire factory had a party and puked everywhere. I hate to say that I will rip out a brand new wiring setup but looks like it will happen. I like clean stuff. I'm going to go through the truck and see what would be better to do.

The tires are leaning so I'm wondering if it needs king pins, the brakes are shot, front end needs work. The Toyota power steering conversion sucks! It doesn't work when you are under 2K rpm and when you are driving down the road it works to good and will yank you to the left or right which ever way your hand is leaning when you hit a bump.. Front disk conversion is made up of who knows what, the engine has way to much compression to run on pump gas, the trans shifts so hard it yanks the truck in the wrong lane. It may be easier to just clip it and forget it. GM clip with a SBC and a booster from the same car. Before all you Ford nuts freak out. Find me a frame that will come close to the truck frame and I may use that with a stock 302 but the Nova or F body frames are right on and it's been done alot. I want something that can be driven daily and doesn't take a loan to get the gas it needs.

94 ford explorer 2wheel drive could come stock with a 5.0 and a aod tranny and ran 4.11 gears from the factory 8.8 posi leaf spring rear twin i beam front with coils put drops on the i beams and you can put it in the weeds if you want and in the rear flip the rear end and c notch the frame and its there also 119inch wheelbace just right for a short bed for your aplication steering box is the same as any f 150 pickup 1981-1995 so power steering is not a problem even has a crank down spare tire hanger so you don't have to crawl under it should come out by the rear licsen plate amd 150 colum will work with this app from 1981 to 1996 disk brakes up front and drums rear but rear can be changed with use if mustang rear 8.8 and if you don't want the v8 a 4.0 liter ran darn near as good as a old style 5.0 carb motor any other questions ????? P.S use the exploreer body mounts they will help with the ride even if you got it in the weeds !!!!

I rather not mess with the I beam stuff. Too costly to drop. Not sure about the width either. Seem those little trucks are narrow. I don't want to run deep dish wheel on the front to get them back out where they go. I will take a tape measure with me to the yard next time and check one out.

yea clip it

say it with me.....VOLARE'....I have the Templates.....

LOL you and that Volare clip. Those are getting hard to come by compared to an F body or Nova

the volare's r every where here

RebStew wrote:LOL you and that Volare clip. Those are getting hard to come by compared to an F body or Nova

and you dont have to cut your truck in HALF....just notched out a bit!

I think there might be a couple in Modoc or Starks,me and Doug will be going to Starks next saturday to look at some 8 inch gears and other stuff. My 37 needs something other then 2.79s.

Alright Aryan, enough time has passed, update us

Havn't touched it. Still trying to figure out what the best route is. It's a shame that the body is like it is because everything else is toast. Trying to talk him out of the gasser look and just sub frame it and switch motors. We will see what happens.

I understand his wants of the gasser look, that's what I was leaning more towards myself. It was either going up in the front or way low all the way around. I ran across a truck on Ebay and they put the whole body on a Lincoln frame and said the wheel base stayed the same. Didnt specify which Lincoln but .... an idea.

I bought a Nova clip for it but it's up to him if he wants me to chop the frame. With the shabby work the first guy did it would be alot easier to sub it instead of fixing his screwed up work.