52 Ford F-1 Pickup Project

Here are some photos of my progress... Rather than typing a bunch of info I will let the pictures do the talking... As I am sure the case is with many of you... something that takes 8 hours might not get noticed, something that took an hour some people will notice, and a mistake that took a split second will be noticed by just about everyone...

Dis-Assembly













Stripping









Progress
















Minor, barely noticeable changes











If ya do not notice what a picture is of, or if you are interested in how I did anything, or just bored, leave a message. Obviously not everything I did is pictured, if you want me to post any pics of any particular work I can... filler and sanding work is not exactly thrilling to view, so I do not plan on posting tons of pictures.

Will post more as I get more done... This is the result of 10 months... but of course not much has gotten done in the past 4 or so with weather.

If you know a good paint/body man who is reasonable to work with (I am cheap, and already have my materials) please let me know.

Nice work! This is looking very good. Glad you were able to save this one. Any idea what color(s) you want to go with? I assume you are keeping the straight-6?

Later,

Lee

Pretty cool! Thanks for sharing the pics. Looks like you are on your way to a cool ride!

And he's keeping the fenders ! ! ! !

Thanks for the encouragement.

I bought a hot rod black kit from KOI. It is a satin more than a flat. I wanted something to hide the imperfections, but like dark colors. If I do not use the color I bought, I would probably go get some satin really deep blue... Honestly - I will most likely paint it black and eventually take the time to refine the body work and paint it a different color.

As far as the motor.... I have to be honest... I am not skilled enough to do the full rebuild, but I have a 351w with a prior rebuild (pictures below). I was told (as you would expect) the engine ran and would start right up, but I plan to go over it before trying because, well, I was not born yesterday. I have done some motor work in motorcycles, and am confident doing most repairs, but for something like this I want it done right and so I can enjoy it. Anyone willing to teach, or knowing a good (and fair priced) re-build shop I would be appreciative of.





The straight 6 runs and drives, just not quickly... and is installed. At minimum I plan on keeping it for a year, unless I hit the lotto or by other means come into money.

Nanook wrote:Nice work! This is looking very good. Glad you were able to save this one. Any idea what color(s) you want to go with? I assume you are keeping the straight-6?

Later,

Lee

John B wrote:And he's keeping the fenders ! ! ! !

I cheated... I bought real steel used replacements in MUCH better condition. No new

For the rears - I am saving them for last for bodywork... By that point I might buy fiberglass rather than spend the time hammer and dolly, filler, blocking, and sanding - and filling and blocking and sanding...

I spent some big money for some glass fenders for a 46 car one time. They fit so bad I drove them all the way back to the place to get my money back. If you go 'glass with the fenders I hope you have better luck than I did.

If you buy glass do your reserch and spend the extra doller on it. It will pay in the end. The cheaper stuff is just that! Good luck on your build it's looking good!

You have got a ton of time in this so far, and it shows. Nice job with what you've done so far, and the rest will be as nice, I'm sure. That 351 looks really clean inside. Amazing that front fender was that bad when the cab didn't look nearly so. The rodents sure had an old home day in it before you got that mess cleaned up! The W motor should make a nice package- either standard or auto. I'm sure you will soon tire of the original 4.88, or so, gear that's in the stock rear. Stuck a 2.75 in my 54 with the C-6 and the diesel engine gives me decent mileage (25), but I am shooting for taller gears yet. Found a 2.47, but I think what I really need is the 2.47 with either an AOD or a 80's bronco 4 speed with OD. Should get rpms down to 1500 at cruise and boost mileage. The trick will be torque convertor to get the diesel locked up and driving direct in high. With the C-6 it always seems like I have little engine braking, and substantial slip thru the tranny. A trans guy told me the 4 cyl diesel doesn't have the oog- gots to keep internal pressure high from turbine to stator to the point it will make the C-6 work good. He may be onto something, so I'm leaning toward the stick O/D as proof positive he knows what he's talking about.

Some of you may already be aware from talking with me at the recent get together's of the setback I am experiencing.

My exhaust manifold did not survive the winter...



This leaves me with a predicament....
Weld up the exhaust manifold and make it work for hopefully a year...
Buy a new exhaust manifold, made in a 2 piece system which would cause me to run a collector or dual exhaust, and make it work for at least a year.
Pay to rebuild my motor, find a transmission, and install...
Pay for a working motor transmission combo, and install...

I am undecided, but leaning heavily towards ripping it out this year while I have it apart... I am having a hard time dropping money into the old motor, which is ultimately not going to cut it...

If all goes to plan, I am going to look at some candidates for motor swaps this weekend...

May be looking for some helpers for hire in the near future...

nice project you got going.
What's up with the cut leaves in the springs? Was it a heavy duty model at one point, someone removed some springs to soften ride or just a cheap lift?

Looks like the U bolts weren't short enough, so he stacked some pieces of leaf cut offs on it to take up some "slack" and get the nuts tight- that's what I'm thinkin'

Good eye. All three kinda... I needed one to allow for tightening (several leafs were broken before they found there way to me, so i removed and restacked), and until i figure out how i am going to lower the front i did not want the back too low so i fabbed some extra to keep it at what i think will be level.
Its still lower than when i started, stiffer than what i ultimately want, but i am hoping when i swap the rear and reassessemble i can get the best of both worlds

Yer definitely not going to get it right where you want it the first time together. My 54 with the Isuzu 4 banger taxes my front springs about as far as you would want them to be. Going to add a Timbren rubber cushion on each side, replacing the bump stop with it- and adding a frame gusset above it so the frame won't "crush" when the rubber is completely collapsed under load. The silly thing handles fine, and the rear axle is quite light, but I haven't been able to break the rears loose even as light as the rear is. The rear tires leak at the beads, like every good aluminum wheel does with rubber wrapped around it, but rear tire pressure can get as low as 8 psi before it shows on the sidewalls. The bias tires are going away, and some modern radials are going on soon, in time for spring weather (about June in western NY). But the darn thing is just a riot to drive! I love it!

Looking good

Got the motor out Sunday morning, but have not had a chance to get the pictures up. Caught the flu which seems to be going around the area... Just getting out of bed and back to it.

The motor came out really easy, in large part to having the front fenders and everything dis-assembled.
Removed the exhaust, radiator, and started pulling and labeling wires. On the back side just had to unhook the speedo, clutch, driveshaft and shifting linkage.



Unfastened the motor and cut free the trans (after rounding out the carriage bolt on the crossmember)




Removed the cover from the top of the motor to get enough clearance for the chains


Pulling...








Done, and for sale cheap if you are interested.



Also took some time to get more interior work done. The white stuff is made by GTMat, and the silver peel and stick is a generic.

Someone posted once upon a time that the silver generic peel and stick was available in Lowe's home center in the roofing section cheap. Apparently in the south, cuz they had no clue what I was talking about here in NY. Any body got a brand name or trade name so I can try at the local roofing company?

dieseldr wrote:Someone posted once upon a time that the silver generic peel and stick was available in Lowe's home center in the roofing section cheap. Apparently in the south, cuz they had no clue what I was talking about here in NY. Any body got a brand name or trade name so I can try at the local roofing company?

It's in Stewart's 54 truck build thread. Think he called it peel-n- seal.

Tell them you need aluminum gutter patch. Should be back with the gutter materials.

That is really coming along nicely!

Later,

Lee

So close, but so far away....

Lost a few days of working on the truck from moving it out of the place I was renting it.




With the rain today I am focusing on finding a place for all my tools and parts, Shrinking 5 car spaces worth of stuff into 2. Still have another 2 trailer loads to move... and finding a place to hide the trailer... (it folds at least) May end up with a small storage unit, but trying to avoid it.




Now that it is home I hope I can get more hour long sessions in while maintaining the 8 hour sessions to make up for lost time, and the free rent should help too.

Out to the garage... hoping to clean up the engine bay in between organizing.

Got the engine bay cleaned up on cinco de mayo with some help from the scrubbing bubbles and dos equis... the bubbles did some work, but I still had to.





Got the engine bay cleaned up and etch primer on, got the rubber undercoating for the inner fender stuff... Used the prepall after the bubbles, they left a film.

Looking good

Very nice work!

Later,

Lee