52 Ford F-1 Pickup Project

Oven cleaner does wonders on that old grease too. Better than Gunk

Finally got to focus some time on the engine... Got it stripped down, and found out a little more about it...

Dropped the oil pan and spun the motor upside down


Noticed a spot on this bearing, I pulled 2 mains and 2 pistons so far...
This is the worst of the piston

Rear main

Crank

Looks like the crankshaft was ground


Pulled the heads


Cylinders did not look too bad, and that's a good thing cuz there is probably not much left to bore.


I am going to be looking to do some upgrades, from the little information I have learned I plan to look for an aluminum intake manifold, upgrading to a 4barrel carb, I am thinking about just replacing the bearings and re-assembling, and maybe upgrading the timing chain if I get talked into it. The cam is the question, keeping in mind it's hopefully gonna be a driver, and I am not expecting a race truck.

I hope to order the parts by the end of next week, but there is tons of information out there on what products are best... I am on a limited budget, but plan to spend around $500 for the upgrades.

I am leaning towards a demon carb, and an intake not designed for too high of RPM. Any advice on carb, intake, etc. appreciated.

Have a stock 86 Mustang Alum 4 barrel intake...I will take for you....$40.00.....use a 600 CFM PLENTY big....

Welll... motor is still in the shop, they are hoping to have it evaluated before the end of next week...

I have been tinkering away at little things, so kind of a boring update, but I have the firewall ready for the motor, will be doing some sub assembly today for when the motor does get done.  I have been addressing the rear cab corners, but am not proud enough of my work to post pictures of them.  




Anyways, the 2 things holding me up are getting an air compressor and getting the motor done.  I have the motor in progress and am not close to being able to buy a compressor right now.  Maybe I will do a rough fit of the interior instead of waiting for the motor... just afraid of a bunch of re-work if I have to modify the firewall and floor for the motor.

I know there is a fastenal in southgate/wilder - but where do you guys go for your hardware around here?

I go to Ace but just because it's close. It's cheaper to buy them by the box too. You will always use the extra. I spent a few years just buy 10 or 15 as I needed them untill I seen how much I was spending just buying a box.

Don't worry about your work. You should post up what you do. No one on here will ever dog anyone for their workmanship unless you ask them to pick it apart. It's always a learning process no matter how long you have been doing it.

There is a Fastenal Store in Florence that I go to when I buy in bulk and the prices are reasonable. The address and phone numbers are listed below 52 Ford:

8983 Empire Connector Dr.
Florence, KY USA 41042
Phone:(859)371-9744
Fax:(859)371-9748

Rural King and Tractor Supply sell hardware by the Pound....thats where I buy mine.....Grade 5 and Grade 8.....

Thanks for the tips on hardware.  Stopped at TSC and got one of each bolt, gonna attempt to make a list of what I need and about how many, then compare boxes vs lbs...

Ya! Those one line system's are a nightmare when you blow a wheel cylinder!  

Still have to do some sanding and touch-up before finished pics, it looks like it will do just fine with some TLC.  




This picture ^ was before my final coat, hoping you can not see the filler after it is dry in the AM... will wet sand and thicken the paint if needed.

Ready to put the windshield in soon.



Got another coat of the brush on sound deaden-er on.



Painting Interior...





Had one helper - my cousin in town from MI, he cut out the top half of the trans cross-member, hoping I can modify it for the AOD.


Even with a respirator - it took its toll on me.... Good thing is you can not see they greys with all the black paint in my hair.




Bad news - on a parts run I ended up in a 3 hour detour when something gave out in my Cadillac.  Got it towed to the shop, and we will see what the damage is... I am hoping rear end something and not transmission.

Rewarding day working on the truck, need something to keep my mind off the Caddy - back at it tomorrow.

Looks good. Keep having work days like that and it will be on the road before you know it!

You look like you had a party night by your eyes.  Stinks about the Cadi. Hope it's not something too costly.

Well the Cadillac turned out to be a driveshaft, $1,500 with shipping, then a bulge in a tire Saturday $500.... Needless to say I do not have truck money now....

Got some news - I got chosen for a position back in Detroit (where I am from) with the same agency and position I am with now. I have been trying to get back home for 3 years, and just about gave up... it was a long shot but I got picked and now comes all of the hard work of getting the house listed (listing Wednesday) and moving.... I am going to miss the northern kentucky area... People are much nicer, the weather is better, cost of living is less, etc.... but with my fiancee and I getting to the age to start a family it is time to get back to our home area.

Fixed a dent I noticed on dash after painting...



I am still waiting on my motor, but I figured if I had to make the garage less cluttered for showing that would involve throwing some things on the truck... so here goes my last update for a while... would like to make a push to get brakes done, and if motor is done get the motor in it before I have to move to Michigan for my October 7th start date.




Do not have a good picture of the rear fenders put back on, but they are hanging by a few bolts.

Sorry to hear ya heading north, I lived at 9 mile and Church St. In Oak Park in 79-80, very cold and snowy, but your right there's no place home as Dorothy said....

It's a shame you are heading north but I'm happy for you since you are heading back home. Hopefully I can con you into getting out and meeting up with you at Autorama car show when it comes around up there if you are not too busy.

Sounds like a plan, I used to make it every year to Autorama and the big Auto Show.

Went to visit the machine shop and after putting a deposit down and talking through some options it sounds like the engine will be done by the end of next week.

Will post pics after picking it up before hauling it up to MI to enter storage for the winter.

Well, if you have not noticed, I do not have internet...

I have been busy, buying a new home, getting married, moving, blah, blah, blah....

Here are a few progress pics... Next ones should be of it getting put into my new garage where I can finally work on it again (new garage is heated so no excuses soon)








Soo... after this house clears out my bank account - it is back to the races

Heated garage! that's always a huge plus. I know you have been super busy up there. Must feel good to be back home.

Happy to be back - with internet and the ability to work on the truck.

Got the truck in the garage before the snow hit up here.




Hoping to mock up/drop in the motor and trans and get the mounts set.  Hoping for clearance with stock steering box, it has been done by others so I am guessing it should be not too painful.  Getting the rest of the motor setup and trans bolted up will be a while off.... moving and Christmas have depleted my funds!  

Man - there are tons of parts options out there... I am guessing I will be ordering and returning some parts before I get it right...

Good idea or Bad idea? - I am thinking there are so few wires run in this truck I do not need a pre-packaged kit.... Just a fuse block and some patience....  Brakes, headlight high and low, blower, front running lights, ignition/starter.....  Am I oversimplifying - or did the designers in 52 make it as easy as I am thinking?  The stock wiring is labeled, but I would like to replace with modern, non deteriorating, fabric lined wiring.

Use a small rebel wire kit....as long as you are not going to have Power EVERYTHING....

Rebel Wire 8 Circuit Wiring Harness: $149.95

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=790701&highlight=rebel+wire

When I got my 54, it had not wire one in it. I started out with a few gauges of wire, some different colors, my battery cable kit for heavy equipment, some solenoids and relays, and a connector/repair kit. Got 'er all wired without hundreds spent on a prefab harness I didn't use half of. But patience is a virtue. Being a mechanical diesel engine, I didn't have any great requirement for switching power for ignition purposes. The key mainly powers up a separate solenoid to power the whole accessory side of the vehicle. Some things are powered continuous. It's so simple, and some things that are normally powered hot are switched, and vice/versa. Kinda made it my own in that aspect. The Isuzu alternator was simple to wire up, complete with an indicator light to let the driver know it's not charging without having to check the voltmeter. Nice thing about hot rods, make it as simple as you can stand it, and build in some safety's. If I start to have an electrical fire in the truck, shutting off the key kills most everything accessory-wise, and hopefully a fire as well. Nothing wrong with prefab harnesses, they sure are convenient, and nobody would think any less of you for using one, that's for sure.

I made my own wiring harness for the 37,just drawn it out on a piece of paper with the colors I wanted and then went to the surplus store and bought a bunch of wire. I also used a bunch of quick disconnect plugs to make it easy to service and just used inline fuse holders instead of a fuse box due to the minimal accessories.

Got my tax return and in true 'merican fashion blew it all on car parts...

Demon carb with fuel lines, wiring kit, ignition, distributors, and wires already in route. The hard part is prioritizing what is next to come... Still have plenty of parts left to buy, and the tax return is quickly depleting...

Hoping to have some pictures and progress once the parts are in, need to get the drivetrain set soon so I can get back at bodywork and all the other stuff on hold while I wait to see what needs to be modified to fit the engine.