Projects 1965 F100 father and sons project

Tightening down more bolts on the path towards eliminating squeaks and rattles. Nice Fall day, although we don't have a lot of leaves around here so after a session putting clips on brake lines etc., I ran the truck along my test route up around a Golf Course close to home. Hopped out to take a glamour photo to see if driving to work has allowed the truck to settle down to it's new height. Still looks 1-2" too high. Think the front wheel well has to just touch the outline of the white wall and the rear can have a rake but, it looks a bit too much right now. Guys at work tell me it's just right. Me - Not feeling it quite yet, it looks like a puppy getting ready to dash off with your glove.

For anyone interested in the painted white wall. The fronts turn brown but, acetone on a rag cleans them up and does not affect the Plastidip at all. As they age I expect that to ease up. The rears are as white as the day I did them.

 

Its about where mine is at, so I like it!!

 

Its about where mine is at, so I like it!!


Oh ya, that's a great comparison, scroll, scroll, scroll. Think yours edges mine out in the sweet spot territory. Altitude adjustment coming up. I can take out the stock 2 UHMW shims and then make a 3/16" steel shim and place it between the coil pan and the control arm which should get it down another inch. If I cut a coil then heat and grind to get a flat spot back for the coil to sit properly I can get 2". The latter is not reversible though. Think I'll leave the coil alone. I have to thread 4 long bolts into the bottom of the pan and slowly back the pan out. Takes hours per side so can't go into this with a time limit. It is a no cost mod though. I'll pull a leaf out of the back, possibly the overload or 2nd leaf from the bottom.

 

Lookin' great Will!
I agree with you that Option 1 would be the way to go. Even 1 inch can make a big difference.

On the rears, it would look fabulous to do the gold wheel treatment like the front. I'm really diggin' that! Those spider caps are pretty pricey tho!

 

Thanks Mike. Eager to see your truck with some paint, lettering and scallops. Your truck is going to look great with the other mods you've got going on.

The original Ford wheels I took off the front have been blasted and painted gold and I'll run spiders on the rears to match everything up. Haven't swapped the tires to the gold wheels yet because when we took the tires off the front wheels originally in order to refinish them, a chunk ripped off the bead. Didn't want to risk the rear tires given they were the same vintage. I'm going to run spacers on the front (1-1/2") to convert the front bolt pattern from 5 on 4-3/4" Jag/Chev pattern back to the stock 5 on 5 1/2". The front wheels right now are a bit too tucked and can rub if I turn too sharp. When I do the spacers I'll blast the white wheels currently on the rear, paint 'em gold and put them on the front of the truck. I'm on the hunt for pie crust cheater slicks for the rear on a separate set of gold steel wheels. Accumulating parts right now. My insurance runs out Dec 6 then will start knocking it apart again.

 

Thanks Will! I'm afraid you will have to wait until Spring to see the paint, scallops and door art.
I reckon at the same time, I'll have to wait on the new wheel look!

I've seen those cheater slicks on Coker. When I saw the price, I nearly had me a accident in my pants!
https://www.cokertire.com/tires/820-15-firestone-dragster-2-1-4-whitewall-tire.html

 

Ha, ha. I'm used to loud noises and big price tags so my pants are safe for now plus I am a good person, I need Cheater slicks and I deserve them. Actually there is a set on FB Marketplace that would work out if the guy would reply to me. Blackwall versions but, I have a can of Plastidip and I know how to use it.

 

C.L. score. 3" inlet and outlet Flowmaster Delta 40 from a guy that had it on his truck for about 2 weeks. Too quiet for him but, at $30 it's perfect for me. Painting it all up to get ready to install. Backwards you say, could be sitting for a while so didn't want it to rust. Going to pick and choose what's grungy, certainly not anything I install.

 

Looking great Will!

 

This morning my kids blew out of the house enroute to a hobby store across town. When they blew back in with the wind, they had picked up a model each for themselves then grabbed one for me as a gift along with all the correct paint colours. It's been a few lifetimes since I've done one but, check this out. Going to try to do a faithful reproduction of our truck. Nights and rainy days now booked. Tonight I have to figure out how to lower it.

 

Gotta get back on the real thing today but, check out the detail, if you can see it. It will prove no easier to drop than the real deal. Cut coils, bad camber. Will bend the Twin I beams to get them straight after cutting the coils. Rear, I'll slide the spring pack up and maybe a C notch. Very amusing. It's the same except I can barely see what I'm doing.

 

For suspension modifications.... a BIC lighter is your friend.

 

That is cool Will!!

 

I've hit the part of the build where I can't just buy tools and do stuff myself, on the cheap, in my carport - or can I? I've been asking around about getting my head machined for larger 1.94 intake and 1.6 exhaust valves including screw in studs after I do a DIY port and polish. Getting the word either shops don't work on 300 Fords, no cores available, or $1200-1300 labour price to redo my head and I supply the parts. Kind of making me rethink my approach. I could do the home P&P (should at least improve what I've got) then regasket and bolt back together. Continue the bolt on approach with what I've got, including finishing my homemade intake and fab to install the hairdryer I've got then - if and when something fails - which I expect it will - fix that. I know this is like asking someone else the question, Do I like Chicken?, but, the budget to do what I originally planned is not in the cards right now. Think I just answered my own question. Took writing it out. Someone else told me 300 inline 6's are throw away engines. Will continue to seek one of those, free throw aways, and if I have mine grenade on me, I'll have another engine to play with that I can put more dough into. I don't want this thing to stall in my driveway EVER with unplanned work to be done. And... because no post should land without a photo, this is to prove I have been doing something while I re-energize - flip flopping on Gold. The rear wheels I painted are something like the 5th Gold I think. The fronts are where I'm leaning although the scallops are painted the same as the wheel without the tire. The front wheel gold is still not in stock yet.

 

Is the head warped or are you trying to get more compression? If the latter maybe try a thinner head gasket?? Just brainstorming but you probably already knew all this.

 

Good question - one that evolved into a lengthy discussion with my kids over lunch. Nothing wrong with the head as per it's original design intent per se - we just want more power - in a unique package. The 300 has the torque to get it out of the hole even with low compression but, to get it down the dragstrip quick we need horsepower. Bigger valves, more efficient intake/exhaust/the hairdryer will all make ours pump more efficiently with reduced restrictions. Roller rockers and screw in studs should help it rev higher without flying apart. Trying to do that as cheaply as possible. The Fordsix.com grouphave it figured out and thanks to FTF for pointing me in that direction. Right now I'm following David Vizard and Uncle Tony try to get 1 HP per cubic inch out of stock parts by detailing and getting the most from the least - naturally aspirated. I thought I'd just do the head because I thought $800 might do it. Not by a long shot so we are reprioritizing. It takes more creativity trying to do it with no budget. That's how we roll. I could try to shed weight to help reduce the amount of horsepower we need but, I digress. I should add that this may sound like I know what I'm doing, not exactly but, hopefully by the time we get there I won't be talking through my hat.

This was an early mockup drawing I did. Looks good but, too many bends on the charge pipe side - reduces the max horsepower we can get by not being efficient. Redesigned the charge pipe to come straight out towards the engine on the drivers side without the bends by putting a bend in the exhaust side and mounting the hairdryer more to the drivers side. Kind of have it over there now which is not good so not going to show it as the box is on the truck. We can do better.

 

Popped the valve cover off to check valve lash. What I thought was an exhaust leak could have been the rockers knocking as every one of them was really loose. Thought I would have heard some discernable ticking but, nada. I bumped through a few engine rotations and took up the slack at each lifter. When I got them all snuggy I only turned each nut a 1/4 turn not the 3/4 turn. Rational was I didn't hear that much lifter noise so didn't want to go too aggressive. Truck hasn't run in 2 weeks. Will fire up tomorrow and listen again to hear if the exhaust leak I thought I heard was actually lifter/rocker noise before I cut off the old exhaust to install the new stuff. I posted a question a couple weeks back on crema under my breather cap as a suspect head gasket about to go. Froth was just at the cap so it confirms for me at least, it is condensation. Haven't been working it hard enough and it needs a 195 deg thermostat.

 

I should just edit the former post concerning Porting but, here is our Mad Scientist plan. Promaxx offers a head that cost wise runs about what it would cost me to rework my head. Then I have to add shipping. David Vizard videos show him attempting to get an additional 50 HP out of a stock Chev double hump 186 head. I'm no David Vizard but, I will attempt to get some flow balls so I can put some science into our home P&P. I will try to emery the deck and head mating surface without cutting to potentially avoid the need for decking and pumping the lifters up by shortening the clearance in the hydraulic lifters height. I'll measure pushrods and mark short and long and match to the ports with equivalent high and low stem heights. The attempt to get to 0 lash. If I can get the bigger valves into the budget this work will be better realized - I know it does little at lower rpm's. The head is a recognized limitation for the 300 so my theory is I should be able to get some HP from the confines of the carport. Trying to consume as much science to apply to our head before I bust into this project. P&P work is time and not so much $$ and the logic is the 300 is not a valuable entity so if I bobble the ball the world is not any worse off. This all assumes I can do much without the need for machining but, again it's just time.

 

Sounds like you got a good plan and you seem to know what you are doing in the engine realm. Good luck.
Did you start it after adjusting the valve lash? Results?

 

5" of snow got me more attached to the fireplace mantle than hanging over a fender. I found some gold paint so sidetracked into painting the valve cover and rear wheels while waiting for a 195 deg themostat and a breather cap. Have to book a dyno run so I can then start getting things pulled off knowing what our base HP is. Weather has been uncooperative as I'll have to trailer our show. Vintage Gold Rustoleum, this will be the complete engine colour and wheel colour. Picked up enough materials so every time something comes off the truck from here on out, it gets refinished.

 

Very interesting, I built a model of my 56- it was fun. Now after I get it back painted I may redo or make another model. Your truck is propane, correct?

 

All I can say is that I have got to get a pickup!

 

I thought I would have pounced on the model by now. I used to be able to tear through them as a kid.

Our truck is indeed propane and although I thought I would swap it out, it make this truck more unusual, which I like. Even found a guy who raced propane setups who I'm going to try to lean on for his expertise if I can coax this thing down a drag strip.

 

And all I can say is - I agree - do it! Best part is people accept grungy in a pickup truck (or maybe that's me). I've parked it in a few parking lots and I don't worry about it at all, even if it's beside a Tesla (known door bangers).

 

A little musing here. I noted the other day I started this thread a year ago. I recall sitting in an open carport with welder in hand, dead of winter with a small space heater blowing in front of me thinking this is bonkers working in that cold. I rolled under our cab on a creeper and was struck by what a P.O.S. we had on our hands. We had a projected date in mind for completion and although not complete to date, it certainly helped to keep me/us motivated and pushing the project along one piece at a time. Looked out the window this morning and had to smile. Our truck was torn down to the nub and we brought it back and got it running and driving. The biggest car project I've ever done and for the kids, their first project. Who knows where it will take us from here but, it was a lot of grit and endurance. I don't know if I would call it all fun, although it confirms you have to be stubborn and goal oriented because there were certainly times when I wanted nothing to do with it and we kept going. All the lessons learned from abandoned past car projects I guess. Fun was a part of the equation and I project more fun to come. Have to say thanks to all you HAMBers who encouraged us and followed us on our journey. Merry Christmas. Anyway, waiting for my David Vizard books to arrive.

 

Picked up some 3" exhaust bends and a Moon 1/2 sweep tach today. Slave to fashion - I've read these tachs are marginally accurate but, they look the part. Will mount the tach on the steering column initially then maybe the dash top if it works OK. Truthfully I drive by ear so I limited my indulgence. Picked up some paint pens in Silver and chrome to touch up the bezel - not bad result actually. A new bezel would look better but, this is OK for now. Beaming off To Seattle for a few days with the intention of getting down to Tacoma to check out the Lemay Car museum. Should be a fun quick trip.

 

Hey Will,
I would have responded to your Merry Christmas post but I was down and out with covid for the first time. It was awful but I survived. Wife got it the day before me. Anyway, same to you and hope you enjoy your trip.
You guys did a great job building the truck and getting it to where it is today....a cool driver that you and the boys should be proud to ride around in. These statements, "a lot of grit and endurance...." and "you have to be stubborn and goal oriented..." could not be truer when trying to stay motivated and to get the job done. Forcing yourself to go out there, even if it is to do just 1 simple task is key to maintaining momentum. Sometimes its just to clean up some of the mess.
Lastly, I recently bought a similar, but not Moon, tach for my truck. Love the look.

 

Crappy about the Covid. Hope you and your wife recover quickly. Same thing happened to us - we used a lot of salt in the food for a week + because none of us could taste anything worth beans for a while. We knew we were getting better when we would make fun of the styrofoam tasting food we were pumping out. Many thanks for the encouragement. It's been a journey. All the best for the New Year.

 

Another afternoon of porting our intake manifold today. Took the die grinder to the plate that mates up to our lower intake and blended the port runner openings lengthwise. Once it is tacked together I'll flare out the openings and fab the end caps. I need to get it tacked and bolted on the engine before the caps go on in case we have firewall interference. I want to split the intake tube between #3 and #4 runners. The idea is if I elect to run a single carb I can turn a carb plate sideways to have each port feeding either side of the centre plate - If I go Dual carb the split centre will be even better. I was going to cut a slot in our tube and slide a plate in from the back side of the tube before welding to the flat plate which creates a smooth look from the top. The other strategy would be to weld tube to mounting plate then cut a slot in from the top side, drop in the divider plate then weld 'er up. Not as pretty. Dilemmas.

 

It's been quite the journey Will! I haven't looked in for a couple weeks, and I dig the progress!
On the "Crema" in your valve cover. Most likely it's simple cold condensation. I get the same thing to a small degree because many times while it's been cold outside, it doesn't run long enough to get warm enough to flash it off. At least hopefully that what the case is for you.
For those that say these 300s are throw-away engines....I say they can pound sand. I'm pretty confident that since my own 300 is fresh, it'll outlast me.
But then I don't intend to twist the snot out of it either! Your mileage may vary!