Starting this thread because we're getting into the nitty gritty of Alberts 65 F250 camper special... and I haven't showed him how to navigate the HAMB. I'll send this to him and let him take the reins!
I'll get him on here to get the back story, but today's progress. Top end of the 352FE is in the shop, and I got the rusty floor out on the passenger side and the new pan tacked in.
Lots of progress! This truck was originally bought new by my great grandfather and passed on to my grandfather (his son in law). Years after he passed my grandmother passed her on to me. He converted it to a three speed column shifter with a T85n and an overdrive. Need to replace the solenoids on the OD but she shifts great! She was smoking a bit out of the passenger tail pipe so we sent the heads in for a complete rebuild. The valve seals were hard as a rock. Piston seem to be fine. Converting her to a four barrel carb and a new intake manifold. New radiator has been ordered and new water pump and fuel pump have been installed along with a new tank. Should be getting the heads back tomorrow or Friday and hope to have her running by the end of the weekend. Still need to finish off some floor pans but she is well on her way!!! Not bad for starting the work less than a week ago!!!
Today my 16 year old son got a lesson from Jake on how to build and flare break lines! Very cool that when he is with me (and not at work) he is over here jumping right in! The old paint is coming back nice as well! Should be able to pick up the heads from the shop tomorrow and keep moving forward.
My Buddy has owned 3 of those , if your in need of any same stuff you can’t locate , give me a shout . Power steering , disc brakes , all from 73 -79 bolt right in
Update: the shop called and said the valves did not come in yet, so the heads are delayed. We did however get a few more panels of paint buffed out and cleaned up, the passenger floor pan is finished, seam sealed and undercoated. We also replaced the master cylinder and Albert ordered up the 3 rubber brake lines to replace the originals. More pics and updates to come as we get more done.
goodbye rusty floor pan number 2! Plan for this week is fix the floor, por15, seam seal, and undercoat it, and then try to get the last front fender polished out while we wait for parts.
Well after two weeks of working on the old girl tonight is the night that we get to fire her up!!! Just waiting for the RTV to fully cure the full 24 hours! She hasn’t been on the road sense the 80’s so my entire family is very excited to say the least.
Good news, bad news. Well she is up and running pretty good! That’s the good news… the bad news is I need to rebuild the column as it isn’t shifting into third. It isn’t even at attempting to move the lever into third towards the bottom of the steering shaft and the shifter is pretty sloppy in the cab. I can reach down in the engine bay and manually push it into third and then in the cab it will take it out of third. I am thinking I have a thrust washer in the column that is broken so I ordered all the parts needed to rebuild it.
Well put a new carb on the old girl today then took some family for a ride. Pictured is my aunt and my grandma. Grandma's dad was the one who bought it brand new then gave it to my grandfather. Tears where shed from them both as we drove along and my grandma kept saying she never thought she would get to ride in it again. It was a special moment. After dropping them off on the way home I noticed I suddenly didn't have very much break anymore but was close to the house and putted her there. Front passenger brake line cracked. Time to build some new break lines but it's amazing to have her up and running again!
Well put a new carb on the old girl today then took some family for a ride. Pictured is my aunt and my grandma. Grandma's dad was the one who bought it brand new then gave it to my grandfather. Tears where shed from them both as we drove along and my grandma kept saying she never thought she would get to ride in it again. It was a special moment. After dropping them off on the way home I noticed I suddenly didn't have very much break anymore but was close to the house and putted her there. Front passenger brake line cracked. Time to build some new break lines but it's amazing to have her up and running again!
Just an update! Albert got all the brakes rebuilt, carpet installed, sound deadner in and a bunch more done on the truck. Shes up to daily driver status!