Projects Model A pickup, my first build thread

Good seein' ya Saturday. Maybe the next show I'll get to check out the truck again!

 

Sick of being Sick.

 

Hang in there, I know when my brother was sick with leukemia, it did him a lot of good to have something to take his mind off of things, I think doing a little something on your truck when your able should help you get through the worst times of being sick, and on a happier note, the truck looks killer, everything about it is just spot on, keep your head up!

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Looks great, can't wait to see what this one looks like when it's finished (and I'm sure you can't either)!

 

Thanks man, I was just really pissed the day I posted that. I have some pretty shitty weeks sometimes. That day I spent an hour on throttle linkage and left the shop without accomplishing anything. It's just frustrating. I'm so close to starting it up and going for the first ride and then a week where I feel like shit comes along and nothing gets done. I need that ride so bad. Anyway, thanks for the nice words about the truck. I've been real picky about what pieces went into it. It was an old hot rod and I just wanted to do right by it. Not really much left to do. Chop the doors, put the fuel tank and line in, break the cam in. Felt pretty good last few days. Throttle linkage and gas pedal are done, lol. So close.

 

Well, the ride I so desperately wanted to take this summer isn't going to happen. We started on the doors last night. You expect this bodies to need some shifting around to get things to fit but this one is waayy out. The door openings are both dimensionally the same but they are too far out of wack. Sub rail is cracked in 2 places each side which I didn't notice before. That's not helping. Rear of cab, cab corners and rear floor are rotted and letting the back of the cab tilt forward real bad. Sub rail cracks have the cowl mis aligned. Nothing my brother and I can't fix but it's going to take a while.

So, we're going to start it up for the first time this week, break the cam in, and maybe take it for a quick loop around the backyard. Won't be the same as being out for a cruise but it just might keep me from going insane.

 

patiently waiting for engine start video...

 

Impatiently waiting to start it. This damn job of mine keeps getting in the way of my fun stuff. Video for sure. Depending on the out come, could be us wooping it up or me pouring gas on the whole thing and just being done with it. Either way it should be great footage.

 

I'll watch either one

 

Hahahahahaha

 

Well, pushed it out of the shop yesterday. Wanted to make sure the carbs weren't going to flood and no other fuel leaks. One of the bowl plugs was leaking like crazy. Got it stopped. Wanted to whirl it over and see if it would fire at least. Radiator is not mounted so no break in yet. A few back fires out the carbs so we had fuel and spark, a good sign really. Screwed around with the distributor and got the fire coming out of the exhaust instead. Pretty sure the distributor is too far advanced, needs to be retarded a few teeth. Before anyone jumps on me for the coil being sideways, I need a longer coil wire so we just turned it sideways for the testing. It will be mounted upright. All in all it was a fairly positive night. It was getting late so my brother and I figured we would knock off for the night. But, we're even closer to hearing it run. Busy tonight so no shop time. Friday night it's show time. Keep your fingers crossed. Here's a few pics. Check out the box wood my brother hooked up. If it wasn't for his help I probably would have given up months ago









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Looking great! Me likey.

 

Your ride looks just great - no need to get discouraged now! Gary

 

Thanks fellas, last night was actually pretty encouraging. Well, except for the part where we discovered that I didn't put the oil canister or filter on. But hey, what better way to know that the oil pump is workin right?

 

Looks good outside.
cant't wait to hear it light up.
Lucky to have your brother keeping you going.

 

Fire in the Hole!!!!! Nice! Flames are common with that setup/no exhaust, open like that.

 

Yeah, we basically just wanted to see if we could get anything to happen, lol. We weren't planning to start it up that night. I had 2 pieces of 2" pipe bent and flared that still have to be put on before we start it up for real and break the cam in. Didnt want to run it just on the manifolds.

So tonight, baring any other setbacks, should be the night for break in. Need to pick up a lower radiator hose, bolt the exhaust on and we should be good to go. Well, I'll probably need to put that oil canister on, lol. I'm going to pull the distributor and valve cover real quick and static time it, I think it's a bit advanced. If all goes well there will be video later.

 

finish the Exhaust off, here's a insentive. I want you driving it this weekend!!! Do you got the driveshaft?

 

Lol. Thanks man. Yeah the drivetrain is finished. Need to chop the doors but screw it we can go for a ride without 'em, lol. Should know something in a few hours.

 

FUCK YEAH! Happy Friday! Home Boy

 

Waiting with you, this is always cool.

 

Can't catch a break. When I got this 283 I got a bunch of parts with it. A box of ignition parts, nos points, cap, condenser and this rotor. We knew from trying to get the engine to fire the other day that the distributor (a 1957 cast iron Delco dual point) was off a bit. Checked it tonight and it was 180 out. No big deal. Static timed it correctly now. Went to put it back together and noticed the rotor. Pretty sure I broke it getting the cap off and out of the firewall recess area. I'll leave this one on the drivers seat of the delivery van at Franks Auto Parts on my way to work in the morning at 5am. He will know its from me, lol. He's a hot rodder. If you live in the Detroit area and dont know about Franks, well you should. If he doesn't already have one on the shelf he will have one by the time I get out of work. Then we'll try it again.

 

I cant get over how sweet your truck looks proportions are right, and I love the highboy look...... your thread gives me motivation to start mine...kinda makes me wanna chop my cab.

 

Thanks man. It was a hot rod in the 50's. I got it in pieces and when I first got it on 4 wheels I really didnt care for it as a highboy. I mean REALLY didnt care for it and planned to channel it. But as it sat there this way it just started to grow on me. Now I wouldn't change it. It just looks right to me. I just wish I could hear the damn thing run. Maybe tomorrow.

 

Its just killer how big is the chop...cant wait to hear it run myself

 

Chop is 5", done way back when.

 

well, it ran, for a minute anyway. we were letting it run to break the cam in. then it over heated. awesome. my brother worked his ass off getting it ready to fire up while i was at work. when i got to the shop we just needed to put the radiator hoses on. so it runs. would have liked to hear it idle but, as always, maybe tomorrow. here's a short vid.

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Lovin' the look of this truck - very cool. Love the way it sits too.

 

Sweet man! Congrats!

 

Great build!