Hot Rods White wall dilemma ( thanks verde )

lmao....

Been a while since she's driven my old truck, but she used to. Stock manual stuff on it, too, but with a big block under the hood to make it exciting.

I guess some of us just a have a different understanding of risk, than others. I'll admit, I do some really stupid ****.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/a-really-stupid-trip.990380/

 

WOW !

 

Well that sure escalated quickly, LMAO too! I'll keep my thoughts to myself.

 

You may want to check to see that all your carb bolts are on, looks like the left front one is missing. A lot of problems begin with loose things.

 

Dude, Squirrel is one of the most helpful guys here. I don't think he was even meaning to give you a hard time, just commenting on the state of drivers on the road today.



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I.M.O.: Please make the truck look right to you! I think that the buzzword "patina" is grossly over/miss used. It's what guys are using to cover up the fact that their rig looks horrible... but somehow now it's "in". Sand it down to the red, repaint it, or what ever you want. It's your truck, make it look your way.

 

IMO 'Pedal, a BETTER response to 'squirrel' would be "...what do you mean by THAT?" He is a SEASONED road warrior in his Edsel, and Power Tour participant in his Chevy II g***er, been here a LONG while. NEVER a good idea here for a noobie to get ****ty with a vet!

I will wager your wife learned how to drive in a car with power steering, power brakes... She will need some seat-time to LEARN how to drive the truck MANUALLY! My younger sister and I both learned how to drive in Dad's '68 Chevy 1/2-ton long-bed, manual steering and brakes, so it is DOABLE! Her 1st ride was a '65 Mustang (289-4bbl /4-speed) with full manual - her daily-driver for 20 years! Ya gotta DRIVE this old iron... not just sit back and ride.

How TIGHT is the front-end on the '55? Check wheel bearings, king pins, steering for wear. Grease ALL the fittings - if one won't take grease, find out WHY and fix it. Adjust the steering box if you feel any play, maybe add some gear oil. Shocks good? Get the repop FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL, and repop ***embly Manual - BEST money you'll EVER spend!

Looks GOOD under the hood! I would HIGHLY recommend unhooking the secondaries, before letting the kid start driving solo... ya, I was 16 once, had to be really careful with a V-8 and **** happening FAST back then driving Mom's car and Dad's truck - both 350-4bbl.

THANKS Just Gary, mucho apperciate you and Bob's comments! IMO, it is way, way too early in the game for 'Pedal to be thinking about a IFS stub - THOUSANDS of $$$ for labor, and a ****load of issues if the WRONG shop does the work - added related costs, timeline to do the work, and QUALITY of the finished result. The key is to ask around at local shows and here at the HAMB - listen for the same names popping up for good AND bad news.

A power booster helps with drums - add that with a dual master. These trucks don't steer hard - just different... I call it 'Armstrong Power Steering'!!! HARD steering means issues to investigate and correct.

AAW makes excellent wiring harnesses, includes EVERYTHING, great tech support too! Rebel Wire is also good - cheaper, but universal snip to fit - order by the number of circuits you want.

OK, 'nuff of my rambling here... Tim

 

AMEN Jacksmith! A little 'patina' goes a long, LONG way. A gallon of Rustoleum is around $40...

 

6-bangertim , well I guess you are correct I am the newbie, he is the veteran here. I am a card carrying member of the give respect to get respect tribe and always will be, having said that, if you read back through this entire thread I've been nothing but thankful and RESPECTFUL to all the great guys that jumped in to help. Then there is someone that their first comment is a (imo) a smart*** unnecessary comment that was not constructive, rather just a **** comment. I didn't appreciate it. My son is 16 and has zero driving experience. David ( who has been great in helping me) says squirrel is one of the most helpful guys here, and I will take his word, but his comment WASNT helpful. Young or old, newbie or Vet, common courtesy and respect should be a no brainer. Give it to me and I WILL give it back, otherwise it is what it is.


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Jacksmith I'm thinking I'm over ruled, I showed my wife and son sawbucks awesome truck, and said I wanted to make it like his. They both about had a coronary. They like it all different colors, and since it gonna be my sons truck ... Well you know. I've had a lot of the knowledgeable guys in here say paint that truck, and I'm more that sure they know a little (a lot) more than me about nice cruisers, I don't really know how to get my boy to see their point. See my problem here ?? Someone mentioned I should start a new thread because we are WAY off topic for this one. I think that's a good idea, I just hope I'm not drummed out of here over the squirrel thing, but I read and understood the rules and I'll understand if they decide that I gotta go....


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Probably won't be run off, but I do think that was a misunderstanding with Mr. Squirrel's response. I've been on this forum for a while and seen several jack*** posts- none that I would attribute to the Good Squirrel. Nothing but good advise and interesting stories that I recall.

Cool truck, I wish you well with it. My boys are younger than yours but I'm awaiting the day when we start building their first vehicles.

 

Let's lose the drama from this thread fellas.

 

1) Painless kits are good, but first I'd do a HAMB search to get myself educated. Here ya go:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...ost&o=relevance&g=1&c[***le_only]=1&c[node]=5

2) I'd carefully consider my own requirements. Yours truck is a Father/Son project and your teenage son probably has lots of other distractions, so minimal down-time is a critical requirement. Therefore, if it were me, I'd want something that is as close to a 1-for-1 replacement for my current (stock?) harness.

3) I'd listen carefully to what Squirrel says. He won his cl*** in the Hot Rod Drag week and knows his stuff. Sometimes good-natured jokes don't come across on-line as they were meant.

Hope this helps. Be sure to post pictures and progress.

 

I agree!!! The main point here seems to be; How should I make my truck look so when it's done it will be excepted by others. I don't get it, but as I said before make it the way you want it! 1st; make it SAFE! 2nd; make it reliable. If you're giving to your son, (I don't get that either) those two points are of the utmost importance!!! Bottom line, have fun working on it, bond with the lad and enjoy the whole experience!

 

Skinny
Their is so much info on this thread. Some you will want to use and some you won't. Some given from grouchy old men and some not but all given in good faith. You really have a job ahead of you to read and reread it all and take what is good for you and just throw out what isn't.
A little more from me. If you want a smooth, safe and easy front suspension and braking you should probably get one of the many bolt on aftermarket Mustang II front suspensions and brake kits made for your truck. Cost a couple of thousand dollars but money well spent and your wife will love you for it.
My wife also learned to drive my '51 Ford truck with no synchro granny 4 speed. She got as good okey better than me at double clutching. But this was the '60s and none of the new stuff was out and then we didn't know anything else. Even the new trucks weren't much better.
Good luck and have a good build with your family.
Oh Yeah I did put on a vacuum booster off of a Chrysler then and the brakes worked unbelievably better.
Gary

 

I have no problem leaving the patina paint job and driving it as-is. It's a fun truck. If you want to run white walls, I think this is the way to go - stance is nice on this truck, too:

 

I looked up "patina" and it has to do with the bluefish/green oxidation of bronze IIRC. So for all the patina guys a quote from Princess Bride, "I don't think that word means what you think it means".

 

My point exactly!

 

Is that Joliet Prison???

 

Don't know, pic is from Rodder's Journal.

 

There are many uses for that word; the aging of copper is only one. I think the second usage here, as well as the third, are what many of us are referring to.

pa·ti·na 2 (pə-tē′nə, păt′n-ə) also pa·tine (pă-tēn′)
n.
1. A thin greenish layer, usually basic copper sulfate, that forms on copper or copper alloys, such as bronze, as a result of natural corrosion or chemical treatment.
2. The sheen on a surface, such as one made of wood, produced by age and use.
3. A superficial exterior layer; a coating: "Everything bore that dull patina of grime that speaks of years of neglect."
4. A superficial impression, especially one considered as added or acquired: uneven sidewalks that lend a patina of charm to the neighborhood's streets.

 

#3 & #4 sound accurate as well.
Honest "patina", naturally occurring, can have an attractive appearance in it's own right... however, fake patina I.M.O. is a different story. Trying to make a vehicle look like it's been out in the elements artificially often looks stupid... calling the "finish" (or lack thereof) of a total P.O.S. "patina". I've noticed that miss-use in E-Bay & Craig's List ads quite frequently, to sell a s***-box for way more than it's worth. Scandalous!
Hmmm... sounds like a good topic by itself.
I digress, for we've gone way off topic here.
See ya!

 

Patina or no patina, you can always paint it next year. High School parking lots are terrible places and my cars got a little banged up when I was 15-16-17. As long as your son has a little sweat equity in the truck and it runs well, sits right, and is safe, his pride will lead him to paint at some point.