Featured Hot Rods a not-so new shop truck

That's pretty doggoned nicely done. I would probably have taken the lazy approach and drilled some holes in the bottom outside of the footprint of the air cleaner filter element. Seven 1/2" holes would add 1.37 extra square inches of clear area or a total of 4.51 square inches. Obviously more holes would yield more area.

 

WOW! WOW!

 

The 390 decal needs to be replaced, so first some measurements to ensure the 410 decals available are correct for this lid, inside and outside:







Two choices available, 410 in gold and white or 428 in black and "chrome"





As I plan on chrome plating the lid, I feel the black and chrome decal is a better match. Now if only the black decal was available with 410. As is often the case, it pays to have a guy. Here's his version of the artwork, will be printed on chrome vinyl

 

I'm surprised you didn't add a second snorkel to the air cleaner.

 

It's gonna look as well as it works, Robert! Well done....again!

 

Still collecting parts, I had picked up a short throw shifter for the T5 transmission in an attempt to keep the shifter out of the seat. I had thoughts of using the original NP435 shifter and modifying the end for a bolt on application and then saw my old nemesis in an ebay ad, the Mopar pistol grip shifter. I couldn't bring myself to pay the price they were now commanding, so I saved the search term and didn't have to wait long. Seems there was an aftermarket version and this one would be coming from Europe, but with shipping was only about $150. Much better than the 600+ for the Mopar variety. And this one came with shifter boot and the bezel already had the 5 speed pattern. Sometimes the stars align.




With the air cleaner modification done it was about time to send off the lid for chrome plating, and the valve covers needed to go as well. Looking at the wall ornaments I had picked up, they had an imperfection on the ends that resembled a casting flaw (if these had been a cast piece).







Media blasting didn't help them disappear...








If these were going to be painted, a bit of filler wouldn't hurt a thing. Not knowing how much the copper layer would fill, I opted to look for another set. Within a few weeks a local estate sale had an abundance of Ford FE parts and engines, and there was also a set of Mercury script valve covers in the mix. While there were some dings to address, the ends appeared to be free of the "casting" flaw.






So these were media blasted, dings and dents removed, and then sent off along with the breather lid to DGM plating in Philly.

 

Fun watching you have fun with this truck while
Upgrading

 

Epic truck and cross country adventure. Truck was cool to start with, but the modifications have really put it over the top. Thanks for the ride.

 

What a wonderful story and an even better transition from where you started to it's current (and I suppose unfinished) updated transformation. It's just beautiful all the way around, and hoping we will get to see more of the same type of modifications in the coming, and near future. You rock!!

 

Still collecting parts for the eventual transmission swap. I picked up a used truck bell housing to keep things the same as far as clutch linkages, etc, and to be more prepared in having things painted and ready to go.




I was told I'd need a transmission adapter to mate the T5 up to the FE bell housing. found this version from MDL. Got it fitted up and drilled the extra two holes needed...






....and then figured out we had an interference problem. Seems the adapter is not the right thickness for the truck bell housing, the 11/16" thickness supplied needed to be more on the lines of 1-1/8 thick. A quick call to MDL to ask them to make a thicker one was met with "oh, you have the truck bell housing"
Me.."oh, you knew about this. So can you tweak your files and machine me up one that's 1-1/8" thick?"
MDL... "no, on a custom order like that you would have to buy a minimum of 25"
Me..."I don't need your business model, I just need one"
MDL..."that's the minimum order"
Me..."no thanks, I'll find a local machinist"

So I drew up a CAD file and dropped it off to a local guy. I didn't add the mounting holes as I am going to match drill them to the bell housing and transmission. The MDL part had the transmission rotated for some reason, and I'll correct that in the process.













Thanks to Justin Wentworth for making the part for me, had it back in less than a week's time.




A good friend in North Augusta (Jeff Ford) reached out and said he had a set of buckets for a 66 Tbird that would look awesome in my truck. Luckily, he was in a fairly close driving distance to JB's upholstery shop just outside of Columbia SC, and dropped them off for me.







JB is my wife's cousin, and he does a more go big or go home style of upholstery when the job calls for it. We collaborated a couple years back on a wagon for his niece and nephew, and when done it was just too nice for the red clay of SC so it stayed in his shop. This was his concept and design, he started the fabrication and I finished a couple things for him and did the kandy paint work, HotRodJen added the lettering and pin striping, the Shop at Shorty's did the chrome powder coat for us. So with this kind of results on a kids wagon, I'm excited to see what he comes up with, he has free reign.

 

Was it rotated for a chevy t5 to keep the shifter straight? In 3rd Gen camaros the trans was rotated for trans tunnel clearance and the shifter is angled so it sits in the car vertically. We put one behind a 292 chevy with a truck bellhousing. The stock shifter is angled to the p***enger side now. 1st gear is where 5th should be, 5th is a reach. Lol

 

That sounds about right. I did get a deal on buying this second hand, but I think I figured out why he couldn't use it.

 

Shortly after the 35 Ford pickup had returned from its maiden voyage to a car show, the owner promptly pulled things back apart to get started on the frame modification.



Thinking he needed to get out with some of the local car culture, I invited him along for a Poker Run, one that benefits Stephen's Fund, which primarily supports local Special Olympics.




I didn't notice this in our first outing, but he was one of those guys who appears to think that old vehicles doors don't close properly and need to be slammed. Normally I speak up rather quickly about this but thought to keep quiet to not come across as an ***. Well, as we were about to leave the 4th stop, I heard the window drop as he slammed the door once again. Didn't say anything and didn't check it until I got home. Sure enough, the window did not respond to the window crank action. Opening up the door access panel revealed that the window regulator bushing had broken where it's notched for the spring clip. So I guess this would make a good lessons-learned for anyone else out there with someone that uses a bit too much force in closing doors, those plastic parts inside aren't designed for that sudden stop at the end of a door slam.



A quick trip to the local auto parts just before closing on Saturday night was fruitless, normally I would expect this to be in the Dorman help section. The counter ***istant's research showed that these were only available at Dennis Carpenter type outlets, so that didn't bode well for a quick repair. Since I planned on driving the truck on Sunday, let's see what we can do to make one. Some delrin gets clamped up in the lathe, turned to size and bored to fit the lift arm.






The reliefs for the spring clip was added using a hacksaw blade. Highly technical stuff right here, don't try this at home.







Relief added for the window track....








All back in place, good as new. With some closing restraint, we may get another 60 years out of this one...



Just look how nice and clean a rust-free truck door is inside...



And yes, I did send some pictures and chastising to the guilty party with instructions not to do the same with his 35. With repairs complete, the truck was ready for a couple photo ops on Sunday.

 

My plans at present are for no radio. As I always say, if you want to hear something different, roll down the window.

 

......A pet peeve of mine. I can't tolerate people who do that ****. I've pissed off more than one girlfriend that did that stuff.

 

......Oh, and great job on the replacement part, Robert.

 

Oh yeah, and letting a door go so that it swings full open and bounces around on the hinges!!! So angry!

 

That Delrin will probably outlast the truck. Good job.

 

Necessity is the mother of invention. Well done, Sir.

 

Some parts back from plating. These should help the 410 go fast.

 

Pretty! There is nothing like unwrapping new, well done chrome!

 

Making me want to trade my rough 85 C10 to a friend for his absolutely beat 65 F100… Both swb, 350 vs 352, Th400 vs C6, ****py double A-arms vs ****py twin beams… Horrifying “designer should be hung in effigy” rear mount distributor vs user friendly up front where it belongs…

Showed my wife the trucks with horse pic. Her response was “ The 20 years apart 69 and 49 Dodges would look good like that”.. And she’s a 61-66 F-series fanatic.

 

She’s a keeper for sure!!