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'54 Ford "Ranch Wagon" update,,IT'S ALIVE!!!!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by HOTRODPRIMER, Mar 18, 2012.

  1. HOTRODPRIMER
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 64,925

    HOTRODPRIMER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Worked in the shop until midnight Thursday getting the new gl***,window channel reinstalled,the windows roll up and down with ease,,the door panels were also put back on with all the hardware.

    I put the fluid in the transmission and installed the steering wheel for the final time,,at least that's what I thought last night! :lol:

    I took today off from work and we loaded up the trailer at about 7:30 AM and headed out to Troy's Muffler shop,,arrived there around 8:30 and they helped get the car off the trailer and rolled onto the rack,,roughly 3 hours later we were again loading up the car and decided to try and see if we could get Micky at the alignment shop to do his magic.

    He was backed up and busier than a one legged paper hanger in a **** kicking contest!,,his boss said next week,,Micky said give him a call after 3:00 PM,,sure enough he decided to help me out and worked me in.

    They close at 5:00PM and we rolled the car out of the alignment bay at 7:30,,got the car loaded on the trailer and was back in the shop by 8:45PM,,It's been a long couple of days but I feel like I have made a ton of progress.

    [​IMG]

    Saturday,,I was hoping to get the new proportion valve all plumbed up and have brakes before I quit for the day but due to lack of parts that didn't happen.:rolleyes:

    Yesterday,I accomplished very little with the exception of giving the car a thorough going over and making sure all the nuts and bolts were tight.

    I found a schematic with the help of a fellow Hamber on line of how to run the lines to my proportion valve and today I got the additional brake lines and re-plumbed everything correctly.

    We were able to bleed the brakes,,I was happy with the results and had decided as hard as we had worked in the past three days we would quit early,,we went to lunch and started talking about how close we were to getting the car running so when we got back from lunch I added the oil and water,,pulled the coil wire and cranked it over a few times and the oil pressure jumped up to 50 lbs.,,we hooked up the coil and hit the starter and it fired right up,,,

    Well,as Doctor Frankenstein was heard to say,,,it's alive! [​IMG]

    I had a few water leaks,,and a leak at the gas tank but I had that fixed in short order with the turn of a wrench,,a little tweaking with the timing and a couple of carburetor adjustments and the engine ran like a top.

    I shifted it into gear and cranked the car again and the car moved under it's own power as I eased down the drive way,I should have done the since-able thing and backed up but being the daring foolhardy guy I am I eased out in the street and went through all 5 gears and drove the car a quarter mile down the road turned around in the Church parking lot and headed back to the shop,,and made it safely.

    I still have a lotta small things to work on like the emergency brakes,,,a fuel gauge that is not working,,a bad exhaust leak,getting a new gas cap,install the windshield wipers and last but not least a little polishing of the trim,washing and waxing.

    It really blows my mind to think that after 9 years and a month I can actually drive the wagon.:) HRP
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2012
  2. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 34,106

    Jalopy Joker
    Member

    Cool - looking real nice
     
  3. HOTRODPRIMER
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 64,925

    HOTRODPRIMER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thank you,,hopefully in the next few days I can get my daughter to do a video of the car running and driving down the road,,I'm clueless on how to do that sort of thing. HRP
     
  4. 48 Chubby
    Joined: Apr 29, 2008
    Posts: 1,014

    48 Chubby
    Member Emeritus

    After 9+ years of working on the wagon, what you gonna do for a hobby now?
    Once I finish one my time seems empty for while, then the next one is found.
     
  5. HOTRODPRIMER
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 64,925

    HOTRODPRIMER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Oh,my plate is full,,I'm gonna take the summer and enjoy the wagon but come fall I will start rebuilding my 32 5W coupe. HRP
     
  6. sololobo
    Joined: Aug 23, 2006
    Posts: 8,430

    sololobo
    Member

    Congrats on the first drive. It always takes a bunch of tweaking to get all the stuff tightened up You can do it! ~sololobo~
     
  7. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,756

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    That is exactly what I had to do...my son came over and used his phone. It's a great feeling. I'm glad for you. Looking forward to the video. It sure looks good!!!!
     
  8. Congrats man! Let's see some more pics of the wagon!
     
  9. Rex_A_Lott
    Joined: Feb 5, 2007
    Posts: 1,158

    Rex_A_Lott
    Member

    NOw I know why I didnt find you at the Myrtle Beach. Glad to hear you're making progress.
     
  10. HOTRODPRIMER
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 64,925

    HOTRODPRIMER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    You bet,I have had my nose to the grindstone!:D HRP
     
  11. OahuEli
    Joined: Dec 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,243

    OahuEli
    Member
    from Hawaii

    Congrats! That first drive always makes all the time and money spent worth it.
     
  12. Harrison
    Joined: Jan 25, 2002
    Posts: 7,133

    Harrison
    Member

    Congratulations Danny!!!

    That wagon is beautiful!

    JH
     
  13. glendale
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 2,324

    glendale
    Member

    hell yea!awesome man that has to be a great feeling.
     
  14. 3wLarry
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 12,804

    3wLarry
    Member Emeritus
    from Owasso, Ok

    'bout damn time...I mean...good on you Danny! :D
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  15. koolkemp
    Joined: May 7, 2004
    Posts: 6,006

    koolkemp
    Member

    Thats great ! I have followed and enjoyed your build since my early days here on the HAMB !
     
  16. Nunzio
    Joined: Sep 8, 2008
    Posts: 9

    Nunzio
    Member

    HRP,
    Congrats. Send more pictures of it moving!
    dw
     
  17. HOTRODPRIMER
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 64,925

    HOTRODPRIMER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    If everything goes well and all the stars are lined up we will be driving the wagon to Knoxville this year. HRP
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2012
  18. racinman
    Joined: Dec 30, 2008
    Posts: 951

    racinman
    Member Emeritus

    Looking good Danny...
     
  19. Fuzzy Knight
    Joined: Jun 8, 2009
    Posts: 11,806

    Fuzzy Knight
    Member
    from Santee, Ca

    Son !!! Ya did good. Enjoy
    PS
    I have a 53 Club coupe that is next on the project list
    Fuzzy
     
  20. HOTRODPRIMER
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 64,925

    HOTRODPRIMER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thank you guys. HRP
     
  21. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,179

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Great news.. Congrats!!


    Malcolm
     
  22. czuch
    Joined: Sep 23, 2008
    Posts: 2,688

    czuch
    Member
    from vail az

    I followed your progress on the other threads too. Woweee! Thats a major accomplishment. Congrats.
     
  23. BONNEVILLE BOB 95
    Joined: May 1, 2010
    Posts: 1,101

    BONNEVILLE BOB 95
    Member

    Hoo Rah!!!!! Nuffin like that first blast down the road. Congrats!
     
  24. rld14
    Joined: Mar 30, 2011
    Posts: 1,609

    rld14
    Member

    CONGRATS!

    BTW, Did you ever get those scans of the steering wheel? The copier at work has been having some random brain farts with email.

    But damn am I glad to see this on the road!
     
  25. Deuce Roadster
    Joined: Sep 8, 2002
    Posts: 9,519

    Deuce Roadster
    Member Emeritus

    Congratulations !!

    I know how much you have wanted this wagon running ... for your wife.
    I bet Brenda is smiling ... extra sweet tonight.

    Well deserved victory over rusty metal


    "Endeavor to persevere."

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csEzTwKemwY
     
  26. rustyfords
    Joined: Jun 17, 2008
    Posts: 1,295

    rustyfords
    Member
    from Conroe, TX

    Major Congratulations Danny.

    I know how much you overcame to get it done.

    You not only have a great hotrod there, but you've preserved some important family history.
     
  27. LostHope
    Joined: Jul 9, 2008
    Posts: 688

    LostHope
    Member

    Congrats HRP! Im very happy for you I cant believe its been 9 years, I remember first reading your posts on the 54 ford forum, its been a long road for you and many of us following your posts, its nice to see it coming to a end, and all your hard work paying off to start a new beginning OF DRIVVINNNGGG!!!!! once again congrats!
     
  28. HOTRODPRIMER
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 64,925

    HOTRODPRIMER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thank you guys,I tried to do a phone video last night and as I told the guys on the '54 Ford Club of America,,all it did was make the veins in my neck swell up!:mad:

    I'll stick to building hot rods and leave the cinematography to you younger guys,

    I'll get my daughter to do this as soon as I can get her to stop by the garage.HRP
     
  29. Chaz
    Joined: Feb 24, 2004
    Posts: 5,016

    Chaz
    Member Emeritus

    Oh Happy Day!!!!!
     
  30. greg32
    Joined: Jun 21, 2007
    Posts: 2,266

    greg32
    Member
    from Indiana

    And now its all worth the time and effort. Nothing beats the first drive. Congrats Danny, well done. That beauty is worth $5/gallon gas! Go burn some buddy.
     

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