Projects 1948 F1 rattle can rebuild

Lowkat, make sure you use a primer designed to go over aluminum, as some are not....

 

This is an awesome build. I'm building my 54 Ford tudor pretty much the same way.

 

Sweet Build. I think I'm gonna have to try it. It's hard to fight off the temptation to just throw money at one.(although being broke helps.)

 

I like that trailer interior Mark. The subtle but well thought out changes really bring it back. Eli

 

Thanks for the compliments guys. It helps motivate me. I feel like I'm letting the HAMB crowd down if I don't have something to show every few days.

After some more exterior stripping I'm going to do some wiring. I'll add new wiring for the 'new' super secret tail lights. The lights are still in the planning stage but will be composed of some old Ford parts and not like anybody elses.

Also adding a CD player/radio and speakers but will try to camoflauge them to look period correct.

Mrs. LowKat is going thrift store shopping today on the lookout for some cushion and curtain fabric. Stay tuned....

Those are the wheels I'm on the lookout for. Yours are probably 14X6?. RWD offset with appx 3-3/4 backspace. Bolt pattern is 4 on 4-1/2" or 4 on 114.3mm. Same pattern as 60's Chevy Nova and Mustang.

Thanks for the tip. Some of the trailer didn't have primer but it was under the graphics.

I checked out your build and I'm stealin' your oil bath air cleaner idea. I have a cool looking 55? Mercury 4bbl oil bath with a rusty bottom that'll be my victim.

Start a build thread. You can stretch it out as budget allows. It'll help you keep motivated.

Thanks Eli. Did you get your radiator issue solved? Hey, how's the weather over there... Yea, I know... It was 36 degrees here @ 8AM this morning but at least the sun is out. I'm freezing my Papayas off and my banana trees will be sayin' aloha until next spring.

 

I encountered some really cool '50s linoleum with gold and silver metal flake when I redid one of the bathrooms in my old house. Someone carpeted it over back in the 70s with this awful yellow carpet. Unfortunately it at one time had coving that reached up slightly onto the bottoms of the cabinets and it was hacked up during the process of the carpeting. The rest of it was in great shape but there was no saving it because of the hack job.

 

A radiator shop patched a couple holes but then decided it was too rotten. Got it back and put it in to see where it leaked and it hasn't so far, but I haven't fully filled the radiator yet so it hasn't seen full pressure to date. Kinda scared... If it turns out to be rotten I'll replace it.
As for the weather, I look like a frikken raccoon from being out on the Ford Island bridge the last two weeks. Temperature has dropped a bit though and I have seen winter temperatures get all the way down to 57. Brrrr!

 

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

 

Lowkat the trailer is cruising right along. When I was a kid my stepfather bought one of these dirt cheap. We repainted it with house paint. White with a blue stripe going around it. The interior was great and we never used it. When I moved out I found it across the street from where I was living at. Some guy was living in it.......

 

I have some Grandma memories attached to this trailer from camping with her when I was about 5 or 6 years old. Not the same trailer, just has the same qualities as Grandma's old Shasta.

Finally got my 'new' radiator in the F1. It passed the leak test, so I can get some anti-freeze in it. Was in the mid-30's last night.

Now the SOB doesn't want to idle. It's only been sitting for the last 3 weeks! Gonna pull the carb apart in the next few days.

Been getting the wood shed filled up and in order, also doing some of the stuff I shoulda' been doing instead of working on the trailer, so project time has been slim. Getting dark at 6PM now too.

 

If we brow beat you will it motivate you or piss you off? : >)

Anyway, we all relate to other things taking precedence but.....at least for me, I'm into your stuff and keep waiting to see more. On the tongue of the trailer and propane tank, will you continue the "rattle can rebuild" or will you break out the spray gun?

 

I don't get pissed very easy.

Still need to strip the rest of the tongue. It'll get spray paint for winter since I proabably won't get around to real paint until spring. I'm gonna rearrange the tongue to fit a battery on it and maybe the spare tire too.

Already have a newer propane tank. I opened the old tank and it spit out rusty propane right on my crotch from the leaking valve.

Been cleaning up the parts truck and listed it for sale.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=651055


Also selling my Model A cuz my job went tits up.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=651054


****OLD GEARHEAD LOOKING FOR WORK****
really.............

 

Sorry to hear about the job. Had ya been closer I'd love to have had that old F1.

 

I don't know which build I enjoyed more! You're a true artist and inovator, I'm sure you'll find work soon.

 

Ah, Lowkat very sorry to hear about your job. Best of luck to you searching for something new.

 

Great work, sir!

I have been enjoying your build very much!

 

I can't believe I've missed this thread. Oh wait, yes I can. Excellent job, LowKat; I love the truck and the trailer. What a perfect camping combo.

 

LowKat, Anything? Any progress at all on the trailer or anything new with the F1?

 

Haven't done much worth pictures.

Did get my carb issue straightend out. My old carb had a warped body and bowl from being overtightened. Cleaned up/out a 1904 Holley parts carb, slapped it on and it works great. Had to modify the choke bracket since the carb is newer than the one that was on it. The engine will now idle down to 250-350 rpm. Starts on first crank, choke works perfect. I'm happy!!

I have a 1971 Carter YF carb for backup just in case.....

Got my radiator back in and filled with anti-freeze. Let it run for a while and ran the heater through it's paces. Then noticed the fan shroud sitting on the bench. Drain radiator, install shroud. It's water tight now.

Rounded up some raw material for tail lights on the camper. I have the originals, some 55 Ford Fairlane front turn signal buckets, a pair of 1962 Falcon? Fairlane? tail lights and some mid 30's Ford commercial headlight buckets.

Not sure what I'm doing yet.

 

decisions, decisions...

-W

 

"Parts is parts!" Ha ha. Any reason you're not reinstalling the originals?

 

My truck uses 2 separate bulbs for the stop/turn signals since it's an old school 'add-on' turn signal switch.


I need to add a bulb to the stoplight housing or have separate turn signals and there's no room in the original housings to add anything.

I'm probably going to use 'teardrop' marker lights (like the clearance lights on the sides) for the turn signals. They'll mount where the original stoplights were.

 

cool stuff

Your build is one of my favorites. It reminds of my build....not a ton of cash....lot's of ingenuity and elbow grease.

Sorry to hear about the job.....the A Model is cool, it's too bad you have to let it go. IMHO, the 28/29's are the coolest looking of the A's

 

Could you cut the old single element socket out of the housings and replace it with an newer style dual element socket and dual contact base/pigtail?


My old AD was wired using this method, I had help putting it together but it ended up pretty clean. I used a reese trailer taillight converter instead of the relays.

http://www.oldengine.org/unfaq/signal.htm

http://bob_skelly.home.comcast.net/~bob_skelly/TailLights/taillight_mods04.html

 

The original trailer lights are dual element. One socket for stop/turn/tail. The way my truck is setup, it needs one dual element socket for brake/tail. Then another separate bulb/socket for turn signals. The taillights on my truck have 2 sockets inside the housings.

Gotta have 2 sockets or lights on the trailer or rewire the truck, which isn't going to happen since it works good now.

 

awesome build ! and thank god im not the only rattle bomb junkie on here. also if anyone is wondering the krylon indoor outdoor is a great paint and tough as nails. ive used it on my last 2 dailys and my 54 ford for numerous things. works very well

 

Yeah, I've been using that Krylon in the interior of my '55 Chevy truck. I'm doing the dash two tone using it in Celery green on the bottom and Rusto Sage green on the top, both with clear. The Sage is the color of the instrument cluster in my avatar. Not to hijack but since LowKat hasn't posted any pix lately, I'll show a couple pix of one door panel I've gotten done so far:

Before (Yeah, pretty awful):


After (Maybe not your cup of tea, but way better than before)

 

Enjoy what you are doing with your truck!!

 

Hey Lowkat! ANY progress? I keep checking cause this is one of my favorite threads.