I posted this on the main board awhile back and it disappeared.. I had no idea there was a group just for COEs.. Anyway this will probably be a slow build as I am working on putting together a daily driver 73 ford 4x4 with a 12 valve ***mins.. Anyway always wanted a coe and this one came up for what I thought was a fair price so plans were made and I left Ohio for California to pick it up.. Left Wednesday after work about 5:30 and rolled into California Friday at about 3am.. probably not the best idea to drive straight through like that but it gave me a little extra time to stop through bonneville on the way back.
Beautiful un-molested truck, looks like you'er re-inventing the wheel. could have stopped in Arizona and bought mine !!!! can I ask what the virgin cost?
Can't wait to see the build photo's and story. What a beautiful body to start with. What are your plans?
For some reason on my phone and computer the pictures are not showing up so I'll try and reload them again to make this up to date.. then I'll answer the questions... Day I picked it up in victorville CA Back home in Fresno Ohio Ended up being almost dead on 5,000 miles in half hour over 5 days. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Had to do a line up shot since I figure it would be the last time the coe would look original and be together for awhile. Started to strip out all the old wiring and even removed a few extension cords that were used for wires.. Should have just removed the front clip to make it more balanced cause they ended up being removed to get it on a trailer to get it to my house to tinker with this winter Got it up to my house and pulled it in next to the 73 daily diesel project. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The body looked solid in the pictures and it's not bad but there are all the normal spots that are always bad that have been covered up for some time.. first thing to tackle was the p***enger door bottom. There was some brazing bondo and holes at the outside rear corner bottom so I made up a patch for that also Don't have to many fancy tools but bent a 90 on the bench and used my deep throat shinker stretcher to curve it along the profile of the door. Nice thing about the deep throat one is it allowed me to put the contour up and down on the patch also so it wouldn't be flat up and down also Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Next was starting to fill the holes in the firewall.. This took a little while.. I think if they had spare parts they just drilled holes and bolted them to the firewall.. Portable bandsaw and some sanding I find it makes it easier to fill holes. Last pic of the firewall I took.. Jumped over to right behind the hood where the f6 logo is.. always seems they are rusty here.. And it's no wonder it's a perfect place for dirt from the inside of the cab to lay wet.. I made a patch and welded it in.. forgot to take a pic of it.. it needs bumped back out from where the joint shrunk from welding. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
As for he plans of the truck was thinking on doing an old box truck but I think they space it would take and kinda knocks down what all it can be used for.. so thinking of a flat deck or ramp deck style truck.. seems like there is also more demand for a ramp deck/car hauler anyway and it will probably be sold down the road anyway.. Something along the lines of this Chevy First I picked an a 96-02 gmc 3500 box van ch***is. Thought it would work but it's 41" wide compared to 33" of the stock frame and would have to cut the cab and inner fenders to get it to work. So that's out and I picked up an 86 Chevy P30 ch***is. Was an old frito lay truck so now I have two sets of the 8 lug 19.5 wheels.. Asp picked up a 12 valve ***mins out of an f800 box truck and an automatic from a buddy so I think it will be going behind the cab and under the bed to hide it and keep all the noise and het out of the cab. And that's basically where I'm at now with it.. haven't worked on it for probably a month since working on the 73 but will jump back in as soon as it's done and I get my roadster pickup painted.. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I think i might have seen yours for sale and it's what made me buy this one.. yours have a white top and a black ramp bed?? This thing is supposed to have a rebuilt 8ba they had a receipt from when it was installed for 3200 and I gave 4500 for the hole truck. It's hiding some problems but not bad from the others I had looked st.. probably and ramp/flat deck. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Great start so far. You don’t seem like you need much sleep. Gonna put us all to shame and motivate us at the same time! Keep up the good work!
If you have an extra set of 19.5" wheels, 8 lug, 6.5 bolt pattern, I would be interested. Great work so far!! Regards, Mark.
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