Projects 1965 F100 father and sons project

A center u joint will make it necessary to also have a support bearing. But it would relieve the sharp angle of the top joint.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fla-fr1810ka

 

Pulling the column into the cab would allow me to remove and/or flatten the angle as it's at the edge of the allowable angle now. May try running it like this before I progress to another joint. It looks like I can take another 1" off the shaft coming out the end of the column and it would straighten out the whole show. All day for this simple task when I had the shaft made in a few minutes. I am humbled!

 

In the photo the clutch Z bar is at a wonky angle. I'll try shimming it up and look at the height of the engine to see if something is amiss. The previous owner pointed it out to me but, I've not done anything to investigate why. It drove ok last fall but, it certainly looks tweaked.

 

Hey Will,
Could you just move the whole column up into the cab without cutting it? Dont know if you have the cab space though, but its a thought.

 

Morning @NashRodMan. I pulled the column in to the limit of comfort and gained a bit more space under the wheel to slide under but, I'll have to cut the steering shaft some more to reduce the U-joint angle. I'm already in for replacing the short shaft that I cut too short. My steering wheel is missing a sizable chunk so may replace with something with less dish down the road if I can find something I like.

Stat holiday here today so can't run to Metal Supermarket but, I'm on for potential start up today. Checking everything twice as my wiring job went smoothish but, I'm wary of a misconnect. I have a couple fusable links in there but, read the thread earlier in the week on a meltdown as a result of a hanging ground. Learn by others.

 

I had some Autometer gauges in my hands the other day and the more I thought about it while walking around looking for other stuff I decided I'm holding out for some vintage SW's instead. I even bypassed on the Moon 1/2 sweep tach so I put the black faced white letter Autometers back on the rack. Slave to design. Maybe if I can find some chrome cups I might mount gauges on the outside cowl vent to start the gauge parade. OK, back at the truck or it will be the end of the summer and I'll be pissed I didn't get it on the road this year.

Got the ground wires all done. Pulled 3 wires back through the firewall after cutting them out of my nice neat hidden wiring. Drilled them through the firewall down low on the transmission hump to feed choke, oil pressure and coolant wires so you won't see them. Tightened up 50 bolts that have been assembled loose. Checked connections for fireup. Will look at electrical connections under the dash tonight and pull the coil for cranking. Pulled the vacuum line off the brake booster because my flaring tool is garbage and I have a couple of dangling brake lines. Think I'm going to run a hard line up high on the firewall and run a couple of short hoses to that for the booster instead of the hose running across the top of the valve cover. Should look less clumsy as the paint test on the cover is worn from the hose laying on it from driving last Fall. Sooo close.

 

Had the welder out to make the collar for the steering column so fixed up an earlier repair to the passenger fender that didn't work out before. One quick cut and a few taps and welded it up. I made a mess of it 6 months ago but, only took me 20 minutes to repair this time without cutting it all out. Couldn't get my grinder under the corner of the hood so not finished yet but, better. It has a bit of a crown so will make another cut and tap it down when I have time. I look at so much metal work on this forum I really want it to be much better looking without mud. It would cover up ok with a skim but, it's really a learning thing for me.

Another shot under the hood. Power steering is waiting for me to source a leaking rack. Will take the booster and hoses off and get this thing running then address once It's on the road. I'm too impatient now. Going to rerun vacuum lines and that's it. Will try to start tonight.

 

Nice!! Cant wait to see/hear the video on the first start up!

 

Now that's a good idea. Hadn't occurred to me to shoot a video. Late night tonight at work so not going to happen Aug 2/22 but, will try to set up a video for tomorrow. This working and putting food on the table is cutting into my play time. Maybe even catch a misfire diagnostic non op working portion. Excellent!

 

Patiently waiting for a video...... LOL. Just kidding.

 

Ha, ha. I wake up and the first thing I think of is that truck (well, not really but, close), 'When am I going to get that bloody thing on the road'? A little pier pressure applied will get this done, thanks @NashRodMan. So headed off yesterday to ride in Squamish because Crankworx in Whistler will have thinned the crowds. On the (Hot Rod) bright side I told the family I have to run to get some 3/4" solid round bar and that funky Eastwood brake line flaring tool before we split for the day. Damn that thing is expensive. - but, no more playing with toy tools. I am on the verge of redoing every flare because they look like a preschooler did them. Next week we are off to ride the Park at Big White for 3 days. The truck project has impacted our other significant passion (MTB riding). My legs are still wobbly from yesterday. Will be putting a receiver hitch on Clementine and putting the bike rack on the classic in due order then we will combine pastimes. Have to get used to dirty whitewalls on dirt roads.

 

Just for an FYI
fix-leaky-brake-line-fittings

 

Whoa, now that's a cool tool!
Given I didn't know about that tool prior to buying my new tool - with my new tool (that I spent many a night justifying by telling myself, I'll build another car, etc, etc.), I fully expect to become a super powered, brake flaring super stud known across the land for my.....@#&**@# brake flaring abilities!!!

 

This thing is so worth it. The first flare - perfect. First car, paid for. 2nd car - PRICELESS!
Pictures are flare on steel lines. First attempt with the $40 flaring kit basically wrecked the tool so I switched to NiCop. Because the steel line put a gouge in the 45 deg flare portion it then made all my flares crooked. What would you pay to know it's right.


Update - Spent the day redoing all the flared ends which meant I had to remake a few lines. Some of the flares I cut off would have leaked. At least this way I won't have to pull it all apart and deal with the muss and fuss of chasing failed ends with a fully charged system. No short cuts!

 

Nice work Will. A good flaring tool is well worth the money. Saves you a ton of time, and maybe even an accident, who knows. Good that you are redoing them now rather than later.

 

Back to gauges for a moment and the expertise on the H.A.M.B. Heading out for holidays now but, a couple options just popped up. Both old so I wonder about sending units. Also can gauges be repurposed? For example can a temp gauge be modified to become a pressure gauge (sorry, had to ask but, actually a boost gauge). I don't want different face types all over the place. The rectangle gauge is from an unknown vintage something. I'd be lucky to figure out how to get it working but, it looks like it would fit in the radio cutout hacked by a P.O. and of course it is infinitely cool in my opinion. The vintage Stewart Warners are also nice given the blue nature of the truck but, if I need additional gauges (Tach, boost) where would I find the match? The stock temp gauge in the dash is maybe usable which could free up the temp gauge to function as a boost gauge. Sorry for all the O.T. subject matter here it's just that I'm in unknown territory for me on this topic (among many others). Please forget all reference to O.T. items. Gotta figure this out.

 

'60s-80s Ford alternator idiot lights wire a bit differently compared to GM/Mopar units. First, you have to use an incandescent lamp, a LED won't work. Second, you also need a 15 Ohm 5 watt resistor installed in parallel with the lamp as shown. Failure to install the resistor will require you to rev the snot out of the motor to initially turn off the light/start charging, once off it will charge normally until the next time you shut the car off. Here's the diagram...


How it works is with the motor not running and/or the alternator not charging, the light is fed 12V from the ignition switch and gets its ground internally at the regulator and the light is on. Once charging starts, 12V is fed in from the regulator end and with no difference of potential the light goes off. On a generator car, it's wired the same way, but no resistor is needed.

If you decide to not use an idiot light, it wires differently.


Note that the diagram shows an ammeter. If you use a voltmeter instead (preferred), use this diagram and don't install the ammeter. The voltmeter should be connected to a switched 12V source off the ignition switch acc terminal or at the fuse panel.

 

Excellent. Thanks for the info. Based on my gauge find, in the case of the SW's, I would have to convert the ammeter to a voltmeter for a more usable gauge?

 

As long as the charging system is working right, which gauge you have doesn't matter. It's when problems appear and you're expecting the gauge to inform you that it makes a difference. Generally speaking, when a generator starts failing it will maintain voltage output but current drops; an ammeter will tell you this. An alternator is opposite, it can maintain current but voltage drops.

 

When doing double flairs (NiCu especially!)...do the first part of the flair then....just barely get the second stage of the second part of the flair. Install the tubing and cranking down on the connector completes the second stage of the flair near perfectly!
Nothing worser(is that a word?!) than making the second flair too perfect that it won't seal up when installing.
6sally6

 

All this gauge reconfiguration has my brain dizzy! LOL. So, why do you need a boost gauge? Are you installing a turbo?!

 

Well @NashRodMan, I'm not sayin yes and I'm not sayin no. The number of gauges needed to monitor the show is a tough one to conceal but, concealment is the base root of the project. I should be able to claim traditional in the cab as well so my dilemma is exactly how to do that. Can't talk about it here but, I have been after a good cup of straight 6 with a twist of kick in the pants. A good reason for moving parts around under the hood is to make room to sneak a pipe back up the drivers side and have all other items under the truck where they need to be but, when I pop the hood, save for an extra mystery pipe, it could still get by without offending anyone. It will reside behind here!

 

YEEESSS! Do it! Lol. Careful though, the 6's are a torquey bunch...enough to brake things. Add some "tornado" to it and you'll twist that checkered flag on its head! Make sure the camera is rolling first though cuz I wanna see it!!

 

These are mid fifties dodge truck gauges.

 

My ‘57 Fargo

 

Similar vintage F100 of my brother's with the 352 replaced by another Ferd engine with about 108 more cid twisted the two pinion 9" differential into scrap metal. Perfectly timed to the day I borrowed it for a mundane errand. If you do tornado it, upgrade the differential. 4 pinion diffs are available with or without traction loc.

Love the project, the father son aspect is awesome.

 

Ha, ha. Tornados coming! Camera on - Check! Light 'er up Scotty!

Thanks for the I.D. Got onto FB Marketplace to take a run at gauge and it's gone - of course! It was my preferred choice at $50. I could have bolted a Dodge part on with no reservations. By the way our truck is from Fort St. John. Hope you haven't had to deal with the volume of rust repairs we've had.

. Thanks. A)The moment you borrow from someone else - it will grenade and B) If I don't open it up - it will grenade, I haven't opened it up yet. Need to budget my way through this but, had factored for an upgrade at some point just hadn't thought through the 4 pinion version. I appreciate the comparison.

With more continued great advise I'm guaranteed to be broke. Thanks guys! For those who are picking up on all this code, we needed lot's of Whoa to match up with the Go!

 

Mines from Saskatchewan originally! Hardly any rust

 

All the good stuff comes from Saskatchewan. I was hatched in Saskatoon. There needs to be a universal sarcasm button.

 

Morning @57 Fargo . Could I trouble you to give me a height and width measurement on the visible portion of your rectangle gauge cluster please? Found the gauge reposted. It might look a bit too big in the radio location.