Projects 41 Ford pickup finally got it home and pictures pictures

Joel.........you done a heckuva job fabb'in & weld'in!
In my previous life I was a welder. Granted....welding sheet metal is a whole 'nuther ball of wax compared to welding hull patches on submarines but....some stuff still applies.
Joel....your stuff looks fine but other guys may benefit from these suggestions (or nor!).
When welding a large square patch leave an expansion cut at each corner. (think a 'tic-tac-toe drawing) That lets the metal contract and move instead of buckling. Weld these expansion joints last.
Instead of ten thousand tacks that eventually tie together try.....down-hilling your welds. Vertical welds start at the top and weld down...staying ahead of the weld bead. Hint! you need to move pretty fast compared to regular up hill welding.
This method is NOT as strong as regular welding but when just fusing pieces together it puts a LOT LESS heat in the metal.
EZ'er to grind too!
Cooling the welds with a wet rag or compressed air can control warping too.
Just remember "heat-goes-to-cold"
IF you want to move a piece of metal (especially pipe) the last place you stop welding at.....the metal will go that way. Put wet rag or air on opposite side to pull heat from 'that' direction. (hard to explain!)
6sally6

 

Thanks for the tips. When I used O/A for welding sheetmetal, I used to use a wet sponge to shrink the area back. With Tig I still do on occasion but with mig I kind of forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder. I like the relief cut on a corner idea; I can see how that might work. I also found that "downhill" welding works better when "stitching" with tacks. Thanks again for your input.

 

I've been watching Kyle at Carter Auto restyling on YouTube. He has shared some good tips and tricks for welding in patches.

Mart.

 

To finish up (mostly) the inside of the cab, I trimmed the trans cover and installed 1/4-20 threaded inserts to eliminate the sheetmetal screws. The inserts protrude about 3/8 in. below the floor, but out of the way. I intended to fill the top hole ( shift tower hole) , however the new transmission will require a new location and possibly a more complicated rework. It doesn't make sense to do it twice. I found that the hardware store stainless screws tended to gall in the inserts (steel) . I'll probably have to use better screws.
BTW . What is the purpose of the extra slot and hole in the cover at the firewall end. Plug it?

 

Nice touch using the threaded inserts.
Enjoying your build.

 

You might try a little anti-seize on the screws

 

I welded nuts in to hold my cover, looking back zerts would have been a lot easier and I wouldn't have ruined the rhino liner on the trans cover. Once that crap gets hot it stays sticky. I had to throw it on a buddy's BBQ (he was out of town) and bake it all off then blast it. Uhg.

Great idea though on the zerts. No idea on the slot, I welded mine up and metal finished it.

 

I don't know for sure, but the slot might allow the trans serial number to be read.

 

Weld it up,Aye. That part of the floor is really not very rigid. I thought about adding some 1/8" flat stock to the recess where the trans cover sits.

I like anti seize and that's a good idea. The screws are hardware store stainless. I might try a flathead and let it form the counter sink as it tightens up.

 

The real problem is Henry never planned on these trucks and cars lasting 80+ years.

 

I think that might be true, but I have a newer o/d trans with an adapter to my FH. On my coupe the cover had an opening that looked like a louver; I hammered that flat and welded the seam. These cabs were on the big trucks also and maybe the extra holes had a function there. It's like PCV valves today; a consolidated p/n and one size fits all.

 

Personally I'd use anything except stainless. Just standard self color hardware. I would use a bit of grease of some kind though.

 

I ended up using flathead screws and let them make countersunk detents when I tightened them down.
I started the repair on the back of the cab, on the bottom, where the pinch weld is. I had to modify the patch and split it into 2 halves. I wanted to use those gap clamps, but couldn't get the little piece of key stock to stay in place. I added a spot of weld on the back to keep it from sliding through.
It actually worked pretty well.
I tacked the left end with a clamp on each end of the piece to hold it in place. I had to remove the right one after the first tack so I could slide the clamp to the left.
all done welding on the outside; I will finish on the inside... still have to get the little clamp blade out. It's pretty tight. After I finish the seam weld and grind, I'll plug weld the pinch.

 

left half done

 

Nice work.

 

Thanks, Adam. I lied a little in that I haven't plug welded the bottom yet. When I cut the hole for the big rectangle the sides and bottom sprung out. Also, when I cut the lower half of the bottom reveal, it also sprung out. After tacking the new piece, I decided to not clamp it at the bottom ( where the pinch is) but to weld the seam and grind it and use clamps to hold the pinch for welding. I figured welding the inside would let the shrink pull a slight curve into the reveal, which it had to begin with. When I checked it after grinding.... it was almost perfect. Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while.
So , I'm leaving it hang until the other half is welded.

 

When you said "left half done" I thought yeah, a lot of my jobs get left when only half done.

 

It's been a slow week, but I did get started on the right half of the bottom of the cab repair. It's mostly tacked in . After I get the seam welded, I'll clamp the lower edges and plug weld through those holes. I've had some indication that getting that bottom pinch weld done could make it easier and help to straighten the metal above.

 

Certainly a challenging phase of your project Joel and you are getting great results on this lower edge!

 

Small update. I can't believe it's Labor Day already. The cab is untouched since March, but the last couple of weeks I did finish the port work on the engine and it's going to the machine shop to get cleaned and new cam bearings. I plan to use the finished chassis as a run stand.

I might get all that done this fall

 

Remember that no one is going to see that lower reveal once the bed is on unless there are mirrors under it at the show. I spent a lot of time down there and I question my sanity as do those that know me best. That said, seam seal the hell out of the inside of that seam, mine wasn't even attached down there in spots. Is now!

 

One reason I have left the cab alone since spring is I was getting pretty anal on the sheet metal. I'll be back on it soon.

 

If one is going to get anal about anything, I would think bodywork and prep is a good place to do so. I don;t consider that time wasted.

 

I had to replace one valve seat insert due to a void in the existing insert. This was discovered years ago, but I didn't have a plan for the engine so it's been sitting in a bag. I'm grinding the new seat now. I am grinding the standard 3 angles (one at a time). I will have to touch up a couple of others that were only roughed in. I'm hoping to get it to the machine shop Thursday.

 

I made it to the machine shop... a week later. I should get it back next week. I'm going to take my lifters to them to get resurfaced next week. I have to decide what color to paint the engine... red for the year of the engine or green for the year of the truck or maybe gold because I like it.

 

Flatheads are heavy, expensive and hold their value, perhaps Gold is a proper color.

 

I decided to stick with the correct color for the probable correct color for the year of my engine. Ford blue. I installed the crank and the fuel pump push rod bushing. I opened up the I.D. a little and tapped it in, but still too tight; I made a shaving catcher out of a cardboard tube and inserted it in the rear cam bearing and passed the reamer through by hand.
I had to "shorten" a 1/4 pipe plug so it would fit in rear off the oil galley and clear the the idler gear cover.
I'm waiting on the new wrist pin clips to install the pistons. I put the ones I have someplace I wouldn't lose them..... I just can't find them now.

 

Been there, really be that - a lot! Lol!

 

Hi Joel, You probably already know and have some prior experience with early flatheads and engine stands. Just in case I would suggest you change your engine stand mounting method to a side (exhaust flange mount). I have seen some good blocks ruined by mounting them off the back. This was pretty easy to make and well withing your skill level. Good to see you posting again!

 

I took a better pic of how the engine mounts. I did it to minimize the engine stands tendency to "tip" if I push too much on the front.
couple of pix here of the cam idler gear cover installed and bolts wired.

I'm headed to the Hardware to find a check spring so I can figure out the shim stack for the valve springs.