I sent gauge file to the cutter yesterday and they had a minimum order so ill have some extra panels if anyone wanted to try one. I just want to get back what I have into them so they wont be too expensive. We got the limeworks safety shifter with the factory arm worked out after collecting a few extra parts. Went ahead and did the throttle cable to the factory pedal as well. Additional sound insulation went on the firewall and then the rubber/jute cover. Also got the heater box installed with new motor while we wait for the core to be re-done.
I posted a thread asking about the Lime Works shifter, and now I've seen this. Can you give me any feed back / suggestions / pros / cons on it? Is that the stock 3 spd or auto column? BTW, great looking truck.
Sorry I dont have the bearing part number, but I will check on it next time I am at the store it came from. It is the stock 3 speed column. I removed the fixed steering wheel side shaft mount and welded in a sleeve so the shaft could slide up and down. The limeworks unit is OK. The pin that sits into the detent plate is just an allen screw filed down a little. It drags a bit when you pull up and out of the smaller openings in the plate. I feel like a custom machined pin of some kind would be nice for the cost. I also would have liked it to have larger diameter set screws that hold it to the column and shift shaft. I can comment more on its functionality once I work out the linkage to the transmission.
We picked up some bends and I started on the primary portions of the exhaust over the weekend. Its really tight around the rack/steering linkage so a bit time consuming. I finished bending the last section of the fuel line and got it secured to the chassis/body. We started to get into installing the doors and weather stripping, but found some issues my dad had missed when he installed the glass. I had to patch a small area of rust near the rear lower door corner and correct some problems with the window guide install. The gauge surrounds came back from the cutter and look good.
Two of my sons and I have '55 F100s. We have retained the original I beam axles, but reworked springs...(mine has a '57 front axle, 1" more drop) Just wanted to compliment all your work: it is careful and clean. I enjoy seeing well thought out ideas...
I really hope to find another one some day and just restore it to working condition with stock parts. That was the plan for this one but it all changed when we found the motor to be bad. Thank you for the kind words
I have been working on the exhaust the past couple days. I also spend a bit of time collecting parts for and installing power steering on my dads 51 Chevy AD. I picked up a few more bends today and should have the exhaust completed back to the end of the trans by tomorrow. I still need to figure out a good way to make a merge/crossover that will clear the driveshaft.
The exhaust work has been slow going without a chop or band saw. I ran out of bends today so went ahead and cut down the 24" muffler to two 12" after deciding to go with duals all the way to the back. I have the end caps made just waiting to weld them to figure out if the inlet needs a little offset to clear the mid mounted crossmember. We also got the bed about 90 percent installed today.
Spent more time working on my Dads 51 AD, but did manage to finish more of the exhaust on the F100. I need to pick up some straight tube and a couple more bends to finish it up. I am out of town for the first half of August but my Dad plans to get the front bodywork back on and then get the front chassis wiring done.
I bagged my Jag IFS as well and used SS-6 bags. The spring cups need to be removed to get to the flat upper and lower surfaces. But this is where I don't agree with the above post. The two surfaces are angled and if the bags are mounted directly to them, the bags will compress offset. More on the inside than the outside. I built an offset upper cup to remove the angle. Then rebuilt the lower spring plate to remove that angle. Now the bag's top and bottom are level with each other and the bags compress evenly. I know there are plenty of ways to skin a cat, I just didn't like the bags being squeezed on one side like they would have been.
The bags are at a slight angle which obviously becomes more pronounced as the ride height comes up. At the level we will have it at I don't have any real concern that it will be detrimental to the integrity of the bad. I do agree the angles plate is an ideal setup though. The rear tires are 235/85/16 and I believe the fronts are 235/70/16. I want to go up to a 215/85/16 in the front later on though.
I was gone for a couple weeks, but my Dad managed to get some work done on the truck. He worked out the gas filled tube and cap along with repairing the tailgate pivots so it could be installed. The front bodywork also went back on so the lights could be wired. I am picking up more bends for the exhaust tomorrow and should have that completed over the weekend.
We got the doors finished and the seals installed. Hung the passenger side, and waiting for the driver until dash wiring and seat are in. We attempted to align the hood and front panels, but it still needs more work. A majority of the under dash wiring is done the gauge panels are back from coating. I have been lazy finishing the exhaust but did pick up the bends and have the straight pieces expanded for slip fit connection.
I finally got back to work on the exhaust and finished a majority of it yesterday. It should be done over the weekend if I can find a 2.5" bend and band clamp for the crossover pipe. My Dad ran a few more wires to the front for the fan and started looming stuff under the dash. Hubcaps showed up and I started painting them the factory argent silver color for 55. Still need to hand fill the letters with red. New tires for the rear also showed up this week.
Thanks for the compliments. The front will actually come up maybe an inch or two from what is shown in the latest image. I want the fender to wheel spacing to be pretty much even front and back. We are very near to the first start. Just trans cooler lines, and a short section of battery cable away.
Could not find the 2.5" bend and clamp I needed so just went ahead and welded the mufflers up and hung everything. I should be able to drill for the crossover with it all mounted.
I finished the heater and radiator hoses along with fitting the intake pass through grommet. We can now route the trans cooler lines and have them crimped. I think we may start it this weekend.
We had planed to start it this last weekend, but were not seeing any oil pressure while priming. I pulled the front cover and found some shavings near the pump drive, and the pickup was a bit loose. Its getting a new pickup seal and a proper alignment of the pump tomorrow so we will see what happens. While waiting for the pickup seal we did the carpet and a few other small things on the interior. The front half of the cab floor is covered by an OEM replica rubber mat.
We got the oil pressure issue worked out and finished everything but the headliner in the interior. Tonight we started it for the first time and should have it drivable over the weekend.
It start. Now just a few small things and it will be driving. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXIxgC-z-yA
The Jalopy Journal
