Projects Helping an old(er) couple out

Feel free to move this thread to where it fits best, im not sure where it should go so im putting it here.

My father was looking to buy a front end loader for our 8n tractor, and my brother him about it, so i went to look for him. i pulled in and immediately noticed the tailgate of an old ford truck sticking out. i went through and saw a couple other cool things he had (half of a 55 willys jeep he used as a hunting rig, an old 50s land rover, more tractors, etc.)

once i gave the loader a look over, i asked him about the truck. his wife told me its the truck they started dating in, and she would love for him to get it back on the road. I was told the shifter linkage for the column shifter broke and that's why it was parked "a few years ago" (last tagged 2005). i didnt have time to get the hood open, but its a 61-65ish ford truck. and he told me it was a straight 6, old air force truck. i'd be doing the work to get it running and moving, so i wondered if these trucks had any quirks i should know about.

(i have no interest in buying this truck, only helping them)

 

Good on ya!

 

Define “old” don’t make us come and beat ya up!

 

i think her husband graduated in '61 and she graduated in '63.

 

That really isn’t as old as I used to think. My folks were ‘65 and ‘67. Good on you for wanting to help.

 

the tank just has bad gas, meaning i should be able to remove it and clean it. hallelujah for tanks inside the cab

 

In answer to your question, those trucks are just about as basic as they come. Find a Motors Manual for those years and go to work. I'm sure that someone, somewhere has the parts you need and it may well be that you don't need any at all. Post pictures of what you see and we can make more informed suggestions. BTW, I graduated in '62 which doesn't make me old but your comment was about an old truck so, I'll let this one slide. Don't slip up again.

 

Anything that's been sitting for 15-20 years will need a bit of work to get it going. You'll have to figure out the shifter problem, if it's column shift, then it probably has some worn out parts. Then the fuel, brake, and cooling systems will need thorough going through. The wheel cylinders will be stuck, the water pump will probably start to leak, the fuel pump may or may not work but it will start to leak, the carb may or may not work, but it might have some shrunk gaskets and crap in it that you'll want to investigate.

In other words, it'll take quite a bit of effort. Thanks for offering to do it!

 

I'd say, go for it. What's the worst that could happen, they tell you to keep the truck?

 

My gitlfriend bought a new Fiero in late 1983. She hated the car and bought a Dodge 4X4 the next year and the Fiero got used less and less. Finally, it sat on a trailer in inside storage for 15 years. When I pulled it out two years ago, it wouldn't start. To make a long story short, all liquid systems in the car needed to be drained, cleaned, flushed and refilled. This included the brakes, fuel system, cooling system, and transmission. The fuel system was especially problematic, requiring the tank and lines to be removed and cleaned. This was with a virtually brand new car that had been stored under the best possible conditions.

What I am saying here is that you may run into problems that can result in it being not worth the effort. Be careful of what you promise.

 

postive note, it's an old Ford pickup, not a Fiero, so there's always going to be a market for it.

 

my phone was dead by the time i got to the truck, but its completely covered in dirt. heres a couple pictures of other things to give you an idea of its condition.

not buying it, im fixing it for them. it has to be this truck.

 

Kudos to you! There are no end of `will it start videos` on Youtube to help guide you. Shifter linkage could be as simple as reconnecting it if its come apart. You will need to work out a budget with them. At a minimum you are going to need oil, filters, fuel, and most likely points, condensor, plugs and leads. Then as Jim pointed out probably brake work and if they plan on driving it, tires. Good luck with it and please post pics and keep us updated with your efforts!

Please post FULL SIZE images too.

 

Very cool that your helping them out!
If it has a Motorcraft 2100 carb., it’s a breeze to work on. There are a few guys that rebuild and sell on eBay etc. You just have to careful and get the correct Venturi size. It’s stamped on the carb.
I put a 61 ranch wagon back into service. Dropped the tank and had it cleaned/repaired. New brake lines, fuel lines and pump, rebuilt carb., battery and belts and hoses. Purrs like a kitten.

 

@Mike Lawless , @WhitewallWill , can you give OP any guesses on the column shift problem/fix?

 

I fully understand what you are doing, and kudos for taking the project on. But that's why I added - "Be careful of what you promise".

Years ago, I got into a problem overestimating what I could do for some friends (it involved repairing an air conditioning unit in a '56 Buick). It almost ended the friendship until I issued a great big mea culpa.

The last thing you want to do is leave them worse off than they started.

 

If the tank has bad gas may I suggest you take extra care in removing it from the truck.

 

Yeah, but he wants to fix it so they can keep it and use it, so it's kinda the same.

 

thats why i will be careful, not going to skip any steps. each valve will be checked that they move, and the cylinders will be lubed with atf, once im sure it turns freely then i try the starter with the fuel line off the carb. im hoping the lifters arent collapsed. the interior looked great from what i can see inside. i'll need to bring an air compressor (not just a tank like i tried before with my '57 ford) and air up the tires.

i have a general plan but its open to changes. right now the goal is "running" if nothing major stops me there, next is driving. i'll keep this thread updated as things progress.

 

oh neat the willys made it into the picture of the loader.

 

Adjusting the valves. If it is a '61-'64 and it has the original 6 cylinder, it's a 223 cubic inch engine with solid lifters. If it's a '65, it will have the 240 inch engine. The following describes how to set valve lash on either engine.
Valve adjustment for 223.

 

I bought a 62 Ford truck about 1973 to use as a winter beater. It was parked for the same reason, column shifter broke. It was easier to put a Hurst 3 speed floor shifter in instead of fixing the Ford stuff. And parts were still available in the dealerships then!

 

The part that usually breaks in those pickup columns is the collar that the shift handle attaches to. $ 28 bucks new.

 

Hey, I resemble that remark, I was class of 61!

 

this will be extremely useful information, i intend on removing the rocker shafts and tapping the valves with a wood block and rubber mallet. pushrods cant be cheap for this so i dont want to risk it.

 

I've never rebuilt a 3 speed column shifter. I think they are probably a bit fiddly, and some of the pieces might be hard to find. Carolina Classics is a great resource.
Quick and easy way to figure out which motor it has, is the 240/300 has the intake and exhaust system on the passenger side, the earlier 223 has that stuff on the driver side.
If it's been sitting for a long time, you can figure on the fuel system being FUBAR. Mine had not been run in nearly 20 years when i got it. The tank bottom was gone, and so were the fuel lines.
Good luck with it

 

the tank looked clean inside other than the bad gas when i shinrd a pen light into it, hoping it will clean out

 

Good of You

 

Good of you to help these folks. Before you dig too deep into the shift linkage, you'll want to check the cab mounts. As a fellow denizen of the rust belt, I've seen them rust out and let the cab settle on the frame. Column is bolted to the cab and trans is bolted to the frame. If the cab settles, it will jam the linkage. Even worse with an auto trans. You can end up in gear and not know it. A lady I know got run over by her own truck when she got out to get the mail and left it running. The PRNDL showed it was in park but it was really in reverse. Best of luck to you.