Alright guys I finally got my hands on the f100 I've been trying to buy for about 5 years. I would see it driving around everyday around my town and I was inlove. I asked him years back if I could buy it off him and he would tell me dream on. Well every 6 months I would give him a call to see if he would sell it and finally he gave in! I will post pictures later today. Some specs, has a 302 from a 72 truck along with c6(sadly) vintage air(a must for az weather) white whites with red rims and caps and beauty rings, it is uncut and original besides power train, all stock suspension and rearend. And she is painted a baby blue turquoise!

And now for some questions...as I was driving it home it would increasingly get hotter and hotter until I pulled over and the water was boiling in the overflow. But its odd. It does not feel too hot coming from the engine but just the water if that makes sense. It has a new water pump on it and I put a new thermostat on it. I'm thinking I might need a new radiator. The previous owner said he never had a problem with it and it just needs a fan shroud. But the fan shroud wouldn't be that dramatic of a help I don't think. I will start it cold and within 20 mins it is at 260* and the boiling water is spewing from the overflow. Any idea what I need to do?

Another question is my brakelights don't work. The backlights work but no brakelights. I am not the smartest person with breaklights so any advice will be appreciated.

And last question, just for fun, how many of you guys daily drive your trucks? Mainly 53-56 guys but anyone feel free to comment. I will be looking to daily drive my truck

Well thanks alot guys! I know that's alot of questions but if you can help me out that would be great!!

 

The fan shroud will make a big difference. I have a 54 with a 351 and c6 also vintage air.I have had problems heatting up for 2 years when it gets 90 or better out.I seem to have fixed the problem now. aluminum radiator,and flexilight electric fan [good one $400 not the $100 one].I have no problems with the c6 and drive mine every day,use it to haul a 16 ft utility trailer,and boat trailer.It does everything a brand new truck will do,and a lot more fun to drive.You may want to chang to a 3-70 rear gear if it has a stock rear mine has a 9 inch. they where built to drive so drive it.

 

Congratulations on getting your dream Love to see pictures when you get a chance.

Check the bulbs in your taillights, it's a cheap and easy fix. They have two filaments in them so the blinkers can work without the tail lights working. If the bulbs are fine, throw on the blinker and go and take a look at it, might be wired backwards or mixed up (the blinker light will look brighter than a brake light if thats the case). Check the grounds, follow the wires and see where everything goes. And now that I think of it it might be the brake light switch (on back of master cylinder, looks like this: https://midfifty.com/item.php?INV_ID=4380 ), it works off of pressure to flip the switch for the tail lights, and they don't always kick in as quick as they should (or it could be broke all together). If it is that, you might try an adjustable brake light switch, I use one on my truck. It works off the pedal so it can turn on the brake lights exactly when you want. I like mine to turn on the second I touch the pedal so the guy behind me doesn't run into the back of a 2 ton truck, lol. https://midfifty.com/item.php?INV_ID=324


Mine is meant to be a daily driver, but I'm also planning some very extreme changes (but keeping the 50s feel, mainly making it a strong 4x4). I love driving it, it's art in motion, I get comments and talk to people every single time I take it out and people always seem excited when they find out I own it. So much I want to do, but it's nice to be able to enjoy it in the mean time (I'm sorta waiting to have all the parts I'm changing before I really begin, that way I can drive it in the mean time).

You have a lot more modern powertrain so it should work well for driving everyday (the original stuff works, but it's a lot different in how you drive, least in my experience). The 302 is a great engine, love the ones I have.

If you haven't yet, get yourself a Mid-Fifty catalog, they specialize in the 53-56 trucks, they have a lot of parts for sale I haven't been able to find anywhere else. https://midfifty.com/index.php



Have any plans for it?

 

DR smith thanks so much, that is a beautiful rig you have there! i will put a shroud i made for her on today and see how that goes. i might just get the radiator recored just cause its a good thing to do.

Stephen, thats a nice rig you got there! ive seen your rig on here from time to time and its a beaut! well as far as plans im just gonna get her road worthy. really the only thing she needs for road worthy (as far as i know) is the brakelights, and the overheating problem. but just drive her and have fun!

I have included pictures in my album. they are not the best cause it was rainy and cloudy. i will take some better pics when its bright out. the color is alot brighter and the wheels are a brighter red!
thanks guys! you guys rock

 

Welcome aboard, love your handle!

 

Thanks

I added a bit to the brake light problem in my post. I had a similar problem with my truck, it was all sorts of funky. lol

 

Cool thanks guys!

 

Personally, I find it odd that the PO would say he's never had a problem, then says it 'needs' a fan shroud. It sounds like he knows more than he's letting on. Question; did you test drive the truck before the purchase, or just hand him cash, drive it home, and encounter your overheating problem? It almost sounds like he blew a head gasket and didn't want to mess with it, and gave you a call.

The pressure-activated brake light switches are notorious for failing, so that's where I'd look first. (after making sure the bulbs are fine) A little corrosion in the lines will plug the little port to the switch and voila, no brake lights. That might also be a good time to inspect the entire brake system, just to make sure you don't have a more serious issue brewing.

 

no he was honost with it. and ofcoarse i drove it around before purchase! maybe drove it for a whole hour before purchase and it was fine. then he said he took off the shroud to change the water pump and it was never put back on. so i decided to go with an electric fan. took off the clutch fan and now ive been running great temp! so now no heating problem. thanks alot guys!!

 

Hi Nice to hear that you finally got your truck. Good luck and enjoy it.
Your brake light problem. If your truck has the original 3 wire system the signal lights and brake lights share the same wire and bulb filament, so if you have signals then your wiring and bulbs are probably o.k. Find the brake light switch on the back of the master cylinder and remove the two wires from the switch and with someone watching the brake lights use a jumper wire and connect the two brake light wires together. If the brake lights come on then your switch is probably faulty..
I'm not sure if the brake lights are wired through the signal switch or not, if they are the signal switch could also be faulty. Will see if I can find out for you or maybe someone else will be able to answer that.
Bye for now and good luck.

 

Hi again Looking at the wiring diagram your brake lights should be wired through the signal switch. The wiring diagram that I have the brake light switch gets its power from an 18 ga. green wire that comes out of the signal switch. If this wire has power with or without the key on the signal switch should be o.k. I guess a simple way to check would be to check if you have constant power to one of the wires at the brake light switch, if you do then the signal switch is o.k. if you don't then you would need to check the wire back to the signal switch. This is a bit hard to explain. I hope I haven't confused you.