That which can not be mentioned was all before my time, but I read the thread (doing a 12v electrical conversion "her" name came up so often I had to dig at some of the comments made around those threads and events... I think I get the gist of it all, and I couldn't resist putting the TeeHee in there as I was refering to some moderator pix)

and just for everyone's edification, this is ME and my girl, on the day I brought it home 10 years ago .





I still have that hard rock cafe shirt, I don't carry a pager, I had laser eye surgery in '02, and I have gone to a little less amish style facial hair. I will take an updated pic with that same shirt seeing as how I started the Tee Hee bit just to prove to everyone

 

Oh and:
9) my new fuel gauge and sending unit combo is not working ...
The gauge is an autometer, the sending unit is a (same ohm range) summit racing cheapie.
I never had more than a gallon or so in during testing, so didn't have fumes and didn't get a good test of the sending unit.
Diagnostically the gauge shows E when the wire is hooked up, or unhooked, and full when there is no resistinace (contact ground), so the gauge swings fine. I think the sending unit is hooked up on itself (was a pita to get it in and finagled around).

I only got the smell of fumes after taking the sending unit out for the 2nd time - those gaskets aren't ment to be removed and reinstalled. Just yet another thing on the list to fix.

 

Brian Its good to hear the stories of your first legal ride. I'm still working toward getting mine back on the road. I was also having fun with the "tee hee" comment! Medical records or DNA are not necessary. But pictures, old or new are alway appreciated.

 

Based on your description I took the liberty to "adjust" your photo so that it better represents you... ten years has really changed you. (hey... be thankfull I didn't toss Aunt Helen in the background!)

Wally

1951 F1 "Lucille"

 

I've been over 70 on I-70, Brain, and it's a feeling to behold. My F-2 has a Hone overdrive and that flattie don't even know it's goin' that fast. Problem is, the brakes were designed and made for about 35 MPH and a dirt road.
Case-in-point, somewhere near Watkins, there's a pimply-faced kid with a mess on his front seat. He pulled out in front of me thinking, innocently enough, that I could either yank it over into the left lane like a new Honda Accord, or apply the brakes like modern Toyota. The look of his face in his rearview mirror with my monkey-faced grille bearing down on him and the old 6-volt horn powered with 12 volts blasting, told the whole stinky story...slim

 

That pager is so like 1995.

If you smell.... how the truck is running!!!! (The Rock reference).

 

Congrats on your first real ride!
Hopefully others running the flathead 6 can chime in on wether or not they experience carb boil off. It was never a problem for me running flathead V-8's. Putting the carb directly above the exhaust manifold can be problematic as it is on your flathead 6. When I ran Willard with a 56 Buick nailhead it could experience vapor lock if it was hot and pulling hard but I do not remember a boil off problem. The cure to the vapor lock was the wooden clothes pin trick. Good luck getting your truck dialed in.

 

Cpngratulations Bryan!

I hope to be driving again soon as well - I'll keep my fingers crossed. Aunt Helen sounds cute.

Those cork gas tank sending unit gaskets leave a little bit to be desired. Wait til you fill it up - the gas filling up the tank forces the air out wherever it will go into your cab. I filled it up half way to avoid a full vapor overload.

Ben in Austin

 

Someone can tell me if this is a bad idea, but I did this on an OT vehicle (a bad Ford design). I had a stress tear in a gas tank once - Ford put a mounting bracket right in the dumbest spot on Tempo/Topaz and it leaked. Ran to the junkyard, every tank had the same tear. Researched myself to death on how to seal a gas tank and of all things, common silicon caulk was the #1 time proven solution. (I just couldn't throw $250 on a new gas tank for a old worn out little econo-box commuter). I caulked it up, and things lasted till I got rid of the vehicle several years later. So my plan now is to take the sending unit out, diagnose it, and put it back in with a bead of silicone around the seat, get it sealed up that way. I think the folks who gripe about gas fumes in the cab just never tried hard enough to get it sealed. Before I started the rebuild, 8 years ago when I drove it, I never had fume issues.

 

Also check all of your rubber tubing going into and out from the gas tank. They will dry rot over time and create a fume leak. Since your ruck has been sitting ofr a while, I'd replace all rubber tubing. It's cheap and will help.

BTW, if you decide to go with Jr. West Coast mirrors, I have a pair of NOS Grote mirrors.

 

All new fuel lines in October - 100% new E20 compatible "rubber", so I am sure the rubber is good. (flexible and black, but doesn't really look like true rubber)

I'll entertain quotes on West Coast Jr mirrors sure, PM me asking price if you will (anyone with spares they aren't going to use can PM for that matter)..

 

I have only the paper sending unit gasket and not a whiff of fumes. Make sure the surfaces are clean and flat. I replaced my filler hose too, NOT real cheap because you need the good stuff that will resist alcohol/MBTE. NAPA sells it but you have to buy a foot, costs about $20. (I may have enough left over for another tank)

 

Brand new Jr. West Coast mirrors are cheaper than I thought. Amazon lists them for $22.44 each and you get free shipping on orders over $25. Amazon.com: **** 47500, JR. West Coast Stainless Steel: Automotive. I can't compete at that price.

Looks like I'll put mine on a shelf in the garage for possible later use.

 

Update on the carb spacer / boil off issue.
When I got it, I was naive enough not to check under the hood a lot. During the rebuild I noticed that every time I ran it, I had a little leak under the carb (i.e. gas coming down onto the intake manifold, nothing on the carb). Seeing that issue I tried to tighten the hold down nuts - no luck, they were bottomed out. Took the carb off, cleaned everything off threw away the 1 thin gasket, got 1 new gasket (at $3 and a week wait for shipping), and put two washers under the nuts so I could get it to cinch.

Well now asking the spacer and boil off issue I googled threads here, hamb, etc and looks like Number Dummy has told us the story:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...rb-spacer.html

Short answer... Ford calls for a stack of 6 gaskets. I haven't found anyone who makes a 1 barrel 2 stud carb spacer, and I am not about to shell out that much for a stack of gaskets. I am going to build one out of oak or walnut (I have a ton of scraps). I've done the research on suitable and unsuitable woods - plywood and all your soft woods are out.
So for all the fixers out there here's your answer - Ford put all those gaskets on the 6 for a reason, best to follow Henry's design.

 

I have a friend who uses a laminated wood spacer on his racecar to help in performance. The spacer helps the fuel atomize better by giving it a cooler area rather than sitting directly on a very hot intake manifold. A piece of cut out wood should work perfect.

Wally

1951 F1 "Lucille"