Pushed the old girl out of the shop today for a few pics. She is slowly getting back together. I had hoped to be farther along by now but have had a few distractions, like taking 4 weeks out to rebuild my sun room on our house because of severe water damage. I know the engine color isn't a 55 color but I just couldn't get a grip on the yellow and black, just didn't do it for me. I think this color is nicer and it is still a Ford color. I am not a purist so she will have a few modifications along the way. The widow makers are going too sooner or later. I have 2 good split rims but haven't had a chance to get them sand blasted and painted and mounted. Still looking for 4 more.
I will post more pics as she goes along.
Louie

 

Looking good!

That shade of blue in my opinion is the best for any Ford engine. Even if it's not original, Ford blue is always right at home on a Ford engine.

What are the two gear leavers for? The e-brake handle I recognize, but not the other two.

 

The two levers are for the hoist. The red one engages the pto on the side of the transmission. The blue one operates the valve for up and down back at the hoist. The hoist came out of a 56 F600 I found in a farmers field over 20 years ago and mounted it on Bessie. Just put fluid in it and it worked like a charm. After sitting for 20 years now I hope it still does.

Louie

 

Ah that makes sense. That's pretty neat, what are your plans for it? What are you working on next?

I won't have them available till I swap out my axles, so it could be a little bit, but I do have 22.5" rims on mine, non-widow makers. Once I have everything changed over I won't have a need for them. Though shipping might be a bit much as they are heavy and I'm a good 1,400 miles away. I think we have a member with a bunch of Big trucks in Ohio (I want to say), he might be able to help you out with those wheels too.

 

Thank you for the offer of the rims Stephen67 but I agree shipping would be out of sight . I have a few local leads to follow up on that I just haven't had time to do yet, plus I haven't really done any serious searching yet either. So hopefully I will be able to find some close to home here.
After I get the chassis in shape and maybe set up running so I can move it around easier than pushing it and pulling it with my tractor, I will be back to work on the cab and sheet metal. My shop is too cluttered to get everything in all at once especially in pieces. Have done a lot of body work already but have more to do on the cab. Would like to get it painted before winter if possible.
My intentions for the old girl is to finish her up real nice and pretty, take some pics for posterity, then put her to work around my mini farm here hauling anything and everything ,going for a ride around town once in a while , and just enjoying the he-- out of her.
Louie

 

Be sure to post a lot of pictures, especially when you have her back to work. Nothing like seeing old iron back to work.

What color are you going with?



If you finish up the cab and get that mounted, it should be a lot easier to move around. That way you can do the final assemble on anything that makes it move. The doors, interior, glass, ect, can all be added on later but aren't critical to using it. The only problem with making it drivable without a cab is having a seat that doesn't tilt back like a rocking chair when you push down a pedal, ha!

 

Yes, I love that blue too. That looks like a great project, all the parts are big enough for me to see even without my glasses! Good luck with it, and since you actually have winters there I hope you get to the paint soon. Here, we wait to the "winter" to be able to get away from the mosquitoes. Last winter it got all the way down to 32 degrees twice.

 

When it's 32 degrees here in the winter, we roll our windows down. And that's not a joke! lol feels like summer when you see -20.

 

I chose a dark cranberry color for the old girl with the grill painted white and all the chassis and wheels black. Her original color was drab olive green, not exciting at all. She started out life as an army truck. After her discharge she worked at a small air port, then got sold to a roofing business and then me. Some where down the line she got painted yellow over the green. She only has just over 36000 miles on her, and was overhauled by the army in 1962 at 10600 miles. I don't think I've put over a 1000 miles on her in the over 20 years she's been mine. Hopefully that will change some time soon.

Louie

 

Hey Louie,
I'm having trouble with the whole visualization thing - trying to
picture what she looks like together. Do you have a picture where she's assembled? or the cab? What color are you going with for the body?

Looking good over there. Like Topmoo we are waiting for winter to arrive so we can get back in the garage - summer is too hot here to do much after noon.

Ben in Austin

 

Another one coming out of semi-retirement. It's great when they get a face lift. And freshin up the internal organs. I like the way yer going about it.

 

That will look very awesome. Cool story about the truck too! Love when their work history gets remember.

 

Here's a pic of Sweet old Bessie from over 20 years ago when she was hauling timbers for my building projects. After that she just sat for about the last 20 years. Hopefully she will be back working for me again soon. I have more pics in my album if you care to look.
Louie