The truck will be featured in our local newspaper this Friday in the automotive section. I snapped a few pics from the photoshoot. They've been driving it a little, it's up to 82 miles. The lady sitting in the truck is the owner's mother, and the building it's parked in front of is the dealership it was bought new at.

 

jesus, that's beautiful.

 

Here's the newspaper article:
Motor Mouth: Man?s only new car is now better than new - Independent Mail

 

article sounds like a simple restoration, this Forum knows better. The best work ever. Don't be a stranger and keep us posted Astronaut - your work is also good to see on a chevy.

 

Looking good. I was looking at the picture of the door opening on the drivers side and the rubber plug below the lower door hinge seems to be missing. Oh well.


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I have to agree about the restoration, its incredible. These trucks have a special place for me also. I was with my Father when he purchased his new 66' F100 Ranger at John C Bays in Marysville California. There was one detail I noticed on the Restoration, The letters FORD on the Grill should have a Flat Black back ground instead of being body color.

 

I disagree with your statement on the letters. First I believe they are reflecting a color from something and they are not painted. Next they should be chrome only not black. They came chrome from the factory

 

i think he's talking about the metal the chrome letters are mounted on, not the letters themselves. it would be easier to see the letters if the little tabs were black, but really, does that really matter even a smidgen? come take a look at my truck. you'll cry. lol.

 

You're right it's not that big of a deal. My comment was based off my 66'. It had a flat black background behind the letters. The truck was a loaded original one owner F250 Camper Special. Red & White two-tone, Custom Cab with the chrome body moldings, bumpers and the Western Mirrors. Maybe that made a difference....??? At the time I lived in Chico California, it's about 100 miles north east of Sacramento. Such a beautiful virgin Truck. And then it was stolen.!! Never to be seen again. That killed me. I've never owned a Classic vehicle since.

 

Must depend what assembly plant it came from. Father in law had a 66 F100 4X4 CCLB that he purchased new and it was body color behind the letters. Caribbean Turquiose was the color of the truck. Nephew has that truck now.

 

Has to be the finest restoration to stock that has ever been completed
on a slick. Amazing work. I've always loved those wheel covers-very
cool look. Makes me miss my slick.

 

astro... This is all stunningly beautiful work. Hats off to you.

In your opinion, are these types of "restorations" overdoing it?

What I mean is... I don't think these trucks were built to this level of detail when new. The types of gaps you strive for in panel fitment, alignment, etc... we simply didn't have the requisite manufacturing techniques back then to hold those kinds of tolerances with any level of repeatability. And that's why I put the quotes around restoration... this is better than it ever was new. So when the customer says "I want it original", this build has gone beyond that!

I don't see anything wrong with that, per se', but in my opinion it is actually loosing a bit of what made it a 1960's truck.

Please don't take any of that as a criticism of your work, it is, as I said, outstanding. I'm just curious of your opinion on the subject.

 

I think this is beyond a restoration - it's a recreation. Very, very, nice work!

My personal belief is that some things that make a '60's truck' deserve to be things left in the 60's. I know Super probably meant fit and finish, but I think it goes far beyond that.

I realize that some of this [of what I'm about to say] will go against some people's sensibilities, and has probably been debated adnauseum elsewhere in this site, but I'm new here so...

This truck is clearly not built as a driver (though driven 82 miles so far) and it would be a shame to do so. It cost more than a new F150, I'm sure. Many of us have intentions to drive around in daily [wacky, rice-burning impatient, aggressive, got to be in front of you if it kills me] traffic at least a couple times a week, if not more. As such, my philosophy is to improve the areas that have to do with safety for me and my passengers and be a purist when it comes to styling cues. A reformed purist, I guess.

For example I'd never - ever - put a vehicle in traffic anymore with a single-stage master cylinder. Emergency brakes are likely to be a poor brake in an emergency caused by one of those aforementioned drivers. I know many will argue this by saying 'they were fine for 100 years' - but really, they weren't. I would venture a guess that 1000's have died over those same 100 years because of this one-shot brake system. It was changed for that reason. And because it has to do with not only your safety, but also the safety of others around you - it's a hard place to argue from. It's not like arguing seat belts or motorcycle helmets - unless of course they are your passengers.

Also, as for the fit and finish part of this discussion, rarely are restorations ever going to be "like original" because we're always going to do something different, or better, or worse, than original. Even 100-point concours approved restorations have to bend a little, somewhere, to give them that high point score.

But ultimately it is a free country (to some degree - still), so at least in this case I say kudos for having the patience, or money, to create such a fine example of this truck! I just wish it had a dual master cylinder.

 

I drive my 1966 F250 4x4 V8 back and forth to work on I-405 so if you ever see me give a wave. Just stay out of the way because I run a single master cylinder in all my trucks and drums all the way around. It's easy to check fluid level and the trucks all stop very well. If a dual fails up front and the rears aren't adjusted close then it's going to be no better anyways.


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Hey TA that 66 1/2 ton 4x4 that I mentioned in an earlier post is at home in Seattle right now. Been there for about 4 years. So if you ever see a guy in a nice Caribbean Turquise 66, his name is Nick. Say Hi. He actually lives in Brier or something like that.