'58 F600 fire truck
#16
You sure keep finding good deals, if you find any more, you'll have to open a museum!
Now you just need to find a rollback wrecker bed for it. Then you can drag even MORE home!
This will be me someday: Truck Farming - All - Postcards
Sam
Now you just need to find a rollback wrecker bed for it. Then you can drag even MORE home!
This will be me someday: Truck Farming - All - Postcards
Sam
#18
Pretty much working on that truckfarm! Thanks for all the tips. Here's where I am now with the clutch system. The scrapper tried to open the clutch MC with channellocks to add fluid. He sheared off the square nut on the cap. He gave up and delivered the truck to me with no clutch. I added fluid through the torn open hole in the cap, but it only tool a couple capfulls. After a buddy kept adding fluid while trying to bleed it, we decided the hose was leaking. I took the old hose off and we pulled one from my f350 parts truck. Then I tested the one we pulled from the fire truck, but it held pressure. Now I'm thinking the die cast pot metal cap is hollow and we are just pouring fluid into the hollow bottom of the cap. I have tried and tried and tried to get the cap off with big (new and sharp) channellocks to no avail. Unfortunately I had to cut the original firetruck's clutch line to remove it. My plan now for tomorrow after work is to put a strong magnet onto the MC and drill a 1/4" hole up high to introduce brake fluid. The magnet should catch the chips from drilling. Then install my parts truck's clutch hose/line and bleed. Keep in mind I'm not restoring this thing, I'm just needing it to move under it's own power for a while. Right now it sits right where we unhooked the tow rope on Sunday and it's in the way of access to the sawmill. Sure I could tow it into a corner and unhook, but then it's a dead vehicle. And those are not allowed on my property (by me). I think my slave may leak a bit, but since I can't fill it, that's the issue.....Then we move onto the water pump
#21
Just so happens I finally had a real Saturday today so I decided to mount my new rebuilt water pump and remove the pump apparatus off the front bumper. The boat gas tank was mounted on the big flat bumper so I needed to re route the fuel line so I could keep the 6 gal boat tank in a side locker. Then I undid what I could on the front bumper/pump and torched off the rest. A lot of stuff was welded to the frame so it was kind of messy. It buffed out ok though. Had to go through all my nuts and bolts to remount the bumper and find shorter bolts for the crank pulley because the pump was driven off the crankshaft and removing the u-joint meant different bolts. After this was all completed I took my wife for our first drive down the county road a couple of miles. Her idea is the build a camper for the back and take her for a good old fashioned road trip. I'm thinking the idea about mounting an old airstream trailer on the frame would be pretty fun. But then i think it would make a good 'short logger' too. It sure runs and drives like a brand new truck. Now I guess I'll have to put up another shed so this thing doesn't have to sit outside through a famous Seattle area rainy winter. Probably the most truck for the money I've gotten yet! ok, off to zzzzzzzzzzz
#22
'58 F600 fire truck
Coming right along with this, Gary. It's in great shape.
The pump and body could be useful to some volunteer department building their own pumper, or even brush truck. Somebody online should be able to help you sell that.
I am envious of the cab condition. I have a long way to go to get my 57 into your 58's present condition.
Have fun with it.
Aloha.
The pump and body could be useful to some volunteer department building their own pumper, or even brush truck. Somebody online should be able to help you sell that.
I am envious of the cab condition. I have a long way to go to get my 57 into your 58's present condition.
Have fun with it.
Aloha.
#23
Got after it a bit today with the spray cans, the garden hose, and the wire wheel. The only real rust (not rust through at all) was where the sponge rubber weather strip at the door bottoms held moisture against the sill at the cab floor. I hit it with the cup brush and hosed it real good with rustoleum canvas white satin spray. Blended quite well. Then I tore off the seal or door weatherstrip along the bottom off the doors. If you live in a wet climate like I do, then the first thing you should do is lose the sponge rubber weather at the bottom of the doors. I have an '80 diesel scout, one owner and absolutely rust free except where the weather stripping contacted the sills. There it is perforated like swiss cheese. The fenders and cab corners where it could drain are like new........ I'm gonna post those pictures in a thread I am concocting called 'Weatherstripping, friend or foe?'......
#24
Gary, that truck sure looks clean.
As for the bottom door seals you might look at adapting the style that are on my 51. They are rubber that fit into a piece of channel at the bottom of the cab opening. These created no rot anywhere on the truck.
Keep up the good work on the truckfarm it keeps me motivated.
.
.....Roger
As for the bottom door seals you might look at adapting the style that are on my 51. They are rubber that fit into a piece of channel at the bottom of the cab opening. These created no rot anywhere on the truck.
Keep up the good work on the truckfarm it keeps me motivated.
.
.....Roger
#25
#26
I have envisioned that for many years myself. I built boats for 10 years before switching to furniture and cabinets. I see a cozy wood interior with a wood stove and pine floors. My dilemma is I don't want it to look like some kind of hippie thing on the outside. I'm thinking it would have a plywood skin with aluminum cladding. Maybe a few touches from the 50's so it looks like it was originally built like that. Perhaps the first trip could be made with our 10' alaska camper on board. When I pull the tank out of the back it will be like a giant floorless pickup box with compartments on the sides. A full sized cabin would be best for the long run. And at 61 and having 4 kids and self employed I forgot to save for retirement all these years. It's not like we'd ever be homeless with this rig. (parked in alternating kid's driveways) and an occasional walmart! It don't git much better than that!
#28
#29
#30
Beat me to it. The side is 22" to the fender, then I take that off and add a piece of pipe to the rough edge. Yes, the box is 11' and the camper is 10'. I think the original designer thought it would hang 1 or 2 feet off the back of a pickup. But in this case it would leave a 'porch' of about a foot and one step down, a diamond plate bumper. I'm no spring chicken, being a pretty well used up 61 year old , but my wife is 56 and has had some health issues, leaving poor balance etc., so the wide back porch, maybe a couple handrails is a great idea. My Alaskan leaves us 'overheight' so I do have a couple tricks up my sleeve to stay at 7'-6". Might not get this far by the vintage trailer rally we go to in mid september. Thanks for the insight and once again we are 'kindred spirits' in Washington State.