I'm going to try a little experiment.

Two or three people on this forum asked me to keep them informed of the progress on restoring my '56 F100.

Well, I email the guy, from whom I bought the truck, for information and advice every now and then. Reason being, he spent his career as a machinist in a machine shop. Built 5 or 6 engines he said. And, he hasn't seemed to mind me asking him questions.

I thought that I would "kill two birds with one stone" by sharing these messages with you, making sort of a journal of my progress. Expect some photos, too, eventually.

Do tell me what you think of it. I've got thick skin. ha. Or, if you've got any suggestions to improve it. And, by all means, if you want to chime in with some advice of your own, or whatever, please do it.

I reserve the right to discontinue this experiment at any time if, for example, people seem not to enjoy it, or if I get tired of doing it, or whatever.

Of course, I'm going to x-out or delete some information that is sensitive or personal.

I hope that you find it interesting!

Here we go with the most recent message:

>Hi Don, How are you?

Got a question or two for you. First, just in the last day or two I got some STP to coat the crankshaft as you suggested. Found out that a little rust had already developed on few places--at least one was where a main bearing goes. What would you recommend? The STP would prevent air from getting to the metal for the rust to continue to grow, so I thought about just coating it "as is" and deal with the rust later. Otherwise, I know that I would need to use some _very_ fine sandpaper. Dad used to use some like that that had black, or very dark gray, sand and the paper backing was so flexible and tough that it was like fabric. Do you know what I'm referring to? If so, what do you think about that?

I've got to get the crank upright so it won't warp. I've been moving it around some to try to avert that, but I know that I need to do what you suggested. Is there a flywheel, to bolt it to, somewhere among the stuff in the bed? If so, I'll get to looking for it. Did the guy in xxxxxxx [the guy near Don from whom I got a Y-Block for me to drop in in place of the inline 6, and who machined the block and heads and stuff, G] include any bolts? If so, I'll get to looking around in the bed for them, too. If not, I'll deal with it.

By the way, do you have any experience with Fastenal? There's one here in xxxxxxx. I haven't been in it yet. I'm wondering if it might not be a good source for bolts and screws, especially larger quantities of them. We have a Home Depot and Lowes, and I know that you can get anything that you can imagine--and more--there. You just don't want to buy very many of them because they're expensive. And, of course, there's NAPA.

I wish that I could spend a day or two just sitting around watching that guy in xxxxxxx do his work. It would be an education that I couldn't get from any book. He isn't anywhere close to retirement is he?

Oh, I got to tell this. I was in the truck the other day running through the gears on the column shifter and pushing the peddles. Playing, mainly. ha. The brake had quite a bit of pressure! And I haven't done a thing to them, yet. Of course, I wouldn't dare leave it like it is and try to drive it--anywhere. The brakes have got to be thoroughly checked over, at least, before I would drive it.

If you get tired of giving free advice, just let me know. Or just stop answering, I'll get the hint. ha. And, don't feel like you have to answer right away, this is a l o n g -term project.<