I haven't driven my F-2 in about two years because it needed a complete brake job and I just didn't have the money or time to do. I got it out of storage last spring and found it didn't have brakes so it just sat in the storage last year which killed me. In the mean time I was able to work on the F-1 panel and get it working pretty good and I drive that truck around to help with my old truck addiction.

This year I've amassed enough parts to get the F-2 back on the road so yesterday I loaded it on the trailer and took it to my shop. Hopefully, I'll have time this week to get the brakes working. After I got F-2 off the trailer I took it for a spin up and down the street in the industrial park. It was Saturday and there was no one around. Man, I knew there was a difference in the trucks but they are very different trucks. While the F-1 panel is a decent riding vehicle the F-2 is still my favorite. The F-1 rides a heck of a lot smoother, the F-2 is like riding a buckboard wagon. The street in front of my shop is in quite rough condition and I nearly banged my head on the inside of the roof while going down the road in the F-2, she's got a lot more stiffer suspension than the F-1. The F-1 seems to float a little, the F-2 seems to handle better. The panel has a lot more body roll than the pickup, this I assume because the panel has a overall higher center of gravity and the F-2 has the stiffer suspension. I can only imagine what the ride in the F-4 will be like.

Just as long as I can sit my big butt in an old truck is all I care about.

 

Good story BobJ! I have not driven my F1 EVER, (its in peices all over the place still) Someday I hope to drive it.

I did however after fixing the brakes on the F6 flatbed dump truck drive it around the block (my first drive ever in any bonus Built) and it was bouncing me pretty good lol. I took my 4 and 6 year old with me, they loved it and were disapointed when we only went around the block!

(my 6 yr old Daughter say's "Dad why is everyone staring at us" I told her they were jealous because they didn't have a cool old truck lol

I still remember when I was a kid we (our family of 5) would all pile in the 56 F100 to go somewhere. can't easily do that today though with car seats and all!

Cheers
Josh

 

crash helmet, kidney belt, poo-poo cushion and good glasses to see the bumps early, and your ok. just took my 42 1.5 ton for 60 mile drive, (one way), then put it in big rig show. ride was pretty good, but rough roads will challenge your forearms!

 

If I'm not mistaken, the back Leaf Springs on your panel have even one less leaf that the F1 Pick-ups. That might also have something to do with the roll - just not as strong in the springs. But it will be the smoothest of all the trucks. And with the longer wheel base the F2 should be both more stable and handle better - as you said it did.

The roads here in Calif are getting so bad because they are cutting back on pot hole maintenance so they can study the Sea Otters - so I really can't tell much difference between my Ranger and the F1 (which has Panel springs on it)

I'll bet it feels great to have all the beasts out on the road again!

 

Josh,

At one time when I was a kid, many years ago, my family had to use the F-2 are the sole family vehicle. I must have been about 10 my sister 9 and my older brother about 12-13 and we all had to use the truck to go anywhere. With my parents there were five of us who piled into the old truck. At the time the truck was being used my dad in his auto repair business and it was just a truck. We must have used the truck as our sole vehicle for at least 2-3 months. I have no idea how we all fit into it but we did.

Julie, yes, it feel good to be driving the F-2 again. She's my baby, it was my dad's truck when I was a kid. After to my family the F-2 is the most important thing I have and will own it until I die. I have even told me wife I want to be buried in it, or least driven to the cemetery in it. The other two trucks I can sell if I find I need the money but the F-2 will never go.

As for the panel, it's starting to grow on me. My youngest son is studying for his driver's license and I let him do his road practice in it. If he ends up putting a dent in it I'm sure I'll be upset but he'll be the one who'll learn to hammer the dents out. I have even left both boys drive the F-2 around the farm for the last few years, when it had working brakes. I figure if I can trust them to drive around $80K farm tractors they should be able to handle an old truck.

I've found half the fun of owning an old truck is having the family enjoy them too, either as a passenger or a driver.

 

Bob, I'm glad to hear you got the F-2 up and going. I know it was fun the time you took me for a spin over to one of your "parts" staging areas in it a few years back.

As far as the ride goes, I can only imagine how my F-3 is going to handle, although I do plan on updating the front suspension with newer (70's 3/4 ton) leaf springs that I can install urethane bushings in... hopefully that will smooth things out a bit.

 

Bob - Sometime I need you to take me for a ride in your F-2. Assuming you have the stock spring package, IIRC F-2s have one less spring on each corner that do F-3s. My 215 truck rides like a buck board, so as I'm putting the V8 truck back together I might cheat and put in a set of F-2 springs that I've got. The lighter duty springs could be special ordered on the F-3, and vice versa the heavier springs on the F-2s, but I'm sure MH never did that. Since I've already opted for the 4.11, which I'm sure MH never did either, lighter duty springs would make road sense.

 

Uh Oh Stu, you need to be careful with all of these wild alterations, its a slippery slope you're wandering out on. Before you know what hit you you will be firmly embedded in the darkside...............just kidding


Bob, Congrats on getting her back on the road!

Bobby

 

Bobby - You know what the definition of "factory original" is don't you? "Everything on that truck was originally made in a factory". And as a matter of fact, it's been "restored" twice that I know of. First it was "stored" in the North Dakota rancher's back forty, then I "restored" it to my barn, then I "restored" it to my shop.

But yes, I know I'm venturing into non-original specifications, but this is where having a usable truck I think has to be considered first. And besides, the truck that emerges from this ordeal won't be the truck I started with. The original frame was junk, every body panel was bashing in, it had a Y block, etc, etc. The fact is, it may actually become a '51 if I use my good Arizona donor and move everything MH over to it. After all, it'd be factory original.

 

LOL...Thats a great description!

Heck, I don't care what you do with it just as long as you're having a good time, I just couldn't resist poking you with a stick. Its all in good fun

Bobby

 

Yeah, I know. Can't be having this turn into that (insert word) Hi-Jacked thread. Stu

 

"One less leaf then an F1".... hard to believe. My F2 has so many leafs in the back that I stopped counting (went to public school). When I was in high school in the 70's I had to deliver a cash register some place for my employer. We had a Fred Sanford delivery truck. I put the register in the back of the bed and took off, pedal to the metal....up and over some railroad tracks at 45-50mph(top speed). I was glued to the roof of the truck for a moment. After everything came back down and I was on the road again I remembered the cash register in the back. It was still there. Thank god for gravity.