While you're waiting for the battery to charge, go ahead and clean all those ground connections. :-X03

I haven't done much on my truck lately. I've been busy with so many other things. I did get it started on the 6v battery. It took a bit, but it finally started up. I still have to clean some grounds. Oh....I also got a first aid kit box to hide my fuse panel. I got the idea off of sere0501, my box is newer and bigger, but I think it will work great.

My son went to prom this weekend and had a great time. He went with a foreign exchange student from Norway. She is a sweetheart and she would like to stay in America, she thinks it's much better than Norway.

My youngest is with them in this picture. We are at the park just down from our house. My son is a Sophomore.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...e284e6f87c.jpg

It seemed like the entire town came out for Prom pictures. There are about 400 students in our high school.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...3023de5103.jpg

To keep it on topic...Like that has ever stopped me before. A group of 10 kids including my son rented a limo, which happened to be an F-550
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...32380b5e3c.jpg

Good looking kid, good looking date! If she wants to stay, she should marry the boy!

:) Easy there abe, they might try to think of something like that. He is pretty smitten with her. Let's wait 8 to 10 years though....

Well I got the warranty replacement for my deeply discharged Optima battery (after having it for 2 months) and I hooked it up to the fuel gauge and sending unit and they both seem to work just fine.

It may be little, but it's progress. Maybe I will start it up and drive around a bit tomorrow before the rain comes. I now have an air compressor so I can air the tires up much faster from letting the air out to get it out of the garage.

We look forward to seeing that drive! :-X06

Just a suggestion but I have all my batteries on a battery tender. Battery Tender JR 6V (21-2120) by Deltran Battery Tender - Direct Cycle Parts - Harley-Davidson That way they are maintained without me having to worry about charging them.

Well, I didn't get out for a drive, but I did get a little accomplished.
Man, lately I have been unmotivated and unable to focus on anything for more than a few minutes. When it comes to the truck, it makes it harder when you are unsure of what I'm supposed to do.

But, some good things happened. First off, I concluded that I'm an idiot that doesn't listen to you guys like I should. (That's not the good part.) With my 6v battery, I wasn't able to really get the truck started. I cleaned the ground for the battery, but until this evening I hadn't touched the starter ground. Well, that made a HUGE difference!!!! After I got over berating myself for not doing that sooner, I was excited that my truck starts nicely.

I also wired up the generator to my new fuse panel. I copied the first aid kit idea from sere0501: First Aid Kit fuse panel Now, mine is larger and new, so it won't be as cool, but I think it will work slick.

I didn't take pictures. I will make up for that soon.

I polarized the generator, now I want to test output and make sure the regulator is working properly. I will need to study up on how to do that properly. About the only thing I currently know is that testing with the engine running needs about 1500 rpm before the generator functions properly.

I'm also doing something similar to TractorManBill as far has having disconnects for wires just at the firewall, so when I take things apart again, it won't be such an issue. Got to thinking I need some sort of box to hide those connectors in.....not sure where to find something like that though.

I'm making a little progress. Very very slow, but progress none the less.
Sunday I took her out for a drive for the first time with 6v battery and coil. It all went pretty smooth. Next time, I will venture further. I just went a mile or two.

I now have the generator hooked up and used the testing equipment I found at my dads and I'm getting a little over 7 volts out of the voltage regulator. So, I'm pretty happy with that. Well, after I looked closer at the wires between the generator and voltage regulator and realized I did it wrong. :-X19 :-X19

This evening I replace the wires supplying power to the gauges. I'm anal retentive and looking at the instrument cluster and the wiring diagrams I have, I discovered mine is wired slightly differently. The diagrams have this order. Ignition Switch - Oil gauge - Temp gauge - Gas gauge.
My truck was wired; Ignition Switch - Gas gauge - Oil - Temp
Mine seems better because the gas gauge is closest to the ignition switch

Pictures. Lame, but at least I have pictures. :)
Old:
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...b4d228020f.jpg

New:
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...a9ce1926de.jpg

I've been so unmotivated lately that I'm happy with even just a little progress. I need to take a picture of what I'm hiding my fuse panel in....

Any progress is good! :-X04

OK, I studied the two pics for a while. I see that you now have different colored wire to power the gauges, but I can't see any difference in the way they're wired.

Anyway, good job! :-jammin

I wired it like it was. If you look at the diagram, the oil and fuel gauges are actually drawn wrong. My fuel gauge is top left when looking at the back of the instrument cluster. The diagram has the oil gauge there. Odd. My purchased one has the same thing. I wonder...my manual shows them in the same place as the diagram.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...7b6d89d86a.jpg

OK, anyone else out there with a 55 instrument cluster. Are your gauges in this location?
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...93b96e02d6.jpg

This is what my truck looked like when I first got it. I have to assume this is stock, but anything's possible, I guess...
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...7103f89ecc.jpg

Thanks, I was pretty sure mine was stock. Who would move those gauges. So the manual and wiring diagram are not quite right. I shouldn't be surprised.

You know, I fret over everything I'm doing on this truck. Most of the time it's pretty straightforward. I just need to dive in and go. Well the good side of me studying and thinking about it so much is that I will know everything inside and out. It's funny, I do about the opposite at work. There is so much indecision higher up that I tell people to just make a decision and move forward, if we have to backtrack so be it.

Joe,
Don't make me come help again.;)
Unfortunately, or fortunately, I don't have the motivation problem. I have the to many things to do to get out to the trucks problem. I did manage to meet up with BigWin56f100 at the Super Nationals and pick up a different frame. Took it to the sandblasters when I got home but couldn't get over to pick it up for a week.:'( Now I've got it but lord knows when I'll be able to start changing everything over from the 56 with the bent frame. Oh yeah I wanna POR 15 it before I start changing everything over.:-jammin
Hang in there and as previously said ANY progress is GOOD.

Hey Joe,
You are not alone in the "overstudying" group! I'm firmly in there with you.
I've looked at the fan/cooling solutions for my truck for what seems like forever. So far all
I've ordered is a thermostat with a bung for a temp. sensor. I'm waiting for it to get hot so
I'm more motivated - oh wait I live in Texas it's already toasty.

Time to jump in Joe - You go first - the water looks cold.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1