I cleaned the small plenum last night and noticed there is an E stamped in it and a 3 on one side and a 4 on the other. They must have meant something at one time.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...94cddd11c3.jpg

I'm having fun with electrolysis. I even found a #7 Griswald in my garage recently that I'm cleaning up with this process.
I have all the big parts cleaned and primed, but I'm not sure what to do with the air deflector. It looks to be two pieces of metal with felt sandwiched in between. Any suggestions on how to clean this up?

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...7ea30baefd.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...9fbd0f527a.jpg

Also, I'm finding that "E" on about every part of the heater.

Not sure how to best clean it. I think I'd maybe paint the metal with a rust encapsulator and call it a day. I think it'd be too much to disassemble. In answer to post 960 you shouldn't have to add powered just water as it evaporates & the process won't damage good metal so in theory you could cook it forever.

You have Griswold's out in Missouri? They were made in Erie, PA. But you probably know that since you can now read the bottom of the pan. LOL. They are quite collectable here in PA. My Dad had them all from 00 up to ,I don't know.... 15?

About your defroster door, do what was said earlier, or clean it up with a wire brush and steel wool and sand paper, prime it and paint it. Nobody sees it anyhow.

Sounds like a plan guys.
As for the Griswold, I have several. I'm not sure where this one came from. I cook with cast iron almost exclusively. I have a #6, #9 and #10 that I use all the time. The #9 was my grandma's and the other two were my wife's grandma's. It's neat to know I'm using pans that our families have been using for 70+ years. I have a few others, but they aren't family pans.

Here they are. The pizza pan is a Lodge which I use for anything I bake in the oven that needs a cookie sheet.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...f8586b055d.jpg

I have a Griswold mailbox.

Well now that's cool. I didn't know they made a mailbox.

I ran out and did a little wire wheel work on the heater air deflector and painted with rust encapsulater. I have everything primed, this weekend hopefully I can get it all painted.

Here is my Griswold mailbox. I don't use it. It hangs in my garage.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...1416a7feec.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...7719c259c1.jpg

Very cool Abe.

Well, I remembered the spare tire bolt I had soaking in ATF/Acetone. It's been in there over a week now.
So I pulled it out, clamped the nut in a vice and grabbed a big spud wrench. At first it would move a tiny bit (I couldn't see the movement) but it clicked real loud. After doing that for a while is started getting easier and finally moved.

It's now free. I'm tempted to have someone chase those threads, but at this point it works so I will leave it as is.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...5434b46483.jpg

I put it on and I am now able to tighten up the spare to the frame pretty good.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...452a166ca5.jpg

That's one more small thing off my list. Progress is fun!

Bravo Joe!

My son went to North Missouri to go hunting (he didn't get anything) but I did have him bring the 54 doors home with him.

I think the bottoms are an easy repair. :)
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...7c919ab5bd.jpg

I plan on using the handles since one is broken and the two drivers side handles are replacements currently on my truck.

I'm also looking at using the door latch if it is workable, but the drivers side (which is the one I need) looks different. What's up with that? Is it a different year design. The striker plate on the old cab was the same as mine.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...5cf32aaf8d.jpg


I also plan on pulling the window regulators to check them out and get a better understanding of how they work. The wing handle can also be used since my passenger side one is broken.

We will see what I get when I start pulling everything out.

The latch on the door on the left in the pic above is from a 56 truck. In 56 they came out with some safety features like optional seat belts, life saving steering wheel, and a plate that went over the striker plate to keep the door from popping open in a crash. Since the plate took up so e space the star latch had to be thinner.

Well shoot, I thought that might be the case.
Although, looking at the mid fifty pages, I don't really see any difference in the striker plate between 53-55 and 56. If I can get this one working, I might just have to try it out to replace my bad one.

I'd like to see how you do the repairs on your doors. I have the same problem, not to the extent you do, lots of rust holes in the lower doors.