My '51 F1 build (Updated Old Skool Hot Rod)
 

I've been a member for quite some time doing research for an early F1 build. I finally found one and the restoration is pretty far along. I need a few parts and can't make a post until I have more posts so I thought now would be a good time to start this thread.

I looked at several truck over the past year and found this one within 2 hours of my home. The guy was about 95% complete with the restoration but he was an amatuer and doing a very low budget build. Most everythign I saw was so rusted I thought this was the best one to start with.

I am making an Old school looking hot rod, i.e. flat black paint with a little Von Dutch style accents, red and black interior, and red steel wheels with wide wall tires. However, although it will look old school from the outside I am updating it with a Mustang II suspension, Vintage air, disk brakes, gas tank under the bed....you get the idea.

Here are a few pictures when I found it:

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...9/100_3034.jpg


http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...9/100_3023.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...9/100_3028.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...9/100_3017.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...9/100_3025.jpg

The bed is brand new reproduction and the drive train is a new rebuilt 302 with a C6 trans and a 9" Ford rear. Had disk brake conversion on the straight axle. Truck only had 182 miles on it over a 5 year period he had it. Never cleaned-up the motor and used a bunch of old parts laying around. All set-up wrong which is why he didn't drive it (wrong torq converter, radiator leaked constantly...you get the idea).

Here are some pictures when I brought it home. Looks nice in the pictures but the paint and body work were horrible:
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture014.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture011.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture001.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture006.jpghttp://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture008.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture009.jpg

OK now she comes a part:
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture050.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture049.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...cture009-1.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...cture007-1.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...cture001-1.jpg

The stripping process begins. Check out the bullet holes!
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture059.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture060.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture045.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture046.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture044.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture022.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture020.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture021.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture018.jpg

Body work begins:
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture074.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture073.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture072.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture071.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture070.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture061.jpg

The cab gomes back from the blaster....Oh my is that chicken wire?:
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture104.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture102.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture100.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture099.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture098.jpg

The drive train is coming together:
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture105.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture326.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture328.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...icture3312.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture330.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture340.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture343.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture341.jpg


http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture337.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture336.jpg

Some new sheet metal and mock-up:
















http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...k/firewall.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...k/floor3-1.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...cture339-1.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...floorboard.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture356.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture376.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture377.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture377.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture389.jpg

Wow! You've been busy. Looks great!

A few more:

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...cture355-1.jpg
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...cture356-1.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...cture357-1.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...cture358-1.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture359.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture361.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture350.jpg

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture352.jpg

Currently, she's all mocked up (I'll get updated pictures soon). So she'll come back apart to complete the chassis, POR 15 everything and finalize the body panels for paint. Oh and the cab is currently being worked on (lots of work needed here).

Very nice build thread. Great pictures, keep them coming.

One thing we noticed trying to line everything up and make sure all the gaps are perfect; is that an old repair on the passenger side front fender where it meets the lower extension was done wrong. Looked fine when we took it part as we thought the mis-alignment was the worn out suspension at the time. Turns out the guy I bought it from botch-up the metal repair. We fixed the top fender which was pretty easy. The bottom extension section is so far out and with the angles this peice has it'll be cheaper for me to get a good replacement peice than fix this one.

Anyone know where I can get one?

I'd rather not get a fiberglass peice but if I need to I guess I will. You assitance is greatly appreciated

I'd also like to get the deluxe trim and I've seen several versions (I am not an expert) for the hood. I have the single spear and would like to expand that with the upper and lower bars. The hood is so tall I think it looks better with that upgrade.

Anyonw know where I can get a good set? My spears are in great shape so I only need the others with the clips.

wow, lucky truck she'll see another 60 years after this treatment. I'm thinking of stripping what trim my 53 has off. It's a pain to work around, and its kind of obvious what it is. The fenders are a dead giveaway :) I guess stripping trim would be a lot simpler on a 53.

The front "arrows" for the trim are available in reproduction. You just need the four "extra" bars. I have them. You can email me at modelking2000 at hotmail dot com.

Looks really great. Who makes those finned valve covers? Cal Custom? I want the same type on mine. Nice job on the tranny cover fab, looks good. Great job:-X22

Thats a great build :-X22:-X22:-X22:-X22:-X22

I found them on Ebay...search "ford 302 finned valve covers". They are really nice and only cost $83. Got the air cleaner the same way

Wow 1,2,3, you make it look easy, I guess thats the difference between Me an amature, and you oviously not an amature. Nice planning, nice workmanship = a very nice truck. Im looking forward to watching you as you progress. Nice!

Nice job. I like to ask about the AC vents. Can you tell me about them? They are going to look great in their. Second is the the top hole in the dash, where the speaker goes, is that where the AC controls go? What kind of control are you going to use?

The A/C is a universal kit from Vintage Air (actually got it from Summit since they recently became a distributor...great prices). Once the body work is done on the dash it should look like it came that way from the factory (that's the goal).

The top hole is for the A/C controls which is a standard Vintage Air controller for thier newer generation systems. It's black like the rest of the dash items: gauges, radio, pedals, etc. The newer systems are electronically controlled instead of cable driven. I have a similar (just larger) system in my '69 Charger and it works great.

If you're REALLY interested I can post the part#'s we used for this system. It's not a bolt in but a little fab work and you've got something that should look like it belongs. We will have to modify the glove box though. It will still be there but not as deep.

Yah Bobby41909, Numbers would be great. I looked and tried the Gen IV Magnum mock-up part number 671450 to see if I could stuff it into my '49 f1. Are you going with the Gen II or Gen IV? Is it a Sure Fit Kit? Or did you piece it together?

Awesome build. I'll be following along.

really nice work done right!

Always better to start with a solid example than a pile of iron lace curtains.

I like your work but such a overdone color combo

The only color I see is red wheels...

Bobby, check with 51PanelMan. He has lots of parts for 48 - 52 and probably has the spears and the fender section.
Your build looks great!

Oops! didn't see the second page...

Thanks for the mention. Yes, Bob and I have been in communication.

He said in his first post "flat black paint with a little Von Dutch style accents, red and black interior, and red steel wheels with wide wall tires"

I am as amature as they come. I am not doing the work. A good friend of mine has a restoration shop (Blake Rod's). So he (Josh) gets all the credit! All I do is hunt parts down and decide on the direction of the theme. Oh and let's not forget cut a check at the end of every month.

It's a Gen II system. The numbers I have are:
1. 66005-vuz-a ac unit<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN>
2. 491229 control panel<o:p></o:p>
3. 49053-vul vents qty.=2<o:p></o:p>
4. 07321-vuc drier

The builder had a condenser and compressor in inventory that were perfect for this application so I don't have the data on those.

:-X06Perhaps but I think there are a ton more that are Red, Green, Patina'ed, or a Rat Rod. I am not making a "Street Rod" (although this will share alot of mechanical updates that you would normally see on a street rod). But no 17" or 18" polished wheels, flashy metallic paint, captains chairs in the cab, crazy custom upolstery...you get the idea. Not that those aren;t cool....if I had enough $$$ I'd want both.

I want it to look like it's period correct for something you'd find in the early 50's. Although from your minds eye view since I don't think they had lowering kits back then...lol

I am only 39 so I never lived it but think that style is cool. Plus I think satin black with gloss red and Von Dutch accents looks cool. Not much around here in Florida like that.

Maybe that's different up north and every car or truck is a black and red hot rod?

Just curious, since its not painted yet, What would you recommend?

Not that I'll change my mind...just curious

Period correct would not be flat black. When it came to 50s customs it was all about candy, metallic, flames, pearl. All of the von dutch work I have seen rarely if any has been on flat black. They lowered everything in the early 50s customs where do you think reversing eyes and cutting coils came from? I am 27 so I understand not being there just from what I have seen or read thankfully lots of old pictures are still around.

Have you looked at any of the older 50s rod and custom magazines? They have had some great truck issues like rod and custom Jan 59 or Car Craft June 1958 showing some sweet trucks none in flat colors.

Just my thoughts and opinions even when I lived in Tampa area Florida black cars/trucks with red wheels where all over.

I guess i am a little more conservative because I am not looking for a "wild custom" with a flames job or candy etc.... to me that's a street rod. I see tons of those around here with 18" - 20" wheels....too flashy for this truck IMO.

Not sure how long it's been since you've been in Tampa but I almost never see a satin black truck. Must have been awhile or your looking at Rat Rods. I attend most of the larger local (Tampa/Orlando) shows and from what I've seen, thats how I got the idea to do this look. Just not many around.

But I appreciate your comments.

Ok, I see. Is your truck the stock color? Green?

Even if there are a bunch of flat black/red/white trucks out there...they still look good! You gotta agree with that Chappy! :)

Very well done !!!!

I lived the 50's, and hate to burst bubbles, butI can say with personal certainty there were no hot rodded trucks then unless they were 20's or 30's trucks. The F1 and F100's were new or nearly new back then, and were used as farm and work trucks not as rodding material. Hardly anyone thought trucks were "cool", they were what you hauled parts, animal feed, or towed your car to the drags with. Anyone who drove a truck as a daily driver was considered to be "poor", even by rodder's standards. Yes there were a few custom show trucks, typically built by a pro shop to attract attention to what they could do with "even" a truck and it was out of the norm at a show, so it was noticed among all the A's, 30's -40's roadsters and coupes, 50 Mercs and shoebox Fords. Only builds in progress wore any primer, and only until were painted. Primer was "getto" and the bodyis were painted often even before they had seats in them. Dark solid colors were preferred: black, marroon, deep blue, dark green or occasionally white. Last thing you wanted to do is attract the attention of the local john laws with flashy paint or primer.

If that is the case why are these done in the 50s and in car magazines?

http://graphic-server.com/cgi-bin/ba...CARC195806.JPG
http://www.kustomrama.com/images/thu...-1956-Ford.jpg
http://graphic-server.com/cgi-bin/ba.../RNC195901.JPG
http://www.kustomrama.com/images/b/b...1954-ford4.jpg
http://www.kustomrama.com/images/e/e...-june-1958.jpg
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/a...9&d=1288979263