Okay, I've finally got a little bit of shelter for my truck, but not much heat! So I'll show y'all some pics of my 50 and let the criticisms, comments, recipe sharing, etc. begin. I get the feeling that somebody will recognize it. I bought it from an older guy who bought it on a whim at a show. Needless to say, he got it home and realized that he actually bought a project that had a "sell-it-quick" paint job thrown on over a lot of issues. He sold it to me at a loss. I just liked the fact that I could drive it for a bit and "let it talk to me". I've driven the truck on and off all summer and up into the fall. It got wet several times and all that covered up rust showed itself even more. It's got a 302 with a C6 under it. A big homeade power steering rack welded under it that hangs way down on a big steel metal plate. Craziest thing I've ever seen, but I have to admit it works well. It still otherwise has the original drum brakes and straight axle. They took an old school stick shifter and welded it to the transmission. I had to put a transmission crossmember in it way back (some idiot took a 5 inch flat piece of steel, bent it and drilled four holes in it and mounted the transmission before that). To make a long story short, this truck was "fixed" a long time ago with a lot of homeade ingenuity (trying to be nice). I'm probably heading for fiberglass fenders. It needs the typical patch panels, but the fronts also need some work up high above the seams which have been mudded solid (we all know what I will find underneath that). I enjoy driving the truck, but I've got to deal with these body issues and that front end. I played around with some of those cab seams last night and the metal underneath is in decent shape. The fenders will obviously be a different story. Over the original sheridan blue, it looks like it's been painted 3 times. White and then 2 coats of that light yellow/cream color. All I want is a daily driver. I live up a big long gravel driveway and the roads around here can be rough. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. It's got the original DANA 41 rear end with a 3.73 gear swap. Cruises well, but it can be an adventure in the curves when those leaf springs unload. I'm figuring on cutting that rack out and putting a Mustang II under it. Any opinions or suggestions
will be appreciated. I will try to get some better/bigger pics soon.

 

Sounds like a keeper - It drives and doesn't leave a trail of parts behind it.
It sounds like a Doctors Dream - Lots of cutting, transplants and stiching ahead.

 

Lol. Yeah I guess. Stupid cell phone pics. Here's a picture of that rack and the engine.

 

Out of curiosity, what size of tires does it have?

 

The rears are 275/60/15's and the fronts are 235/?60/15's. I'll have to check the fronts tonight again to be sure.

 

I have one truck with a Mll front end in it and I would NOT DO AGAIN . The second truck has a dodge dakota thats the way to go rides great handle great ,is design for about the weight of the truck. My third truck has a GM its a lot work to make work it rides and steer great but its alot work to put in...The next truck i'm doing will have all Ford 1992 F-450 straight front axle so I have come full circle back to almost stock

 

For no more than I want to do with it, I'd leave the straight axle under this one as well and just put on a disc brake conversion. But man it can go from "tight to wicked loose" in a split second on these crazy curvy roads around here. The springs are shot. I've already got some replacements for the back. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Doc! I will put in my "COPAY" lol I crack myself up!!! Get It?
Okay had my fun...don't rule out the JAG IFS..lot cheaper than the MII
and I haven't heard any complaints about it yet.
Anybody Got any complaints about the Jag IFS?
I would love to here them.

 

Looks like a nice truck.

 

Yeah thanks it's a pretty solid truck, or at least a good starting point for a newbie like me. It just needs a lot of TLC. I'm gonna get started on it here as much as I can and I'll post some pics. My building has heat, but when it gets to near zero, it gets a little rough to tolerate. Don't worry Jeff, we take chickens and eggs as copayments. And NOS steel fenders are always accepted.

 

You take chickens and eggs for copays? !

Are you accepting new patients?

Ok im confused. Is that the same truck as the one in your avatar? or a new member of mountaindocs residence?

 

ok just read your signature. got it....

 

Hehe. Actually I have 2. The black one fell into my lap about a month after I bought this one. It's a totally original farm truck. I intended on selling this one, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Needless to say, the wife was miffed for quite a while.

 

Hey Doc, what did she say when you closed the office and drove 7 hours to buy 2 more flatties, come on back up when you got time to stay longer, Garry

 

looks like a great find to me. Bet your gonna have allot of fun with it