Progress ... hanging sheetmetal!!
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,432
Likes: 13
Here is a video of the Orange Blossom Parade I found on YouTube.. Don't expect my truck to do what the Fire Rescue truck does in the video 
Check out the Shriners fire truck at (1:15)!!
The Parade I am most excited about is the Cooper City Founders Day Parade in April.
All my family will be on the truck and if his health holds up, Ron my grandfather's original driver, will be behind the wheel once again. I called Ron the other day and he is very excited about driving in the parade. I am thinking about calling the media up again for a follow up story about Ron and the truck now that's its finished. The last time they were out the truck looked like this...
Check out the Shriners fire truck at (1:15)!!The Parade I am most excited about is the Cooper City Founders Day Parade in April.
All my family will be on the truck and if his health holds up, Ron my grandfather's original driver, will be behind the wheel once again. I called Ron the other day and he is very excited about driving in the parade. I am thinking about calling the media up again for a follow up story about Ron and the truck now that's its finished. The last time they were out the truck looked like this...
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,432
Likes: 13
Picked up my rebuilt booster this morning. It looks brand new. The rebuilder said to operate the brakes at least once a month to prevent deterioration/ leaks. I have had some trouble with my generator. I brought it to an electrical shop and they cleaned and tested it. It had been converted to 12 volts at some point. I bought a new regulator at that time. The last time it was running the generator had no output. I may have to re-polarize the generator since its been sitting so long. I have been looking into getting an alternator that looks like a generator. I found a guy online and his quote was almost $900!! Way too much. Chuck from Chucks Trucks told me he was one for $465 + extra to machine a bracket to hold it down on the 337 Lincoln. I am going to try the re-polarizing first and then eventually upgrade to the alternator for better performance.
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,017
Likes: 9,975
From: Rio Rancho, NM
Keith,
Good luck on getting the booster back on the truck and all the brakes bled, etc. What the rebuilder said makes sense, try and work the brakes periodically to keep things working.
I'm with you, $900 seems a bit spendy to me. Like the brakes, there's no reason why the original charging system shouldn't work just fine for what you need. There's been several threads over the years about the proper procedures to polarize the charging system. I think MTflat has posted the procedure many times.
Good luck, I can't wait to see the video of you driving this truck and seeing the huge grin on you and your boys faces. I hope it works out where you can get the media back out and get your grandfather's driver back behind the wheel. That would make for a nice public interest piece.
Bobby
Good luck on getting the booster back on the truck and all the brakes bled, etc. What the rebuilder said makes sense, try and work the brakes periodically to keep things working.
I'm with you, $900 seems a bit spendy to me. Like the brakes, there's no reason why the original charging system shouldn't work just fine for what you need. There's been several threads over the years about the proper procedures to polarize the charging system. I think MTflat has posted the procedure many times.
Good luck, I can't wait to see the video of you driving this truck and seeing the huge grin on you and your boys faces. I hope it works out where you can get the media back out and get your grandfather's driver back behind the wheel. That would make for a nice public interest piece.
Bobby
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2007
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Thanks for asking Rich.
I had limited time this morning because my little guy is sick so we just got all the rebuilt brake components in place. Didn't have time to fill the system and bleed the brakes. We are back out next Wednesday & Thursday so maybe I will be taking a little drive next week. Gerald came out with the rewired Motorola radio. When you now turn on the switch, the red light indicator comes on and when you press the push to talk button on the phone the green light indicator illuminates.
The kids will get a big kick out of it.
I had limited time this morning because my little guy is sick so we just got all the rebuilt brake components in place. Didn't have time to fill the system and bleed the brakes. We are back out next Wednesday & Thursday so maybe I will be taking a little drive next week. Gerald came out with the rewired Motorola radio. When you now turn on the switch, the red light indicator comes on and when you press the push to talk button on the phone the green light indicator illuminates.
The kids will get a big kick out of it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 14,325
Likes: 14
From: Island Southeast Alaska
Ya got to take care of the little guy first. We all been sick here as well. It's takin me forever to get over it this time. Cool on the Motorola Kieth. Anyone still on the other end to hear it?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,432
Likes: 13
Rich ... not even static
LOL James
I started a new thread about the book. I have been getting prices at around $25-30 a copy. If I get a lot of requests, the price may be lower. I am not looking to make any money on the book. I did it for fun!!
LOL James
I started a new thread about the book. I have been getting prices at around $25-30 a copy. If I get a lot of requests, the price may be lower. I am not looking to make any money on the book. I did it for fun!!
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2007
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,212
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From: Central, IL
Rob some of your comments are there. I have posted the introduction to the FTE comments before so here it is again in case you missed it:
The long haul. Throughout the long restoration I had encouragement from my family, friends and co-workers. But there was another source of encouragement I never would have imagined. People I had never met in person before! About half way through the restoration, I decided to start a thread on the Ford Truck Enthusiasts website to document my build. A number of FTE members from all over the United States took an interest in my truck and were there to support me. They always had words of encouragement and plenty of good advice. One member even supported my project financially when he bought a copy of my book on the Patrol. There were many highs and lows during the restoration and it was the following FTE members who have encouraged me along the way to keep the project going when honestly there had been times I have wondered what I have got myself into. I thought I would share their comments:
Rojak (Rob, Central IL) - What a great project and thanks for the detailed updates which are very interesting. Great to see this piece of history... trucking / firefighting & Chicago being preserved. Probably not many of those trucks left. Hopefully I'll be able to see this one in person someday.
Congrats for getting the badges. Your pride in family is inspiring. I agree on shooting video of the first start/drive etc. You've got to take all of us along on the maiden voyage!
The long haul. Throughout the long restoration I had encouragement from my family, friends and co-workers. But there was another source of encouragement I never would have imagined. People I had never met in person before! About half way through the restoration, I decided to start a thread on the Ford Truck Enthusiasts website to document my build. A number of FTE members from all over the United States took an interest in my truck and were there to support me. They always had words of encouragement and plenty of good advice. One member even supported my project financially when he bought a copy of my book on the Patrol. There were many highs and lows during the restoration and it was the following FTE members who have encouraged me along the way to keep the project going when honestly there had been times I have wondered what I have got myself into. I thought I would share their comments:
Rojak (Rob, Central IL) - What a great project and thanks for the detailed updates which are very interesting. Great to see this piece of history... trucking / firefighting & Chicago being preserved. Probably not many of those trucks left. Hopefully I'll be able to see this one in person someday.
Congrats for getting the badges. Your pride in family is inspiring. I agree on shooting video of the first start/drive etc. You've got to take all of us along on the maiden voyage!
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 377
Likes: 1
From: robin hood country UK
Love your fire truck well done for what you have done 
. I own two fire trucks in the uk one a ford f350 1955 and the other a 1957.How did you get the shape on the doors were the windows are the curves.
. I own two fire trucks in the uk one a ford f350 1955 and the other a 1957.How did you get the shape on the doors were the windows are the curves.