Pretty cool build. Keep up the good work.

 

Well, truck won't be done as soon as I expected....

Just got the decision from Grandpa.... the restoration is going full frame-off!

Yeah! Plenty of room to work for brake lines, I'm going to go over every inch of wiring in the truck and this will make it easier, tranny is going to be gone through....

Nerve-wracking shortening the column...




Glad I didn't try and save the 360....

 

Even more fun!! What do you guys plan on doing bed wise? You going to put another flat bed on it?

 

You should. Keep with the work truck theme

 

subscribing, cause these kinds of builds are always the best!

 

i've gotta ask too, any good stories about the truck come up?

 

It'll get a 10' flatbed. It's a long wheel base truck, would have had a 12' bed originally, but the first owner had the frame shortened 19" with the installation of a dump bed. They kept the dump when they sold it to my grandfather, who put a flatbed on it.

It's getting a new bed, and a couple tool boxes.

We like the work truck idea so much, we've talked about a logo for the door (grandpa used to run "Handegard Construction") and we thought maybe we could put a little silhouette of a backhoe on the side, or some simple block lettering. Also thought about trying to find a "old" looking rotating yellow light for the top.

Thanks!

I've asked a few questions with funny answers during the project. The drivers door is dented bad, and I asked what happened. Grandpa told me "it was a Volkswagon"

My dad tells me that when he was about 14, my grandfather made him drive it down the road following his big dump truck which had some major problem and was billowing smoke. My dad says at the time, the steering box was so bad on the truck, you could give the wheel a little fling, and it'd spin all the way around before it caught.

Turns out, the steering box is fine, it needed a ragjoint. Grandpa drove it like this for years!

A related story was when I pulled the wheels off his old equipment trailer, and found there were no shoes inside the drums.

When asked about it, he said "oh yeah, the brakes never worked on that thing" to which I replied "didn't you used to use the ('68 F350) to tow your backhoe with that" and he told me it was a scary ride

 

My ten minute prototype wood door panel.



I just wanted to see in person what it'd look like. I like the idea, I'm going to turn the panel around and put it on the drivers side (back side has a natural wood-grain)

I'll stain it lightly to see how it looks, but I think I'll have to hold off and finish these after we get the final seats which will probably be tan leather bucket seats.

I'd like to see a wood-grain instrument cluster with matching door panels and some nice tan leather buckets.... with a center console.... yeah...

We also took the passenger side fender off and got a good look at our rust... not as bad as it could have been... pics to come...

 

I'm behind in my photo updates...

Getting ready to take the cab and sheet metal to a body shop for repair and paint.





Floors are nicer than I thought...



Wiring is also better than I expected. No mice have been in here chewing that I can tell...



I don't see the big deal. I took 3 2'x4' plywood peices and I have a functional bed!

 

I cant wait to see this thing done!

 

Today, almost finished gutting the cab. headliner, tank, etc.

Took a long time with a couple putty knives and a shop vac to clean the cowl out.

We're going to take it on Monday (fingers crossed) to the shop that'll do the body work and paint. We're just bringing him a cab and the sheet metal, we're keeping the frame.

Also, we're looking into making bigger power from the 390. I'd like to hit 400hp

Perhaps we'll be able to unbolt the cab and get it on the trailer on Sunday.... heres hoping...

 

Looking forward to seeing the body when it comes back. This is a cool, unique build! keep up the good work

 

Thanks!

I'm more excited to have the frame exposed to run brake lines (all new) and wiring, and I'm going to get the engine all installed and ready to go before we put the cab back on, then just build the front end around the engine.

We're either going to paint the valve covers blue (with the rest of the motor) and paint the "powered by Ford" part Rangoon Red to match the truck, or we're going to test on a spare valve cover by painting it Rangoon Red, then just doing the letters in blue. I think the red valve covers will look great on a all blue engine, I think it'll "break up" the color and make it pop more.\

We also decided today to get the bottom of the cab done in red rhino liner, or paintable underbody coating. I think the truck is as rust free as it is because of the underbody coating...

And I got a surprise when I pulled the gas tank today... Truck must have been painted on a Friday afternoon, the cab has a large paint-less spot behind the gas tank! They figured no one would ever see it....!

 

i cant wait to see this thing all done... fantastic job!

 

great thread! keep the pics coming!