I bought my '52 F-2 over 15 years ago. Like a lot of projects, it got parked in the barn after I bought it and hadn't moved since. I've considered parting it out or selling it a few times over the years, but for the most part it was just forgotten and left to sit where it was at and collect dust.

We had a fire in the barn in the spring of '09 and the poor truck just about got incinerated. It lost both back tires and it's home-made wood flatbed and also suffered some minor glass/rubber/paint damage on the back of the cab. I kinda felt sorry for it and hatched a plan to put it back on the road. I've spent the last 2 1/2 years plotting, scheming, waiting, and collecting parts while I got caught up on other stuff so I actually had time to do something with it.

Well, after all these years of sitting around the barn, he finally saw the light of day again on Tuesday. I got him pulled outside, up on the trailer, and over to my shop at home where I can do something with him this winter. It's still going to be January or February before I can really start in on him in earnest, but at least he's moved to the head of the line!

Here he was right after the fire. Pretty sad! It burnt the seals out of the hubs and the axle was puking oil everywhere. I ended up replacing the whole rear axle with a freebie Dana 60 out of a '72 during the cleanup. Bolted right in!



And here he is in all his dusty, sooty glory right after leaving the barn. He got rinsed off courtesy of mother nature on the way home, but he's still a filthy pig. I'll have him out for a proper bath this weekend and take some more pics.

 

Just a couple more. The trailer shots aren't very good. My camera throws a fit after dark.

 

Nice project
I don't care to see roasted effies - Kinda breaks me up

 

Amazing how that cleaned up after the fire. Throw a bed on it and you're done!

 

good on ya and keep us updated on your progress. Actually, yours looks more done than mine does after 10 years of working on it.

 

Looks great so far.

Wally
1951 F1 "Lucille"

 

That's really a pretty good start for a project. I have a 52 Pannel that's in the same stage and I'm itching to get started on it but I have to finish my Galaxie first.

 

keep us posted

 

Those pictures of the fire aftermath were heartbreaking. Its amazing how well it cleaned up.

Congrats on getting it home and ready to start on. Its gonna be a good winter!
Bobby

 

Costly patina! Great news that it drives!

 

There were lots of burnt classic cars/trucks around here (San Diego) after the Cedar and other fires a few years ago. I bought a set of nice 56 doors off an old parts delivery truck that had the whole front burnt off...that old tire push bumper really generated some heat when it went up.
Your truck looks like a good candidate for restoration...good bones. Glad to see it move to the head of the line. I have a 50 Merc coupe that is in the same position out in the barn, just waiting on the 56 F100 to move out and make room for it.

 

I had the weekend off, so I got Harry out of the shop and gave him a good bath yesterday. Uh, yeah. Harry. I called him Elvis in the thread title, but his name is Dirty Harry. I had the kids over at the barn the day after the fire while I surveyed the damage. A whole stack of tires burnt in the fire and left everything in the barn coated with a greasy, stringy mess - especially the truck. My youngest daughter comment that my old truck was all "dirty and hairy". He's been "Dirty Harry" ever since. It was getting dark when I finished, so the outside didn't photograph well, but here's a few before and after pics of the inside. You get the idea. He's still not spotless, but at least you can get within 10 feet of him now without getting soot all over you.

 

And a couple more. The second one shows you just how close 'ole Harry came to being a crispy critter when the bed caught on fire. That's not soot on the corner of the cab - it's scorched paint!

 

And here he is tucked back in the shop clean and dry. That freshly machined block on the stand in front of him is the beginning of his new powerplant. I've got to finish putting the two tractors on either side of him back together and lay tile in the kitchen for momma, but then the rest of the winter is devoted to Harry. The last pic is of a truck I saw for sale on eBay right after the fire. It has kinda served as my inspiration for what I want him to be - except with a healthier powertrain and a 4x4 conversion! The old flatty still runs, but it's got a stuck valve or two from all the years of sitting. I'm going to get those freed up and get it purring like it should before it comes out. It'll be going in my '51 F-1 eventually. My plans for this truck just require a few more horsies than it can provide.

 

Holy cow that's some serious progress, nice work. I can't wait to see how it looks when you're done. (My 2000 F-150 started on fire a few years ago (at work), It didn't fair as well as Harry.




Wally

1951 F1- "Lucille"