Well you have me curious to know if I met you in another life or something now Ben? And yes my name is Joe. That or if maybe I know you and just can't remeber. Maybe another forum or NSMC? Been awhile since I have been over there. Anyway.

r_reed, I do consider myself lucky with the truck. Especially taking into account I was not looking for it or anything for that matter. Kinda right place right time and I got to save it from the crusher. All in all the day I got it it was really only missing the tailgate. Still is, I do have an F-3 tailgate, go figure it's to big. I know this now though.

Rojak, these pictures are the tear down pics. I have some in my garage from when I bought it in 05, and 1 or 2 showing the paint I put on the hood to help keep the rust from getting worse while it was sitting outside. I just haven't been able to keep it with me until now, so I get to start taking stuff apart.
I think I want to keep the heater, just think it's kinda cool.

If I don't put some more pictures up tonight I probably will tomorrow. Got the PS lower front fender off last night, glove box door, driveshaft off the trans. Guess I'm just not engergetic enought to do it all at once. I have alot of time though, trucks going to be apart then I'm going to be trying to catch up with the money side to buy parts for it. Guess that's just how it goes sometimes.

 

Hey Joe,
Not meaning to spook you over there. I feel like that psych character - I saw your name poking through your pics gallery. Nice truck over there - it will clean up nicely.

Ben in Austin

 

It's all good, guess I just wasn't expecting that one.
Dang psycho people.
Or is it psychic?

 

OK, so these are from yesterday.
Speedo is a video of it hooked up to a drill, just cause it worked and yeah first time it's moved since well 70 soemthing.

 

These are from today.

 

keep em coming.

 

Didn't do to much today. I did get the fenders and other body parts out of the bed though.
I also got the drivers side front fender off. If not tomorrow Tuesday I should make some good progress.
This is my one picture from today. It's alright though. I'm thinking if I can get the body off, get the engine and trans out, then come spring I can start the clean up and paint on the frame. I don't have a heated garage so it's a bit cold to paint.

 

Guess I have been a little lazy for the past couple days. I am now down to the cab.
I would also like to thank Tom for a little help with the bed.
The bed is still "on" it's loose just need to get it off. But I need to do the cab at the same time too.
I have found I am missing a crossmember for the bed. There was about a 2" piece left around one bolt. The second crossmember is almost complete, rusted off one side. The frame around the bed isn't horrible.
I started on the steering colum, well gear box, another thanks to Tom for some directions on removing that. Maybe tomorrow the colum, brake, and clutch will come off. Then I can get the cab loose, clean the shop a little and take the cab and bed off.
Anyway here's a few more pics for ya. I do have one more question. From another thread.
The bed floor on mine was flat metal. But still appears factory. (I say this because it is folded up to meet the bed sides. The welds look like a factory weld. (added stuff from "the farmer" is an obvious low quality weld) Did any come with a flat bed, or did that all have the ribs in them?

 

Hi KC,
It looks good - Your bed looks very familiar. Mine's a 1950 - the earliest trucks had a metal bed over wood. You have a decision on whether to save the bed or replace it. We went the repair route - see pic - but we just put in a wood bed no metal this time. It would have been cheaper to just replace the bed with an after market one but we wanted it to still be a 1950.

You have the cleanest firewall I've ever seen. I was feeling sorry for you in the unheated barn up there until I noticed those blue posts in your pic.
You have a lift - that's nice.

Ben in Austin

 

Yeah I do have a lift, it's also not real cold yet. So I really can't complain.
The problem I have with the lift (was there when I bought the house) is the roof is not high enough. But my plan is to get the bed and cab on it, and roll the frame back under.
We'll see how that works.
If not my mom and dad are about a 2 hour drive and they have room for me to store half of it.
At this point I think I am fixing my bed. Unless the materials are just that much I think it will be cheaper. Keep in mind I am not figuring time or tools into that.
I do not have any body tools yet, but between the truck and my Camaro I think they will pay for themselves or close to. We'll see what's next.
I have no doubt I will end up with something else to fix up.
I think I picked a couple of good one's to start with.
My Camaro isn't near as covered, but the drivers side floor is bad. I know of a couple other spots that have some good rust on the car too.

 

I may have a decent tailgate if you're interested.

 

Great progress.

The location of the heaters varied widely - most were dealer options some were factory installs. I wouldn't worry about it either way.

Your bed is stock for '49 - steel cross member under wood plank sub floor covered by a ribbed steel bed surface.

Keep plugging away and revel in your accomplishments.

DW

 

I have not doubt about the bed, just the metal floor on it.
As mine is flat, just the edges bent at a 90 degree angle then tack welded to the bedsides. But everyone else is telling me they all have ribs in the bed.

 

my factory bed was smooth and spot welded in over the wood

 

"The bed floor on mine was flat metal. But still appears factory. (I say this because it is folded up to meet the bed sides. The welds look like a factory weld. (added stuff from "the farmer" is an obvious low quality weld) Did any come with a flat bed, or did that all have the ribs in them?"

"Dang psycho people. Or is it psychic?"

LOL - a few are psychic but most are just harmless psycho's around here. I won't mention any names.... if you all don't mention mine.

Good question on the box floor, I thought they were all ribbed but your floor sure does look like it has a factory seam on that right side. This may start another thread - we're all learning new things here.
Tim