Hey all - I'm BRAND NEW here and picked up a 49 F3 last week ($650 without engine, tranny, or interior - but body is straight, clean, and rust is very limited).

I do preservation work on Route 66 and decided to do this truck up in a Richfield Gas Station company/service truck (if they had one back then).

It will be painted the Richfield Gas 'Blue / Yellow' scheme and I will have decals and lettering as if it were part of a gas station, let's say, back in the late 40's, on Route 66.

This will be a long project and I will probably do outside first - or however I find pieces.

I have worked on many cars before - but nothing this old. I like 'as stock as possible' - so no 302's or anything like that - God willing there are parts and pieces out there!

I will post a pic for now, and will post many more tomorrow.


The brown (ain't) rust - just faded paint / primer.

I will use this thread for my progress as there will be plenty this year.

Thanks in advanced for all the input, help, corrections and guidance!

 

I was able to spell R-E-S-T-O-R-A-T-I-O-N correctly in the title!
A beer and patience (or patience and a beer...) goes a long way!

 

Looks like a nice clean truck to start with, good luck.

 

Welcome to the forum. Nice looking project truck to start. Depending on where in AZ you may be, you might want to reconsider your power and gearing choice as stock configuration on these trucks was not very road friendly for today's high speed roads. A stock '49 F-3 will have a cruise speed of somewhere around 50 mph. My memories of AZ are miles and miles of flat roads to the endless horizon.

 

Welcome to FTE from another Ariz'n (Mesa) and '49 owner (f1 though). Glad to see the right type of person picked this up off of Craig'slist and not ended up all cutting or a Rat Rod... Sounds like a great plan....

 

Welcome! Looks like a pretty straight old truck....
I see a flathead V8 in your future.

 

Let me add my welcome. You've come to the right place for help and advice. It's really great that you're saving another old truck, and your plans to restore it are sound. I vaguely remember the Richfield gas signs. Scottsdale is a drive from old Route 66. As I recall, it ran through Kingman and Flagstaff, near today's I40. Rode that route a few times as a kid in my family's car between CA and TN.

 

Nice looking truck to start with. I look forward to watching your progress. Don't let the darksiders get to you..although they may be right about the rear end. It just depends on what you plan on doing with it.

 

Ed, welcome to the board.

Looks like a good start for your project.

I like my trucks stock as possible but on the F-3 there a couple good reasons to change out the rear axle with a newer, pre-'73 F-250 axle. It's almost a direct swap and you'll get better gearing. Also, the stock wheels on a F-3 are referred to as "Widow Makers". There are plenty of posts on this board about them. As a member with less than 25 posts you can't use the search feature but you can do a Google search of the site. Member Truckdog has posted a lot of information, use his name in the search. I also have this on my web site:

Ford two piece rims

 

Thanks for the welcome! Yeah - it was a CL find and when he lowered it to $650 - 'I found a new project!'

On top of that - the seller turned out to be a great guy who I clicked with and he is allowing me to keep it at his shop to do all of my work on.

You will have to PM or email me what you have part-wise, and let me know where to go and who to avoid in the valley for parts and services.

 

Welcome to the forum, Ed! Congratulations on your 'new' truck. It looks like a great starting place for a nice project. The good news is that nearly anything you need for it to get it running and driving again, it will be readily available. If you can't find it new, there's good used parts everywhere. And we're always here to help and encourage, if not get you in deeper. ;-)

Enjoy!

 

Welcome to FTE Ed. Great lookin' truck and the price was right! Look forward to seeing your build progress. I took a quick peek at your Route66 site. Looks like a very interesting project to be involved in. Going to browse the site further. Glad to have you on the forum.

 

Thanks for the warm 'Welcome'.

I am not new to cars (but to trucks I am!) and I do a lot of preservation / restoration on Route 66 so I know how to research, research, and sit on the PC for hours at a time looking at articles, photos, and blogs (such as this one!)

I am having the 'inner struggle' with the engine. While I know the original engine pales by todays standards (and highway speeds!) - I really want to keep it stock - so that may be a crossroad when I come to it...

Anywho - the pics:






























I REALLY like the Ford Maverick seat sitting there - I might keep it!!

There is very little rust - and the bed is trashed - and I am thinking with going to a all metal bed instead of wood (work truck - remember...?)

I am new to welding so this will take some patience and a lot of scrap metal - but the guy who I bought it off of not only said to work on it at his place - but he also restores cars and will help however possible!

Here is the logo which will adorn the doors:


Following something of this paint combo:


And for $20 - here is my 'sketch pad':


I would rather try to figure out the paint combo / colors on this 'model' rather than playing with paint on the REAL thing!

I won't be doing much on it for the next month or so due to the holidays, travel, work and it does get kinda cold here in PHX in the winter!

I will keep this updated though.

I know I will get exponentially further with the truck now through the help of this forum and all of you folks!

Thanks!
Ed

 

Welcome to the baord! and Merry Christmas!!

I think the truck will look great as a service station service truck

Thumbs up to ya
Bobby

 

From the pictures of your engine compartment it originally came with a flat six engine, battery and solenoid on driver's side. Some time later on some one must have installed a flathead V8, the radiator has two tubes on the top and bottom. I would bet the raditator is sitting in the six cylinder location, further toward the front of the truck along with the air dam in the hood. The V8 radiator sits about 3" closer to the cab, you can see there is two sets of mounting holes in the inner fender panels and frame. There is also different mounting location for the air dam.