Spur, that link didn't work for me so I guess I'll just have to imagine what it looks like, and Teddy/Theodore/Wally, that would be awesome. I was gonna mention that your tu -tone blue and white is a great combo. If I had a styleside I would definately go with that type of tu tone job. We have a 1958 Aloha travel trailer, blue and white also. Painted it with a brush of course. We'd make a great caravan over to upstate NY, pickin' up other fridges along the way. Did some fine tuning on my recent work tonight, but nothing new. Time to fix the floors, but body work not my favorite........

 

I was trying to send you to the Fifth pic of my 1960 gallery. I don't really get this stuff sometimes. you can check it out there.

My buddy down over the hill restored a camper that is close to yours but all silver in color. He naval jellied the entire outer surface. it almost blinded you when he was done.

I hope to take a truck to a "old truck dive-up", tomorrow nite. Haven't been to this place ever. It's a little tavern out in the middle of nowhere but famous for some of the fights that have been broken up by the cops. Near Pharsalia Hook. I have the tranny half way out of my Fridge so if I go it will be with the '66. It will be a faster get away car if needed. I sure ain't no fast get away type guy anymore. Never really was!

 

I got yer back, man........... Hooked up the temp gauge and hit the road trying to overheat it after work. Did get to 210 yikes, but no boilover with 50 50 mix and a 13 lb rad cap. I know I need to find a bigger radiator. Been offered one from a 6.2 diesel suburban, but it will take major surgery on the fridge front clip. Lord, forgive me.......

 

Gary,

Turn out "redifining hardcore" may actually be an understatement! Glad to see you are making such great progress with the 59-perhaps I should bring the 53 back for some "not hot-rodding"?

great project.great thread!

 

Brian, Great to see you are hanging out at FTE, my new home away from home. With the cabinet shop 50 feet from my real house and this other 'home' right here inside my computer, then my truck shop 100 feet from that, "I don't get out much", to say the least. Here's a picture of your '53 before you took her outa the country. Come on back cuz I wanna see the stack you put on that thing just to make sure that when I make mine, it's bigger.... GB. ................. Brian's Canadien F350

 

Gary, here's another Cummins powered old Ford truck:
Video: Jeff Madden's Diesel Model A - Hot Rod Magazine Blog

 

Very cool. I hear very little that's positive about rat rods here. I have always enjoyed seeing them, and I think I've had a couple of them over the last 35 years, I just never called them that. ....Found a nice radiator from a '77 f250 with a 351 and it seems to cool the cummins nicely. I also eliminated the fan clutch because of clearance issues and bought an adapter and a flex a lite fan. It killed me to have to BUY something new from a catalogue, but all the adapters I could think up seemed unsafe for some reason The critical part was it had to attach to a 30 milimeter fine LEFT HAND thread which is what the fan clutch threaded onto at the water pump center. Kind of a hard nut to find if a guy wanted to weld one onto the back of an old fan. Summit Racing had the 30 mm threaded adapter that has the standard 5/8 center and the 4 bolt holes and from there you choose your fan. So simple...............and safe. Floors done, seat in and now I work on the front clip/fenders and the wipers convert to electric. Every day I work out a bug or conquer a small obstacle. Life will be very dull for me when this is done. I do have an old beater BSA 441 victor special that has been a parts bike and I know where there's an air cooled yanmar 1 cyl diesel from a generator. But then I'd need a tranny.

 

Was this ever finished? Would you rather do the engine swap again, or a body swap onto a dodge/cummins frame?

 

Finished by my standards. Starts, runs, drives, stops does 70 on the freeway, 80 a few times. Pulls trailers. It isn't painted or pretty. To be honest I might do a body swap onto a F350 like my 92 4x4 7.3 ZF if I had to do it over again. Then I'd have ps, pb etc. Also one less truck to maintain and insure. I drive the '59 about 20 times a year, always my go-to for dump runs with that tall sided box the cans stay upright!

 

Gotcha. We've got a rolled 89 Cummins 5speed that still runs and a 1960 F100 that was stripped down to the body and frame. I'd like to just place the ford on the dodge frame to keep things simple.

 

And here we are 2 years later.... We drive it to the dump once a month but I have had some shoulder issues and usually for for one of my rigs with power steering. I have become a serious collector of the '46-'47 jailbar trucks. The '59 has been licensed and insured with my commercial business insurance and my insurance company is getting really sticky about these old vehicles on my policy . Therefor I have decided to sell my'59. I will post up an ad in this section for it now. It may be fairly easy to sell right here on the island, but That 9' box is so exceptional and the truck deserves a knowledgeable owner. Just checkin' in. Thanks, GB Edit: I put up the add but it's at the bottom of the first page. I guess that's how it works.

 

What has been the final chapter for you and the fate of your '59 Ford Truck?

Regardless of the B.S. that insurance companies throw at you for reasons they don't want to provide coverage (but happily take your premiums) there are other companies that respect the preservation of these classics and work hard to provide insurance coverage. That's a different story.

Have you sold your truck or is it still part of the 'family?'
I hope you reconsider and keep her.

 

Sold it last weekend, here on the island. I have driven past it at it's new home a couple of times. The new owner has good old truck skills and had been asking about buying it almost since I finished it.

 

That's kind of bitter sweet. Glad it went to a good home though. There is a jail bar stake rack setting about 20 miles up the road from my house near Hamilton, NY, just in case you feel like a road trip.

 

Gary, I have a 56 f100 and usually go on the 48-56 forums but when bored to find something new I go on some of the other forums. I followed you about your woody and got to know your user name so I followed this thread about the cummins in a 59. How cool! Thank you for your threads. Very entertaining! Greg