Well after posting in the F130 mystery thread and mentioning my 73 project i figured i should post it along with the other 3? 4? Im not sure at the moment lol

I guess the 73 should start this, and ill post the others and pics as i have time. It is the truck that my username comes from, a 1973 F350 with a "factory" 12 ft stake sided dump bed. Ill explain my suspicions on that later...

As far as i know it started as the main mover for Oscar's Rubbish in Lakeville, MA (no longer in business) Around the 80's/90's my dad and his friend owned the company and had 2 trucks- the red truck (this one) and the "green Onion" (long gone)

I have to run now, sorry to stop in mid post
More to follow...

 

So the red truck as it was known was the main truck of the fleet, usually jury rigged and overloaded with the springs and overloads straight out. And aside from a twisted driveshaft it handled it fine. During that time it went through an unknown number of engines, and one transmission, along with 4 or 5 hacked paint jobs and a set of fenders.

Eventually the cab was rotted out, and my dad started to replace it. It ended up parked in the yard for a decade or so, and stayed half put together until we started needing it to be shuffled around the yard to make space. I was about 12/13 by this time and so we decided to start strip it down and start over with it as the "new" can my dad up on had rotted in the trucks long slumber.

Once stripped to a bare frame it was parked until we could find a cab (neither of us could weld then, though now I can) and we finally got one from a neighbor that didn't need it since he is more into broncos. That's about where it is now. The motor was rebuilt when the first cab swap took place and is now mounted with a new clutch. It starts great, though the timing needs to be set and the carb replaced. I'll get some pics sometime next week to show its current state and what it still needs. Then onto the next truck- the yellow one.

 

Ok, here are the pics:
Red truck (Pheonix)



Blue truck- 1976 F-350 with a major body rehab at some point.



Yellow Truck- 1979 F-350- My dads's- Needs bed and minor body work


Green truck- 1979 F-250 4x4- mu brother's project

 

Progress! After stalling out on my updates a figures i should post up my work to date. The red truck has its engine in and test run, needs radiator to set timing and such. I got a set of spring hangers from Chasetruck (thanks again!) and once my dads get the axle ill have it on wheels. Then comes brakes, bolting things down, adjusting this and that so i can drive it onto the trailer and into the shop at school for my senior project- an aluminum flat bed.

Next is the yellow truck, shortest of the three. After getting it home and putting a fuel pump and electronic dist. in and wiring it all up like factory (was converted to points at some point when an FE was swapped in place of the stock 400) it ran. The timing hasnt been set and the thermostat is acting up so it overheats, and the whole exhaust system from the manifolds back needs to be installed so its loud (but sounds nice anyway lol). I took it to school shortly after we got it running and put a patch on each frame rail where the rust had taken its toll. I fresh set of bushings in the springs and it will be all set on that. Then go thru the rear hubs and fix the studs and brakes and it will be all set. One thing about this truck was it was a former tow truck, so it had a locking valve on the brakes (unknown to us) so whenever we stopped it, the brakes locked up and it would refuse to move. That made getting it off and on the trailer at school very difficult, abd embarrassing. Shortly after i got it home that valve appeared- "ohh, whats this funny little lever mounted next to the master cylinder?...whoops it locks the brakes..."

Finally is that blue dump truck. It ran when we got it, but doesnt charge and wouldnt accelerate at all when trying to drive. After adding electronic dist. and ignition (along with proper timing) she runs beautifully. The charging issue however remains... A new regulator didnt fix it (need it for the other truck anyway), alternator charges when i run a jumper direct from battery to field wire, so im thinking its in the hacked wires on the inner fender that have a short. Theres to power to the regulator on the two terminals that should get it in run so thats where im going to start. If that fails im saying heck with it an going 3G. Then its getting a plow put on and will get put to work this winter helping pay for itself and its sisters.

Oh, and does anybody know why the dump body would fly up and down WAY TO FAST? I think i could put a flow control on the line to slow the down part but maybe theres a better way? Ill see if i can get some pics next time i have the bed up. Right now its full its old tires and some scrap that will fall out if i tip it. Thanks

 

That lever probably belongs to this:

LEVER LOCK | MICO, Inc.

Lever-locks are VERY good parking brake systems. If it's working correctly, I'd leave it operational.

 

It's definately staying, and I'm going to try add them to the other trucks as well.