New project.

Been waiting on this one for 25 years. That's about how long ago my Papaw told me it would be mine someday.

His dad owned her before that. My earliest memories are in this truck. The original color code is G-E, Papaw repainted her around 83. Just sanded down to primer then paint, no body work. He painted her back the solid green then, which is why the roof is no longer white. I'll put her back green and white. That's how I first remember her.

The original 272 starts and idles with just a touch of the switch. No choke, no pumping the gas. The original ford-o-matic drives out good, but blows fluid out the dipstick tube in high gear. Seals in the clutch packs are just plain rotten from sitting. Got the rebuild Kit from David Andrews last week. Transmission is out, probably build it next week.

Gutters and lower doors are the only major rust damage. It's always been stored inside. There's surface rust here and there, and I patched a couple holes in the drivers side running board, which I brazed. Cab corners, fenders, ect, solid.

I'm an old school brazer and stick welder. Don't own a mig welder. I got some good patch material out of the hood of an old maverick. Most everything will get brazed in, etched with phosphoric acid, then sealed with zinc chromate. The gutters and roof line will be the only real challenge. I've had no luck sourcing patch panels. They'll probably end up with a thin layer of plastic filler for the final smoothing, but there won't be any of this gobbing the crap in there garbage.

Thought it's probably not often ya'll see a 56 this straight completely unrestored and just thought I'd share. There'll be more pics as I go along.

The last picture is about 7 years ago, Papaw and I, second and third owners respectively, in happier times before the alzheimer's robbed his mind.

If anyone knows where to locate a stock wheel, I'm short one and would like to buy one.

 

Yikes,

That rim has seen better days.

Midfifty sells new rims if you want to spend the money, other wise check your local Classifieds, Craigslist Etc.

It makes me happy to see the truck stay in your family, and good luck with it. Im sure your Papaw wouldnt want it any other way.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

That looks like one nice unmolested original old truck.........And in good hands.

 

Great story, great looking truck.
Be sure to keep us up on the progress.

 

Might as well be a member of the family, eh?

That truck is going to be a comfort to you; somehow, I know that.

Do keep us posted. I especially would like to see the top once it's re-done. I have that in mind for mine.

 

Welcome aboard, we have a lot in common. I have my dad's '56 F100 he bought new and Alzheimer's is robbing his mind. Looking forward to seeing the progress on yours, and if I can be of help, just ask.

 

Welcome to the forum!!!

I love a truck with a good back story!!

 

Touching story and great looking truck. My grandaddy gave me my '65 F100 and recently had to move into an assisted living home because of Dementia...it's sad, and like was said previously, I know the '65 will always bring back the good times.

Good luck, can't wait to see the progress.

 

Fantastic story....love the family lineage. Wish my 56 was that good of shape!

Keep us up to date on the progress!

 

Great story. Truck looks great too. Thanks for sharing and best of luck on whatever you end up doing with her. Take care

 

Psyc,
welcome! Great story and nice to see pix of the old gal.
If I may offer some advice? You really don't want to use brass for body repair. The amount of heat affected zone will warp the panels to pieces, especially the doors, and paint does not bond to brass very well. If you must use a torch, weld, don't braze the panels. Use the smallest tip you can get for your torch or invest in a henrob torch. Use TIG filler wire and paste flux rather than flux covered gas rod with either torch. Much better yet, spend the money on a MIG machine, the Eastwood 135 is a good machine, plenty of power for almost anything that needs welding on your truck, plugs into a standard household 115V outlet, and uses shielding gas, all for the very affordable price of (just lowered!) 299.00!. Eastwood MIG Welder | MIG 135 Welder | MIG Welding MIG is very easy to learn and works well for sheet metal. Read my posts on how to mig weld here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-practice.html this comes from a guy who spent 30+ years with an Ox Ac torch in his hand. If my MIG machine burned out today, I'd be unpacking another one tomorrow!
There are no patch panels available for the roof, you'll have to make your own (not really difficult, I've posted plenty of how to's on here), plus there is understructure under the skin that is likely rotted out and in need of replacing as well. cut out the deteriorated metal well into solid and the same with the understructure. If the roof is that rotted, pull back or remove the windshield rubber and poke around the lower windshield surround under it for signs of more rot, once water can get past the roof, it runs down the posts and pools at the bottom of the windshield and rusts thru from the inside. Use an icepick, awl or similar to probe any/all flaky surface rust, blistering or dark specks for soft or rusted thru areas. You can't weld (or braze) them over no matter how small they may appear, it must be cut out and replaced with sound metal.

 

Thanks for all the well wishes and advice. After considerable research I picked up a linc pro mig 140 and an 80cf cylinder, and have been building a cart for them as a practice project. Been nearly 20 years since I did much wire welding. I've got an old bus here to rob for patch panels, so maybe when the weather turns bad this winter I'll be able to get on this project full steam.

 

be sure to check out my thread on MIG welding https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-practice.html To help you get started and comfortable with that welder.

 

Psyco Let me double check but I believe I have the original spare tire and wheel from my 56. If I do still have it then I will be more than happy to let it go. I will check