There ya go! That makes you MORE than qualified to help others here. Not many stock trucks here nowadays. Don't be a stranger!

 

No worries Josh. Do me a favour, start a new thread and tell us about your truck...and lots of pictures!!

 

Not a problem Josh. Some times these aftermarket parts need adjusting. Just put the radiator in its relative position and stare at it for some time and don't be impatient. Pretty soon you will be able to visualise what is necessary to install it and also what you need to do to adapt the shroud.

I just finished installing the toy power st box with an aftermarket bracket, now that was a challenge. It did not mount exactly as specified by the retailer but it can be done. Good luck with your project and give us some pics......BTW....welcome.

 

Seems like you have a pretty good amount of experience with your old truck. Like Doc said, you're qualified to contribute to the knowledge base of the forum. I've been playing with my trucks since I got out of high school 30+ years ago, really actually before that, my dad used the truck for his auto repair business in the early '70s and I was always handing him wrenches and getting in the way. I still find a lot of information here I didn't know.

 

I always say, I have paid dearly for every bit of my education. Lesson here, don't let your wife order parts for your truck.
and pay 800 for one??? and 160 to ship??? Yowsa!!

 

The coals have been poured to you man. Maybe you should call and speak with a manager.

Be sure to let wifey know how good of a woman she is for buying you a radiator for your truck.

 

In defence of Midwest Early Ford we sourced all of our body parts from them including all fenders & most of the bed. I didn't have any issues with them - It's a nice family run shop up in the Midwest. We received everything we ordered & it fit fine after a little adjustment.

Just as a note - every part used to refurbish this truck needed "a little adjustment or fabrification" - that's just part of it. We bought a radiator from another shop & had to fabricate the mounting brackets which took about an hour & we used a slim electric fan to make it work.

Take it easy up there - You have a nice truck. These trucks will test your patience.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1 (351W/AOD)

 

Josh- bit always hurts to waste $$$ but I would bet everyone here has at one time or another purchased a part that was useless and said "What the He** was I thinking " its part of the hobby. No one likes it but we all live with it and try to learn--at least your wife is supporting your hobby. Move on and enjoy the work and satisfaction you get from knowing you did it-- Have fun !! Dave S

 

I have to agree with the majority here, I don't think you got "ripped off", but merely experienced the realities of this hobby. Ford stopped making parts for these trucks a 1/2 decade ago. Others have stepped in to supply parts to help keep them on the road. Manufacturing methods, materials, even country of production have changed, so some specs have to be changed as well. Walker radiators are the top of the line (I have a Walker radiator in my truck) but the fact is their major business is in providing radiators for special use applications where changes and adaption is the rule not just the norm, not for OEM replacement. They provided what the said they would, a radiator that fit and will cool your truck. No way would they say it is an exact reproduction for the antique restoration crowd. I don't have a shroud on my radiator, doesn't need it even here in the hot south, the Walker works so well all I'm using is an electric thermostatically controlled fan. If you are one of the "the bolt heads must have the Ford logo stamped in" restorer crowd (each to their own) then you are shopping at the wrong stores. You wouldn't shop for a 1920's reproduction dress at The Gap. Midwest merely acted as a facilitator in this transaction on a product they don't normally sell (and therefore wouldn't be expected have intimate detailed knowledge of) as a favor to your wife, basing the product on the information they were given. I'd be willing to bet she never specified that the original shroud needed to bolt in place as per the OEM installation. Having to fabricate some brackets if you must use the original shroud is IMHO a small price to pay to have the best radiator available in your truck. It's like complaining that you must put in a new setting to accommodate the much larger finer diamond you were given as a gift! If you can't fabricate the needed brackets I expect it shouldn't be difficult to find a custom shop that can.

 

Josh, maybe you can help me... I've got a leaky 94 and a core, just bought two rebuild kits... this will be my first attempt at this type of carb.

Why did you rebuild twice... any tricks or learnings?

Cheers...Brian

PS: Hat tip to the misses... you're a lucky man to get such support... it aint common.

 

The first kit I bought had bad gaskets. Might be what's happening to you my first attempt had me leaking gas pretty bad. Plus the gas fuel intake needle kept sticking in the closed position

 

Oops! that should have said a 1/2 Century ago...

 

What everybody said. And don't forget, these trucks were not made to the same specs and tolerances that new cars and trucks are now. You can take doors from any new truck and they will fit any other of the same year with the new ones. Not with our old trucks. And not just the doors. It makes it really hard for the suppliers who sell parts for them, since all these trucks are all slightly different. I have bought parts from many suppliers and I have had to modify many of them to work right. And each time I had to ask on here and every time I asked, somebody knew what to do. This is an excellent forum and it has some very funny guys on it. I have almost as much fun on here as I do working on my truck. So, cheers and kudos to your wife for taking a leap to try and help you. She should be treated like the queen that she is for trying so hard.

 

tommoo, not only what you said but these trucks are reaching their 60+ year mark. Very few have gone this long without being worked on. I'd bet the vast majority have been tweaked by more than a few owners.

 

I got my four row copper and brass radiator from Sacramento Vintage Ford must have been 6 to 9 years ago for then $350 , it was a direct bolt in, works great runs at a pretty steady160 degrease year round, (add about 10deg in summer trafic) without a schroude for my F1 ,302 c4 combo. They are now up to $475. Just information from my expeierence. Welcome to the forum.