1955 F250 (Emma) Build Thread

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Mar 4, 2013 | 12:39 AM

Rocketman55

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From: Layton, Utah

1955 F250 (Emma) Build Thread

So I’ve been off the site for a while. I bought this old girl (55 F250) back in 2007 on a whim without knowing much about vintage Ford trucks nor the sage advice found in the newbie section of this forum. The PO got the truck cheap as a young teenager (old cow feed truck in Nevada). His dad worked with him to restore it and he drove it all through high school. The bed/box you see on her now he welded up out of sheet steel (really heavy). He did not want a long bed so he cut the frame and made a short bed. Sadly, he also chopped the front bumper mounts and put fog lamps where the frame comes through the front. Numerous other PO mods I’ve been working to fix (bent leaf springs to lower truck, chopped/welded exhaust to create a dual exhaust, . On the plus side he did replace the king pins the year before I bought the truck. I never (still don’t) intend to do a complete frame off restoration mostly because I just don’t have the space to do it. Over the first couple years I rebuilt the front and rear suspensions, put a 3.73 Dana 60 out of a 68 F250, new drums and pads on the rear, rebuilt the MC and a half dozen other minor things. During all that work I received great advice on this forum and will continue to seek that out.
Last fall I had decided to sell her as I’ve not done much the last two years and I have been told have too many hobbies. Well spring is coming, and I just can’t do it. My plans for this year (have the funds/hope to have the time):

1) Remove the steel bead and fabricate a temporary flat bed
2) Remove the 239 (not original) and tranny for cleaning (engine/tranny are solid)
3) Rebuild Carb
4) Replace U-joints
5) Rebuild front brakes and new brake lines (rear lines replaced with the rear brake rebuild)
6) Dual stage master cylinder upgrade (manual)
7) Headers or original exhaust (one of the areas I’ll be looking to discuss)
8) Fabricate frame adapter for a Front bumper (I found detailed drawings of that part of the frame on FTE a few years back)
9) New gas tank

I will use this as the starting point of my build thread.
Cheers,

BG

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Last edited by Rocketman55; Mar 4, 2013 at 12:43 AM. Reason: added pic

Mar 4, 2013 | 12:43 AM

Rocketman55

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From: Layton, Utah

Mar 4, 2013 | 09:01 AM

ben73058

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Joined: May 2010

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From: Austin

Hey BG,
Nice looking truck! Don't sell the truck - it's a good hobby & will keep you
busy & out of trouble for years. Why get rid of the bed? It looks pretty good - just needs a tail gate of some kind. Do you think a replacement F1 Bed would fit on the shortened chassis?

I saw a thread on here where one of our members showed how to
fab up replacment front bumper mounts. I'll see if I can find it.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

Mar 4, 2013 | 09:52 AM

Elder User

Joined: Feb 2013

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From: Crystal Lake

That truck looks nice. I say keeo it...

Mar 4, 2013 | 04:50 PM

Rocketman55

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Joined: Jul 2009

Posts: 152

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From: Layton, Utah

Yes, she cleans up ok and I'll keep her awhile longer. While the bed does not look horrible it is heavy and impacts the ride so it has to go. I'll see how I like the temp flatbed before I make a decision on trying to get a real bed back on. Ben I have the drawings you mentioned so please don't expend effort looking for them. I can't remember the post but I printed them off FTE a couple years back.

BG

Mar 4, 2013 | 05:31 PM

Gear Up

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Joined: Feb 2002

Posts: 433

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From: Breckenridge, Minn.

It is nice to see others trying to decide what to do with their rides. I was in that place over a year ago with my 50 F-1 panel; had to choose my battles and that one lost. It did howerver open the door to work on Joey's F-250. One has only so much time and only so many places to store what we accumulate. Enjoyed seeing your project; now if I could develop a page to share with all what has been done with Joey's truck. Don't get to the board very often but enjoy comments and conserns shared by all.

Mar 4, 2013 | 06:01 PM

abe

Fleet Owner

Joined: Dec 2000

Posts: 25,168

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From: Central PA

I know your frame was shortened and it does look stubby at the end, but....
They make reproduction F-250 beds now. Mid-Fifty sells them among others. Mid-Fifty also sells F-250 runningboards, but only smoothies (no ribs) or fiberglass with ribs. Could you lengthen your frame enough to put on the F-250 bed if that is an option.... I am thinking a makeshift flatbed would be expensive just for a temporary fix...

Overall truck looks good tho!

1955 F250 (Emma) Build Thread

1955 F250 (Emma) Build Thread

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