Hello everyone I finally got some time to start a build thread so I'm gonna try to do this in a logical sequence of posts. Early this year I took ownership of my Grandfather's 1974 Ford F100 2wd A/T with 302 engine. I have always had fond memories of my grandfather and this truck whether we were riding to town to pick up some night crawlers for fishing in their pond or just riding the perimeter of the property. I have always been into cars and trucks but never been all that mechanically inclined, although I've learned a lot in the last couple years working on my other vehicles. Just got tired of paying others to work on my stuff. I'm planning to do a resto/mod type project and convert this tired old truck into a hot rod/daily driver. Anyway, below are pics of the truck the day I took ownership:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8675622511/http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8675622511/]photo[/url, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8676728968/http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8676728968/]photo2[/url, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8675629335/http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8675629335/]photo6[/url, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8676733646/http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8676733646/]photo9[/url, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8676732864/http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8676732864/]photo12[/url, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8675628413/http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8675628413/]photo10[/url, on Flickr

 

Not sure why one of the pics from my carb rebuild got thrown in there... . Ill try to figure that out before my next post.

 

I know sometimes i post a pic,and get the family album,,,,very nice truck of a simpler time My first vehicle was the same

 

Below are some pics after we got the truck running and cleaned up a bit. We had to replace the fuel tank since gas had been sitting in there for at least the last 5 years. We also replaced the fuel filter, ICM, battery, air filter, battery cables, etc. Took a few cranks and a little fuel directly in the carb, but she cranked fairly easy! I couldn't believe it.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8739026989/, on Flickr


http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8739031401/, on Flickr


http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8739043167/, on Flickr

 

Looks like a super clean truck and a great start! Jealous.

 

After getting the truck running it was time to address the brakes. I rebuilt the rear drum brakes with all new hardware, shoes and drums. The front discs were upgraded to slotted/dippled rotors and powder coated calipers, replaced pads and hoses as well. There was really no reason to powder coat the calipers as I'm going with old school smoothie wheels, but hey I couldn't resist. Also replaced the master cylinder. While the rotors were off went ahead and installed new wheel bearings, seals, etc.

I rebuilt the Motorcraft 2100 carb the same weekend, but won't bother with all the pics as they were only taken so I could remember where everything went. The truck ran like a dream after the rebuild and a lot quieter to as I had some vacuum leaks prior. The only excessive noise is a tick coming from the passenger side cylinder head, but I haven't had time to remove the valve cover and take a look.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/9533094660/, on Flickr


http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/9533094308/, on Flickr


http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/9533092120/, on Flickr


http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/9530312821/, on Flickr


http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/9530313755/, on Flickr

 

Is that paint on the face of the rotor?

 

No, def not paint. It is a zinc coating applied for corrosion protection. After a few braking cycles the brake pads will gradually remove the zinc coating from the face of the rotor leaving the zinc in the slots and dimples. Got them from brake performance.com, they prob explain the coating process better.

 

I would think anything like that would gum up the pads or
somehow diminish there use.

Had a guy come into the shop back in the day that had did a complete
brake job and left the cosmoline on the drums and rotors.
Man did he have good brakes. as soon as ya just touched the peddle
everything locked up.

 

Man thats a clean truck, I couldn't bring myself to hot rod that, I would just tune it up and leave everything as is or as close to original as I could.

 

Yeah, I'm kinda torn because I love the look of these old trucks but also love the idea of building it up and screaming down the pavement. Thus far everything I've done has been to factory spec, minus the front rotor upgrade. I love the two tone factory yellow, but that brown is awful. I just want to build something my grandpa would've been proud of, and I know he would be happy with just how happy his old truck makes me. I'm not talking wild and crazy hot rod though, bc I do want to retain the nostalgic look. It will remain mostly stock for a while as I have up $$$$ for the engine build up. Right now the truck is at my folks farm until I feel good enough about its condition to drive it the 6 hours home. Just need to fix the temp gauge which quick working recently ( thinking its just a bad sending unit) and maybe investigate the engine knock coming from the passenger side cylinder head, then she'll be good to go

 

The temp gauge may well be the ICVR. Are any other gauges messing up?
And if this has the dash cluster I think it does it may well turn to dust
in your hands when ya try and replace the ICVR. ND Bill can tell ya for sure.
I also don't care for the brown on her but she is so nice I would just polish her and drive her for a bit and let her tell ya what she wants Bud.
Maybe get any and all mechanical's worked out before to many cosmetics.

 

Nice truck, I would just grab another dent to hot rod and tear the $#!% out of the streets with. I understand being torn though, have a 1960 f100 flareside looking for love but don't know if I want that classic look or swap in a crown vic suspension with a hp 5.0 screeching the back wheels.

 

Id be willing to bet you could paint that thing pink and put a flatbed on it and your grandpa would still be proud of it if that's what you wanted. My vote is do to it exactly what you want, just don't paint it pink and put a flatbed on it Good looking truck btw. I also had a tick coming from the passenger side head it was a dropped valve hope your noise turns out less detrimental.

 

All the other gauges are working, the temp gauge just doesn't move anymore. According to the temp gauge built into the aftermarket radiator cap though, running temps are normal. Just want to have the stock temp gauge up and running. Here is the only pic I could find of my gauge cluster.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8676746218/http://www.flickr.com/photos/95184161@N03/8676746218/]IMG_1863[/url, on Flickr

Definitely gonna get her mechanically sound before I worry about the exterior looks and like you said a good polish will do for now. Especially since it has some brown overspray from when my parents painted their pole barn