56 F100
351c
c4

Some of you have been following my work to get reliable enough to pull a float in the homecoming parade.

I had a broken alternator bolt that had to be drilled out. A slight cooling issue to address & the coil cut out on the road trip to my sisters.

So I had to idle the truck in wall to wall people for about an hr while pulling the float.

IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!! I got about 100 "cool truck" compliments and made a couple new friends talking to some of the other float drivers.

The truck performed flawlessly (almost) and ran at 183* through the entire parade.

The 1 issue I had was vapor lock. At the very end of the parade as I was pulling into the school parking lot the truck stalled.

It started up again, but stalled. I was able to limp it behind the school & the boys on the float gave me the final push into the parking spot.

I let the truck cool for an hour and it is perfect again. The steel fuel line runs from the mechanical pump on the bottom front of the drivers side of the 351c over the top & front of the block up to the carb. My guess is the fuel got hot & once it cooled was just fine.

So - now that I made it through the great ordeal (really well if you ask me) I need to start on my list of fixes.

1) alternator bracket
2) universal joints
3) insulate the fuel lines
4) insulate coil

The bad thing is the truck was running so cool - oh well. I still got a hundred "cool truck" compliments.

My wife even likes the truck!

 

Close enough!

I like parade duty. It's always fun. I've driven an M35A2 deuce and a half in the last two Christmas parades here. It's always a great time.

So, again next year?

 

No tow trucks were involved, so I count it as a "win"!

Vapor lock is more likely in the line from the tank to the pump. Check your routing vs. exhaust. But this was an extreme test, very low flow for extended periods.

 

Congrats, I know you were really sweating getting thru the parade route without any problems. Too Cool my friend, Too Cool. Im glad you enjoyed yourself.

 

Right - No tow trucks means ALL GOOD!

I'll check the lines from the tank to the pump. The cab was getting pretty hot, the tank is still in the cab & the exhaust runs under there somewhere.

I have some aluminum duct tape. I could wrap the line in a little insulation & then in the aluminum tape.

True on the extreme test! I know the truck is built well, but you know how these old things are. It could be anything that fails at any time!

Next year it will have the new paint too!

BIG thank you to all the folks that helped me out! You guys got me back on the road just in time.

 

Very cool, nice to be able to drive it! (or even have the time to work on it). I am still right where I was 4 months ago when I got really busy with work.
Good to hear that you made it even with a little anxiety along the way. A pretty extreme test of the truck and it did great with just a couple of small problems - which sounds like you will be able to take care of fairly easily. Congrats!

 

Do you have a way to keep the fan on all the time or is it on a T-stat?

 

Congrats!!!

I've been in a few parades, they are great fun. I've never pulled a float though. I'm glad the truck performed well and you had a good time.

Bobby

 

Who had the bigger smile - you or your daughter !!! Glad it all worked out well

 

I like parades too. My 54 has been in at least 4 parades over the years. The trouble is that my truck has a 3 on the tree and first is not very low. I can't wait to get my 70 F350 in a parade as it is a 4 speed with first being a creeper gear.

 

Honestly...i think i had a better time than she. &she had lots of fun!

 

I have a 351c in mine as well. I just got a new powermaster alternator, but I'm having a hard time getting it mounted and lined up with the other pulleys. It had a huge generator on it when I bought it. Mind showing me some pics of what your setup looks like?

 

Sounds like a great time. Definitely a win!

 

Glad you made it and enjoyed yourself as well. Just took my 351c apart and found a rounded lobe on the cam. Guess I'll get the rest of the motor checked out at the machine shop and get a new cam.

 

Did the lobe round off because of the lack of zinc in oil nowdays?